Foreign Language in the Elementary Schools (FLES)
Program Goals:
- To develop high levels of proficiency in Spanish at the beginning stage of language acquisition.
- To provide a meaningful context for developing communication skills in Spanish.
- To build an understanding and appreciation for the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
- To strengthen the language competency of Spanish speaking students (native or heritage speakers).
The purpose of the FLES Spanish Program is:
To prepare students to begin developing functional skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish.
To provide a nurturing environment where students feel comfortable learning a second language.
To develop proficiency in oral and written communication in Spanish through the integration of language skills and concepts taught in the content areas.
To encourage all students to develop an openness, understanding and appreciation for other cultures.
Glebe Elementary School
Jamestown Elementary School
Patrick Henry Elementary School
McKinley Elementary School
FLES Implementation
School Year Implemented | FLES Sites |
| 2006-07 | Glebe | Patrick Henry | | | |
| 2007-08 | Barcroft | | | | |
| 2008-09 | Ashlawn | Claremont* | Jamestown | Key* | McKinley |
| 2009-10 | Randolph | | | | |
| 2010-11 | | | | | |
| 2011-12 | Barrett | Campbell | Carlin Springs | Drew | |
| 2012-13 |
| | | | |
* Note: Funding through the FLES initiative was provided for the Immersion Program to expand the teaching of Spanish language arts, following a recommendation from the 2004-05 Immersion Program Evaluation. As a result of this implementation, Claremont and Key now operate without early release Wednesdays, as do all FLES sites.
Future expansion of FLES is contingent upon budget availability. Decisions on FLES expansion are made by the School Board.
Instructional Time
Students receive from 90-135 minutes of instruction weekly.
FLES Teachers
The FLES program requires that FLES teachers hold a Virginia's teacher's license in Spanish as Foreign Language (Spanish K-12). It is highly recommended that FLES teachers be dually certified in foreign language and in elementary education.
Expectations for Language
These tables give an indication of what students should be able to do in the Spanish language at the completion of a year of study. The level corresponds to the number of years that a student has been studying Spanish and varies based on the year that a school began FLES. Levels 1 and 2 apply to all kindergarten and first grade FLES students in the county. Level 2 also applies for second-fifth graders at Barrett, Campbell, Carlin Springs and Drew. The rest are applicable to all other FLES schools in the following way: second grade is at level 3, third grade is at level 4, etc.
Level 1 Language FunctionsCurriculum
The FLES program follows the Arlington FLES curriculum framework, which is aligned with national and state standards. The expectations for students learning Spanish as a second language who complete the K-5 sequence are to attain the novice-mid to novice-high level as described in the performance guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. At a novice-mid level, the student can engage in simple conversations, can speak and write short sentences, and can read and understand brief text, among other skills.
Instructional Materials
All students in the FLES program have access to high-quality instructional materials to help them develop the desired proficiency. Arlington utilizes the Viva el español series of materials and resources from the National Geographic Language and Literacy en español series. These series are standards-based and allow for cross-curricular connections.
Cross-Curricular Connections
The FLES curriculum in Arlington provides opportunities for making connections between Spanish and other subjects. For example, students in kindergarten practice math skills by counting by 2's and by 10's or by making a bar graph of the students favorite colors. This allows the students to learn specific vocabulary (colors, in this case) in an authentic context (talking about what they like) while at the same time practicing an important math skill (making and reading bar graphs).
In conjunction with the Science Office, curriculum was developed for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade that integrates science goals for each year group with related content in Spanish.
Assessment
FLES teachers conduct periodic formative evaluations to determine students' progress in Spanish. The results of these assessments are used to modify instruction. Students' language development is assessed more formally twice a year, at the end of each semester, and a report is sent home with the second and fourth report card.
Sixth Grade
Students have the option of participating in the Grade 6 Transitional Spanish class at most middle schools. This is a semester course paired with a semester of reading in English. For specific course descriptions and other language options, please refer to the Program of Studies.
