Elementary & Upper School Overview

Students at the Upper School level generally select between French and Spanish, committing to studying one language during grades 6-8. Putnam Ave. Upper School also offers Chinese in Gr. 6-8. These students generally enter level two honors of that language at the high school level. There is a minimum language requirement at CRLS of two courses in the same language. There are several elementary level immersion programs with pathways for continued learning through the upper school and high school levels.

• Chinese is offered at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School in grades Preschool-5, and those students have the option to continue their Chinese studies at the Putnam Ave. Upper Campus and CRLS. The school offers pathways for Chinese dual language immersion as well as a Chinese FLES model.
  
  
• The Amigos School offers a dual-language immersion model is a rigorous academic program where students receive 50% English and 50% Spanish instruction and are expected to become biliterate, to read, write and speak with the same high level of proficiency in both Spanish and English. Most Amigos graduates continue on to Spanish IV Honors and Spanish Advanced Placement Language.
  
  
• At the King Open School, students have the option of participating in Olá, a two-way Portuguese-English bilingual immersion program in Preschool-5. Students in the Olá program have the option to continue their Portuguese students at the Cambridge Street Upper School. Portuguese has been discontinued at the high school level in recent years due to low enrollments.
  
  
• Spanish Program at Fletcher Maynard Academy
  Fletcher Maynard Academy offers Spanish instruction for students in Jr. Kindergarten – Grade 5. The program utilizes the foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) model for Spanish instruction. Grades 3, 4, & 5 receive lessons of 30-45 minutes each, three days per week and lessons of 20-30 minutes for grades 1 & 2. Jr Kindergarten and Kindergarten will have three, 20 minute lessons each week. The model is structured on best practices recommended by the Center for Applied Linguistics. 


  
  The FMA Spanish program uses innovative curricula and instructional practices that maximize opportunities for students to learn about different cultures and use the Spanish in the classroom. The Spanish program is experiential with a variety of performance assessments structured into each lesson plan. Elementary World Language program goals are for students to:
  • Acquire proficiency in listening and speaking with the degree of proficiency to be determined at each grade level
  • Acquire an understanding of and appreciation for other cultures
  • Acquire some proficiency in reading and writing

  Each lesson and unit follows expectations that generally apply to any high caliber world language content-enriched FLES program.

  • Provide a language-rich environment that presents vocabulary in context
  • Include meaningful culture in every lesson
  • Use authentic songs, games, stories, and rhymes
  • Incorporate reading and writing skills
  • Teach around a theme
  • Provide students with opportunities to talk about topics that are meaningful to them
  • Assess students’ progress on a regular basis, using a variety of methods.

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• Peabody Spanish Program
  Peabody students have an elementary Spanish program in fourth and fifth grades, with 90 minutes of instruction per week. The World Language learning expectations are based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. The curriculum is proficiency-based, meaning that it focuses on what students can do with the language and daily lessons emphasize using language in real life situations. Students are assessed based on ACTFL performance descriptors for language learners which create a pathway with clear benchmarks as students grow in their language skills. The CPS Elementary Spanish program at Peabody is designed to be project-based, interactive, student centered, and empirical. The lessons incorporate songs, art, games, and storytelling, which provide both context to the learning experience and opportunities to enjoy the learning of Spanish.
  
  
• High School Overview
  The Cambridge Public Schools World Language department takes pride in offering a wide range of language learning opportunities to prepare our students to succeed in today’s diverse world. Students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School may choose to immerse themselves in the study of French, Arabic, Chinese and Spanish, Latin or American Sign Language. High school offerings range from beginner through Advanced Placement for Chinese, French and Spanish. The curriculum for the languages covers speaking, listening, reading, writing as well as study of culture of the countries where each language is studied; the Latin curriculum focuses on reading and translation skills, the study of English word origins and the history and culture of ancient Rome. There are many pportunities exist for students to experience language in authentic settings, including student exchange programs, vacation week trips, and community field trips.