RE Log Fall 2016

FALL 2016 Ransom Everglades LOG 29 It is no secret that Spanish is an essential survival skill in South Florida. The language is spoken and heard everywhere in the city every day. Our local economy and our ability to connect with our surrounding communities depend on being proficient in English and Spanish. This trend is rapidly becoming the case in many other parts of the United States as well. The most recent research shows that Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States. In fact, more than 50.5 million Hispanics, the major- ity of whom are Spanish speakers, live in our nation. We are incredibly excited to begin this year with a newly enriched Spanish curriculum in the Middle School, which will provide our students with the speaking and comprehen- sion skills needed to help them thrive as future leaders in our communities. At Ransom Everglades, we want to prepare our students to meaningfully contribute and participate in a global world by fostering a strong connection between our students and our city of Miami, as well as with our culturally diverse nation. With these goals in mind, we endeav- or to produce graduates who are proficient in English, Spanish and a third language. Starting with the Class of 2023, the new Spanish program requires each entering student to take Spanish for at least three consecutive years (sixth through eighth grades). Sixth graders will be placed according to their abilities, from the novice (Level 1) to the ad- vanced (Level 4), and we anticipate that many Heritage learners will be able to take the AP language examination at the end of eighth grade. At the Upper School, students will be encouraged to broaden their language skills by taking more advanced Spanish language courses, other subject courses taught in Spanish, and/or commencing a new course of study in another foreign language. The Middle School Spanish Program’s main focus is communicative success. It provides students with multiple opportunities to develop all linguistic competence skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. We will develop the students’ speaking proficiency in the target language through different interactive activities and student-centered instruction. Students will use authentic materials to learn about current events, diverse perspectives and historical influences. Experts agree that students engage more when they talk about topics that are relevant and current. Therefore, all units, activities, lessons and assess- ments will include meaningful context and interdisciplinary connections. Furthermore, all units integrate the 5 C’s of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st century: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Communities. The program is anchored on three pillars that are internationally recognized for their academic rigor, innovation, and reliability: the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ Proficiency Guidelines, the Curricular Plan of The Cervantes Institute (Spain), and the College Board’s Spanish Language and Culture curriculum. Our collective goal is to make the Spanish learning experience an incredibly fun and fulfill- ing one. We are confident that our enhanced program will both challenge our students and help them appreciate the language’s richness and usefulness. Once they embark on this journey, our students will be amazed by their ability to connect with a community that includes more than 400 million Spanish speakers worldwide, and new opportunities will present themselves to them. ¡Saber español abre puertas! Dr. Adabel Diaz-Rivera Director of Global Studies Hablamos Español Connecting to Miami and the world