Middle School and High School World Language Programs
Middle School Programs
Types of World Language Middle Schools
PWCS has different types of world language program schools among its middle schools divisionwide. They are:
- Regular Middle School and Traditional School Programs
- Benton, Bull Run, Gainesville, Graham Park, Marsteller, The Nokesville School, Pennington, Porter, Potomac, Potomac Shores, Reagan, Rippon, Saunders, Woodbridge
- World Language Specialty Schools
- Fred Lynn, Lake Ridge, Parkside
- International Baccalaureate Programme Middle Years Programme (MYP) Schools
- Beville, Fred Lynn, Hampton, Unity Braxton
Learn More About the Middle School Specialty Program
Curriculum and Instruction in all World Language Middle Schools
Students can earn a high school credit in the formal study of French, German, Spanish and/or Spanish for Fluent Speakers as world language courses in middle school.
The curriculum is the same in these courses offered in middle school as in high school; however, teachers select resources more appropriate for the younger age of students.
In some specialty middle schools, the schedule allows for more instructional time in a year or over two years of study, and thus, this allows for the inclusion of additional, project-based learning and engaging practices for enhancement, aligned with the needs of the younger middle school student.
Regular Middle Schools
These schools serve their own students and may offer French, German, Spanish and/or Spanish for Fluent Speakers for high school credit in eighth grade depending on student interest.
A few of these schools offer a non-credit elective course called Introduction to World Languages in sixth or seventh grades as funding allows.
Traditional Schools
Pennington and Porter known as the Traditional Specialty Program Schools serve students who have transferred in following an annual application process and serve students in first through grade 8.
Learn more Traditional Schools in PWCS
Each of their world language offerings may vary depending on student interest and funding.
PWCS World Language Specialty Program School
These World Language Specialty Middle Schools serve all of the students in their schools in addition to others who may apply through an annual transfer process to join this special interest-based program.
They generally offer the first half of French, German (Lake Ridge only), Spanish, or Spanish for Fluent Speakers 1A in sixth grade, the second half or 1B in seventh grade, earning one high school credit upon successful completion of both parts of the course. Then in eighth grade, they may take the level 2 course for these languages, thus earning two Carnegie units of high school credit.
View the course curriculum and Pacing Guides for these courses like those offered in one year in high school.
Learn more about Middle School World Language Specialty Programs
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Schools
The MYP Middle Schools have the whole school program model in which all students of the school are in the MYP programme in grades 6-8. Students may transfer in on an annual basis through an application process based on their interest.
Their specific world language courses may vary in each school and from year to year depending on student interest and funding. However, IB requires the study of a world language in every grade, even if what they call the "carousel" or introduction of world languages type course in sixth grade. The Introduction to World Languages course is a non-credit class in sixth grade (follow the link to the course description, curriculum, and Pacing Guides). Generally, a French, Spanish or Spanish for Fluent Speakers 1 A class is offered seventh grade, and the 1B same course in eighth grade earning one high school credit after completion of both parts. A middle school may also offer a level 1 French or Spanish course in seventh grade and a level 2 course in eighth grade. Course sequences may vary from year to year depending on student interest and funding.
Learn more about the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
High School Programs
Six Types of World Language Programs in High Schools
All PWCS high schools offer high school credit-bearing world language courses among the current 10 different language offerings: Arabic, ASL, French, German, Italian, Korean, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Spanish for Fluent Speakers from level one through level five or six depending on student interest.
Our annual PWCS High Course Catalog describes all of the courses offered in each high school each year. World language offerings may vary each year depending on student enrollment and interest.
There are six types of world language high school programs among our high schools as follows:
- Advanced Placement Courses are offered in these high schools: Battlefield, Colgan, Forest Park, Freedom, Osbourn Park, Patriot, and Woodbridge
- Cambridge International Programme Schools: Brentsville District and Potomac
- Center for International Studies and Languages: Hylton
- Diploma Programme, International Baccalaureate: Gar-Field and Unity Reed
- Regular programs: Gainesville, Independent Nontraditional
- Virtual Prince William
All high school world language courses meet the Virginia Department of Education requirements for the 140 contact hours, local curriculum aligned to the Virginia Standards of Learning for World Languages integrating the ACTFL Core Practices which are:
- Current and research-based principles such as Understanding by Design or backwards curriculum design
- Proficiency-based instruction applying the vocabulary and grammar in real-life, meaningful contexts
- Providing engaging and communicative activities
- Monitoring student skill building progress with on-going feedback and performance assessments
- Using authentic resources, culturally and linguistically inclusive of all of the speakers of each world language.
Languages Offered in High Schools
Offering may vary in each high school.
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- Arabic
- Chinese
- French
- German
- Italian
- Korean
- Latin
- Russian
- Spanish
- Spanish for Fluent Speakers
PWCS World Language Secondary Pacing Guides
Pacing guides for Levels 1, 2, and 3 were created in order to provide teachers of those levels of all languages with a more specific guide to the teaching of the Virginia Standards of Learning and PWCS curriculum throughout a school year. The pacing guides for high school credit courses levels 1 and 2, offered in some specialty middle schools, are the same for both levels.
The pacing guide is an overview of the key functions students will be able to do with the main topics and themes identified within the curriculum units in the four skills of the language: listening, reading, writing, and speaking stated in student-friendly terms or what our profession calls, Can Do statements. The pacing guide is divided according to the four marking periods and identifies the main curriculum content in order to allow sufficient time to meet all objectives in a timely manner.
Parents and students should receive the pacing guides at the beginning of the school year and they should help clarify the main learning targets for that year of world language study.
Another intended outcome of the pacing guide is to ensure that teachers of the same language and level from all middle and high schools meet the same objectives at a pace consistent with one another. Therefore, when students transfer from one school to another, the continuation of language study will be made easier by a smooth transition.
Middle and High School Pacing Guides
Pacing guides are available in all of the world languages offered in PWCS: