World Language Educator's Monthly

Two excited exciting student focused opportunities from Chief Sealth happened in April!

1) A group from Tokyo’s Waseda University, through FIUTS at UW, came to interact with Chief Sealth International High School’s Japanese classes. They did a rotating conversation circle and talked about topics like hobbies, favorite foods, and what we like about Seattle using a mixture of English and Japanese. Shout out to Sensei Joshua Hansell for organizing and leading! This was the first visit since the pandemic! Check out the pictures below!

2) Shout out to Profe Angela Duran Real who led a group of bilingual students to visit UW. They toured the UW campus with Spanish Heritage college students, sat in two college classes (Family Capital and Portuguese for Spanish speakers). They also learned about scholarships opportunities, heard from other Latinx students experiences in higher Ed spaces, and enjoyed some pizza. Check out the pictures below!

This group of Spanish language educators finished up with its final meeting yesterday. The goal of this group was to focus on ACTFL proficiency levels as well as how specific outcomes align with the adopted Senderos curriculum. We started a draft document focusing on Spanish level 1. This file is available on the Spanish Teams page or you can email me. If you would like to look it over and provide feedback or try it out, please do. We have more work to do and it will be a working document with progress made on each unidad in May. We hope it ultimately is a helpful tool for two main purposes: 1) Supporting new teachers and 2) a guide for foundational objectives and expected outcomes in Spanish 1. Want to know more or have feedback? Please reach out to tbwilliams@seattleschools.org

Are you interested in professional development for world language? Are you interested in helping shape opportunities and professional learning for next year? Please join this conversation. We will discuss world language professional development opportunities for August and also Job-Alike Wednesdays next year and PLC opportunities. Look for a Teams invite from your WL department chairs or email tbwilliams@seattleschools.org for invite.

At this time district testing registration is closed for the remainder of the year because of the large amount of students that have signed up. If you know of a senior in need of testing, please reach out. You can also host testing at your school. Reach out for more details.

Interested in hosting a testing date at your school? Please contact tbwilliams@seattleschools.org to discuss details and schedule a date for this spring. Last year over 10 schools hosted site-based testing days. Thank you educators for leading this work!

Testing dates for 23-24 will be posted on the SPS World Language Credit Testing in August. It usually is the last Saturday of each month.

Thank you to the many world language teachers that support WL Credit Testing and Seal of Biliteracy. Here is a timeline for Seal of Biliteracy processing and medallions this spring.

May 15th - Last date a senior can test to earn Seal of Biliteracy (Contact me if need an exception)

May 26th - List of graduating seniors receiving Seal of Biliteracy sent to high schools.

Week of May 30th - Seal of Biliteracy Medallions delivered to high schools.

June - Publishing will print Seal of Biliteracy on diplomas.

Questions? Contact tbwilliams@seattleschools.org

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Email: tbwilliams@seattleschools.org
Website: https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/international-education/world-languages/