All four World Language programs in Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish at Livingston High School are aligned with the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages formulated by ACTFL, the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Courses encompass the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, which address the need to prepare students for an interdependent global environment with a focus on the acquisition of communication skills and cultural competency. Our programs address standard number 7.1. Students are taught and assessed in the three modes of communication: Interpretive, Interpersonal and Presentational. These indicate progress in a student’s ability to understand, interact and produce the target language.

The World Languages Department courses offer a range of exciting topics to suit every student’s interests and abilities. The program offers opportunities for students to explore communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities in different modes and media in the target language. The world languages courses are designed for students who are able to develop language skills at different paces and different ranges of language proficiency levels. The goal of the World Languages programs is to provide different communicative competence level courses to make second language acquisition available for all students.

At times, there can be courses where students may have a language proficiency in the World Language from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course, and has not taken the required pre-requisite language course at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate language proficiency to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite assessment for department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.

Also offered is a sequence of ESL (English as a Second Language) courses for students whose native language is not English. English Language Learners (ELLs) are administered an English language proficiency exam to determine their eligibility to enroll in ESL courses.

Alexandra Marzulla, K-12 Supervisor of World Languages & ELL

amarzulla@livingston.org