World Languages
World Languages in Seattle Public Schools
The International Education Programs Office provides support to schools that offer world language and heritage language classes to students.
Languages Taught
Currently, the world languages taught in Seattle Public Schools are:
- ASL – American Sign Language
- Arabic
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- French
- Japanese
- Spanish
In addition, a number of non-profit organizations, such as One World Now, offer other languages after school, including Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Russian, and Korean.
World Language Offerings by Seattle Region
For specifics about which languages are taught at which schools, open the tabs below.
Elementary Schools
Some elementary schools may offer enrichment world language learning opportunities during the day and also offer before or after-school enrichment classes in a variety of world languages. The goal of these experiences is to develop an interest and desire to continue learning languages later in education.
Seattle currently offers Dual Language in five (5) International Elementary Schools:
- Beacon Hill International School: Mandarin Chinese and Spanish
- Concord International School: Spanish
- Dearborn Park International School: Mandarin Chinese and Spanish
- John Stanford International School: Japanese and Spanish
- McDonald International School: Japanese and Spanish
Middle Schools
All middle schools and most K-8 schools offer some type of World Language program. Some schools offer a 6th grade exploratory class where students have an opportunity to spend time learning about different languages. All middle schools offer one year of world language (for high school credit). Some schools offer two years of language (for high school credit), i.e. Spanish 1 in 7th grade and Spanish 2 in 8th grade. Denny, Hamilton, and Mercer International Middle Schools also offer Dual Language courses in language arts and social studies for students who participated in elementary Dual Language or are multilingual learners in Spanish, Japanese, or Mandarin Chinese.
We are currently in the process of evaluating how to strengthen the pathway from middle to high school world language programs so that students can begin a language in middle school and continue it in high school at an appropriate, challenging level. The district goal is that all middle school students have the opportunity to earn one (or more) high school world language credits.
High Schools
All high schools offer a World Language program. Most high schools offer an option of a different languages to study. The district and State of Washington goal for students studying world language at high school is a minimum of two credits towards graduation. Many students continue on to complete three or more years. Colleges highly recommend a minimum of three world language credits. Chief Sealth International High School and Lincoln High School also offer Dual Language courses in language arts and social studies for students who participated in middle school Dual Language or are multilingual learners. These courses are offered in the target languages of Spanish at Chief Sealth and Japanese and Spanish at Lincoln.
Heritage Spanish courses, also know as Spanish for Spanish-Speakers are offered at the following middle and high schools: Jane Addams Middle School, Nathan Hale High School, and Garfield High School. We are currently planning to increase these offerings at other middle and high schools and in other languages.
World Language Standards and Learning Targets
Seattle Schools aligns curriculum to the Washington State World Languages K-12 Learning Standards (2015), which are aligned with the national World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages available for download on the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning page.
World Language Course Outcomes by level were developed by a team of World Language teachers in Seattle working with a national consultant, Donna Clementi, in 2010. They were updated in August 2015 to match the revised World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages and Washington’s revised World Language Learning Standards.
The targets for high school world language seat-time courses were set by the World Language teachers in 2010 based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines:
Levels
- Level 1 World Language Course Novice Low to Novice Mid
- Level 2 World Language Course Novice Mid to Novice High
- Level 3 World Language Course Novice High to Intermediate Low
- Level 4 World Language Course Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid
- Level 5 World Language Course Intermediate Mid to Pre-Advanced
These proficiency targets may be used as a guide to assist schools in proper placement of students coming from middle school to high school after some years of language study K-8. For example, a student demonstrating overall Novice High proficiency in Spanish (the target for a Level 2 World Language Course) could probably do well in a Level 3 course in high school.
The teachers also developed Example Units aligned to these levels in ASL, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish.
World Language Credit Testing
In spring 2011, Seattle Public Schools adopted the state’s model policy and procedurefor assessing language proficiency and granting competency-based credits for World Languages. Students who can speak, read, and write a language other than English may be able to earn from 1-4 high school world language credits by completing state-approved language proficiency assessments. These credits can help them meet high school graduation requirements and 4-year college admissions requirements for world (foreign) languages.
Learn more at SPS International Education > World Language Credit Testing.
Seal of Biliteracy
High school seniors who meet all state and district graduation requirements may earn the Seal of Biliteracy by attaining a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more world languages in addition to English.
Learn more at SPS International Education > Seal of Biliteracy.
Alternative and Online Learning
Students and families may be seeking alternative pathways for studying a world language for a variety of reasons, including lack of space in current world language courses at the student’s high school, interest in studying a language not offered at the high school, need for flexibility in the student’s school schedule, and others. The State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction provides a Guide to Online Learning through the new Alternative Learning Department.
Currently, Seattle Public Schools is not providing support for individual students to complete courses available through the OSPI Online Learning Course Catalogs. Families who would like to can register and pay for these courses on their own. If the students are seeking high school credit for such a course, they need to complete the Equivalency Course of Study Proposal form and obtain approval prior to registering for or beginning the course. The Equivalency Course of Study Proposal form can be requested from the school counselor and is used for online, Summer Running Start Courses, and college courses outside of school. We ask school administrators (most often the principal) to provide this approval given their understanding of their students and the connection between the particular request and the school’s course offerings.
Note that any courses that are approved through the Equivalency Course of Study Proposal appear on the transcript as Out of District (OOD) credits with a generic course title, such as “World Language.” The high school transcript would not indicate which language or which level was completed. As an alternative, students who take out of district courses may prefer to complete Competency-Based World Language Credit Testing in our district, because these credits are entered on the high school transcript as course titles by language and level, and are more informative to colleges (or employers) looking at the student transcript. World Language Credit testing can also qualify a student for the Seal of Biliteracy – something that OOD or seat-time courses cannot do. Students who plan to earn credits through World Language Credit Testing do not need to seek prior approval for any learning experiences outside of school that help them develop language skills and demonstrate that proficiency to qualify for credits.