Foreign language opportunities
Students at three West Valley schools will have the chance to say “si” or “oui” to foreign language classes this fall.
The West Valley School Board approved $15,000 to pay for materials and instructors to expand the district’s Modern World Language program into middle schools and to the district’s alternative school.
Students at Centennial Middle School, City School and Spokane Valley High School will have the chance to study Spanish or French.
“Mainly for our size, we’re just trying to give the opportunities for children who are looking for new and different challenges,” said Polly Crowley, assistant superintendent in charge of instruction for West Valley School District.
Classes are designed to smooth the transition into ninth-grade courses, where students can easily fall behind if the teacher speaks mainly in the secondary language.
Centennial had a class for seventh-graders that integrated some foreign language with technology and other disciplines. However, Crowley said this is the first time students can take a class that’s dedicated only to learning another language.
The district surveyed Centennial Middle School students last spring and gave them a choice between Spanish or French, the two languages taught at West Valley High School. The majority chose Spanish.
Because there aren’t enough middle school students registered for the new Spanish class, which will be held in the morning before regular classes begin, the district is offering a mixed class for Centennial Middle School and West Valley High School students.
Students who demonstrate competency in the eighth-grade class and follow it up by successfully completing a ninth-grade Spanish class, can apply to receive a retroactive credit, which counts toward high school credits.
That additional elective credit takes a little stress off high school students who are trying to meet foreign language requirements to get into colleges but can’t stretch their electives to cover other desired coursework.
“Some of the kids don’t have enough time in high school to take every elective they want,” Crowley said.
Spanish is being offered for the first time at Spokane Valley High School, the district’s alternative high school. Those classes are held during normal school hours.
After City School administrators choose between the two languages, foreign language classes will be available during normal school hours.
Classes will be taught by the district’s Modern World Language teachers who work part-time and want to pick up additional hours.