Foreign+Language

Subject: Foreign Language Curriculum Standards: A. Analyze, discuss and report on a wide variety of practices and perspectives of the target culture. B. Participate in and discuss a wide variety of cultural practices. Technology: · Computer Lab of 30 computers · Web authoring software (i.e. Microsoft FrontPage) · Internet access Description: Students will be given the task of developing a website that highlights a particular country ( respective to the foreign language class) during the 1980’s. Students will be divided into groups of three or four for this assignment. The students will gather information on their respective countries by consulting library resources as well as members of the community. Then they will create a webpage highlighting various aspects of that country in the 1980’s including its social, political and economic climate. Finally, once all the information has been incorporated into the website, the students will translate the website from English to their respective foreign language. Approach: This is new and innovative. While on the surface, the internet appears to be old and very much a tried and true feature in educational technology, students creating a website themselves is not. By allowing students to create their own meaning out of an assignment that is in line with state curriculum standards is new and innovative. Scholarly Research: The article notes the success enjoyed by educators who use website development to develop multiple literacies in students. The article noted that “ Planning and developing the website pages involved the team members in creative, abstract, and complex thinking.”(Spence 595). After tracing one case study where students were successful at creating an informational webpage, the article concluded : “ Exploring new technologies will expand [students] repertoire of literary practices.”(597). Citation: Spence, LK. (2009). Developing multiple literacies in a website project. //Reading Teacher//, //62//(7), 592-597.