According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), students who have begun the study of a second language in kindergarten in a program that meets a minimum of 3 times a week for thirty minutes in the elementary school and 5 times a week for forty minutes in the middle school and high school should meet the following cumulative progress indicators by the end of Grade 12.

Strands with Cumulative Progress Indicators

A. Interpretive Mode (understanding and interpretation of spoken or written communication)

1. Demonstrate an understanding of spoken and written language, as expressed by speakers of the target language in formal and informal settings through appropriate responses.
2. Compare and contrast the use of verbal and non-verbal etiquette in the target culture with their own culture to perform a variety of functions.
   • Persuading, negotiating, offering advice
3. Analyze the historical and political contexts that connect/have connected famous people, places and events from the target culture with the U.S.
4. Synthesize information from oral and written discourse dealing with a variety of topics.
   • Television and cinema presentations
   • Teen and adult social interactions
   • Trends in education and business
5. Apply knowledge and skills gained in other core content areas to interpret information on topics related to the study of the target language and culture.
   • Grade level appropriate social studies topics and career education and consumer, family and life skills (e.g., drawing conclusions about political, economic and societal patterns in the target culture country through the use of technological data obtained using authentic sources in the target language)
6. Analyze and critique readings from authentic texts and/or from a variety of art genres.
   • Main ideas, theme and supportive details
   • Roles and significance of main characters
   • Use of figurative language (e.g., symbolism, connotation and denotation)
7. Analyze elements of the target language and comparable linguistic elements in English.
   • Influence of languages on each other
   • Syntax and morphology

B. Interpersonal Mode (direct spoken and written communication)

1. Give, respond, and ask for clarification on detailed oral and written directions, commands, and requests.
2. Interact in a variety of situations using culturally appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication strategies.
3. Ask and respond to questions as part of group discussion on topics of personal, academic or social nature.
   • Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., explaining and supporting an opinion on a societal issue such as violence or driving under the influence of controlled substances; participating in a panel or debate on a school-wide problem such as harassment due to gender or sexual orientation)
4. Engage in oral and/or written discourse in a variety of time frames on topics of personal or social interest, or on topics studied in other core content areas.
   • Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family and life skills activities (e.g., college and job interviews; transactions and negotiations: filling out a business form in the target culture, asking for telephone service to be connected, demonstrating the ability to seek and apply for a job, compromising with a parent over a weekend curfew)
   • Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., social issues: dating, behavior at school and non-school events)
   • Grade level appropriate social studies topics (e.g., analysis of the economic, scientific and political factors that led to the age of European exploration and the commercial revolution)
5. Analyze and critique a variety of culturally authentic selections.
   • Reflection of target culture in text
   • Purpose, message and style of the author
   • Use of figurative language
   • Political or social impact and relevance to self
6. Use language in a variety of settings to further personal and/or career goals.
   • Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family, and life skills activities (e.g., participation in career exploration, competitive events in the target language, community service, or school-to-work projects that use the target language and knowledge of its culture)

C. Presentational Mode (spoken and written communication for an audience)

1. Create and perform stories, poems, short plays, or oral reports based on personal experiences and/or exposure to perspectives from the target culture.
   • Grade level appropriate health topics (e.g., problems and issues encountered in late adolescence)
   • Grade level appropriate language arts literacy topics (e.g., themes found in fiction and nonfiction such as hope, death, love, loyalty, honor, courage)
   • Grade level appropriate career education and consumer, family, and life skills activities (e.g., media presentation to "teach a class" about a specific topic related to other core content areas and/or the target culture)
2. Use language creatively in writing for a variety of purposes.
   • Grade level appropriate language arts literacy activities (e.g., writing a letter to the editor, an editorial or an op-ed piece in the target language for a newspaper or magazine; writing a research paper using target language sources)
3. Explain the structural elements and/or cultural perspectives of authentic selections.
   • Grade level appropriate language arts literacy activities (e.g., summary or retelling the selection with substantive description and detail; analysis of character, theme and setting and how it reflects the target culture)
4. Explain the perspectives of the target culture(s) as evidenced by their products and practices and compare those with home cultural perspectives.
   • Grade level appropriate social studies topics (e.g., attitudes and beliefs of the culture that influenced the development of its products or practices: esthetics, concept of time, sex roles, rights and duties, etc.; how a particular product or practice of the target culture compares with a similar product or practice in the U.S.)
   • Grade level appropriate science topics (e.g., impact of the environment and natural resources on the development of the products and practices of the target culture)

NJPEP: Virtual Academy, NJ Department of Education, 100 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Voice: 609.292.9069 Fax: 609-943-5202
For information, you can contact us at: NJPEP@doe.state.nj.us