Yes, The Somos Curriculum meets D.C. OSSE's World Language Standards 2008.

Modern World Languages - Grades 6-12

Progress Indicators

The Somos I Curriculum is a novice level curriculum through which students begin to develop communicative competence in the target language and expand their understanding of the culture(s) of the people who speak the language.

Novice low-mid: 

The Somos Curriculum prepares students to meet the following progress indicators. 

• Understand isolated words, such as cognates, borrowed words, some short, learned utterances and some sentence-length utterances high-frequency with strong contextual support and clearly audible speech.

• Communicate with learned material consisting of isolated words, few high frequency and learned phrases.

• Identify isolated words and/or major phrases when strongly supported by context.

• Recognize symbols of an alphabetic and/or syllabic writing system and/or a number of characters in a system that uses characters.

• Form letters in an alphabetic system. In languages whose writing systems use syllabaries or characters, writers are able to copy and produce the basic strokes. Can produce Romanization of isolated characters.

• Copy or transcribe familiar and limited memorized material and some re-combinations thereof.

Novice mid-high

The Somos Curriculum prepares students to meet the following progress indicators. 

• Comprehend words, phrases from simple questions, statements, high frequency commands, short and learned utterances. 

• Understand phrases and sentence-length utterances with strong contextual support.

• Rely heavily on learned utterances rather than on personalized and situational adapted ones. 

• Show signs of spontaneity.

• Interpret written language in areas of practical need

• Read for instructional and directional purposes, standardized messages, phrases, or expressions where vocabulary has been learned. 

• Derive meaning from material at a slightly higher level supported by context.

• Write simple fixed expressions and memorized materials and supply information on forms and documents. 

• Write all symbols of an alphabetic or syllabic system or 50-100 characters or compounds in a character writing system.

Communication 

Standard 1.1: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to engage in conversation, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions and exchange opinions.

Level 1: Novice low to mid 

IP.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to convey and comprehend messages.

IP.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to respond to basic commands in classroom settings.

IP.1.3  Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to ask and answer simple questions about basic personal information and the student’s immediate environment.

IP.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to exchange basic personal information orally, with emphasis on present time.

IP.1.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to initiate brief conversations applying basic language patterns, and familiar phrases and sentences.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

IP.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to use gestures and oral interactions to convey and comprehend simple messages. 

IP.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to give and follow a short list of commands and directions in a variety of familiar situations. 

IP.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to ask and answer questions to clarify information regarding routine and familiar activities. 

IP.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities too exchange information and ideas orally on everyday topics with emphasis on present, past, and future time. 

IP.2.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to initiate and close short conversations applying familiar, recombined phrases and sentences and expressions.

Standard 1.2: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.

Level 1: Novice low to mid 

I.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to use verbal and non-verbal cues to understand simple spoken and written messages. 

I.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of the general tone in basic oral and written communication. 

I.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of simple spoken and written language topics that are presented through a variety of media. 

I.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of basic ideas and familiar details when reading and listening.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

I.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to interpret gestures and other body language in order to clarify messages. 

I.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to identify the general tone in a highly contextualized oral and written communication. 

I.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of spoken and written language based on new topics that are presented through a variety of media. 

I.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify ideas and some details when reading and listening to highly contextualized passages.

Standard 1.3: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.

Level 1: Novice low to mid

P.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recite and write rehearsed material including brief narratives, monologues, dialogues, poetry, and/or songs.

P.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present orally and in writing information that contains a variety of familiar vocabulary, phrases, and structural patterns. 

P.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate attention to accuracy in intonation and pronunciation especially when presenting prepared material orally.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

P.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to make a presentation of rehearsed and unrehearsed materials including skits, poems, plays, short narratives, and/or songs. 

P.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present orally and in writing information that combines learned as well as original language in simple sentences and paragraphs. 

P.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to demonstrate increasing attention to accuracy in intonation and pronunciation when speaking.

Cultures 

Standard 2.1: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

Standard 2.2: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture.

Level 1: Novice low to mid

2.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify the location(s) and major geographical features of regions of the world where the language studied is or was spoken. 

2.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify customs and traditions of the target culture(s) studied. 

2.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify historical and contemporary individuals associated with important events from the culture(s) studied. 

2.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify prominent artistic expressions of the culture studied including literary, visual and performing arts. 

2.1.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify simple themes of the culture studied as evidenced through artistic expression.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

2.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify geographical features and analyze how geography shapes culture, perspective and language. 

2.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to interact in group cultural activities using appropriate patterns of behavior and courtesy expressions. 

2.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to research products, artifacts, dwellings, and symbols of the culture(s) emphasizing the cultural perspective. 

2.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify historical and/or cultural figures from the culture(s) studied and describe their contributions. 

2.2.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify simple themes, ideas, and perspectives of the culture studied as evidenced through artistic expressions.

Connections 

Standard 3.1: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the target language.

Standard 3.2: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the target language and culture

Level 1: Novice low to mid

3.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to describe personal well being in the target language. 

3.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify geographical information. 

3.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to describe different weather and environmental conditions. 

3.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and name common flora and fauna. 

3.1.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to use basic math number concepts and applications. 

3.1.6 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify the sequential order of historical events.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

3.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present information about health issues. 

3.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present cultural geographic data. 

3.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present information on environmental issues. 

3.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present evidence on the interdependence of plant and animal life. 

3.2.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to apply basic math concepts to daily activities. 

3.2.6 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to present information about historical events in sequence.

Comparisons 

Standard 4.1: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.

Standard 4.2: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to demonstrate an understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.

Level 1: Novice low to mid

4.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to identify and recognize word borrowings and cognates in the language studied and English. 

4.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to identify items of significance to the culture studied. 

4.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to identify and compare different forms of address used in the target language and the dominant language. 

4.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to describe daily living patterns and surroundings in both the culture studied and the dominant culture. 

4.1.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to describe cultural beliefs, opinions and perspectives related to daily life in the target culture(s) comparing them to the students’ own culture(s).

Level 2: Novice mid to high

4.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to list other languages spoken by large groups of people within the target culture and compare their linguistic situation to that of the United States. 

4.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to compare and contrast graphic and statistical information about the culture studied with information on the students’ own culture(s). 

4.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize differences and similarities in grammatical structures in the target language and the dominant language. 

4.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to compare, contrast, and report on cultural traditions and celebrations from the culture(s) studied and the students’ own culture(s). 

4.2.5 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to compare oral and written popular traditions from the culture(s) studied and from the students’ own culture(s).

Communities 

Standard 5.1: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to use the language both within and beyond the school setting.

Standard 5.2: The Somos Curriculum prepares students to show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Level 1: Novice low to mid

5.1.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize applications and uses of the language studied and culture within the local community. 

5.1.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to participate in the target language club activities which benefit the school and/or community. 

5.1.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to recognize and identify community resources available on familiar topics. 

5.1.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to locate embassies and/or community organizations representing the culture(s) of the language study.

Level 2: Novice mid to high

5.2.1 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to practice oral or written use of the language studied with family, friends, or peers. 

5.2.2 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to participate in career exploration or school-to-work projects that are enhanced by knowledge of the target language and culture(s). 

5.2.3 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to use community resources to research a topic related to culture and/or language study. 

5.2.4 Throughout the Somos Curriculum, students are provided with multiple opportunities to participate in organized activities in embassies and/or organizations representing the culture(s) of the language study.

This alignment document for District of Columbia educators was created using verbiage from the D.C. ESSO World Language Standards 2008