Warwick Valley offers students opportunities to study French, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. World Language instruction starts at the Middle School level, in seventh grade. The World Language curriculum incorporates the ACTFL standards, which New York State has also adopted. The primary objective of the language program is to teach fluency through a communicative approach, using the five standards for world language learning: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are taught at each level using the state syllabus of 15 topics. Students have the chance to take the AAPPL (ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages) exam, which can lead to achieving the New York State Seal of Biliteracy Seal (NYSSB). Warwick emphasizes the speaking and listening of world languages, and teachers stay in the target language 80% of the time during a regular class. Students are also exposed to the varied cultures that are represented in each language to gain a deeper appreciation of the people, history, and geography that make up these diverse ethnic groups.
Over the last five years, the high school has had over 150 students receive the Seal of Biliteracy award. The NYSSB is an award given by a high school or school district to recognize students who have attained a high level of proficiency in two or more world languages (one of which must be English) by high school graduation. This school year, the New York State Education Department recognized Warwick Valley High School with a gold badge for providing students the opportunity to receive the Seal of Biliteracy. High schools that offer the NYSSB for five years or more have been awarded the “Gold Veteran” badge. The department has almost expanded its course offerings by adding college-level courses: Chinese Mandarin 4 & 5 through SUNY Orange, and Spanish 5 through the University at Albany.
View the World Language section of the WVCSD Curriculum Guide here.