Global Languages

“It is, therefore, very important to teach students about the world beyond their own countries. What are the similarities we share and differences without friends around the world? We must understand what motivates those whose cultures and traditions are not our own. To achieve these goals, we must teach our children international education skills which include the learning of other languages, cultures and traditions.”
Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education (2005-2009)

Mission

The mission of the Malden Public School’s Global Languages Program is to offer the opportunity for all students to be educated to communicate in languages other than English. The need for all learners to become competent in their ability to communicate with people of other countries and cultures is increasingly apparent due to instantaneous worldwide communication networks and an economy that is globally interconnected. The MPS GlobalLanguages Program emphasizes the development of 21st Century Skills through which students are actively engaged in listening, speaking, reading and writing for real purposes in culturally authentic contexts.

Goals

The Global Languages Department of the Malden Public Schools holds clearly to the concept that studying a language is a learning adventure with multiple benefits. As stated in the Massachusetts State Frameworks “Language learning is never just about words. Language is the medium in which human beings think and by which they express what they have thought. The study of language – any language – is therefore the study of everything that pertains to human nature, as humans understand it”. Our students will not only the gain acquisition of another language; they will also gain immeasurable insights of the world around them. They will better appreciate and understand themselves and others.

Program Overview

The languages offered in our schools K-12 are French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin.We have aligned our Global Languages Curriculum with state, regional and national standards. Those standards are reflected by communicative, proficiency based performance tasks for our students. The global language educators incorporate all of the latest pedagogical methodologies, keeping in mind the varying learning styles and needs of the students. Our Assessment Program reflects the curriculum and instructional methods and features both formal and informal assessment opportunities, including oral and written portfolios for our students

Over the past years the Malden Public Schools was the recipient of a federal FLAP Grant, (Foreign Languages Assistance Program) for the study of Spanish in the elementary schools and presently we are honored with C.A.S.IT. (Centro Attiviche Scholastiche Italiano) Grant for the study of Italian Language and Culture (“Benvenuti in Italia” program) at the Linden school.

Malden High School:
Spanish
Caroline Lorenz  *  Diane Brookes  *  Sharon Kalagher  *  Mar Marjomaa  *  Raisa Herrera

French
Molly Crellin *  Paul Degenkolb

Italian
Adrienne D’Agostino

Latin
Julie Snyder

Forestdale International School K-8:
Ms. Andrea Markarian (Spanish) – Grades K-8

Beebe School K-8:
Loredana Onofri (Italian and Spanish) – Grade 7 and 8

Salemwood School K-8:
Ligia Centeno – Spanish – Grade 7
Jenna Robey – Grade 8