This Webquest was developed by Julia Dengler teacher at Walter Panas High School.  This project meets the New York State Standards  for Modern Language Learning.

New York State Standard 2 - Cultural Understanding at Checkpoint C for Modern Languages
 Effective communication involves meanings that go beyond words and require an understanding of
perceptions, gestures, folklore, and family and community dynamics. All of these elements can affect
whether and how well a message is received.

Students can :

• demonstrate sophisticated knowledge of cultural nuances in a target language culture
• exhibit more comprehensive knowledge of cultural traits and patterns
• draw comparisons between societies
• recognize that there are important linguistic and cultural variations among groups that speak the same target language
• understand how words, body language, rituals, and social interactions influence communication.

This is evident for example, when students:

•  role play daily activities such as ordering in a restaurant or shopping, using authentic materials from target language cultures
• write in their own language an essay about cultural similarities between their country and a country in which the target language is spoken
• describe linguistic variations including accent, idioms, and styles between two cultures that speak the same language

New York State Standard 1 - Communication Skills at Checkpoint C for Modern Languages
Listening and speaking are primary communicative goals in modern language learning.  These skills are used for the purposes of socializing, providing and acquiring information, expressing personal feelings and opinions, and getting others to adopt a course of action.

Students can:

• understand standard speech delivered in most authentic settings
• understand the main ideas and significant relevant details of extended discussions or presentations
• draw on a wide range of language forms
• comprehend subtler, nuanced details of meaning with some repetition and rephrasing
• engage in extended discussions with native or fluent speakers on a broad range of topics that extend beyond their daily lives and are of general interest to the target cultures

This is evident for example, when students:

• give an oral presentation on an assigned topic
• maintain a natural conversational pace
• produce virtually error free speech in brief exchanges with classmates, using simple structures and familiar vocabulary

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation & Conclusion | Teacher Page

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