World Languages

News and Updates

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Follow-Up Sessions for the 2024 MA World Languages Proficiency Academy

DESE is sponsoring three virtual follow-up sessions for participants of the 2024 MA World Languages Proficiency Academy. These sessions are led by our expert presenters, Catherine Ritz and Rebecca Blouwolff, and will focus on continuing your work in proficiency-based instruction:

• Session 1: January 7, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Curriculum Progress)

• Session 2: March 4, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Curriculum Alignment and Unit Design)

• Session 3: May 6, 2025, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Next Steps)

Each session will include breakout groups for collaboration, opportunities for feedback, and actionable strategies for your classroom. Participants can earn 1.5 PDPs per session.

Registration is now open! Visit MAFLA.org to secure your spot.

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Plan Ahead: 2025 MA World Languages Proficiency Academy Registration

Districts are encouraged to start planning now for the 2025 MA World Languages Proficiency Academy, which will take place on June 23–25, 2025, at Westfield State University. Registration for DESE-funded spaces will open this winter and will be offered in phases:

• Phase 1: For new districts (opens January 27, 2025)

• Phase 2: For all districts (opens February 3, 2025)

• Phase 3: Changemakers - educators from underrepresented groups (opens February 10, 2025)

• Phase 4: Open to all MA public K-12 World Language educators (opens February 24, 2025)

Mark your calendars and start planning now to ensure your district is ready to participate! For updates, check back here or contact us at worldlanguages@mass.gov .

World Languages at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

We believe that all Massachusetts students should acquire linguistic and cultural proficiency in at least one language in addition to English. Proficiency in one or more world languages will empower all students to use languages other than English to tell their own stories, understand the stories of others, and engage with their communities.

Guiding Principles

The following principles are philosophical statements that underlie the standards and resources in the 2021 World Languages Curriculum Framework. They should guide the design and implementation of world language programs in schools. Programs guided by these principles will prepare students for success in college, career, and their lives as productive, global citizen

1. Effective world language programs invite, include, support, and benefit all students.
2. Effective world language programs lift up all students and empower them to act with cultural competence and critical consciousness.
3. Effective world language programs produce high levels of linguistic and cultural proficiency in one or more world languages in their students.
4. Effective world language programs are communicative and support meaningful, authentic, and affirming interactions in the target language.
5. Effective world language programs measure linguistic proficiency.
6. Effective world language programs foster risk-taking and mistake-making toward growth in linguistic and cultural proficiency.
7. Effective world language programs deliver meaningful, relevant, and cross-disciplinary content to motivate students to acquire the language and build proficiency.
8. Effective world language programs differentiate instruction and content, so that they are accessible, rigorous, and appropriate for all students.
9. Effective world language programs connect students to their peers in the classroom, their community, and speakers/signers of the target language throughout the world.
10. Effective world language programs promote social and emotional growth.

Last Updated: April 12, 2024