It might be the language of love (ooh la la), but French is on the decline at Old Rochester Regional (zut alores!)

And that’s not the only thing changing in the foreign language program. As the junior high and high school language instructors bring the program in line with the state’s standards, they still face the challenge of expanding the variety of languages offered.

Language on the level

In addition to French, the schools currently offer Spanish, the most popular, and Latin.

Over the past year, foreign language teachers have worked with a specialist to create new curriculum that has little to no reliance on textbooks.

Junior High Latin and Spanish teacher Eugenia Tilley said, “I don’t think I’ve used the book this year at all, just as a reference.”

Instead of the traditional “by the book” method, teachers are engaging their students with more creative methods and driving home fluency with conversation – something every language learner has probably dreaded at some point.

But Dr. Elise Frangos, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the school district, said that’s the only way for kids to get comfortable with a foreign tongue. Instead of a Spanish teacher reciting vocabulary words in a sombrero, students will be the ones doing the talking.

“We’re really focused on kids acquiring language through taking risks,” Frangos said.

Throw the Pickle – starting younger

If some random phrase like "tirar el pepino" (Spanish for "throw the pickle") is the only thing you remember from high school Spanish, then you can probably understand the value of starting a language earlier in life.

“We learn it quickly and well when we’re children,” said Frangos.

Currently, seventh grade is the first time world languages are offered, and Frangos said, “Budget is a constraint.”

Tilley, who is speaks four languages, said “It’s kind of difficult to start in the seventh grade. If you started in elementary schools, you could read more childlike materials, and it would be entertaining. Here, we’ve got to try to find something that’s relevant to the seventh graders but is basic.”

Are three languages enough?

The school district also has the challenge of expanding its current language offerings. While French is a beautiful language, said Frangos, “there are only so many places you can use it. A lot more interest is in communication with people in the workplace.”

Frangos said there has been a huge interest in “business languages,” especially Arabic for students planning to join the military, and Chinese for those interested in diplomatic relations. Existing teachers also speak Italian, Portuguese, and Russian.

Frangos said teachers have done a good job bringing the curriculum up to 21st century needs, and she wants to fortify the school’s current program before adding more languages.

But she said, “The possibilities for many other directions are there, it’s a question of floating courses, looking at enrollment, hearing what our stakeholders want.”

How the district moves forward with language study will be shaped, in part, by the strategic planning meetings set to take place in the spring. The meetings, scheduled every five years, are open to parents and other members of the community.

“It’s really the citizens who need to set the direction for what they want for their kids,” said Frangos.