Standard 2—Cultural Understanding

Students will develop cross-cultural skills and understandings.

Key ideas are identified by numbers (1).
Performance indicators are identified by bullets.
Sample tasks are identified by triangles (s).

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Modern Languages-Checkpoint A

1. 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:

• use some key cultural traits of the societies in which the target language is spoken.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s recognize cultural patterns and traditions of the target cultures in the target language;
s understand the cultural implications of the spoken language and of the dynamics of social interaction; and
s correctly use and interpret cultural manifestations, such as gestures accompanying greeting and leave taking and the appropriate distance to maintain.

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Latin-Checkpoint A

1. Latin acquisition provides the cultural context for learning about the ancient world and its people. From this basis students can compare and contrast antiquity and the present and thoughtfully contemplate the future.

Students can:

• demonstrate knowledge of some aspects of Greco-Roman culture and selected facts of daily life, myths, history, and architecture
• recognize manifestations of antiquity in the modern world.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s read selections of culturally authentic passages, some of which are based directly on Latin authors, and point out significant cultural aspects
s describe the mythological origins of modern symbols such as Apollo space craft, Nike.

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American Sign Language-Checkpoint A

1. Key cultural traits exist within the Deaf culture, and cultural patterns are learned through the use of American Sign Language.

Students can:

• use key cultural traits that exist in settings where American Sign Language is used
• become aware of cultural patterns, learned through the use of American Sign Language, that characterize the Deaf culture.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s correctly use and interpret cultural manifestations for communication about daily activities
s are aware of the implications when a culture exists within a larger culture.

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Native American Languages-Checkpoint A

1. Culture is transmitted and preserved through knowledge about the lives of Native American people and the sharing of their cultural ideology.

Students can:

• demonstrate an awareness of Native culture
• recognize the names of cultural items and their uses
• understand the history and cultural symbols of the people
• demonstrate knowledge about the clan system.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s visit and talk with local cultures, or visit a reservation
s study wampum belts that record history
s listen to folktales and myths.

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Modern Languages-Checkpoint B

1. 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:

• 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:
s role play daily activities such as ordering in a restaurant or shopping, using authentic materials from target language cultures
s write in their own language an essay about cultural similarities between their country and a country in which the target language is spoken
s describe linguistic variations including accent, idioms, and styles between two cultures that speak the same language
s simulate an encounter between two friends in a target language culture, using appropriate social conventions, gestures, and body language.

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Latin-Checkpoint B

1. Latin acquisition provides the cultural context for learning about the ancient world and its people. From this basis students can compare and contrast antiquity and the present and thoughtfully contemplate the future.

Students can:

• demonstrate increased knowledge of Greco-Roman myths and legends, daily life and history, art, and architecture, and of their influence on later civilizations
• read culturally authentic passages of Latin adapted from Latin authors
• apply knowledge of Latin literature, authors, and techniques of style to world literary traditions.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s develop a portfolio of modern architecture, labeling those aspects derived from the Greco-Roman tradition
s read sections of poetry by Ovid, identifying recurring themes, forms, and issues
s write a paper in English showing how the literary techniques of a Latin author influence a modern author.

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American Sign Language-Checkpoint B

1. Key cultural traits exist within the Deaf culture, and cultural patterns are learned through the use of American Sign Language.

Students can:

• demonstrate more comprehensive knowledge of the Deaf culture
• draw comparisons about different societies both within the Deaf culture and other cultures
• recognize important linguistic and cultural variations among different groups within the culture and in the various states and Canadian provinces where American Sign Language is used.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s participate in a discussion about cultural patterns learned through the use of American Sign Language
s understand how daily life in the Deaf culture requires making adjustments to living in a hearing world
s are able to identify regional differences in the signed language
s role play daily activities incorporating appropriate cultural behaviors
s can be understood by a fluent signer of ASL using repetition and rephrasing.

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Native American Languages-Checkpoint B

1. Culture is transmitted and preserved through knowledge about the lives of Native American people and the sharing of their cultural ideology.

Students can:

• demonstrate increased knowledge of Native culture through their myths and legends, art and architecture, and literature and government
• recognize how Native cultural ideas exist within modern America.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s recreate a legend through an authentic dance
s write a paper concerning the continuing influence of Native values on modern environmental issues.

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Modern Languages-Checkpoint C

1. 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
• model how spoken language, body language, and social interaction influence communication
• use appropriate registers
• write in the target language in a manner that articulates similarities and differences in cultural behaviors.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s read and understand poetry written for Native speakers
s exchange greetings with Native speakers and use culturally appropriate grammatical forms and body language
s write a simulated dialogue between Native speakers about a topic of current interest.

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Latin-Checkpoint C

1. Latin acquisition provides the cultural context for learning about the ancient world and its people. From this basis students can compare and contrast antiquity and the present and thoughtfully contemplate the future.

Students can:

• use adapted reading from Latin prose and poetry to broaden knowledge about Greco-Roman civilization and its influence on subsequent civilizations
• make comparisons of Latin literary style with those of world literary traditions.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s read unadapted works of Virgil and identify new features of style and content
s compare and contrast the literary devices employed in an authentic Latin epic with those used in a medieval epic such as El Cid.

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American Sign Language-Checkpoint C

1. Key cultural traits exist within the Deaf culture, and cultural patterns are learned through the use of American Sign Language.

Students can:

• produce behaviors that are consistent with the Deaf culture
• reflect a wide variety of different contexts within the Deaf culture.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s use appropriate visual gestures and body language to enrich the signed language
s maintain conversation with individuals who are fluent signers of ASL
s observe and understand a signed play or performance.

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Native American Languages-Checkpoint C

1. Culture is transmitted and preserved through knowledge about the lives of Native American people and the sharing of their cultural ideology.

Students can:

• demonstrate a through knowledge of the Native culture
• distinguish between various subgroups
• relate their knowledge and understanding of the culture to other Native American groups.

This is evident, for example, when students:
s discuss issues of community importance with tribal elders
s demonstrate an understanding of the protocols of expected behavior
s prepare a report comparing daily life of the Iroquois to that of the Lakota.

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The linkage and formatting of the page is ©1998 by Kraig D. Pritts