First words and greetings
Students start with everyday phrases like hello, goodbye, names, ages, and where they live. They listen for familiar words in short conversations and answer simple questions about themselves.
What does a student learn in
This is the year a new language stops being vocabulary lists and starts being real conversation. Students introduce themselves, ask and answer questions, and share simple opinions about everyday topics like school, food, family, and free time. They also start noticing how the new culture does things differently, from greetings to holidays to daily routines. By spring, students can hold a short back-and-forth conversation and write a few sentences about themselves in the new language.
- Everyday conversation
- Listening and reading
- Speaking basics
- Culture and traditions
- Comparing languages
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Talking about daily life
Students describe family, school, food, and free time using short sentences. They ask and answer questions with a partner and read menus, signs, and messages in the new language.
- 3
Exploring the culture
Students look at holidays, foods, music, and daily routines from places where the language is spoken. They notice what is the same and what is different from life at home.
- 4
Sharing ideas and stories
Students put it all together by writing short paragraphs, giving brief talks, and presenting projects. They use the language for real reasons, like ordering food, writing a postcard, or describing a favorite place.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 6.
Communication
Communication
- Checkpoint A
Learners understand, interpret
Students listen to, read, or watch material in a new language and show they understand the main ideas. Topics range from everyday conversations to simple stories and short videos.
- Checkpoint A
Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed
Students hold short conversations in the target language, asking questions and responding to keep the exchange going. They share facts, reactions, and simple opinions with a partner.
- Checkpoint A
Learners present information, concepts
Students share information or tell a story in the language they are learning, choosing words and details that fit the audience. They might speak, write, or create something visual to get their point across.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners understand, interpret Checkpoint A | Students listen to, read, or watch material in a new language and show they understand the main ideas. Topics range from everyday conversations to simple stories and short videos. | MD-WL.1.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed Checkpoint A | Students hold short conversations in the target language, asking questions and responding to keep the exchange going. They share facts, reactions, and simple opinions with a partner. | MD-WL.1.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners present information, concepts Checkpoint A | Students share information or tell a story in the language they are learning, choosing words and details that fit the audience. They might speak, write, or create something visual to get their point across. | MD-WL.1.3.wl-checkpoint-a |
Cultures
Cultures
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at everyday habits and customs from another culture, such as greetings, meals, or celebrations, and explain what those traditions reveal about how people in that culture see the world.
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at objects, art, food, or traditions from another culture and explain what those things reveal about how people in that culture think and what they value.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at everyday habits and customs from another culture, such as greetings, meals, or celebrations, and explain what those traditions reveal about how people in that culture see the world. | MD-WL.2.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at objects, art, food, or traditions from another culture and explain what those things reveal about how people in that culture think and what they value. | MD-WL.2.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Connections
Connections
- Checkpoint A
Learners build, reinforce
Learning a new language gives students a way into other subjects. They practice thinking through problems and ideas using the new language, not just vocabulary drills.
- Checkpoint A
Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are…
Students read, watch, or listen to real content in another language to find information they couldn't get any other way. That might mean a news story, a recipe, or a conversation that opens up how people in another culture see the world.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners build, reinforce Checkpoint A | Learning a new language gives students a way into other subjects. They practice thinking through problems and ideas using the new language, not just vocabulary drills. | MD-WL.3.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are… Checkpoint A | Students read, watch, or listen to real content in another language to find information they couldn't get any other way. That might mean a news story, a recipe, or a conversation that opens up how people in another culture see the world. | MD-WL.3.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Comparisons
Comparisons
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students notice how the new language works differently from their own. They compare things like word order, verb forms, or how questions are built, and use those observations to understand both languages better.
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at everyday life in another culture (meals, greetings, celebrations) and compare what they find to their own home culture. They use the language they're learning to explain what's similar, what's different, and what those differences mean.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students notice how the new language works differently from their own. They compare things like word order, verb forms, or how questions are built, and use those observations to understand both languages better. | MD-WL.4.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at everyday life in another culture (meals, greetings, celebrations) and compare what they find to their own home culture. They use the language they're learning to explain what's similar, what's different, and what those differences mean. | MD-WL.4.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Communities
Communities
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and…
Students use the language they are learning to talk with real people outside class, not just complete assignments. That might mean a conversation with a neighbor, a pen pal, or someone in the community who speaks the language.
- Checkpoint A
Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for…
Students pick a personal language goal, like learning words for a hobby or a trip, then look back at how far they've come. The focus is on using a new language in real life, not just for class.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and… Checkpoint A | Students use the language they are learning to talk with real people outside class, not just complete assignments. That might mean a conversation with a neighbor, a pen pal, or someone in the community who speaks the language. | MD-WL.5.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for… Checkpoint A | Students pick a personal language goal, like learning words for a hobby or a trip, then look back at how far they've come. The focus is on using a new language in real life, not just for class. | MD-WL.5.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Common Questions
What does this checkpoint of language learning actually look like?
Students are beginners working at a novice level. They learn to understand and use short, memorized phrases about familiar topics like family, school, food, and free time. Most of what they say and write will be single words, simple sentences, and rehearsed expressions.
How can I help my child practice the language at home?
Ask them to teach you five new words or a short phrase at dinner. Label a few household items with sticky notes in the language, or watch a short video clip together and ask what words they recognized. Short, frequent practice beats long sessions.
My child can barely form a sentence. Is that normal at this stage?
Yes. At this level, students are expected to communicate in words and short memorized phrases, not full conversations. Asking for a drink, naming colors, or saying where they live counts as real progress.
How should I sequence topics across the year?
Start with high-frequency personal topics like greetings, family, school, and food, then move into daily routines, weather, and free-time activities. Recycle vocabulary across units so students keep using earlier words in new contexts. Save culture comparisons for the back half of each unit, once students have words to talk with.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Listening for the gist and reading short texts often lag behind speaking, because students want to translate every word. Build in regular practice with short audio clips and simple readings where the goal is finding three things they understood, not all of them.
How much culture should be part of a beginning class?
Quite a bit, but tied to the language students already have. When a unit covers food, look at meals and mealtimes in a country that speaks the language, and ask students to compare it to their own routine. Culture works best as a reason to use the words, not a separate lecture.
Does my child need to memorize long vocabulary lists?
Some memorization helps, but using words in short sentences matters more than reciting lists. Quiz them by asking quick questions in English they answer with one word in the language, like the color of their shirt or what they ate for breakfast.
How do I know students are ready to move to the next level?
By the end of this stage, students should handle short exchanges on familiar topics, understand the main idea of simple spoken and written messages, and write a few connected sentences about themselves. They should also be able to point out one or two real differences between a culture they studied and their own.
How can students use the language outside of class?
Encourage them to follow a singer, athlete, or short video channel in the language, label items at home, or order food at a local restaurant using a few words. Even five minutes of real use a week builds confidence and reminds them the language exists outside the classroom.