The language department is upgrading to new, technology-interactive textbooks for Mandarin I, French I-IV, and Spanish I-AP, to start off the 2013-2014 school year.
“Every department has a cycle of so many years that they have a textbook, and it’s our time to change textbooks,” said French and Spanish teacher Christelle Hutin-Lee. “[The current books] are pretty outdated and we’re looking to integrate a lot of technology. With this new wave of textbooks, we can do that very easily.”
Language Department Chairperson and Spanish teacher Virginia Leskowski said that along with the new textbooks, the curriculum will be changed to include more opportunities for listening comprehension and speaking.
“Speaking and listening are very difficult when you have a large class,” Leskowski said. “[With the new technology component] there’ll be a lot more opportunities for the teachers to listen to speaking samples that are submitted by the students on their computers at home.”
Hutin-Lee said that the new textbooks will have e-textbook versions as well, along with various online support materials.
“There will be opportunities to interact with authentic websites, that are expertly woven into the curriculum, that these publishers have created,” Leskowski said.
In addition, Leskowski said that the new online curriculum will include an interface which will allow teachers to see who has actually done his or her online homework.
“It’s going to help me, as a teacher, stay a little more on top of all the areas that are part of our curriculum,” Leskowski said. “More authentic online materials, more access and practice for listening comprehension and speaking, and more accountability. I’m very excited.”
Hutin-Lee share Lewsowski’s enthusiasm. She finds the prospect of updated materials exciting, but the new books also have a vital communicative approach to them. Instead of leading with grammar, as the current books do, the new ones will integrate grammar into the communicative activities.
“Currently, [the books] start with grammar, and then expand to writing, reading, and all that,” Hutin-Lee said. “This new wave of textbooks is the other way around. It’s a more natural approach.”
Spanish teacher Joanne Guillén Donohoe said that the current Spanish textbooks are ten years old and no longer serve the students well. Junior Michael Landheer agrees with her.
“I think that [the current books] lack structure and make the language and culture feel very outdated to many students, causing them to lose interest,” Landheer said. “From what I have seen of the new [books], I think that the teachers have made a good choice.”
Leskowski said that though the new textbooks are a huge financial investment, the school district has been saving money for them.
“[Because] the Assistant Superintendent, Randy Booker, knew that this was something that [the Language Department] would need to purchase, he has been putting money aside for us,” Leskowski said.
Despite the cost, Leskowski said that there is reason to be excited for the new textbooks, including that students will not have to carry them to and from school since they will have an online textbook.
“I would love to see the students without a heavy backpack,” she said. “As a very basic element [of the new curriculum], it won’t hurt your back.”
