Everyday conversations and routines
Students start the year holding short conversations on familiar topics like family, school, food, and weekend plans. They read simple messages and listen for the main idea in songs, ads, and short videos.
What does a student learn in
This is the stretch when students move past memorized phrases and start holding real conversations in the new language. Students read short articles, watch clips, and talk back about what they think, not just what the textbook says. They compare how people live, eat, and celebrate in other places with their own routines at home. By spring, students can hold a short conversation, write a paragraph, and explain something they learned from a source in the language.
- Conversation skills
- Reading in the language
- Writing paragraphs
- Culture comparisons
- Listening and viewing
- Real-world use
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
Reading and writing about daily life
Students move from speaking to writing longer messages, emails, and short paragraphs. They read menus, schedules, and short articles, picking out key details and reacting with their own opinions.
- 3
Culture, customs, and comparisons
Students look at how people in other countries celebrate holidays, eat meals, shop, and treat school and family. They compare those habits with life at home and explain what surprises them.
- 4
Using the language across subjects
Students use the language to learn about other subjects, like a science topic, a country's history, or a piece of art. They read short sources in the language and share what they found.
- 5
Presenting and connecting beyond class
By year end, students give short talks, skits, or videos to inform or persuade an audience. They also set personal goals for using the language outside class, online, or with people in the community.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 9.
Communication
Communication
- Checkpoint B
Learners understand, interpret
Students listen to, read, or watch material on different topics in the language they are learning, then work out what it means and what the speaker or writer is really trying to say.
- Checkpoint B
Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed
Students hold a back-and-forth conversation in the language they're learning, sharing opinions and reactions, not just memorizing phrases. They adjust what they say based on how the other person responds.
- Checkpoint B
Learners present information, concepts
Students practice speaking or writing in the language they're learning to share information, tell a story, or make a point. They adjust how they communicate based on who's listening or reading.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners understand, interpret Checkpoint B | Students listen to, read, or watch material on different topics in the language they are learning, then work out what it means and what the speaker or writer is really trying to say. | NH-WL.1.1.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed Checkpoint B | Students hold a back-and-forth conversation in the language they're learning, sharing opinions and reactions, not just memorizing phrases. They adjust what they say based on how the other person responds. | NH-WL.1.2.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners present information, concepts Checkpoint B | Students practice speaking or writing in the language they're learning to share information, tell a story, or make a point. They adjust how they communicate based on who's listening or reading. | NH-WL.1.3.wl-checkpoint-b |
Cultures
Cultures
- Checkpoint B
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at a real habit or tradition from another culture, like a greeting or a mealtime custom, and explain in the target language why people do it and what it says about what they value.
- Checkpoint B
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at everyday objects, art, food, or traditions from another culture and explain what those things reveal about how people in that culture see the world.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint B | Students look at a real habit or tradition from another culture, like a greeting or a mealtime custom, and explain in the target language why people do it and what it says about what they value. | NH-WL.2.1.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint B | Students look at everyday objects, art, food, or traditions from another culture and explain what those things reveal about how people in that culture see the world. | NH-WL.2.2.wl-checkpoint-b |
Connections
Connections
- Checkpoint B
Learners build, reinforce
Students use the new language to explore topics from other classes like science, history, or math. Working across subjects helps them think through problems in a different way.
- Checkpoint B
Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are…
Students read, listen to, or watch real content in the language they're learning, then judge whether the information is reliable or one-sided. They practice thinking critically about what different cultures say and believe.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners build, reinforce Checkpoint B | Students use the new language to explore topics from other classes like science, history, or math. Working across subjects helps them think through problems in a different way. | NH-WL.3.1.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are… Checkpoint B | Students read, listen to, or watch real content in the language they're learning, then judge whether the information is reliable or one-sided. They practice thinking critically about what different cultures say and believe. | NH-WL.3.2.wl-checkpoint-b |
Comparisons
Comparisons
- Checkpoint B
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students notice patterns in a new language (like how verbs change or where adjectives land in a sentence) and compare them to how their own language works. That comparison sharpens what they understand about both.
- Checkpoint B
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students compare their own culture with the culture of the language they are learning, looking at how people live, celebrate, or communicate differently. They use the new language to explain what they notice.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint B | Students notice patterns in a new language (like how verbs change or where adjectives land in a sentence) and compare them to how their own language works. That comparison sharpens what they understand about both. | NH-WL.4.1.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint B | Students compare their own culture with the culture of the language they are learning, looking at how people live, celebrate, or communicate differently. They use the new language to explain what they notice. | NH-WL.4.2.wl-checkpoint-b |
Communities
Communities
- Checkpoint B
Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and…
Students use their new language outside of class, talking or working with others in the community or with people from other countries and cultures.
- Checkpoint B
Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for…
Students choose a language-learning goal, then look back at what they practiced to see how far they've come. The focus is on using the language for real life, not just for class.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and… Checkpoint B | Students use their new language outside of class, talking or working with others in the community or with people from other countries and cultures. | NH-WL.5.1.wl-checkpoint-b |
| Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for… Checkpoint B | Students choose a language-learning goal, then look back at what they practiced to see how far they've come. The focus is on using the language for real life, not just for class. | NH-WL.5.2.wl-checkpoint-b |
Common Questions
What does Checkpoint B mean for a language class?
Checkpoint B is roughly the middle stretch of language study, often two or three years in. Students move past memorized phrases and start holding short conversations, reading simple articles or stories, and writing paragraphs about familiar topics like school, family, food, and weekend plans.
How can a parent help at home without speaking the language?
Ask students to teach a few words at dinner or label things around the house. Watch a short video or listen to a song in the language together and ask what they caught. Five to ten minutes of regular contact beats one long study session.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should hold a short back-and-forth conversation on everyday topics, read a short article or story and pull out the main ideas, and write a paragraph that gives an opinion or tells a simple story. Mistakes are still expected.
How much vocabulary memorization should be happening?
Some, but not flashcards alone. Vocabulary sticks when students use it in real sentences, so pair word lists with short conversations, writing prompts, or reading. Ten minutes of practice most days works better than an hour the night before a quiz.
How should the year be sequenced across the three communication modes?
Plan units around a topic such as travel, food, or school life, and hit all three modes inside each unit: listening or reading something authentic, a paired or small-group conversation, and a short written or spoken presentation. Recycling vocabulary across units matters more than covering more topics.
Where do students usually need the most reteaching?
Past-tense verbs and the difference between similar tenses are the usual sticking points, along with reading authentic texts without translating every word. Build in regular short writing and reading tasks so these skills get repeated practice instead of one big unit.
How much culture should be in the course, and how is it graded?
Culture runs through the whole year, not a separate unit. Tie products and practices like holidays, meals, school routines, or music to the language students are already using, and grade what students can explain or compare in the language rather than facts memorized in English.
Is it a problem if students still make a lot of grammar mistakes?
No. At this stage, students are expected to communicate clearly on familiar topics, not to sound like a native speaker. If a student can be understood and can understand others on everyday topics, progress is on track.
How do students keep using the language outside of class?
Encourage one small habit: a podcast on the bus, a show with subtitles in the target language, messaging a pen pal, or following a creator who posts in the language. The goal is regular contact with real speakers, not extra homework.