First words and greetings
Students start with the basics of a new language. They learn to say hello, introduce themselves, ask simple questions, and pick out familiar words when someone speaks slowly.
What does a student learn in
This is the checkpoint where students stop translating word by word and start handling short, real exchanges in the new language. They can greet someone, ask and answer simple questions about family, school, or food, and pick out the main idea from a short text or video. Students also notice how the new culture does things differently, from holidays to daily habits. By the end, they can hold a short conversation and write a few sentences about themselves.
- Basic conversation
- Listening and reading
- Everyday vocabulary
- Culture and customs
- Short writing
- Language comparisons
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 begin short conversations about family, school, food, and free time. They share likes and dislikes and react to what a partner says, using memorized phrases and short sentences.
- 3
Reading, writing, and culture
Students read simple notes, menus, and ads, and write short messages of their own. They also look at how people in other countries celebrate, eat, and spend time, and compare it to life at home.
- 4
Using the language beyond class
Students give short talks, presentations, or videos for a real audience. They use the language to learn about other subjects and set personal goals for keeping it up outside of school.
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 short pieces in the language they are learning and show they understand the main idea or key details.
- Checkpoint A
Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed
Students hold short back-and-forth conversations in the language they're learning, sharing opinions, reactions, and basic information with a partner. They listen or read closely enough to respond, not just talk.
- Checkpoint A
Learners present information, concepts
Students share information or tell a story out loud, in writing, or with visuals, adjusting how they speak or write based on who is listening or reading.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners understand, interpret Checkpoint A | Students listen to, read, or watch short pieces in the language they are learning and show they understand the main idea or key details. | OH-WL.1.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners interact and negotiate meaning in spoken, signed Checkpoint A | Students hold short back-and-forth conversations in the language they're learning, sharing opinions, reactions, and basic information with a partner. They listen or read closely enough to respond, not just talk. | OH-WL.1.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners present information, concepts Checkpoint A | Students share information or tell a story out loud, in writing, or with visuals, adjusting how they speak or write based on who is listening or reading. | OH-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, like greetings, meals, or celebrations, and explain what those practices reveal about how people in that culture see the world.
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at everyday objects from another culture, such as food, clothing, or art, and explain what those objects reveal about how people in that culture think and live.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at everyday habits and customs from another culture, like greetings, meals, or celebrations, and explain what those practices reveal about how people in that culture see the world. | OH-WL.2.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at everyday objects from another culture, such as food, clothing, or art, and explain what those objects reveal about how people in that culture think and live. | OH-WL.2.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Connections
Connections
- Checkpoint A
Learners build, reinforce
Learning a new language gives students a chance to practice skills from other classes. They use the language to think through problems, connect ideas across subjects, and look at familiar topics from a new angle.
- Checkpoint A
Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are…
Students read, watch, or listen to real material in the new language to find information and see how people in that culture think about a topic.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners build, reinforce Checkpoint A | Learning a new language gives students a chance to practice skills from other classes. They use the language to think through problems, connect ideas across subjects, and look at familiar topics from a new angle. | OH-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 material in the new language to find information and see how people in that culture think about a topic. | OH-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 greetings to understand what makes each language unique.
- Checkpoint A
Learners use the language to investigate, explain
Students look at how their own daily life, traditions, or customs compare to those of people who speak the language they are learning. They put those comparisons into words in the new language.
| 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 greetings to understand what makes each language unique. | OH-WL.4.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners use the language to investigate, explain Checkpoint A | Students look at how their own daily life, traditions, or customs compare to those of people who speak the language they are learning. They put those comparisons into words in the new language. | OH-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 their new language outside class too, not just in lessons. They talk, write, or work with others in real situations, from conversations with neighbors to connecting with people in other countries.
- Checkpoint A
Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for…
Students choose a language goal, then look back at their own progress to see how far they've come. The focus is on learning a language for real life, not just for a grade.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Learners use the language both within and beyond the classroom to interact and… Checkpoint A | Students use their new language outside class too, not just in lessons. They talk, write, or work with others in real situations, from conversations with neighbors to connecting with people in other countries. | OH-WL.5.1.wl-checkpoint-a |
| Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for… Checkpoint A | Students choose a language goal, then look back at their own progress to see how far they've come. The focus is on learning a language for real life, not just for a grade. | OH-WL.5.2.wl-checkpoint-a |
Common Questions
What does this first stage of language learning actually look like?
Students are starting out. They learn to understand simple spoken and written words on familiar topics like family, food, school, and weather. They can answer short questions, introduce themselves, and put a few sentences together. Long conversations and essays come later.
How can I help at home if I don't speak the language?
Ask students to teach a few new words at dinner. Label things around the house in the new language with sticky notes. Play a song or short video in the language for ten minutes a few times a week. Curiosity matters more than accuracy at this stage.
Does memorizing vocabulary lists really matter?
Some memorizing helps, but students learn faster when words show up in real sentences and conversations. Flashcards for ten minutes a day work well. Ask students to use five new words in spoken sentences instead of just reciting them.
How should the year be sequenced?
Start with greetings, names, numbers, and classroom language so students can survive in the target language from day one. Build out family, school, food, and free time across the fall. Save weather, travel, and simple past tense for later, once students can hold a basic present-tense conversation.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Sound-letter matching, gender and article agreement, and verb endings are the usual sticking points. Build in short daily warm-ups that recycle these instead of teaching them once and moving on. Listening is also weaker than reading at this stage and needs steady practice.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can understand short spoken and written passages on familiar topics. They can hold a simple conversation, ask and answer questions, and give a one-minute spoken presentation about themselves. Writing looks like short paragraphs with mostly memorized phrases.
How much should students be speaking versus writing?
Most class time should be spent listening and speaking, with reading and writing in support. A useful rough split is half listening and speaking, a quarter reading, and a quarter writing. Students who only fill out worksheets will struggle to actually talk.
My child is shy about speaking. How can I help?
Practice in private first. Ask students to record a short voice memo describing their day or a photo, using whatever words they know. Mistakes are part of the process. Five minutes of low-pressure speaking at home beats an hour of silent studying.
How much culture should be part of the class?
Culture should run through every unit, not sit in a separate week. When teaching food, look at meals and mealtimes in the target culture. When teaching school, compare schedules and grading. Tie practices and products back to why people do things that way.
How do I know students are ready for the next stage?
Students should be able to handle a short unscripted conversation about themselves, understand a simple story or video on a familiar topic, and write a short paragraph without leaning on a translator. If most students can do those three things, they are ready.