Proficiency Objectives and Curricular Documents

Below is a list of currently available curricular documents, which provide descriptions of target student abilities for various languages taught in the Language Center. Please click on the links to the right of each language listed below to view the curricular document for each sequence.

Updates in progress:

Since 1995, its inaugural year, the Language Center has implemented assessment and a curricular model based on the most current research in second-language literacies. Target objectives were developed in each language program, following a prototype crafted in 1997 by Spanish and Portuguese (comprising the largest enrollments) and respectful of the unique features of each language (Bernhardt, Valdés & Miano, 2009)1. These documents, now available in their revised versions at language.stanford.edu, all have as their foundation the original National Standards for Foreign Language Learning (1996) (updated and re-published in 2015 as the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages)2, with particular emphasis on the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication. In contrast to more traditional curricula which are often textbook- or four-skill driven, these objectives lay out concrete developmental goals by detailing what students should be able to do with the language within each of these three modes and within and across courses that form a year-long sequence. Writing, in parallel to speaking, is integrated specifically within the presentational or interpersonal mode according to the type of task, purpose, and audience; and like other skills, is articulated developmentally throughout the course sequence as it becomes progressively more complex and demonstrates features of increasing proficiency.

Contributing authors for the 2016-2017 revisions include:

  • Arabic:  Khalid Obeid, Salem Aweiss, Khalil Barhoum, Thoraya Boumehdi, Ramzi Salti
  • Chinese:  Chaofen Sun, Marina Chung, Nina Lin, Hong Zeng, Youping Zhang
  • English for Foreign Students:  Phil Hubbard, Kristopher Geda, Andrea Kevech, Robyn Lockwood, Carole Mawson, Ken Romeo, Connie Rylance, Seth Streichler, Dominic Wang
  • French:  Marie Lasnier, Heather Howard
  • German:  Paul Nissler, Jason Kooiker
  • Hebrew:  Vered Shemtov, Gallia Porat
  • Italian:  Alessandra McCarty, Marta Baldocchi
  • Japanese:  Yoshiko Matsumoto, Momoyo Kubo Lowdermilk, Emi Mukai, Chie Muramatsu, Yoshiko Tomiyama
  • Korean:  Hee-Sun Kim
  • LCTL:  Eva Prionas
  • Portuguese:  Lyris Wiedemann, Agripino Silveira
  • Russian:  Eugenia Khassina
  • Spanish:  Ali Miano, Vivian Brates, Citlalli Del Carpio, Ana Sierra, María Cristina Urruela
  • General editor, document coordination:  Joan Molitoris

1 Bernhardt, E.B., Valdes, G., & Miano, A. (2009). A chronicle of standards-based curricular reform in a research university. In Virginia Scott (Ed.) Principles and practices of the standards in college foreign language education. (pp. 54-85). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

2 The National Standards Collaborative Board. (2015). World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. 4th ed. Alexandria, VA.

The National Standards Collaborative Board consists of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic, American Association of Teachers of French, American Association of Teachers of German, American Association of Teachers of Italian, American Association of Teachers of Japanese, American Association of Teachers of Korean, American Association of Teachers of Modern Greek, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, American Classical League, American Council of Teachers of Russian, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, American Sign Language Teachers Association, Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools, Chinese Language Teachers Association, Modern Language Association, National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, and National Standards Task Force for Hindi.