Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, March 22, 2010

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Lafayette sophomore Blair McCarter explains his Aztec temple to Spanish teacher Ashley Valerius.

Teenagers taking Spanish II at Lafayette High School are among the Fayette County Public Schools students delving deeper into their studies in preparation for the district’s annual World Language Festival.

“We want to see how good we really are,” said Lauren English, who will pair up with fellow freshman Kelsey Clary in the proficiency competition. After their rehearsed conversation, a judge will rate their grammar, pronunciation and stage presence, among other criteria.

The festival, set for April 17 at Bryan Station High School, is an opportunity for students to display their talents and to sample less familiar languages through activities and mini-lessons. In addition, students and their families can experience the flavor of various cultures through demonstrations, dance, visual arts and food.

“No matter how much we try to immerse them in the classroom, it’s still artificial. Until they see it, it’s still foreign to them,” said Linda Beck, the world languages instructional leader at Lafayette, who noted that real-life application of a language encourages students to continue their studies. “Some kids come for the workshops and to see the different costumes and the music. The culture is what’s going to hook them.”

Several Lafayette sophomores will be first-timers at the daylong event, which falls on a Saturday this year. Cody Curtis has filmed a “100 percent Spanish” video, Blair McCarter built a model of an Aztec temple, and Liz Mirsky will submit artwork.

“I did a flamenco dancer because it reflects Spanish culture,” Liz said, adding, “It’s a copy of a masterpiece.”

Brittany Crutcher, who enjoys playing board games, developed a version of The Game of Life in Spanish. Her work includes numbers beside each game block that correspond to the English translation in an accompanying manual – all of which took a lot longer than Brittany expected.

Neither she nor her classmates regret a minute of their investment, and they say they are looking forward to the festival.

“I see how it really shapes your program and gets kids excited,” Beck said. “Your program grows because of their enthusiasm and involvement in it.”

Alicia Vinson, the world language specialist for FCPS, said the festival has outgrown its original format, where activities and competitions took place after school. Last year, there were more than 800 entries.  

“In order to accommodate all the students and all the languages we’re teaching, we needed to move to a full day,” she explained.

During the proficiency segments, judges will assess students’ skills in several areas including reading, recitation, dialogue, writing, and oral and listening proficiency. In the cultural assessments, the spectrum ranges from chorus, dance and drama to costumes, artwork and video productions.

“It’s an opportunity for the kids to demonstrate what they can do with the language,” Vinson said. “It’s showcasing language learning – that’s the main thing. And it’s a great way to celebrate.”

The festival has a new twist this spring: categories that go along with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Students can submit video and audio podcasts, art projects, brochures or newspaper articles that relate to the Games, such as Andalusia horses from Spain or the history of horses in China.

“It’s something that has to do with Kentucky, but it will be in the target language,” Vinson said.

After the state competition in May, the winners’ handiwork could be used to help international visitors feel welcome this fall. Visit http://students-pitch-in.wetpaint.com/ for more details.

If you go

FCPS Regional World Language Festival

What: Language and culture proficiency assessments; non-competitive exhibitions

Theme: “Explore the World … Discover Your Future”

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday April 17

Where: Bryan Station High School, 201 Eastin Road

Highlights:

• Mini sessions on less-commonly taught languages such as Arabic, Farsi and Russian and in sign language.
• Dance demonstrations, games and cultural arts such as calligraphy and origami.
• Performances by students in the FCPS language programs.
• Artwork and construction models.
• International Café.
• Language and culture proficiency assessments (middle and high school level).

FCPS contact: Alicia Vinson, (859) 381-4261

Resources: Kentucky World Language Association (includes FAQ about the May 15 state festival)