Foreign Language Acquisition Program

Project Director: Shereen Tabrizi-Arraf, Ph.D.
Project Coordinator: Hala Hamka, M.Ed.

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Program Information:
Dearborn Public Schools has Arabic as a Foreign Language Proficiency Program (FLAP) in two schools. The first is at Iris Becker Elementary school (grades K-5) which has provided Arabic language studies to its students for over 8 years; the second is at Salina Intermediate (grades 4-8). The program model provides direct foreign language instruction, seamless movement from one proficiency level to the next, and focuses on escalating proficiency in Arabic by integrating foreign language across content area instruction. The proposed model was developed according to the competencies outlined in the National Standards for Teaching Foreign Languages (NCLRC). The program integrates technology in instruction and learning, creating Arabic language curriculum and assessments, peer coaching, professional development, community partnership, and a parent lending library.

Participating Schools:

• Becker Elementary
• Salina Intermediate

Additional Resources:

• The Arab American National Museum
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
• ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
• Center for Applied Linguistics
• National Capital Language Resource Center