As states, districts, and schools rewrite curriculum based upon the Standards for Foreign Language Learning, we have been asked to show how Paso a paso will help achieve these standards. The following is a detailed overview showing how our middle school and high school Spanish program and the Standards are a perfect match!

Goal 1: Communication
(Communicate in Languages Other Than English)

• Standard 1.1— Interpersonal (speaking)

• Standard 1.2— Interpretive (reading or listening)

• Standard 1.3— Presentation (speaking or writing)

Students learn to communicate successfully in all three modes with Paso a paso. Each chapter includes student-centered themes, real-life activities, and relevant vocabulary and grammar. From the beginning of each chapter in the "Empecemos a conversar" sections, students develop the interpersonal skills of Standard 1.1. Opportunities for students to talk about themselves in pairs and small groups are found throughout Paso a paso. The interpretive skills are developed through the audio, video, and CD-ROM programs, the abundant paired and small group activities that require students to listen to one another, and the many reading opportunities in the textbook and support materials.

At the end of each chapter in the "Todo Junto" or "Punto de vista" sections, students are given speaking and writing activities that involve the presentational mode. In each chapter and at all levels, Paso a paso provides communication opportunities that achieve all three standards of Goal 1. Most importantly, these standards are developed in a clear, sequential progression and are supported by a wide range of activities that support the different learning styles found in today's diverse Spanish classrooms.

Goal 2: Cultures
(Gain Knowledge and Understanding of Other Cultures)

• Standard 2.1--Practices and perspectives

• Standard 2.2--Products and perspectives

Each chapter in Paso a paso is based upon a cultural theme that reflects the communicative goals. Activities enable students to learn about the target culture while gaining an understanding of the perspectives that are the foundation of the practice or product. From the beautiful photograph at the beginning of each chapter, to the sections entitled "¡Piénsalo bien!" and "Perspectiva cultural," students are asked to examine, compare, contrast, and hypothesize about cultural practices and products. The questions in the section "La cultural desde tu perspectiva" provide a thought-provoking exploration of the culture. This approach to culture is found throughout the program in the videos, CD-ROMs, textbook activities, readings, photographs, and realia.

Goal 3: Connections
(Connect With Other Disciplines and Acquire Information)

• Standard 3.1—Cross-curricular

• Standard 3.2—Information only available through target language and cultures

Each chapter provides cross-curricular activities that connect to other disciplines. These are found in the Teacher's Notes at the beginning of each chapter. In addition, content-based connections can be found in chapter readings which are supported by specific strategies, the process writing, and in various communicative activities. The two middle school books have a section of cross-curricular activities called "Conecciones." Several chapter themes are supported by content connections, such as the Chapter 4 theme in the first year book which supports the food theme with a health connection (food that is good for you or bad for you). Throughout Paso a paso, students use Spanish to acquire information about other disciplines such as art, history, literature, architecture, and music.

The Internet activities for each chapter found at phschool.com provide access to materials that also support Standard 3.2.

Goal 4: Comparisons
(Develop Insights into the Nature of Language and Culture)

• Standard 4.1—Compare language

• Standard 4.2—Compare culture

Paso a paso helps students learn how language works through a direct focus on learning strategies such as cognates, word families, and word stems. This is achieved partly in a unique feature in the new vocabulary section called "¿Qué quiere decir?" Students are encouraged to discover the patterns of grammar and apply them to real-life applications in the grammar section called "Gramática en contexto." Through a wide range of language and cultural activities, students are taught to think for themselves, to discover the nature of language, and most importantly, to transfer those skills to all areas of learning. Students focus on comparing culture throughout the program. The cultural theme in each chapter (reinforced through realia, video, and photographs) is built upon having students observe culture and answer questions that ask for comparisons.

Goal 5: Communities
(Participate in Multicultural Communities and Global Society)

• Standard 5.1—Use language beyond the school setting

• Standard 5.2— Show evidence of becoming life-long learners

Paso a paso provides a broad overview of the Spanish-speaking world both inside and outside of the United States. Each chapter begins with teacher's notes called "Spanish in Your Community" which provides activities that lead students to find Spanish in their communities. Throughout Paso a paso activities build success, present new perspectives, and guide students to discover a new language, new cultures, and the broad global community. For example, in several of the "Vamos a escribir" writing activities, students are directed to publish their materials in the larger community. One example would be to send a letter to a local newspaper. (Paso a paso 2, Chapter 14)

The Internet site phschool.com sends the students to a myriad of sites beyond the school setting. The learning environment created and supported by Paso a paso helps students become life-long learners as they begin to understand their new world step-by-step.

The Standards for Foreign Language Learning provide an excellent guideline for developing a second language curriculum that is motivating, relevant, and communicative for the Spanish students. As teachers move forward with the implementation of these standards in every classroom, be completely assured that by using Paso a paso, your students will achieve these standards with a complete range of materials that give every teacher all the resources needed. Paso a paso and the Standards For Foreign Language Learning are a perfect match.