Native+Speaker+Policy

=Please note!= =This document was agreed on by the WLD in Feb. 2011=
 * -It is currently in a "locked" mode so that it can't be edited. It is here for safekeeping to be included with the other docs from Professional Development Day 2011**

=Native Speaker Policy:=

Students who have at least one parent for whom the language of study is a heritage or near-native language and who use this language at home, are not eligible to take that language as a course of foreign language study in the schools. Since our program is designed for foreign language learners, and heritage speakers have different needs, we insist that students choose a language that is a new language for them from grades 3-12. The reasons for this policy are: 1) We are not a bilingual or an immersion school. The curriculum has been designed to teach non-native speakers and in fact, begins on the premise that students have no or very little knowledge of the target language.

2) It is in the best interest of near-native students who will not be challenged enough and whose needs will not be met in our regular classes which are geared towards second language learners. Near-native students need different lessons, different reinforcements and different ways to be challenged.

3) Having native or near-native speakers in a language course designed for non-native speakers is not conducive to the needs of either the native or non-native learner.