Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES)
The Foreign Language in the Elementary School/Language through Content (FLES/LTC) Program helps students learn a world language through Science and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) integrated content. FLES is an approach to language learning that allows students to develop basic communicative skills in a language while reinforcing and enriching content in other disciplines. The program provides language learning opportunities to all students in an elementary school from grades K through 6th.
The goal of FLES/LTC is to develop students’ language proficiency and 21st-century skills by teaching World Languages through STEAM, with a strong emphasis on Science. Teachers use Project-Based Learning to help students learn another language while developing skills in all areas. Generally, students receive 60 minutes of language instruction per week. This model supports the five goal areas of the national standards for world language (communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities) and is aligned with the Virginia SOL for World Languages.