Carta Circular 8-2013-2014

Puerto Rico’s Carta Circular 8-2013-2014 Carta Circular 8-2013-2014 basically states what the Puerto Rican English program curriculum consists of in all three levels (elementary, intermediate, secondary). It is a fourteen page document written in Spanish and signed by the current secretary of education, Rafael Román Meléndez. This document states the importance of learning and providing students efficiently so they can dominate the English language, not just for local use but for international uses as well. It refers to the Department of Education’s Organic Law 149-1999 where it states that the classes should be adjusted to the needs and experiences of the students. The school’s faculty basically will encourage students to build up their vocabulary and develop their oral and written communication in both languages (English and Spanish).In other words, this document gives the same importance to learning both languages to the student’s maximum potential. It’s Vision and Mission also states the importance of learning the maternal language, in this case Spanish, but also mastering the English language as well. It continues to state that by doing so the students will be able to respond to the challenges and social responsibilities of this century. The program’s goals are to basically form a person who is capable of speaking, reading, writing and completely understanding the English language. In other words, the end result should be a person who is not afraid of the language, but is able to communicate effectively in the English language phonic wise, morphology wise, syntactically wise, semantically wise, and pragmatically wise. According to this document, these students will be provided will sufficient, effective tools to develop these skills. This document states and details seven different teaching approaches that English teachers can use in their class rooms. They are: Balanced Literacy Approach, Natural Approach, Oral Approach, Communicative Approach, Functional-Notional Approach, Differentiated Instruction, and Project-Based Learning. These approaches all are scientifically based and when used correctly can satisfy linguistic needs, intellectual abilities, and various learning abilities student possess. It then not only provides but explains seven techniques and five teaching activities that teachers can use with their students. The seven techniques are: Scaffolding, Direct Instruction, Sheltered Instruction, Repetition and Oral Routines, Small Group Discussions, Language Experience Approach, and Role Playing. Teaching activities suggested are: Reciprocal Teaching, Critical Thinking Questions, Hands-On-Experience, Oral Cloze, and Think-Pair-Share. Level details are also listed, such as the duration of the class and skills that are emphasized according to the level (elementary, intermediate, secondary). Towards the end of the document, the program requirements are listed. This basically states the credit worth needed in every level to be able to pass and progress onto the next. This document, in my opinion, is very thorough. When reading it, one can come to the conclusion that the English program is very important and is a priority to the Puerto Rican Department of Education. However, as the saying goes……everything looks good on paper.