Middlebrook sixth graders will have more up-to-date French textbooks next school year after the Board of Education approved a committee of world language teachers’ textbook proposal during its June 11 meeting.
A committee of five world language teachers put together a textbook proposal, which Middlebrook Principal Maria Coleman and world language teacher Simon Bulenzi presented to the board during its May 28 meeting.
According to Bulenzi, Middlebrook has been using its current Allez-Viens textbooks since 2000.
“When I first started working at Middlebrook in 2003, I noticed that some of the information was outdated,” he said.
To bring the curriculum more up-to-date, the world language teachers recommended the Bien dit! textbook series as a replacement.
Wilton High School started using the series in 2007, and Middlebrook ordered teacher copies of all the series’ levels in 2013.
Not only is Bien dit! relevant and “appropriately challenging” to young learners, according to the committee, but it also has an online component that gives students access to multi-media, interactive activities with feedback and other various assessments.
The new series will cost the district $4,760 — $70 per textbook for 68 students — with all ancillary materials and teacher editions included in the total cost.
Middlebrook gets new French books
