Fifth graders at Northport Middle School and East Northport Middle School are getting a head start on their language skills through a new world language exploratory program, also called FLEX (foreign language exploratory). Students participate in the program every other day for half the school year and rotate between Italian, French, Spanish and world cultures.  

In addition to practicing basic language skills, students also learn about the culture of each language and the countries that speak it. From playing traditional Hispanic games to learning about Italian cities, students get fully immersed in each language as they move through the program. The hope is that as students become exposed to each language, they feel better prepared to select a regent 

“We want to provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in language at a younger age and develop into global citizens with a deeper appreciation for world cultures,” said Chairperson of World Language and ENL Jennifer Nesfield. “Seeing students express an interest and eagerness to learn language – that's our goal.”