Middlebury Interactive Languages Named Statewide Provider by Florida Dept. of Education

MIDDLEBURY, Vt., Oct. 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Middlebury Interactive Languages, the academic leader in online and blended language curriculum and solutions, has been selected by the Florida Department of Education as a statewide provider of middle and high school world language courses.

Middlebury Interactive was approved for eight courses in French and Spanish at various grade and proficiency levels. All Middlebury Interactive courses meet federal standards and World Languages Next Generation Sunshine State Standards. Florida is the first state to allow up to 50 percent of textbook adoption dollars be used for digital courses. Educators and administrators interested in previewing courses eligible for textbook adoption funds can visit Middlebury Interactive's website.

As the only digital-only language provider approved by the DOE, Middlebury Interactive offers Florida school districts the opportunity to create tailored and flexible language programs. All Middlebury Interactive courses are supported by proven language instruction techniques, culturally authentic materials, teacher professional development and digital learning tools. Middlebury Interactive courses are created by language Ph.Ds., K-12 educators and technologists and are modeled after the Middlebury Language Schools' proven instructional approach.

"Language learning—with all of its cognitive and academic benefits—translates very well to the digital environment, because students have access to authentic cultural materials, like videos with native speakers, and can learn at their own pace," said Middlebury Interactive Languages CEO Jane Swift. "We look forward to partnering with more Florida districts to implement language programs that are flexible, scalable and academically rigorous."

More than 1,000 Florida students will use Middlebury Interactive courses this school year, including more than 100 studying Spanish in the Volusia County Schools. Another example of recent school adoption is St. Stephen Catholic School in Riverside, which delivers blended learning courses in French, Spanish and Chinese.

"Middlebury Interactive courses are very engaging for our students and also deliver on high academic quality," said Dr. Amy Blowers, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist at Volusia County Schools. "Offering the digital courses expands access to language instruction for our students and provides greater flexibility and resources for our teachers to help students learn."

"Middlebury Interactive gave us the flexibility to create a program that exposes our students to several different languages—French, Spanish and Chinese—in elementary school before focusing on one language in the upper grades," said Gina Robles, Media Specialist and Language Instructor at St. Stephen Catholic School. "Our new language program is working very well for students, teachers and parents and is helping students become self-directed learners."

Nationwide, Middlebury Interactive serves the language education needs of more than 200,000 K-12 students. Middlebury Interactive programs are deployed in nearly 4,000 schools, from the largest urban districts, like New York City, Dallas ISD and Baltimore County Public Schools, to small towns throughout the country.

Recognizing the diverse—and evolving—language instruction needs of each school district, Middlebury Interactive provides one-stop access to rigorous, leading-edge world language programs. Middlebury Interactive currently offers online and blended learning programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Spanish, French, Chinese and German, as well as new programs for English Language Learners.

About Middlebury Interactive Languages

Middlebury Interactive is the academic leader in digital language instruction for K-12 students with a suite of world language courses and a supplemental English Language Learner curriculum for grades 4-8. Middlebury Interactive provides access to superior language programs and prepares students with the skills and cultural understanding to compete in the 21st Century global marketplace. Middlebury Interactive has adapted principles of Middlebury College's renowned world language curriculum, developed and refined over the past 100 years, and translated it to the digital and K-12 settings. Middlebury Interactive also offers in-person language immersion summer academies for middle and high school students.