World languages are open to all students. The students in World Language classrooms are grouped heterogeneously. Each course follows the same syllabus appropriate to its level and is consonant with ACTFL National Standards and Maine State Learning Results. The department policy is to make whatever accommodations are deemed necessary to make the material accessible to students with special needs. The World Languages program is an elective program, as there is no graduation requirement for foreign language; approximately 70% of the student body is currently enrolled in a world language course over the last four years.

Four-year coursework is offered in French and Spanish, with the fourth year following an Advanced Placement Language syllabus, as approved by the College Board AP Audit. In Spanish, the student has the option to take the College Preparatory focus instead. Students have the option of taking the Advanced Placement Language Exam. In Spanish, there is a Regular and Honors focus at all levels. The same distinction exists for French at level III only. Our curriculum provides comprehensive preparation for further university studies and international experiences.

The national trend in World Languages is to emphasize language proficiency with less emphasis on traditional grammar and vocabulary acquisition. This trend is reflected in the National Standards, as delineated by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, as well as in the AP Audit required by the College Board. The most essential skill is proficiency- i.e. use of the target language at each level. We offer a proficiency-based curriculum which emphasizes maximum student use of the language in class through collaborative activities, integrated technology, and the use of varied media.

The World Languages Department organizes alternating trips to France and Spain during April vacation. You can see photos of the most recent trips on the LA International Club Facebook Page.

In the News: World Languages: French Students Cook for Credit

Contact Information

Alison Welch : World Languages Department Head—International Club Advisor - Outing Club Advisor
Alison Welch
welch@lincolnacademy.org

Alison Welch was born in Connecticut but grew up in Waterloo, Belgium where she attended a French-speaking Belgian school for 5 years. After graduation from Bowdoin, Alison taught at schools in Louisiana, Connecticut and at the Carrabassett Valley Academy at Sugarloaf Mountain prior to arriving at Lincoln Academy in the fall of 1993. Alison loves spending time with her two sons, Jake, who is an engineer for the Portland-Montreal Pipeline, and Will, who works as a 3rd engineer on an oil drilling ship in the Gulf of Mexico. She enjoys riding and training horses, and competes them in three-phase events. Other interests include downhill and cross country skiing, mountain biking, traveling, hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and spending summers on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in western Maine. In addition, she serves as co-chair of the LA Faculty Governance Committee.

Academic Affiliations:

B.S. Government and French, Bowdoin College


Lyn Bass : World Languages Faculty—Advisor, Civil Rights Team
Lyn Bass
bass@lincolnacademy.org
Mrs. Lyn Bass was born and raised in Midcoast Maine. A daughter of a language teacher, she studied at the University of Seville as an undergraduate and graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a Bachelors degree in Spanish. After teaching in several schools in the Midcoast, she moved to Barcelona, Spain to teach for several years before returning to Maine. Mrs. Bass lives in Waldoboro with her husband Paul and daughter Tallulah.

Academic Affiliations:

B.A. Spanish, University of Maine


Alison Hanley : World Languages Faculty
Alison Hanley
hanley@lincolnacademy.org

Mrs. Hanley has always loved studying languages and literature. After growing up in TN, she studied at the University of Tennessee and also spent semesters at universities in Granada, Spain and Urbino, Italy. Upon graduation, she spent two years as a student tour guide across Europe for traveling American high schools. She landed in Maine in 2003 and began teaching Spanish. She resides in Newcastle with her husband, three sons and many pets. As a long term resident of Newcastle, she is extremely excited to begin her journey here at LA!

Academic Affiliations:

BA Spanish Language and Literature University of TN 2000 concentration in Italian language

Master's of Arts in Teaching Spanish (MATL) 2022 University of Southern Mississippi