The Language Studies Department of JBU attempts to follow the following criteria adopted from the Materials Evaluation Working Group of the New Visions in Action–Curriculum, Instruction, Articulation, and Assessment (NVA-CIAA) Task Force of Iowa State University.

1. Integrate skills development in the three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) at all levels.
2. Spiral skills, tasks and vocabulary through reintroduction across all levels.
3. Include communicative tasks, based on what learners can do with the language.
4. provide ample exposure to authentic materials (aural, written and visual).
5. Introduce learners to a basic knowledge of phonetics.
6. Include assessment tools that link instruction and assessment in all modes of language use and cultural information.
7. Incorporate summative assessments at regular intervals with clearly defined performance goals evaluating students' progress.

1. Provide the teacher with updates on recent cultural and linguistic research related to the curriculum, especially in cultural, historical and political events.
2. Are thematically based, integrating language skills with an understanding of the relationships between practices, perspectives and products (literature, culture, geography, history and arts) in a manner relevant to the students' lives.

1. Link content to other disciplines as a basis for language acquisition and cultural understanding.
2. Base learning situations on a real-world context for language instruction.
3. Reflect students' interests while presenting the distinctive viewpoints of other cultures.

1. Provide information on the nature of language through comparisons between the target language and the students’ own language.
2. Provide information on the nature of culture through comparisons of the target culture with the students’ own culture.

1. Include suggestions for service learning and community involvement appropriate to learners' level of linguistic control and cultural understanding.
2. Incorporate activities designed to encourage life-long learners and users of the language.
3. Provide for a diversity of learners (e.g., learners with diverse learning styles, special needs, learning disabilities, high abilities and Heritage learners) through suggestions for differentiated instruction and assessment.

1. Base instructional and assessment strategies on national standards.
2. Integrate technology into the curriculum as part of the learning system, not as a supplement.
3. Are developed based on relevant second language acquisition research.
4. Have been checked for validity and reliability.
5. Present clear and concise instruction and assessment appropriate for each level/age/course.
6. Incorporate means for seamless articulation between levels.
7. Provide on-going support for the instructors.
8. Integrate suggestions for adaptation to varying school programs (e.g.: block, modified block, IB, etc…).