Course Offerings
FRENCH 1 Full Year
This course is designed to
help the student develop the four language skills of listening,
speaking, reading and writing. Basic concepts of French grammar and
syntax are reinforced through a variety of exercises including
audio-visual devices such as films, songs, recordings, pictures and
language games. Emphasis is placed on oral proficiency, pronunciation
and rhythm using everyday situations to make this first year a realistic
learning experience. Culture projects will bring insights into French
traditions.
FRENCH 2 Full Year
This course
is designed to continue the basic grammatical concepts of the French
language learned in the first year. The cultural focus of the course is
on basic French institutions and ordinary aspects of life in France and
the French-speaking world. The course is organized in short segments to
help students acquire skills quickly. It strives to develop the four
language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
FRENCH 3 Full Year
This
course reviews and builds upon the grammatical concepts learned in
French 2. The course focuses on the development of reading and oral
skills and on independent writing. Special emphasis is placed on
conversation. The cultural focus this year is on contemporary
French-speaking life and society. French is the primary language of
instruction in this class.
FRENCH 4 Full Year
This
course is designed to prepare students who plan to continue their
French studies in college. It is a combined course with Advanced
Placement French 4, thus students will be advancing their skills learned
in the first three years and study more detailed grammar structures.
Please read the course content for French 4 – Advanced Placement
Language for more information. These students, however, will not be
required to take the AP exam in May. It will be optional. The cultural
content of this course primarily focuses on the modern-day francophone
world through current events and song analysis.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT FRENCH LANGUAGE Full Year
This
course is designed to prepare students who plan to take the Advanced
Placement Examination in French Language in May. Listening, reading,
function words and grammar, verb conjugation, composition writing and
describing a series of pictures emphasize development of the student’s
active communication in French. Students rely upon a diversity of
resources for class discussion, including authentic radio and television
broadcasts, newspapers, films and modern songs. Increased fluency,
accuracy and expansion of ideas are stressed. French is spoken
exclusively in this class.
HONORS FRENCH LITERATURE Full Year
This
course is designed for students who plan to take the Advanced Placement
Examination in French Literature in May. Students will analyze novels,
plays and poems along with their thematic relevance to literary
movements. This course emphasizes reading comprehension, writing
compositions, explicating poetry and active class discussion. The
required AP reading list includes Voltaire, Maupassant, de la Fontaine
and Baudelaire. This course is comparable to a third year college-level
literature course. French is spoken exclusively in this class.
SPANISH 1 Full Year
This
course is designed to help the student develop the four language skills
of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Emphasis is placed on oral
proficiency, pronunciation and rhythm using everyday situations and
conversations. In addition to the vocabulary presented in the text,
commonly used idioms and basic vocabulary will be supplemented.
Beginning readings in Spanish will be augmented by insights into Spanish
culture and traditions. Basic concepts of Spanish grammar and syntax
are introduced and reinforced through a wide variety of written and oral
exercises.
SPANISH 2 Full Year
This course is
a continuation of course work covered in Spanish 1. Students complete a
thorough study of Spanish language, grammar and syntax. Knowledge of
cultural backgrounds and customs of the various Spanish-speaking
communities is reinforced with supplemental materials. Emphasis is
placed on all four-language skills: listening, speaking, reading and
writing. Students begin reading excerpts of Spanish literature.
SPANISH 3 Full Year
The
text, accompanying workbook, supplementary reader and a Spanish/English
dictionary are required. Language and literature selections from Spain
and Latin America are incorporated into the study of Spanish at this
level. The addition of new grammatical points, grammar reviews,
literature and cultures are combined. The major emphasis at this level
will be on the acquisition of new vocabulary and increasing
conversational skills. All four language skills (reading, writing,
listening and speaking) are emphasized daily. Spanish is the primary
language of instruction in this class.
SPANISH 3 HONORS Full Year
This
intensive honors course at Level 3 is conducted in Spanish and students
are expected to use only Spanish in class. The students’ listening and
speaking skills are further developed, with an emphasis on original and
spontaneous self-expression. Students are introduced to literature in
Spanish and engage in oral and written discussion based on their
reading. They continue to refine their knowledge and understanding of
the target language and culture.
SPANISH 4 Full Year
This
course is designed for students who plan to continue their study in
upper division Spanish, who wish to refine the skills acquired in the
first three years and study more advanced grammar and vocabulary
structures. Students concentrate on sustained language production, both
oral and written and will develop their critical thinking skills in
reading and writing, as well as listening and conversational skills.
Students use Spanish exclusively and Spanish is the language of
instruction in this class.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SPANISH LANGUAGE Full Year
This
course is designed for students who plan to take the Advanced Placement
Examination in Spanish Language in May. Activities stress speaking,
listening, reading and writing skills that focus on active communication
in Spanish. Course materials will include recordings, films,
newspapers, magazines and selected literary works by major authors.
Training in the organization and writing of compositions is an integral
part of the course. Students are expected to use Spanish exclusively and
Spanish is the language of instruction in this class.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SPANISH LITERATURE Full Year
This
course is designed for students who take the Advanced Placement
Examination in Spanish Literature in May. Students will read, discuss
and analyze Hispanic literature of all genres, using required AP reading
lists as well as supplementary selections as needed. This course is
comparable to a third year college literature course. Spanish is spoken
exclusively in this class.
CHINESE 1 Full Year
Chinese
1 introduces students to the four basic skills of listening, speaking,
reading and writing in Mandarin Chinese. The students will also be
introduced to the customs and life of the modern Chinese. Emphasis is
placed on developing accurate pronunciation using everyday situations
and conversations and reading and writing Chinese characters. Cultural
activities are arranged to provide each student with opportunities to
enhance language and cultural learning.
CHINESE 2 Full Year
This
course is a continuation of the first year of Chinese including further
acquisition of an additional 200 characters and phrases, training in
the skills of reading, writing and speaking official Chinese. This class
further develops the Chinese language and cultural understanding
through regular practice in class and homework. The students will learn
to express themselves using more sophisticated language structures.
Major themes for the second year Chinese are making appointments,
studying languages, school life, shopping, talking about the weather and
transportation. The pinyin and traditional Chinese characters will be
taught. The four-tone system in Chinese pronunciation will be required.
The students will have to write in simplified style Chinese characters
for quizzes and exams. Cooperative group learning is highly emphasized.
CHINESE 3 Full Year
This
course is a continuation of the second year of Chinese including
further acquisition of additional characters and phrases, and training
in the skills of reading, writing, and speaking official Chinese. This
class further develops the Chinese language and cultural understanding
through regular practice in class and homework. The students will learn
to express themselves using more sophisticated language structures.
CHINESE 4 Full Year
Chinese
4 is a continuation of the content learned in Chinese 3. The goal of
the class is to advance the student's communicative competence in all
four skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading and
writing. Students will improve their oral skills through regular
dialogue practice, participation in skits and discussions about course
themes. Writing skills will be developed through frequent paragraph and
essay practice, as well as through several writing projects. Listening
will be enhanced through frequent use of audio content from the textbook
and outside reading resources including narrations, stories, talks,
andmovings. Reading skill improvement will be achieved by regular
reading of the text, article, websites, and stories.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Full Year
The
AP Chinese Language and Culture course is designed to be comparable to a
college/university course in Mandarin Chinese. These college courses,
which deepen student immersion into the language and culture of the
Chinese-speaking world, typically represent the point at which students
complete approximately 250 hours of college-level classroom instruction.
The aim of this course is to provide students with ongoing and varied
opportunities to further develop their proficiencies across the full
range of language.