World Languages

Children learn their mother tongue by speaking it, and students learn la langue française the same way. The majority of class time is spent speaking conversationally, singing folk songs, “reading” picture books, and playing simple childhood games. Grammar rules are learned by listening to correct usage and repeating it. Reading and writing in French begins after the students have built a strong foundation of daily-life vocabulary.

Working on the foundation of nouns and adjectives learned in French I, students expand their French vocabulary with verbs. The students learn to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in several different tenses including the perfect, imperfect, future, and conditional. The students meet these tenses in their literature study of fables and fairy tales and they perfect them with the culminating project, writing an original story with over 30 required grammatical elements. Prerequisite: completion of level 1 with teacher recommendation to advance.

Students begin to study literature in earnest at this level. They read celebrated works by Dumas, Hugo, and St. Éxupéry. They write original vignettes and even invent an extra planet for Le Petit Prince to explore. Nuances of grammar are honed through face-à-face conferences for each major piece of writing. Students study poetry and prepare bimonthly recitations to improve their fluidity and fluency of speech.  Prerequisite: completion of French II with teacher recommendation to advance.

Students study French history and read major literature pieces from each epoch. The students marvel at the wonders of the Chauvet Cave, snicker at Caesar’s observations of the Gauls, fight alongside Roland and Charlemagne, delight in the wit of Molière and Voltaire and witness the start of the French Revolution through the eyes of a Bastille guard. The students write formal essays, perform original plays, and sing songs and recite poetry from each particular time period.  Prerequisite: Completion of French III with teacher recommendation to advance.

The principle goal of this course is for students to develop the knowledge and use of the Spanish language. This course will consist of speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish at the beginner’s level. This course consists of units which will cover the present tense as well as an introduction to the past tense towards the end of the year. Students will learn to recognize vocabulary and understand spoken and written Spanish.

The principle goal of this course is for students to develop the knowledge and use of the Spanish language and to further their studies at an intermediate level. This course consists of units which introduce the remaining tenses in the Spanish language. Students will learn to add details to their speaking and writing, and to express themselves more confidently in these tenses. Prerequisite: Spanish I or equivalent.

The principle goal of this course is for students to develop the knowledge and use of the Spanish language and to further their studies at an advanced level. This course will focus on vocabulary and writing development. Students will read short stories, plays, poems, news reports, and short excerpts from books. Students will also continue to work on their Spanish through auditory means and further develop their own speaking abilities. Prerequisite: Spanish II or equivalent.

This course focuses on literature, history, and cultural studies of Spain and Latin America covering from medieval Spain and pre-colombian history in Latin America to the 21st century. Written assignments will consist of 1-3 pages in length and readings which will range from chapters to full books. Knowledge of Spanish-speaking cultures and geography is used to interpret bodies of work and unifying themes. Students are expected to take a leadership role in this class and guide discussions (in Spanish) among their peers. Prerequisite: Spanish III or equivalent.