2010-2011 Foreign Languages Curriculum
Spanish I
This introductory course is for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language. Students are exposed to a variety of authentic materials and a text rich in culture and literature. They will develop their listening and speaking skills in Spanish through conversation. Reading and writing skills, focusing on the present tense, will also be emphasized.
Spanish II
This course emphasizes reading and writing at the intermediate level, with a focus on the past tenses. Students will continue to develop their speaking and listening skills as well. Structures taught in Spanish I will be reviewed prior to the presentation of new material. Students will gain a better understanding of various aspects of the Hispanic culture.
Spanish III Honors
This course focuses on everyday communication and prepares the students to speak and write appropriately in the language, in a variety of situations. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills at the advanced level are learned and applied through the study of literature from Spain and Latin America. The course offers further insights into the Hispanic culture.
Spanish IV Honors
This independent study course will continue the mastery of the language skills acquired from Spanish III. It is designed for highly motivated students who want to continue their studies in Spanish. Students who want to study another year of Spanish before going to Spanish AP are encouraged to take this course.
Spanish Language AP
This course involves intensive practice of the language skills needed to master the AP Spanish Language exam. A strong emphasis is placed on impromptu conversation and writing, including essays. Listening and reading comprehension at the advanced level are also a part of the curriculum.
Chinese I
Th is introductory course is for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language. Students are exposed to a variety of authentic materials and a text rich in culture and literature. Th ey will develop their listening and speaking skills in Chinese through conversation. Reading and writing skills will also be emphasized.
Chinese II
Chinese II is for students who have successfully completed Chinese I class. It is the second year of a multi-year Mandarin Chinese course. In this class, students will continue to expand their vocabulary in learning Simplifi ed Chinese characters using the Pinyin phonetic symbols to aid in pronunciation. Emphasis will be placed on grammatical rules in sentence structures so that students can write short Chinese essays. Students will also practice daily spoken Chinese to continue to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing the Chinese language at an intermediate level. Th e study of Chinese culture is also an important aspect of this language course.
Chinese III
Th e purpose of this course is to enable students to enhance proficiency in Chinese through a linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning. Th ere is continued emphasis on the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Experiences with Chinese literature are broadened. Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life applications are emphasized.