World Language

This introductory course is designed to cover the development of the fundamental skills necessary to build a strong foundation for further world language learning. The focus will be on the four skills in world language learning: listening, reading, speaking, and writing with an emphasis on oral skills. Students are also introduced to the culture of the country/countries where the language is spoken. It is intended for students who have no previous background in the language, or for those who need a thorough review before proceeding to the next level of the language.

Students will engage in the following:

• Use and recognize vocabulary on such topics as family, friends, likes and dislikes, school, leisure activities, clothes, health, geography, weather, seasons, and food. 
• Use the present tense of regular verbs and some irregular ones. 
• Address concepts of noun/ adjective agreement; masculine, feminine, singular and plural; some pronouns; interrogative words and contractions. 
• Participate in short dialogues, and understand others when familiar details are given in clear, uncomplicated speech. 
• Compose brief writing assignments. 
• Read simple materials for meaning.
• Identify common daily routines, greetings, holidays and products of the target1 culture. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of the geography of the target1 countries. 
• Compare their own and the target1 language / culture. 

Instruction continues to develop language abilities acquired in the first level. Communication continues to be the focus improving competence of the four skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Students will be able to express and articulate expressions in the past tense and will gain understanding of the products, practices, and perspectives of the culture(s) studied.  

Students will engage in the following:

• Use and recognize vocabulary for professions, extracurricular interests, the home, and school/ vacation/meal schedules. 
• Recognize and use past tense of the language. 
• Identify and/or use indirect object pronouns, comparative forms of the adjective, and a variety of negative expressions. 
• Write lists and simple sentences, often using a variety of learned expressions. 
• Produce a letter or brief composition. 
• Understand short strings of related sentences, questions & classroom commands.
• When speaking, use a limited number of simple sentences. 
• Understand important ideas and some details of short narratives and poems as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media material.  
• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural topics such as daily routines, the educational system, the variety of countries and cultures where the studied language is spoken, currency, distinctive products, and holidays. 
• Develop greater awareness of the comparisons and contrasts between the second language and their own. 

Instruction continues to develop higher proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.  Special emphasis is placed on the development of oral skills focusing on real life situations. Listening skills are sharpened through the use of films and audio resources. Further cultural topics are  discussed. This course is conducted almost exclusively in the target language requiring students to  have a strong and articulated knowledge and foundation in the target language.

Students will engage in the following:

• Use and recognize a greater variety of vocabulary. 
• Form and use the basic past, imperfect, and future tenses, and some command forms along with other grammatical topics. Identify and/or use indirect object pronouns, comparative forms of the adjective, and a variety of negative expressions. 
• Write letters and brief compositions of one or two paragraphs in length. 
• When listening, understand strings of related sentences as well as questions and polite commands. 
• When speaking, use a limited number of simple sentences. 
• Understand important ideas and some details of short narratives and poems as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media material. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of cultural topics such as daily routines, the educational system, the variety of countries and cultures where the studied language is spoken, currency, distinctive products, and holidays.
• Develop greater awareness of the comparisons and contrasts between the second language and their own. 
• Become acquainted with several important historic, artistic, and/or literary figures. 

This course provides a strong review of previously learned language structures. It continues to develop communication skills and improve fluency of the target language through a variety of activities. Students acquire more facts about the culture of the country/countries of the language.

Students will engage in the following:

• Use and recognize a greater variety of vocabulary. Form and use the basic past and imperfect tenses. 
• Recognize the future tense and some command forms along with other grammatical topics. 
• Write letters and brief compositions of one or two paragraphs in length. 
• When listening, understand short paragraphs as well as questions and polite commands.
• Understand important ideas and many details of short selections of prose and poetry as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media. 
• Become acquainted with several important historic, artistic, and/or literary figures. 
• Develop language skills through interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language. 

Students continue to build upon previously learned language structures through authentic literature, films, art, and cultural text. Emphasis is placed on composition and reading comprehension. Students will also gain greater fluency in speaking, as they learn to communicate in culturally appropriate ways.

Students will engage in the following:

• Use & recognize a greater variety of vocabulary. 
• Form & use the basic past & imperfect tenses. 
• Use the future tense and command forms along with other grammatical topics. 
• Use conjunctions, relative pronouns, and other refinements particular to each language.
• Use object pronouns more comfortably. 
• Use longer sentences when writing letters and brief compositions of several paragraphs in length. 
• When listening, understand paragraph length utterances, as well as questions and polite commands. 
• Understand most details of narratives and poems, including some literature written for native speakers, as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media. 
• Develop language skills through increased use of interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language. 
• When speaking, use simple sentences, compound, and some complex sentences. Identify themes in readings and relate them to personal experience. 
• Become acquainted with important historic periods, artistic and/or literary figures, and other topics.

The course continues with the study of the language and culture of the countries involved by means of the four language skills of speaking, writing, reading and listening. Students will advance their abilities to speak, read, write, and listen by writing simple compositions and letters, reading a variety of texts, listening to authentic material, and speaking in everyday situations.

Students will engage in the following:

• Build on knowledge of vocabulary. 
• Perfect and amplify understanding of the past, future and conditional tenses. 
• Write and use some subjunctive and command forms of the verbs. 
• Use conjunctions, relative pronouns, and other refinements particular to each language.
• Use object pronouns more comfortably. 
• Use longer sentences when writing brief compositions of several paragraphs in length. 
• When listening, understand paragraph length utterances, as well as questions and polite commands. 
• Understand most details of narratives and poems, including some literature written for native speakers, as well as advertisements, brochures, and other media. 
• Develop language skills through increased use of interdisciplinary lesson plans and projects, accessing more materials in the world language. 

This is an advanced, proficiency-based course that is taught exclusively in the target language. Students will continue to enhance their oral communication, linguistic skills and knowledge of literature and culture of the target language. Students who take this course should be motivated to become fluent in the target language.

Students will engage in the following:

• Learn vocabulary in context; it will be more abstract than in previous levels and tied to such topics as history, cultures, social issues, future plans, careers, government, and belief systems 
• Refine the use of language, acquiring expressions and grammatical constructions which expand one’s ability to express oneself. 
• Read authentic materials and comprehend narratives in all tenses. 
• Use strings of fluid sentence-length messages to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, and/or write letters. 
• Identify many key ideas and some supporting details when reading and listening. 
• Acquire new information from authentic texts. 
• Study history, the arts, literature, current affairs and civilization in the target language. 

This course is taught exclusively in the target language and students are expected to interact with their teacher and peers using the language. This course is for students who have successfully completed four years of high school language and wish to deepen their fluency and knowledge of the language. Students will enhance their oral and written proficiency aiming towards fluency. Advanced cultural topics are studied through literary works and films. 

Students will engage in the following:

• Expand vocabulary to express thoughts with precision. 
• Use and understand language which is intended to persuade, to support an opinion, to identify feeling and mood, or to explain. 
• Refine writing styles; develop a deeper understanding and use of the subjunctive mood. 
• Write and speak in fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, or write letters & reviews. 
• Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations. Study history, art, literature, music, current affairs & civilization in greater detail in the target language. 
• Use foundation knowledge to analyze topics and to make comparisons. 

This course is taught exclusively in the target language and students are expected to interact with their teacher and peers using the language. It is an alternative to the AP course for students who have successfully completed four years of high school language and wish to deepen their fluency and knowledge of the language. Students will enhance their oral and written proficiency aiming towards fluency. Advanced cultural topics are studied through literary works and films.

Students will engage in the following:

• Expand vocabulary to express thoughts with precision. 
• Use and understand language which is intended to persuade, to support an opinion, to identify feeling and mood, or to explain. 
• Refine writing styles and develop a deeper understanding and use of the subjunctive mood. 
• Write and speak in fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, or write letters & reviews. 
• Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations. Study history, art, literature, music, current affairs & civilization in greater detail in the target language. 
• Use foundation knowledge to analyze topics and to make comparisons. 

The AP courses prepare students for the Advanced Placement examinations in the target language. In addition to intensive speaking, reading, and writing practice necessary for the AP exam in the language, students will read newspaper articles, magazine articles and authentic literary works. This course is taught solely in the target language. Fluency in the language is the ultimate goal by the end of the year.

Students will engage in the following:

• Become accustomed to the format of the AP Exam and prepare for the exam. 
• Refine one's writing style; use fluid sentences and paragraphs to express opinions, share personal reactions to authentic literary texts, and write reviews or reports. 
• Identify key ideas and many supporting details when reading authentic materials or listening to audio, video, or conversations. 
• Analyze input from the target language to make observations about the author, the culture, and make comparisons with one’s own culture. Complete the reading assignments suggested by the College Board for the AP Literature exam or other literary and historical texts as suggested by the instructor.