World Languages

List of 14 items.

• Latin 1 (Grade 8)

  Latin 1 is designed to teach Latin vocabulary and grammar through the ‘reading’ method. Therefore, it is important that the students engage in reading Latin texts written at your level of competence on a daily basis. By the end of the year, the students will be able to read and understand stories written entirely in Latin of approximately one page in length. We will study English words derived from Latin that will help develop English vocabulary skills. Furthermore, Latin allows each student to discover the debt that Western Civilization owes to Greco-Roman culture, strengthening and enriching their understanding of science and the humanities.

• Spanish 1 (Grade 8)

  Spanish 1 is a year-long elective that is the first level in a communication-based curriculum that integrates the development of the five language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and informal conversation. Through the use of conversational and written activities, audio activities, videos, the Internet, songs, games, and projects, students learn to communicate meaningfully with peers from the Spanish-speaking world. Through the use of thematically based units, vocabulary and grammar are integrated into all daily activities and assignments. Students complete the present tense of regular and several irregular verbs. Students also learn about the diverse aspects of Hispanic culture. 8th grade students who successfully complete this course with the required assessment average will qualify to take Spanish II in the 9th grade.

• Latin 1 (Upper School)

  Students learn methods for comprehending increasingly challenging Latin passages through daily practice in reading, translation, and the study of Latin grammar fundamentals and vocabulary. Students study the complexities of Latin word order, noun declensions, verbal conjugations, and they develop a facility with translation and analysis of complex sentences. Frequent study of Latin derivations and cognates helps develop English vocabulary skills and strengthen each student’s understanding of English and other languages’ grammar. Latin allows each student to discover the debt that Western Civilization owes to Greco- Roman culture, strengthening and enriching their understanding of science and the humanities. Emphasis is placed on reading Latin aloud with proper intonation and pronunciation. Listening skills are developed through the dictation of Latin words, sentences and stories. Finally, daily life and culture are explored as students make their way through the chapter stories which center on a wealthy Roman living in the city of Pompeii during the first century C.E. Legend, mythology, and history focus on the founding of Rome and the ruling periods of the Monarchy and early Republic.

• Latin 2 Upper School

  Students continue to learn Latin vocabulary and grammar through the ‘reading’ method, which helps students absorb grammar and vocabulary by reading several simple texts that present a new set of words or a new grammar item. This approach is supplemented with grammar oriented lessons, allowing students to recognize patterns in both Latin and English. In addition, students learn about the ancient Middle East and how historical events in the Roman empire still shape the modern world.

• Latin 3 (Honors) Upper School

  Students continue their mastery of vocabulary and increasingly complex grammatical concepts, while beginning to work with unabridged primary sources. This course is designed to teach Latin vocabulary and grammar through the reading method, which will continue to strengthen both English and Latin grammar. By the end of this course, students will have completed all Latin grammatical concepts and be prepared for further vocabulary work and increasingly complex texts.

• Latin 4 (Honors) Upper School

  Students dedicate the majority of their time in this course to reading Latin authors, both poetry and prose and understanding their historical context. This course is also project based, to provide a solid foundation for higher level cultural topics

• AP Latin

  The AP Latin course focuses on the in-depth study of selections from two of the greatest works in Latin literature: Vergil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Gallic War. Students prepare texts and translate the readings and place these texts in a meaningful context, which helps develop critical, historical, and literary sensitivities. Throughout the course, students consider themes in the context of ancient literature and bring these works to life through classroom discussions, debates, and presentations. Additional English readings from both of these works help place the Latin readings in a significant context. 

• Spanish 1 (Upper School)

  Spanish I is the first level in a communication-based curriculum that integrates the development of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Through the use of conversational and written activities, audio activities, videos, the Internet, songs, games, and projects, students learn to communicate meaningfully with peers from the Spanish-speaking world. Through thematically based units, vocabulary and grammar are integrated into all daily activities and assignments. Students complete the present tense. Students also learn about the diverse aspects of Hispanic culture. The World Language Department is guided by the belief that the acquisition of languages will promote students’ understanding of human experience, history, culture and expression. Through the acquisition of languages, we strive to foster esteem for lifelong learning (Lishma), a sense of global community, and a strong tie to ameliorate the world (Tikkun Olam) through improved communication of a common vision.

• Spanish 2 (Upper School)

  Spanish II is a continuation of Spanish I and as such it serves to review and refresh student skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Students learn new vocabulary relating to the real world. Students will apply newly learned vocabulary to form new concepts within the grammatical structures of the present tenses and past tenses. Class activities and supportive resource video and audio material strengthen the students’ understanding of the many cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.

• Spanish 3 (Upper School)

  Spanish III is a continuation of Spanish II and as such it serves to review and refresh student skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Students learn new vocabulary relating to daily activities, celebrations, outdoor activities, talk about the arts and health. Students will apply newly learned vocabulary to form new concepts within the grammatical structures of the complete past tenses, the perfect tenses, future tense and the subjunctive. Class activities and supportive resource video and audio material strengthen the students’ understanding of the many cultures of the Spanish speaking world.

• Honors Spanish 3 (Upper School)

  Students continue to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Units are organized around intriguing questions that take students beyond talking about themselves to talking about important ideas that affect them, society, and the world. They perfect strategies for communicating with a purpose in Spanish and extend their knowledge about the Spanishspeaking world and its cultures. Active and meaningful class participation is particularly important in this class.

• Spanish 4 (Upper School)

  This course is literature-based and includes an advanced oral comprehension component. Students read and interpret excerpts from Spanish literature and contemporary, real-life situations. Students continue to expand on written and oral skills. They complete the subjunctive tenses and all remaining advanced grammatical structures including compound tenses

• H Spanish 4 (Upper School)

  Students engage in an interactive and communicative approach in learning the Spanish language and about Spanish cultures. Students strengthen their communicative competence by interacting orally and in writing with other Spanish speakers and by listening to and reading Spanish texts. Students study in depth the Hispanic culture reflecting issues of interest to today’s high-school students, providing them with opportunities to exchange and support opinions, make connections to content from other courses, and compare and contrast cultural elements from different Spanish-speaking societies. Students learn how to be creative, a critical thinker through activities that require students to argue, persuade, analyze, and interpret other points of view. Students practice grammatical structures and vocabulary focusing on communication in meaningful contexts.

• AP Spanish

  AP Spanish Language and Culture course is a rigorous course taught exclusively in Spanish that requires students to improve their proficiency across the three modes of communication. Students focus on the integration of authentic resources including online print, audio, and audiovisual resources; as well as traditional print resources that include literature, essays, and magazine and newspaper articles; and also a combination of visual/print resources such as charts, tables, and graphs; all with the goal of providing a diverse learning experience. Students communicate using rich, advanced vocabulary and linguistic structures as they build proficiency in all modes of communication toward the pre-advanced level. Central to communication is the following premise from the Curriculum Framework: When communicating, students in the AP Spanish Language and Culture course demonstrate an understanding of the culture(s), incorporate interdisciplinary topics (Connections), make comparisons between the native language and the target language and between cultures (Comparisons), and use the target language in real-life settings (Communities).