Spanish I covers the five Cs of the ACTFL standard: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The instruction is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. Spanish I students learn to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as ecology, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions, and they learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe. Web explorations give students further insight into the culture and people of the Spanish-speaking world, including the United States.

Spanish I is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Building on French I concepts, French II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves, as well as about topics beyond their own lives — both in formal and informal address. Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms in cooking, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes verb conjugations and uses in the present tense, past tense, and imperative and conditional moods, as well as direct and indirect objects and personal, possessive, and relative pronouns. Students deepen their knowledge of French-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. To further connect to French culture and people, students are encouraged to view supplementary materials on the Web or to consult community resources or other media.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, French I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as sports, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students also gain an understanding of the cultures of French-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe, as well as insight into Francophone culture and people.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit

In Spanish III, students build upon the skills and knowledge they acquired in Spanish I and II.  The course presents new vocabulary and grammatical concepts in context while providing students with ample opportunities to review and expand upon the material they have learned previously.

Students read and listen to authentic materials from newspapers, magazines, and television.  The content is focused on contemporary and relevant topics such as urbanization and population growth in Latin American countries, global health concerns, jobs of the future, and scientific advancements.  The materials engage students as they improve their command of Spanish.

Students review the formation and use of regular and irregular verbs in the present and future tenses, as well as the use of reflexive particles and infinitives.  They also expand their understanding of noun and adjective agreement, the comparative and superlative degree of adjectives, and the placement and use of direct and indirect objects and pronouns.  Students expand their vocabulary through exposure to word roots and families, popular slang, the correct use of words that are often confused for one another, and review of concepts such as proper placement of accents and stress.

Presentation of new materials is always followed by several interactive, online exercises, allowing students to master the material as they learn it.  Teacher-scored activities provide students with opportunities to use their new Spanish skills both orally and in writing.  Discussion activities allow students to interact with their peers in the target language.

This course is built to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards.

2 semesters, 1 credit