World Language

The world language program offers year-long courses in four languages: French, Latin, Mandarin and Spanish. Latin is only available for students who are already enrolled in the program; no new enrollments are permissible in this language.

 

This course introduces students to Mandarin Chinese (the official modern language of mainland China and Taiwan, known in those places respectively as putonghua and guoyu). The class begins with pronunciation, tones, Chinese character writing, and simple vocabulary study. All fundamentals of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are constantly practiced and learned. Students learn to greet, introduce family, discuss hobbies, talk about daily school life, and how to make appointments. Basic aspects of Chinese culture are also taught as they come up in context. While this course begins with some sections in Mandarin only, many parts, including talking about pinyin and how to write characters, are started in English. As the students' vocabulary increases, Mandarin will be increasingly used as the teaching language in the classroom. The focus of this beginning Mandarin course is on listening and speaking.

With an accelerated introduction of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns, this course enables students to converse, read and write in Mandarin about various real-life situations. In addition to course content, students will work on their presentation skills. The presentations will allow students to practice grammar and vocabulary while delving more deeply into Chinese culture. At this level, Mandarin is used almost exclusively in the classroom.

This course is a continuation of Mandarin II and emphasizes the development of skills in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin while enhancing cultural awareness. At this level, Mandarin is used exclusively in the classroom. By year-end, students will have covered the major grammar rules and structures of Mandarin and should be able to read and write approximately 1000 characters.

This course is designed to enable advanced Chinese-learning students to further develop their overall language proficiency through intensive and extensive study of selected texts representing various aspects of Chinese culture, society, history as well as literary genres. We use the college-level text,  A New China. The class emphasizes the development of students’ reading and writing skills. Oral presentations and written homework are assigned regularly. Students will be trained and encouraged to solve linguistic as well as cultural problems encountered in the course material. 

This course will push advanced students of Mandarin to further their ability with the language by looking at contemporary Chinese society and culture. Using the college-level textbook All Things Considered as a base for the course content, the class will delve into a variety of advanced topics, from societal issues such as the current socioeconomic divide and changing ideas about sex and marriage to the conflicts between environmental protection and economic development. Students will work to improve all areas of their language skills (speaking, reading, listening, and writing) and be exposed to more formal language, particularly with reading and writing. In addition to the textbook, students will watch a number of films and read a few short stories related to the topics covered. 

This class depends on enrollment and might not be offered every year.

  

An introductory-level course, French I uses the "direct" or "immersion method" (i.e. we use only French in the classroom from day one) to introduce students to the French language and francophone cultures with a view to building both oral and written proficiency in the target language. The course covers fundamental vocabulary and grammatical structures essential for rudimentary communication in the target language. At the end of the course, students will be able to communicate comfortably in French in hypothetical everyday situations, asking questions and responding in declarative sentences (both orally and in writing), accurately using both the present and past tenses.

French II resumes where French I leaves off, building on the foundations laid in the lessons covered in the first year. In addition to the present and past tenses, students study the future, present and past conditional, and present and past subjunctive tenses. In the second semester, students read selected works by Francophone authors. In order to enter the second year, students must have a firm grasp of both the formation and usage of le passé composé and l’imparfait.

     

In French III, students continue to develop the oral and grammatical skills emphasized in French I and II and begin to focus more carefully on improving their proficiency in reading and writing. Students in French III complete an intensive grammar review throughout the fall trimester, which provides them with the tools to take on increasingly challenging reading and writing assignments as the year progresses. The reading list is varied and extensive, ranging from magazine and newspaper articles to poetry and full-length novels. Students regularly engage in pair work to stimulate their spontaneous use of the language. Additionally, they prepare essays on a variety of topics, including social issues, literature, and personal experiences, to help them to refine their writing skills and aid them in developing the analytical and interpretive skills needed to form sound opinions about literature, culture and society. Required oral presentations enable students to gain confidence in their ability to express themselves clearly and correctly in French.

Building on the fundamentals introduced in the earlier French courses, this year-long course reinforces the four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are encouraged to apply their critical thinking skills to the use of their second language. Students will deepen their understanding of French-speaking cultures and societies using authentic media  that illustrate multiculturalism in society.  Literary texts, classroom discussion, and other written and visual sources will complement the class.  Both oral and written assignments require students to express themselves formally in the target language and provide the opportunity for students to perfect their skills.

This year-long course is intended for students who combine significant oral and written proficiency in French with a keen desire to master the subtler details of grammar, diction and idiom to develop both oral and written fluency. Students will explore the themes of reflection Francophone societies hold dear. They will get acquainted with the linguistic tools and cultural codes to access various types of authentic material; the humanistic philosophers who shaped contemporary values, literature, newspaper articles, essays and any artistic form of expression. Audio and video recordings, as well as francophone films will be studied to discuss sociopolitical issues and to provide a range of cultural material for analysis. Students should expect frequent writing assignments in response to required readings as well as frequent oral presentations. Both oral and written assignments require students to express themselves formally in the target language. This class depends on enrollment and might not be offered every year.

 

This year-long course is intended for students who combine significant oral and written proficiency in French with a keen desire to master the subtler details of the language to perfect both oral and written fluency. Students will need to draw on their critical thinking skills as well as their linguistic competency. Students will explore the themes of reflection Francophone societies hold dear. They will get acquainted with the linguistic tools and cultural codes necessary to access various types of authentic material: the humanistic philosophers who shaped contemporary values, literature, newspaper articles, essays and many forms of artistic expression. Audio and video recordings, as well as francophone films will be studied to promote discussion. Advanced French B continues to heighten the students’ understanding, listening, speaking and writing proficiency. Students should expect project-based learning assignments as well as frequent oral presentations. Both oral and written assignments require students to express themselves formally in the target language. This class depends on enrollment and might not be offered every year.

This course guides students through the process of reading large portions of the original Latin texts of Vergil’s Aeneid and Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico. The major focus of the course is on fluency, precision, and elegance of translation, with emphasis on style and literary technique. Students also continue the quest to expand their vocabularies with frequent word lists. Students complement their translation and vocabulary work with a broader study of both Caesar’s effective propaganda and Vergil’s masterful poetry, reading each complete text in English and studying their larger themes in order to inform the close reading of individual Latin passages. Latin is only available to students currently enrolled in the Latin sequence. It will be taught online in partnership with One Schoolhouse.

The first-year program emphasizes the development of a strong foundation in Spanish in a language immersion classroom and the mastery of the study skills required for language learning. Students are introduced to pronunciation as well as basic grammatical structures, vocabulary, culture, and language-study techniques. This course develops introductory communicative oral and written skills in order to enable students to interact in simple situations, incorporating themes of identity, current events, environmental concerns, and other cultural competencies. To progress beyond the first level, new students need to demonstrate a solid mastery of fundamental language skills across three modes of communication: interpretive (reading and listening comprehension), presentational (speaking and writing for an audience), and interpersonal (informal conversation and written communication).

Building upon the base established in Spanish I, this course focuses on the improvement of the students' skills within the three modes of communication: interpretive (reading and listening comprehension), presentational (speaking and writing for an audience), and interpersonal (informal conversation and written communication). While continuing the same skills-oriented approach as the first-year program, teachers place increasing emphasis on vocabulary-building, mastery of complex points of grammar, and on free conversation, discussion, writing, and reading. The students will continue to build upon the themes they began to study in first-year Spanish: identity, current events, environmental concerns, and other cultural competencies. By the year's end, students will be able to express ideas using the past and the present tenses.

Building upon the work completed in Spanish II, this course focuses on the improvement of the students' skills within the three modes of communication: interpretive (reading and listening comprehension), presentational (speaking and writing for an audience), and interpersonal (informal conversation and written communication). While continuing the same skills-oriented approach, teachers place increasing emphasis on vocabulary-building, mastery of complex points of grammar, and on free conversation, discussion, writing, and reading. The students will continue to build upon the themes they have studied since first-year Spanish: identity, current events, environmental concerns, and other cultural competencies. By the year's end, students will be able to express opinions, give recommendations, and navigate everyday situations appropriately.

This class is designed for those students who wish to continue their study of Latin American and Hispanic culture but are not ready to go on to the Advanced Spanish course. Spanish IV is a transitional course that provides a platform for the students to dig deeper into current events and topics relevant to the Spanish-speaking world. Unlike the foundational courses (Spanish I, II, and III), this course focuses on discussing social, cultural, and environmental themes in Spanish-speaking countries. Students will engage with authentic material that allows them to reflect upon their role in the world. There is an emphasis on informal discussion, and projects (written and oral) are assigned each trimester. The students study films that address the sociopolitical issues of Spanish-speaking countries and read short stories and articles to stimulate class discussions. 

 

Spanish A is a project-based class that uses practical skills to develop language acquisition. Students will be asked to draw on their critical thinking skills and linguistic competency. They will access all sorts of authentic material; plays, short stories, newspaper articles, essays or literature excerpts, and any artistic form of expression. They will get acquainted with the linguistic tools and cultural codes to interpret them. This class fosters conversation practice, vocabulary acquisition, grammar exercises, and advanced-level reading and writing.  Both oral and written assignments require students to express themselves formally in the target language and perfect their skills.  This class is based on modules and oral participation is paramount. This course is taught entirely in Spanish, with all work in Spanish outside of class (reading and writing). All three modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational) will be assessed, formally and informally, for each unit in this class. Enrollment is open to those who have completed Spanish IV or with permission from the department.  This class depends on enrollment and might not be offered every year.

This year-long course is designed to provide advanced-level students with the chance to study works of literature from across various genres and time periods. The curriculum includes works from both the literary canon and the margins, covering poetry, short stories, plays and non-fiction about contemporary social issues. Additionally, the course sometimes incorporates films to offer unique perspectives on the texts studied. Throughout the course, students are expected to read, write papers, conduct research, complete projects, and make presentations entirely in Spanish.

Enrollment open to those who have completed Advanced A or with permission from the department. This class depends on enrollment and might not be offered every year.