Sanford offers three world languages through the Advanced Placement level - French, German and Spanish. Also offered are Latin I, II, III, and IV with the intention of offering an AP level as needed.
FRENCH CURRICULUM
| GRADE |
AP/HONORS Sequence |
STANDARD Sequence |
9 |
French II |
French I |
10 |
French III |
French II |
11 |
French IV |
French III |
12 |
AP French V or
trimester electives |
French IV or
trimester electives |
French I: This is an introductory course in which all four skills will be developed (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). The major goal is to have the student communicate in the target language. Students will read several short stories throughout the year.
French II: Students will begin this course after successfully completing French I. There is a continued effort to work on the students’ listening and speaking skills during the first two trimesters. During the third trimester emphasis will shift to reading and giving written and oral reports.
French III: The major objectives of this course are the fine points of French grammar. Grammar, listening, and speaking skills will be refined throughout the year. Oral and written themes will be assigned frequently.
French IV: This is an advanced level course where the fine points of grammar are studied in great depth. The course will further develop the ability of the student to communicate in French. A variety of literary works will be studied, followed by a thorough oral and written evaluation of the material. Emphasis is placed on structure to prepare the student for college as well as AP and SAT examinations. Computers are integrated to solidify mastery of the French language.
AP French V: This course is designed to prepare the student for the advanced placement examination in French. The four major objectives as defined by Advanced Placement guidelines are: Listening (understand nuances of complex structures by educated native speakers); Speaking (communicate successfully with a good command of grammatical forms and syntactic patterns in various tenses); Writing (extensive vocabulary, verb tenses and moods presented in an organized essay); Reading (ability to read novels, poetry, essays and short stories in their original form).
French Conversation and Film: This year-long course is open to all students who have finished French III and wish to continue their study of the language and culture without the emphasis on writing that French IV requires. Emphasis will be placed on improving oral/aural proficiency and mastery of vocabulary, idiomatic language, and cultural information to better prepare students for possible travel to Francophone countries. Using different media, including newspapers, TV, and videos exploring cultural aspects of France, students will develop strategies for skimming for pertinent information, as well as reading strategies, commenting upon both content and culture. One trimester will focus primarily on French films. (Offered depending upon enrollment)
French Empire and Colonization from the 16th Century until Today: This year-long course will examine the major issues and personalities of the French empire and its colonization through political, social, economic and literary views. Among other topics, we will discuss the problems related to nationalism, identity, colonialism, post-colonialism and the clash of cultures. Student progress will be assessed through classroom participation, quizzes, tests, essays and oral presentations. This course will be conducted entirely in English and will be offered to juniors and seniors.
SPANISH CURRICULUM
| GRADE |
AP/HONORS Sequence |
STANDARD Sequence |
9 |
Spanish II |
Spanish I |
10 |
Spanish III |
Spanish II |
11 |
Spanish IV |
Spanish III |
12 |
AP Spanish V |
Spanish IV |
Spanish I: The introductory year puts emphasis on the skills of reading, writing, listening, speaking and pronunciation. Students work with props, videotapes, cassettes, cultural readings and movies to drill on vocabulary and grammatical concepts. Students also read a story to focus on literature and points of culture in the Spanish-speaking world. Role-playing is used to practice verbal proficiency.
Spanish II: The second year emphasizes stronger skills in speaking, writing, reading, listening, and fluency. Much attention is given to accuracy. The text is accompanied by videotapes, cassettes to improve listening and comprehension skills. Students use a reader and other reading materials. Role-playing is used to insure verbal proficiency.
Spanish III: The third year presents a detailed review, more complicated grammatical concepts, vocabulary and their synonyms, and use of idioms. The class is conducted in the target language. Areas of literature include short stories, articles, essays, poetry and media. Videotapes and cassettes are essential.
Spanish IV: Spanish is spoken throughout the course. Emphasis is on reading Spanish literature and the study of sophisticated vocabulary. Students are asked to give dissertations on prepared topics and write compositions dealing with abstract thoughts. This is the last grammatical review before the AP class.
AP Spanish: This course, which is taught entirely in Spanish, stresses areas to be tested on the Advanced Placement examination. An intense study of grammar is necessary prior to the course. Vocabulary study, essay writing, oral presentations and comprehension of recorded tapes are stressed. Plays, poetry, essays, and newspaper articles are also read for comprehension and discussion.
GERMAN CURRICULUM
| GRADE |
AP/HONORS Sequence |
STANDARD Sequence |
9 |
German II |
|
10 |
German III |
German II |
11 |
German IV |
German III |
12 |
AP German |
German IV |
German II: Students who have satisfactorily completed German I should take German II. They will continue to develop their aural/oral, reading and writing skills. They will also continue to study German grammar and vocabulary. Audio and video cassettes as well as group activities reinforce the materials in the text.
German III: Students will continue to enhance their speaking, aural comprehension, and writing skills. They read short stories and a longer work in German. More rigorous grammar and vocabulary study is required.
German IV: This class is conducted in German. Listening and speaking skills are stressed. Students read short stories, plays, novellas, etc. They also study more advanced grammar and vocabulary. Writing in German is an integral part of the course.
AP German: This course is designed to prepare the student for the advanced placement examination in German. Literature, writing, vocabulary and grammar are studied in detail. Listening comprehension and speaking proficiency are emphasized. The class is conducted in German.
German V: This class is designed for Upperclassmen wishing to increase their proficiency in German but not interested in writing the AP examination. Students will read materials from various genres, practice their speaking, and view and critique films in German.
LATIN CURRICULUM
| GRADE |
AP/HONORS Sequence |
STANDARD Sequence |
9 |
Latin II |
Latin I |
10 |
Latin III |
Latin II |
11 |
Latin IV |
Latin III |
12 |
AP Latin |
Latin IV |
Latin I: (Not offered in 2007-2008 school year) In this introductory course, students will learn to pronounce, read, and understand classical Latin, the source of over 80 % of the words in the English language and the basis for all Romance languages. The completion of this course will prepare the student to take Latin II, will facilitate the mastery of modem languages, and will enhance English skills in both vocabulary and grammar. In addition, the students will gain an appreciation for the significance of Roman history and culture.
Latin II: A continuation of Latin I, this course will begin with a review of grammar and syntax. As the students' facility with the language increases, they will begin to read short passages of prose and poetry, particularly from the works of Caesar and Ovid. Students will continue to learn about the contributions of the Romans to literature, law, medicine, architecture, and military history.
Latin III: Latin III is a continuation of Latin II. Following an initial review of the vocabulary, forms, and syntax of earlier study, the student in Latin III will master cases in all five declensions, all verb tenses, voice and mood in the four conjugations, and will add to his storehouse of grammatical knowledge. Literature, history, archaeology, word study et al. will be incorporated throughout the academic year.
Latin IV: Following an initial review of forms, vocabulary and syntax, the Latin IV students will read selections of both prose and poetry from the Golden and Silver Ages of Latin literature. The emphasis will be on developing reading and comprehension proficiency while discussing historical context. The students will learn about the various literary devices employed by Roman authors and how to scan Latin verse.
AP Latin: This course is designed to prepare the student for the advanced placement examination in Latin literature. The AP Latin Exam will test the following abilities: literal translation, identification and analysis of features of the authors’ modes of expression, discussion of particular motifs and general themes, and scansion of meters.
