Upper School World Languages

French Curriculum

Grade

AP/Honors Sequence

Standard Sequence

9

French II

French I

10

French III

French II

11

French IV

French III

12

French V or
AP French

French IV  

French I: This is an introductory course in which all four skills will be developed equally (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Students will be put in authentic situations, and learn to develop their writing and speaking skills. The course implements the five goals of the national standards. The students will learn to communicate in French, understand the Francophone cultures, make connections with other disciplines, learn to compare their own language and culture with the French language and the Francophone cultures, and learn to use all this new knowledge within the community-at-large.    

French II: Students will begin this course after successfully completing French I. There is a continued effort to work on all four skills equally throughout the year with respect to the national standards mentioned above.

French III: The major objectives of this course are the fine points of French grammar. The students will focus equally on all four skills. Their writing, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and speaking skills will be refined throughout the year. We will still keep in focus the national standards.

French IV: French is spoken throughout this advanced level course. The fine points of grammar are studied in great depth. The course will further develop the ability of the students to communicate and write in French. A variety of literary works will be studied as well as the History of France. Emphasis is placed on structure to prepare the students for French 5 and AP French.

French V/AP French: This course is designed to prepare the students for the advanced placement examination in French. The four major objectives as defined by Advanced Placement guidelines are: Listening (understand the 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). Students choosing to take French V will follow the same course, but they will not take the AP examination. 

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

Spanish IV

Spanish I:  The introductory year puts emphasis on the skills of reading, writing, listening, speaking and pronunciation. Students work with props, DVDs, CDs, cultural readings, and movies to drill on vocabulary and grammatical concepts. Students also read a story or series of short stories 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 DVDs and CDs to improve listening and comprehension skills. Students use a reader and other reading materials. Role-playing is used to ensure 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; grammar is explained in English.  Areas of literature include short stories, articles, essays, poetry and media. DVDs are essential.

Spanish IV:  Spanish is spoken throughout the course. Emphasis is on reading Spanish literature and the study of sophisticated vocabulary.  Students give frequent presentations based on articles from international newspapers. Short films and a sitcom are shown in class to improve comprehension. 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 while at the same time helping the students become better Spanish speakers. An intense study of grammar is necessary prior to the course. Intensive vocabulary study, formal and informal essay writing, oral presentations and simulated conversations, and comprehension of recorded material are stressed. Short stories, plays, poetry, essays, and newspaper articles are also read for comprehension and discussion.

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:  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 in the mastery of modern 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. Following this initial review of the vocabulary, forms, and syntax of earlier study, the student in Latin II 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.  As the students' facility with the language increases, they will begin to read short passages of prose, particularly from the works of Caesar. 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. This third year course focuses on the more complex syntax and grammar found in the prose of Cicero and the poets Ovid and Catullus. Reading comprehension is of a primary importance.  Literature, history, 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.

Upper School Curriculum

Other Information