Upper School Curriculum

Explore our Curriculum

World Languages (Grades 9–12)

The mission of Sanford School’s World Language Department includes the following:
  • To provide the students with the resources available to learn another language and gain a sincere respect and appreciation for other cultures
  • To provide students with meaningful classroom experiences, develop self-confidence, and experience the joy that comes from learning another language
  • To prepare students for a multicultural, interdependent world in which knowing a world language has long term advantages such as career opportunities and becoming better citizens of the world
  • To respect diversity in our country and in others through an understanding of other peoples, nations, and cultures
  • To strengthen students’ cognitive skills by developing the academic discipline needed to learn a world language, and thereby enhance their ability to master other academic challenges
  • To enrich students’ knowledge of their native language by comparing and contrasting elements of the second language with their own.

  • AP French Language & Culture

    This course is a college-level course for students in their fourth or fifth year of French study. The teacher and the students will speak the French language exclusively and the use of the French language in real-life settings will be encouraged. The course will be organized around the six main themes: Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, and Beauty and Aesthetics. The course will also encourage cultural awareness with a true understanding of products (clothing, food, literary work, monuments, law, educational system, both tangible and intangible products), practices customs, routines, patterns of social interactions) and perspectives (values and attitudes). Students choosing to take French V will follow the same course, but they will not take the AP examination.

  • 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.

  • AP Spanish Language & Culture

    This course focuses on preparing students for the Advanced Placement examination. Emphasis is placed on developing the following: listening comprehension, reading comprehension, formal and informal writing skills, and formal and informal spoken communication proficiency. The class is structured around the core themes of Family and Community, Science and Technology, Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Global Challenges, and Personal and Public Identities, allowing students to practice using grammatical concepts and vocabulary words in those contexts. The curriculum includes the use of audio clips, newspaper articles, literature, and film to enhance the immersion experience and expose students to Spanish-speaking culture in a variety of countries.

  • French I

    This is an introductory course in the four skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking will be developed equally. 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. 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 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 as they 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 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 V and AP French.

  • French V

    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.

  • 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. This course is offered when student interest and enrollment support running the class.

  • 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, students in Latin II will master cases in all five declensions, all verb tenses, voice and mood in the four conjugations, and will add to their storehouses 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

    This course is a continuation of Latin II. This third year course focuses on more complex syntax and grammar found in the prose of Cicero and the poets Ovid and Catullus. Reading comprehension is of 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.

  • Spanish I

    Students are introduced to basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar, and they practice the skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Effort to use the target language in class is expected as there is a large emphasis on correct oral expression and pronunciation. Students are also introduced to various aspects of Hispanic culture in Latin American countries and in Spain as illustrated in the text, through videos, and presentations, which may include historical, social, and cultural topics. 

  • Spanish II

    Students continue to build the vocabulary and grammar concepts learned in Spanish I and strengthen their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. In addition to the emphasis on correct oral expression and pronunciation, written expression is also stressed. Furthermore, reading comprehension skills are developed and honed as the students are introduced to short stories. Students are also introduced to various aspects of Hispanic culture in Latin American countries and in Spain as illustrated in the text and through videos and presentations, which may include historical, social, and cultural topics.

  • Spanish III

    Students expand their Spanish vocabulary, grammar, speaking skills, listening, reading and writing in this course. More of the class instruction is presented to the student in the target language. Students are also introduced to various aspects of Hispanic culture in Latin American countries and in Spain as illustrated in the text and through videos and presentations, which may include historical, social and cultural topics. Reading strategies such as paraphrasing, summarizing, making inferences and determining main ideas are implemented. These strategies become critical to reading short books and beginning to transition from learning the basic vocabulary and grammar of the Spanish language to exploring the world of Hispanic literature.

  • Spanish IV

    Spanish IV is designed to prepare students for either Spanish V or the AP Spanish Language and Culture course. Students are evaluated based on their performance in the following specific areas: grammar usage, vocabulary acquisition, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, oral proficiency, and writing skills. Spanish and Latin American films are used as a tool to expose the students to the Spanish-speaking culture and provide students with the opportunity to discuss the content. Emphasis is placed on developing oral proficiency and students are expected to speak only in Spanish in the class.

  • Spanish V

    This course is an immersion course that is an option for students who have completed Spanish IV but do not wish to pursue an AP experience. The course is completely taught in the target language; emphasis will be placed on developing and expanding oral proficiency and exposing students to cultural experiences through film, music, news and other forms of media. Students self-evaluate their oral expression and pronunciation through the use of digital recordings, and large portions of assessments are conducted verbally. The goal is for students to feel comfortable traveling to a foreign country and communicating with Spanish speakers upon completion of this course. Depending on enrollment numbers, Spanish V may meet with the AP Spanish class.

Our Faculty

Sanford School

6900 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707
Phone: 302.235.6500
Email: admission@sanfordschool.org

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