Foreign Language

This course is designed for students who have either never taken Mandarin, or whose entrance exam results did not qualify them for the intermediate level. This three-trimester-long course provides students with basic grammatical structures such as the present tense, verbs for expressing ‘to be,’ adjective agreement, object pronouns, negation and the past tense. The class is also designed to introduce students to the correct spelling and pronunciation of the target language as well as to provide a wide array of basic vocabulary terms related to greetings, school, family, hobbies, vacation, shopping, food and festivities. Although this is an entry-level class, students are exposed to authentic written and recorded materials throughout the year. All activities, both in and out of class, are aimed at strengthening comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing and reading. The class is 90% conducted in the chosen language, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language as well.

Designed for students who have completed the First-Year Mandarin or the equivalent, this course aims to reinforce and expand grammar and vocabulary knowledge from the previous study by incorporating more hands-on and communicative activities, like making pen pals and dumplings. Students are exposed to authentic written and multimedia materials, such as newspaper articles and video clips, etc., about current events. All activities, both in and out of class, aim to strengthen comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing, and reading. The course is conducted in Mandarin, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language.

This is the last of the three-trimester-long core courses and is offered for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level. At the advanced level, students review all key grammatical concepts, especially those nuances which cause the most difficulty for learners of Mandarin as a second language, and strengthen their vocabulary through exposure to authentic materials dealing with a wide number of topics. The course is conducted in Mandarin, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language.

This course is designed for students who have either never taken French, or whose entrance exam results did not qualify them for the intermediate level. This three-trimester-long course provides students with basic grammatical structures such as the present tense, verbs for expressing ‘to be,’ adjective agreement, object pronouns, negation and the past tense. The class is also designed to introduce students to the correct spelling and pronunciation of the target language as well as to provide a wide array of basic vocabulary terms related to greetings, school, family, hobbies, vacation, shopping, food and festivities. Although this is an entry-level class, students are exposed to authentic written and recorded materials throughout the year. All activities, both in and out of class, are aimed at strengthening comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing and reading. The class is 90% conducted in the chosen language, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language as well.

This course is offered as a continuation from Introduction to French, or for students who enter 十大彩票平台 with a solid background in the language. This three-trimester-long course is meant to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary topics presented in the Intro level and expand on them. By the end of the year, students will have learned all major grammatical concepts such as the past tense, mood selection, compound tenses, and additional verb forms such as the future and conditional. Students will also expand their vocabulary, learning new concepts such as health, medicine, technology, the arts, work and the media. Students are exposed to authentic written and recorded materials throughout the year. All activities, both in and out of class, are aimed at strengthening comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing and reading. The class is conducted in the chosen language, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language as well.

This is the last of the three-trimester-long core courses and is offered for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level. At the advanced level, students review all key grammatical concepts, especially those nuances which cause the most difficulty for learners of French as a second language, and strengthen their vocabulary through exposure to authentic materials dealing with a wide number of topics such as current events, science and technology, popular culture, etc. Since this is the last core course offered before AP Language and Culture, students at the advanced level are prepared for the rigors of the AP curriculum and the type of tasks that they will be expected to complete. Students at the advanced level are provided ample opportunities to perfect their writing and speaking skills, and by the end of the year they should be able to discuss any topic fluently and cohesively in the target language.

The class involves extensive exposure to authentic news sources, literature and videos involving current events and various cultural topics and thematic vocabulary. Students will become familiar with the AP exam through continuous practice of AP-style assessments (reading, writing, listening and speaking), all of which are graded according to the College Board rubrics. The level of challenge and the learning expectations to which the students are held are similar to those of a university-level class.

France and Québec have two completely different identities when it comes to food. French cuisine has not influenced Québec cuisine; therefore, the only thing the two French territories have in common when it comes to eating is what we say before we eat: “Bon Appétit!” French cuisine developed its refinement and strict culinary techniques over centuries, going back to a time when people aimed to please the Monarchy, and has grown has what we now know as one of the most renowned cuisines worldwide. Québec culinary tradition, on the other hand, was built around very long winters and vigorous chores, such as the colonization of a new land. This course will compare and contrast both traditional habits, along with building new vocabulary and the general knowledge of students.

This course offers the opportunity to explore the subtleties of modern French, to continue developing speaking and reading skills, and to focus mainly on conversational French while deepening knowledge of French culture and civilization. Students will be asked to research a variety of sources (magazines, newspapers, websites, etc.) to find articles to discuss in class. Specific topics will be assigned from week to week to guide student research (e.g.: economy, politics, sports, food, technology, etc.). Students will be responsible to lead conversations and to actively participate in discussions. This class will only focus on speaking and reading. Students will be able to build speaking techniques throughout the semester to help them reach their full conversational potential.

This course is mostly targeted to improve the students’ speaking skills. Each student will be taking turns every class to find an article in a French newspaper and share it with the rest of the class, including the teacher. The student choosing the article will be leading the class conversation. Each class, all students will contribute to the conversation. Grades are strictly based upon speaking. The goal of this class is to develop critical thinking in the target language, to clearly formulate an opinion, to bring awareness of the world around us and to respectfully understand different perspectives. The teacher will be correcting students and reinforcing the language skills. All conversations and topics are chosen by students.

This course provides an environment in which students can experience immersion, building their French language proficiency while deepening their knowledge of a French-speaking culture: Québec. After this three-semester-long elective, students will be able to identify and understand major movements, periods, and historical themes that contributed to the shaping of Québec culture and identity. Students will have opportunities to do project research on topics such as: geography, historical figures, attractions, literature, culture, tradition, food and food.

After teaching electives about political issues, culture, food, traditions, and literature, the third trimester French elective will aim to combine everything together on a screen. Indeed, the students will have the opportunity to extend their knowledge of the French culture through different films. They will learn about historical developments, conflicts, cultural life, and more. Students will continue enriching their vocabulary and improving their communication skills. Every class will be designed with different activities before, during, and after the film to get a full perspective. After each film the students will be able to defend their opinion and widen their view about French speaking countries.

Versailles was the residence of the last three kings of France of the Ancien Régime, but was also the headquarters of their wives: Marie-Thérèse, who died there in 1683, Marie Leszczynska, who lived there from 1725 to 1768, and Marie-Antoinette, who lived there was dauphine in 1770, then queen from 1774 to 1789. Each in their own way, these three personalities left their mark on Versailles, Marie-Antoinette being the most visible today. The female members of the royal family also occupied an important place in Versailles, from the duchesses under Louis XIV to the daughters of Louis XV. Many other “unpopular” women also impacted the image of Versailles: Madame de Maintenon, who became the secret wife of Louis XIV; the many favorites of Louis XV, from Madame de Mailly to Madame du Barry, including the unbeatable Madame de Pompadour; the friends of Marie-Antoinette, the Duchess of Polignac in particular. This class will offer an overview of their living conditions at court, a study of their role, and a reflection on their destinies: improbable and exceptional.

This course is designed for students who have either never taken Spanish, or whose entrance exam results did not qualify them for the intermediate level. This three-trimester-long course provides students with basic grammatical structures such as the present tense, verbs for expressing ‘to be,’ adjective agreement, object pronouns, negation and the past tense. The class is also designed to introduce students to the correct spelling and pronunciation of the target language as well as to provide a wide array of basic vocabulary terms related to greetings, school, family, hobbies, vacation, shopping, food and festivities. Although this is an entry-level class, students are exposed to authentic written and recorded materials throughout the year. All activities, both in and out of class, are aimed at strengthening comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing and reading. The class is 90% conducted in the chosen language, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language as well.

This course is offered as a continuation from Introduction to Spanish or for students who enter 十大彩票平台 with a strong background in the language. This three-trimester-long course is meant to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary topics presented in the Intro level and expand on them. By the end of the year, students will have learned all major grammatical concepts such as the past tense, mood selection, compound tenses, and additional verb forms such as the future and conditional. Students will also expand their vocabulary, learning new concepts such as health, medicine, technology, the arts, work and the media. Students are exposed to authentic written and recorded materials throughout the year. All activities, both in and out of class, are aimed at strengthening comprehension and production in the four areas of speaking, listening, writing and reading. The class is conducted in Spanish, and students are expected to interact with one another and their instructor in the target language as well.

This is the last of the three-trimester-long core courses and is offered for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level. At the advanced level, students review all key grammatical concepts, especially those nuances which cause the most difficulty for learners of Spanish as a second language, and strengthen their vocabulary through exposure to authentic materials dealing with a wide number of topics such as current events, science and technology, popular culture, etc. Since this is the last core course offered before AP Spanish Language and Culture, students at the advanced level are prepared for the rigors of the AP curriculum and the type of tasks that they will be expected to complete. Students at the advanced level are provided ample opportunities to perfect their writing and speaking skills, and by the end of the year they should be able to discuss any topic fluently and cohesively in the target language.

The class involves extensive exposure to authentic news sources, literature and videos involving current events and various cultural topics and thematic vocabulary. Students will become familiar with the AP exam through continuous practice of AP-style assessments (reading, writing, listening and speaking), all of which are graded according to the College Board rubrics. The level of challenge and the learning expectations to which the students are held are similar to those of a university-level class.

This trimester class will be offered to those students who have a passion for Latin American culture, Spanish language and community service. This course will be taught in Spanish and will focus on history, government, geography, economics, tourism, education, religion, and sports in Latin American culture. Students will be assessed using primarily weekly readings and in-class discussions. In addition, students will do a final project involving extensive research on a location of their choosing in Latin America. Students will do a presentation and use technology to find a contact to interview in their selected country.

This trimester course is offered to those students who through different independent and commercial films want to learn about the historical development, the armed conflict, emigration, discover the importance of government and political roles in Latin America. Students will continue to enrich their vocabulary and improve their communication skills. Every class is designed with different activities before the film, during, and after to come to a full interpretation. After each film the students will defend their critiques to emerge with an expanded view of the Latin American world.

This course offers a traditional Hispanic environment, surrounded with music, flavors, colors, smells and history from the countries of Latin America. The students will be able to experience different aspects of a very diverse culture. This course will be taught mainly in Spanish so students who are already familiar with Spanish can get more practice, but will include English, as it is also an elective for students who want to learn more about Hispanic cultures and have to opportunity to learn some Spanish.

Students will have the opportunity to visit the local Hispanic community to learn about the diversity in the own region. Studying the mission and exploring the community will demonstrate importance and utility of the bilingualism as students will interact with native speakers and hone communication skills. This elective will develop a relationship with community organizations to create prospective senior internships in Spanish.

This course focuses on selected short stories written in Spanish from Latin America and Spain, and explores the work of writers in the genre of fantasy, detective and mystery in Hispanophone literature. This course is a journey through the socio-political characteristics and intercultural influences short story Latin American writers have been exploring and focuses on from the beginning of the 19th century up to today. Historical backgrounds on the authors and the texts will be presented to the students; therefore, they will not only gain knowledge of Latin American literary texts and movements, but also on the historical and cultural influences that crafted all literary works to be studied. Students will be actively participating in class discussions of themes in small groups.

During the trimester, participants will be asked to find Spanish news articles to share with the rest of the class and to lead a conversation on the topic. Each class, participants will either lead the conversation, or participate in a debate. The goal of the class is to develop critical thinking in Spanish, to build new vocabulary, to become more comfortable speaking, and to understand the world from a different perspective.

This class introduces students to the wide range of artistic styles and periods in the Western World with emphasis in Spain and Latin America focusing on architecture, Painting and Sculpture. Critical thinking, research, oral and writing skills are cultivated in this class, which emphasizes visual literacy, an understanding of history as well as the social forces and ideas that shaped different periods and styles. Ancient (Greco-Latin World), Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Modern & Postmodern Art.

This class introduces students to the wide range of artistic styles and periods in Spain and Latin America focusing on movies, music and literature. Critical thinking, research, oral and writing skills are cultivated in this class. We will explore visual and auditory art in various Spanish speaking countries and will allow our senses and our imagination to travel thanks to some of the most important composers, creators, and authors of the world.

Do you enjoy trying new foods? Have you considered where the food you eat comes from? Who grew it first? Why? What ways can this food be prepared? Food can transcend linguistic barriers and bring people together. However, there is a lot language has to offer our exploration of food. In this course we will look at food origins with attention to the associated cultural practices and traditions associated with both raw and cooked foods. We will learn not only about the foods themselves but also explore and appreciate the cultures that made some of our favorite foods possible!