“Learning a foreign language not only reveals how other societies think and feel, what they have experienced and value, and how they express themselves, it also provides a cultural mirror in which we can more clearly see our own society.”‒ Edward Lee Gorsuch
The 5th grade program is only exploratory in design. All students take both French and Spanish for one quarter of the year as part of their unified arts rotation. This is to expose them to both languages so that they can decide which language they would like to continue in 6th grade. Students are graded on their listening comprehension and speaking skills. All work is done in class and there is no homework at this level. At the end of the quarter, students will have a folder with handouts used in class to practice both languages.
The 6th grade program is also only exploratory in design. Students select one language (either French or Spanish) and focus on that language for the quarter as part of their Unified Arts rotation. After a review of phrases and vocabulary from the 5th grade language curriculum, students are introduced to additional phrases to help them communicate in the target language. They learn to use simple vocabulary to write and tell short stories. Students also mime and draw to reinforce what they have learned. Students are assessed throughout the quarter. No written homework is given at this level.
The 7th grade program is not an exploratory program. They have class everyday all year and it is considered an academic subject. Students select either French or Spanish and they follow a two-year sequence of that language. Students will receive homework most nights as well as preparing for quizzes, tests, and projects. Their grades will be based on the ACFTL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Standards:
Interpersonal - Conversations between two or more people Language Comparison - Grammar and Vocabulary
Presentational - Speaking and Writing Cultural - Practices and Perspectives
Interpretive - Listening and Reading Comprehension
The 8th grade program is the second year of a two year sequence. Students continue the language they studied in 7th grade by expanding and building on their knowledge from the 7th grade curriculum. The focus of the program is to have the students use the target language to communicate about their daily lives and activities. They have class everyday all year and it is considered an academic subject which allows students to complete, level I of the language at the middle school. Students who successfully complete both years may take level II at the high school. Students continue their study of the language by expanding and building on their knowledge from 7th grade. Students will receive homework most nights as well as preparing for quizzes, tests, and projects. Their grades will be based on the ACFTL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Standards:
Interpersonal - Conversations between two or more people Language Comparison - Grammar and Vocabulary
Presentational - Speaking and Writing Cultural - Practices and Perspectives
Interpretive - Listening and Reading Comprehension