World Languages and Cultures

World language study develops awareness of another culture and competency in another language which is valuable in any area of employment or college study. 


Students are eligible to enroll in any of the languages offered by the World Language Department:  American Sign Language, French, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. College entrance requirements vary from one college to another, with 2 years being the most typical. Continuing to study a world language through third or fourth year (or higher) can increase your likelihood of being able to test out of college classes or test into higher level courses and receive retro college credits, saving tuition costs, like AP and post-secondary courses do.


If students are ready for a language course that is not listed as an elective for that grade, the student should talk to the instructor for approval.

American Sign Language I


American Sign Language is a visual, gesture language used by members of the Deaf Community in the United States. ASL I study incorporates study of facial expressions, and body lan-guage. In ASL I, you will learn the basic skills necessary to communicate and interact within the Deaf Community. The material presented includes beginning ASL linguistics, Deaf Culture and exposure to Deaf Community members. Active participation is required.



American Sign Language II


ASL II students will learn new linguistic rules of ASL and more deaf culture. Focus is on classifier use in specific areas such as food, homes, and beginning storytelling. Work on pluralization of ASL nouns is presented, as well as opportunities to create ASL poetry. Active participation is required.



American Sign Language III or IV


ASL III students will be exposed to a variety of deaf, native signers. Students will do more real-life projects related to Deaf culture/community. Emphasized are appropriate classifier use, conditional clauses, and ASL storytelling. Sign Language III and IV will (possibly) be offered together (depending on enrollment numbers). Units of vocabulary study will alternate each year.


FRENCH


French I


Thinking about taking French class? French is the official language of over 40 countries and territories and is found on every continent. In French I students will begin speaking, writing, listening, and reading in French in the present tense. There is an emphasis on vocabulary and basic conversational expressions, enhanced through the use of stories, videos, skits, songs, games, jokes, and cultural expressions.  Students are encouraged to enroll as a freshman or sophomore to meet university entrance requirements.



French II


In French II, we will expand on the conversational skills developed in French I and will be introduced to the past and future tenses. Students will do a variety of activities including projects, acting, fashion, art, food, and group activities as they continue to study the French language & culture. Students will have the opportunity to travel to France and take a field trip to a French immersion camp. 



French III



Becoming fluent in a foreign language can help students in just about any field. In French III, students will continue enhancing their conversational skills while increasing proficiency in the past, present, and future tenses to be able to communicate with native speakers. Topics may include photography, art, history, literature, music and modern civilization. Students may have the opportunity to travel to France and take a field trip to a French immersion camp, and/or take a trip to French-speaking Canada. It is possible to take this course and receive college credit through the Senior to Sophomore program with SCSU. Ask your teacher for more information.



French IV



French IV teaches students to improve their French proficiency by actively communicating and applying knowledge to real-life situations. Students who complete level IV should feel confident in their reading, writing, listening, and speaking capabilities. French IV will be conducted almost entirely in French and will place a strong emphasis on culture, government, social issues, and current events in French-speaking nations. Students may have the opportunity to travel to France, take a field trip to a French immersion camp, and/or take a trip to French-speaking Canada. It is possible to take this course and receive college credit through the Senior to Sophomore program with SCSU. Ask your teacher for more information.



MANDARIN CHINESE



Mandarin Chinese I


Offering Mandarin Chinese as a world language will prepare students for a global economy, build 21st Century skills, increase global and cultural awareness, and bridge immersion and non-immersion students and build on community partnerships. We will be partnering with St. Cloud State University.



Mandarin Chinese II


In Mandarin Chinese II, students will expand on their knowledge gained in Chinese I and will continue to learn about Chinese language and culture. Students will improve their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese. Vocabulary and conversational Chinese will be learned by using stories, videos, games and practice!



Mandarin Chinese III


In Chinese III, students will expand on their knowledge gained in Chinese II and will continue to learn about Chinese language and culture. Students will improve their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese. Vocabulary and conversational Chinese will be learned by using stories, videos, games and practice.



Mandarin Chinese IV


In Chinese IV, students will expand on their knowledge gained in Chinese IV and will continue to learn about Chinese language and culture. Students will improve their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese. Vocabulary and conversational Chinese will be learned by using stories, videos, games and practice.



Apollo Immersion Chinese 9


In Chinese 9 (Immersion), students will expand on their knowledge gained in the Chinese Immersion program and will continue to learn about Chinese language and culture. Students will improve their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing Chinese. HSK vocabulary, as well as the World Language



Apollo Immersion Chinese 10: AP Chinese Language and Culture 

 

The AP Chinese Language and Culture course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) and the five goal areas: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. Students will have ongoing and varied opportunities to further develop their language proficiency as well as develop their global competency. Teachers plan and implement activities that focus on language proficiency while interweaving cultural content. Frequent formative assessment is used to drive instruction.


Apollo Immersion Chinese 11


 

This course is currently offered through PSEO-Winona State in an online format for students who meet course criteria. The course introduces students to more advanced beginning Mandarin pronunciation, grammar and orthography orthography (in both Pinyin and characters).  Instruction focuses on development of all four skills (speaking listening, reading, and writing) and cultural knowledge. 


Ojibwe


Ojibwe I

 

This course is an introduction to the Objibwe language with emphasis on the development of  basic communicative skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing). Students will also learn various aspects of Ojibwe culture.  

 


SOMALI


Somali I

 

This course is an introduction to the Somali language with emphasis on the development of  basic communicative skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) and grammatical structures. Students will also learn various aspects of the cultures in which Somali is spoken. 



Somali For Heritage and Native Speakers

 

The purpose of this year long world languages course is to enrich and expand native Somali-speaking students’ abilities in reading,  writing and cultural understanding in Somali. This course offers Somali-speaking students an opportunity to study Somali formally in an academic setting in the same way that native English-speaking students study English language arts. Students develop strategic Somali academic vocabulary, learning to critically analyze a text, write poetry and discourse, and acquire new information in different academic content areas. For native speakers to maintain the language, a formal study of Somali should occur with instructional goals focusing on grammar, reading and writing, vocabulary development, exposure to the language and culture and its communities, and consciousness-raising activities about Somali language and identity.


SPANISH


Spanish I


Learn the language that has become one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. 21 countries have Spanish as their official language. Spanish I is an introduction to the Spanish language with emphasis on the development of  basic communicative skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) and grammatical structures. Begin with the basics, like the alphabet, numbers, greetings, and end with everything needed to communicate in a tourist market abroad!  Students are also introduced to various aspects of Hispanic culture in Latin American countries.



Spanish II


In Spanish II, students will continue on the journey towards proficiency in Spanish. Students will review and expand upon their Spanish I knowledge through listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. In addition, students will begin to develop cultural awareness of various Spanish-speaking countries. Students will learn to communicate experiences in the past, present and future on a variety of topics. Students will have the opportunity to communicate in real and practical situations. Upon completing the second level, students will have a good foundation for future language study. Students completing Spanish II may have the opportunity to travel to a Spanish-speaking country.



Spanish III



This is the year for students to make the transition from a beginning to intermediate level Spanish speaker. Students will continue to build their skills acquired in Spanish I and II. The skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking will continue to be stressed as students participate in Spanish conversations, narrate and read short stories and interpret authentic materials. Students will continue to learn about the different cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. It is possible to take this course at Apollo and receive college credit through the Senior-to-Sophomore program with SCSU. Ask your teacher for more information,



Spanish IV/Pre AP



Students will improve their skills as an intermediate-level Spanish-speaker. In this course, students will work towards perfecting their skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing in Spanish. Class activities will expand on students’ knowledge of vocabulary and grammar concepts while providing opportunities to work with authentic materials and apply language skills to real-life situations. Cultural insights and information will help students understand and appreciate Spanish-speaking people and cultures. After the fourth level of study students are very well prepared for college level language classes and may be able to test into more advanced courses! Students enrolled in Spanish IV may take a field trip and will be eligible to travel on study abroad programs to Spanish speaking countries! For students who qualify, credit is available at SCSU through the Senior to Sophomore program for the SPAN 201 course.



Spanish V/AP Spanish Language and Culture


An AP Spanish Language course is comparable to a 300 level (5th and 6th semester) college Spanish language course. Emphasizing the use of Spanish for active communication, it encompasses speaking skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and composition. In this course, special emphasis is placed on the use of authentic source materials and the integration of language skills. Therefore, students will receive extensive training in combining listening and reading skills with writing and speaking skills in order to demonstrate understanding of authentic Spanish-language source materials. The rigor of this course requires a higher level of academic experience, maturity, and dedication. Students may finish the year by taking the AP Spanish Language exam, through which college credit may be earned. Students enrolled in AP Spanish may take a field trip and will be eligible to travel on study abroad programs to Spanish speaking countries!

The teacher and students will use Spanish almost exclusively in this course.



Spanish VI/AP Spanish Literature and Culture

 

The AP Spanish Literature and Culture course uses a thematic approach to introduce students to representative texts (short stories, novels, poetry, and essays) from Peninsular Spanish, Latin American, and United States Hispanic literature. Students continue to develop proficiencies across the full range of the modes of communication (interpersonal, presentational, and interpretive), honing their critical reading and analytical writing skills. Literature is examined within the context of its time and place, as students reflect on the many voices and cultures present in the required readings. The course also includes a strong focus on cultural connections and comparisons, including exploration of various media (e.g., art, film, articles, and literary criticism). The rigor of this course requires a higher level of academic experience, maturity, and dedication. Students may finish the year by taking the AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam; college credit may be earned.



Spanish For Heritage and Native Speakers

 

The purpose of this year-long world languages course is to enrich and expand native Spanish-speaking students’ abilities in speaking, reading, writing, listening and cultural understanding in Spanish. This course offers Spanish-speaking students an opportunity to study Spanish formally in an academic setting in the same way that native English-speaking students study English language arts. Students develop strategic Spanish academic vocabulary, learning to critically analyze a text, write poetry and discourse, and acquire new information in different academic content areas. For native speakers to maintain the language, a formal study of Spanish needs to occur with instructional goals focusing on grammar, reading and writing, vocabulary development, exposure to the language and culture and its communities, and consciousness-raising activities about Spanish language and identity.