World Language Courses

Spanish I

Prerequisites: none  |  Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12

Spanish I, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, introduces students to effective strategies for beginning Spanish language learning, and to various aspects of Spanish-speaking culture. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to basic requests and questions, understand and use appropriate greetings and forms of address, participate in brief guided conversations on familiar topics, and write short passages with guidance. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as reading isolated words and phrases in a situational context and comprehending brief written or oral directions. Additionally, students will examine the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; recognize basic routine practices of the target culture; and recognize and use situation-appropriate non-verbal communication. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom.  

Spanish II

Prerequisites: B- in Spanish I  |  Grade: 10, 11, 12

Spanish II, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, builds upon effective strategies for Spanish language learning by encouraging the use of the language and cultural understanding for self-directed purposes. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to requests and questions in expanded contexts, participate independently in brief conversations on familiar topics, and write cohesive passages with greater independence and using appropriate formats. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as using contextual clues to guess meaning and comprehending longer written or oral directions. Students will address the presentational mode by presenting prepared material on a variety of topics, as well as reading aloud to practice appropriate pronunciation and intonation. Additionally, students will describe the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; report on basic family and social practices of the target culture; and describe contributions from the target culture. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom.  

Spanish III

Prerequisites: B- in Spanish I and II  |  Grade: 11, 12

Spanish III, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, builds upon effective strategies for Spanish language learning by facilitating the use of the language and cultural understanding for self-directed purposes. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to initiate, sustain and close conversations; exchange detailed information in oral and written form; and write cohesive information with greater detail. This course also emphasizes the continued development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as using cognates, synonyms and antonyms to derive meaning from written and oral information, as well as comprehending detailed written or oral directions. Students will address the presentational mode by presenting student-created material on a variety of topics, as well as reading aloud to practice appropriate pronunciation and intonation. Additionally, students will continue to develop understanding of Spanish speaking culture through recognition of the interrelations among the practices, products and perspectives of the target culture; discussion of significant events in the target culture; and investigation of elements that shape cultural identity in the target culture. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas as well the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom. 

AP Spanish Language and Culture

Prerequisites: B- in Spanish I, II and III  |  Grade: 12 

AP Spanish Language and Culture is a course established and copyrighted by the College Board and follows the College Board course guidelines for AP Spanish Language and Culture. The course prepares students to be successful on the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. The course is not intended to be used as a dual credit course. The AP Spanish Language and Culture course emphasizes communication (understanding and being understood by others) by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skills in real-life situations. This includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. The AP Spanish Language and Culture course strives not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. To best facilitate the study of language and culture, the course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish. The AP Spanish Language and Culture course engages students in an exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. The course develops students ’awareness and appreciation of cultural products (e.g., tools, books, music, laws, conventions, institutions); practices (patterns of social interactions within a culture); and perspectives (values, attitudes, and assumptions).