Course Descriptions

Spanish

Spanish 1 - A Level 1 course fosters the development of the basic language skills and vocabulary needed for everyday use and classroom participation. Music, short reading passages, dictations and dialogues are taught to help the student master basic linguistic structures. The cultural aspect of foreign language study at this level deals with features of everyday life in the foreign country. Some instruction will be presented in target language

Spanish 2/2H-  Courses at this level are a continuation of Level 1. This course broadens students’ ability in listening, speaking, reading, and writing the foreign language. At completion of Level 2, knowledge of the basic vocabulary, phrases and structures will have considerably increased. Reading comprehension skills are strengthened by the introduction of easy or adapted reading materials. More specific knowledge of the culture of the foreign country is sought at this level. Some research is required regarding the life, customs, history, and geography of countries that use the target language. This course is conducted mostly in the target language.

Spanish 3- Level 3 courses continue to pursue the same objectives as Level 1 and 2. There is a thematic-based approach requiring students to communicate in authentic activities using appropriate phrases and structures. Expectations of student performance increase as linguistic skills become more challenging. Cultural reading material of increasing literary merit is read and analyzed both orally and in writing. Literary selections are supplemented by outside reading in the foreign language. The classes are conducted primarily in the target language. Students considering more competitive colleges are strongly urged to enroll in the third and fourth level of language study.

Spanish 4H-  At this advanced level of language study emphasis is placed on using and strengthening the skills learned during previous years. Important historical events and some literary masterpieces are examined in target language. Knowledge and appreciation of historical and cultural events is developed. Individual outside reading in the foreign language is required. Expectations of student performance increase as linguistic skills become more challenging. The classes are conducted entirely in the target language

AP Spanish- This class concludes the five-year sequence of Spanish Language and Culture courses offered at the high school. Completion of levels 1 through 4 or Spanish for Heritage Learners 2 and 3 is required prior to this course. The course is a semester-long course, completed in 18 weeks of ninety-minute classes on a four by four block schedule. All students are expected to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. This course is conducted entirely in Spanish, offering students opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency across the modes of communication: Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational. All students broaden their knowledge of the various cultures that comprise the Spanish-speaking world through the thematic approach of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course.