World Languages

Weight: 10

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Mandarin Chinese 4 

Criteria for admissions: Advanced Placement Criteria 

Admission to this course is based on the criteria below. 

1. Mid-year average of 85% in the present honors course; mid-year grade of 90% in the present academic world language course. 

2. Recommendation of the present world language teacher.

The curriculum is based on the Advanced Placement Course Description of the College Board. In this course, students will use authentic Chinese materials and sources to develop language skills in multiple modes of communication, including two-way interactions in both writing and speaking; interpretation of audio, audiovisual, and print materials; and oral and written presentation of information and ideas. The course description is similar to Honors Chinese 4 with the exception that AP students focus more intensely on a rigorous review of grammatical structures in preparation for the AP exam. Advanced organizational and analytical strategies are taught. An array of resources is used as necessary to facilitate the learning process. A diagnostic test or other means of determining students’ strengths and problem areas is done within the first two weeks of the school year in order to customize the instruction.

Weight: 10

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors French 4 

Criteria for admissions: Advanced Placement Criteria 

Admission to this course is based on the criteria below. 

1. Mid-year average of 85% in the present honors course; mid-year grade of 90% in the present academic world language course. 

2. Recommendation of the present world language teacher.

The curriculum is based on the Advanced Placement Course Description of the College Board. The course description is similar to Honors French 5 with the exception that AP students focus more intensely on a rigorous review of grammatical structures in preparation for the AP exam. Advanced organizational and analytical strategies are taught. An array of resources is used as necessary to facilitate the learning process. A diagnostic test or other means of determining students’ strengths and problem areas is done within the first two weeks of the school year in order to customize the instruction.

Weight: 10

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Spanish 4 

Criteria for admissions: Advanced Placement Criteria 

Admission to this course is based on the criteria below. 

1. Mid-year average of 85% in the present honors course; mid-year grade of 90% in the present academic world language course. 

2. Recommendation of the present world language teacher.

The curriculum is based on the Advanced Placement Course Description of the College Board. The course description is similar to Honors Spanish 5 with the exception that AP students focus more intensely on a rigorous review of grammatical structures in preparation for the AP exam. Advanced organizational and analytical strategies are taught. An array of resources is used as necessary to facilitate the learning process. A diagnostic test or other means of determining students’ strengths and problem areas is done within the first two weeks of the school year in order to customize the instruction. 

Non-Ranked

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: none

Criteria for admissions: W-APT or ACCESS

English as a second language is open to students with limited or no English proficiency. Developing literacy through listening, reading, speaking and writing is at the heart of the course. Students also receive content-based instruction and support which is adapted to their educational backgrounds and language proficiency levels. Every spring, students who are deemed English language learners are assessed by ACCESS for ELLs, a state mandated language test to determine proficiency.

Non-Ranked

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: none

Criteria for admissions: W-APT/ACCESS/Teacher Recommendation

In this class, students receive one on one support from the ESL teacher. The teacher and students focus on academic areas which are most linguistically challenging for the students.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: none

Criteria for admissions: none

Through thematic design and communicative-based language instruction this course is the first step in preparing students for authentic language use in the real world. Students will be engaged in meaningful, motivating and cognitively challenging activities. They will be encouraged to use language in activities embedded in authentic, reallife contexts and connected to content learned in other core areas. Secondly, the students will actively use language rather than memorizing vocabulary lists and analyzing grammatical concepts. Grammar will be taught contextually; to clarify communication and meaning and not by rote exercises. Finally, students will be assessed by a variety of assessment strategies.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: French 1

Criteria for admissions: none

Students continue to expand their communicative abilities by exploring interesting and culturally rich themes

Weights: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: French 2

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

Students continue to actively use language in real-life contexts as they strive to reach higher proficiency.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: French 3

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

By the end of level 4, students will have expanded the content areas in which they can communicate comfortably. They will have increased their potential to live and function socially in the target culture. The students will demonstrate understanding of more advanced grammatical constructions while speaking, reading, writing and listening. 

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors French 4, French 4

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

In this course, students continue to develop proficiency at the Intermediate level. Students intensively practice the three modes of communication through interesting, culturally rich, student centered topics which motivate students to communicate in the target language.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: French 1

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria 

See French 2. In addition, this course is designed for students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. The Honors French 2 course is intended to bring the students to the Intermediate-Low level of proficiency (NJCCCS and ACTFL) as opposed to the Novice-High level of proficiency in French 2. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors French 2, French 2

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval 

See French 3. This course is designed to challenge students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors French 3, French 3 

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

Dual enrollment: 3 college credits available from Fairleigh Dickinson Middle College Program (grades 11, 12)

See French 4. In addition, this course is designed to challenge students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors French 4, French 4 

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

Dual enrollment: 3 college credits available from Fairleigh Dickinson Middle College Program (grade 12)

In this course, students develop a strong command of the language, with proficiency in integrating language skills and synthesizing written and aural materials. Students intensively practice the three modes of communication through quality, level-appropriate materials such as newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts, videos, recordings and other materials which develop students’ reading and aural comprehension abilities. 

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Chinese 2

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

This course is a continuation of Chinese 1 and 2 with a thematic and communicative-based instruction to develop the ability on three modes of communication. The students are expected to master the pinyin Romanization system, to speak Mandarin with improved accuracy and expanded vocabulary, and to be able to understand and sustain simple conversations with others on topics beyond one’s immediate environment. The students will also develop an advanced understanding of Chinese culture and society in general. Connecting the curricular themes to Chinese history, culture, and traditions, will also be a part of this rich curriculum.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year 

Pre-requisites: Chinese 3, teacher recommendation

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

This course is a continuation of Chinese 3, with thematic and communicative-based instruction. Students are expected to expand their proficiency in the three modes of communication and improve the use of Chinese characters. The students will also continue to learn and to understand Chinese culture and society by connecting the curricular themes to Chinese history and traditions.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Spanish 1 

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria

See Spanish 2. In addition, this course is designed for students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. The Honors Spanish 2 course is intended to bring the students to the Intermediate-Low level of proficiency (NJCCCS and ACTFL) as opposed to the Novice-High level of proficiency in Spanish 2. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Spanish 2, Spanish 2 

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

See Spanish 3. In addition, this course is designed to challenge students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Spanish 3, Spanish 3

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval 

Dual enrollment: 3 college credits available from Fairleigh Dickinson Middle College Program (grades 11, 12)

See Spanish 4. In addition, this course is designed to challenge students who demonstrate academic maturity and an advanced proficiency level. Teachers will design activities, assessment tasks and rubrics which reflect the targeted proficiency level.

Weight: 8

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Spanish 4, Spanish 4 

Criteria for admissions: Honors admissions criteria; Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval 

Dual enrollment: 3 college credits available from Fairleigh Dickinson Middle College Program (grade 12)

In this course, students develop a strong command of the language, with proficiency in integrating language skills and synthesizing written and aural materials. Students intensively practice the three modes of communication through quality, level-appropriate materials such as newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts, videos, recordings and other materials which develop students’ reading and aural comprehension abilities.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: none

Criteria for admissions: none

Through thematic design and communicative-based language instruction, this course is the first step in preparing students for authentic language use. Students will be introduced to Pinyin, a system for reading and writing Chinese words in the Roman alphabet and to basic strokes of Chinese characters. Connecting the curricular themes to Chinese customs, history and geography will also be a part of this rich curriculum.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Chinese 1

Criteria for admissions: none

Students continue to expand their communicative abilities by exploring interesting and culturally rich themes. Through thematic design and communicative-based language instruction, this course is the first step in preparing students for authentic language use. Students will be introduced to Pinyin, a system for reading and writing Chinese words in the Roman alphabet and to basic strokes of Chinese characters. Connecting the curricular themes to Chinese customs, history and geography will also be a part of this rich curriculum.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: none

Criteria for admissions: none

Through thematic design and communicative-based language instruction this course is the first step in preparing students for authentic language use in the real world. Students will be engaged in meaningful, motivating and cognitively challenging activities. They will be encouraged to use language in activities embedded in authentic, reallife contexts and connected to content learned in other core areas. Secondly, the students will actively use language rather than memorizing vocabulary lists and analyzing grammatical concepts. Grammar will be taught contextually; to clarify communication and meaning and not by rote exercises. Finally, students will be assessed by a variety of assessment strategies.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Spanish 1

Criteria for admissions: none

Students continue to expand their communicative abilities by exploring interesting and culturally rich themes.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Spanish 2

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

Students continue to actively use language in real-life contexts as they strive for higher proficiency.

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Spanish 3

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

By the end of level 4, students will have expanded the content areas in which they can communicate comfortably. They will have increased their potential to live and function socially in the target culture. The students will demonstrate understanding of more advanced grammatical constructions while speaking, reading, writing and listening. 

Weight: 3

Course Length: Year

Pre-requisites: Honors Spanish 4, Spanish 4

Criteria for admissions: Teacher recommendation and supervisor approval

In this course, students continue to develop proficiency at the Intermediate level. Students intensively practice the three modes of communication through interesting, culturally rich, student centered topics which motivate students to communicate in the target language.