World Language Department Courses

The study of a world language provides students with the opportunity to achieve personal and career goals as well as respond to an urgent national need for persons who can communicate with and comprehend persons of other nations and cultures. Recent studies of American education have indicated the importance of training greater numbers of students in a second language. There is an economic as well as a political need for Americans to be proficient in a second language. The Middletown schools offer students a six-year program in French or Spanish, a four-year courses of study in Latin (for current 10th and 11th graders), Italian, and American Sign Language.

Developing Skills

Achieving proficiency in a traditional second language involves the development of skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students acquire these skills by pursuing a carefully sequenced study of modern languages. Latin is taught in the traditional manner which enhances mastery and understanding of complex text and expands vocabulary in English.

Cultural Components

In addition to communicative competence, the program of study in French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin has a strong cultural component. Students learn about the history, geography, literature, and social organization of the countries whose languages are being studied, leading to a greater understanding of our own country and the similarities and differences between cultures.

Global Competency

World Language classes are designed to promote the use of language to study a variety of topics. Students in the first year of study may discuss the immediate world in which they live. They have the opportunity to compare and contrast life in the United States with life in the countries of the language being studied. Subsequent years of study introduce students to the music, art, and literature of the countries where the target language is spoken. The influence of the target language on English is also investigated.

Advanced Foreign Language Education

French or Spanish “Advanced A” and “Advanced B” are courses offered to those students seeking to continue study in a language beyond Level 4 Honors or in lieu of Advanced Placement. Depending on the year, “Advanced A” and “Advanced B” are offered on an alternating basis and are of an equivalent level. Students may enter at any of the alternating years and remain in the course through the consecutive year.

In order to progress from level II and beyond, students must achieve a minimum final grade of 70 or better to continue the study of that language.

Dual Enrollment

The following courses are eligible for dual enrollment credit:

American Sign Language 1: The focus of the ASL 1 course is to provide students with an introduction to American Sign Language, including Deaf culture. More specifically, this course will include the following: fingerspelling, numbers, basic vocabulary across a range of topics, common ASL handshapes, palm orientation, sign location, movement, eye gaze, non-manual markers and facial expressions in order to be able to efficiently communicate through ASL. This course will not only study the aforementioned topics, but also focus on ASL grammar and proper syntax used by the Deaf community.