Foreign Language

Course Descriptions

French I

Grade Level Placement: 09, 10, 11

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “C” or above in English course or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

Students are introduced to French and learn vocabulary, verbs on topics concerning personal identification, leisure activities, family life, education, meal taking, community and neighborhood, house and home and earning a living. Upon successful completion of this course, students read material in French at an elementary level, understand French when it is spoken at a normal rate of speech and when it focuses on basic topics already studied, manipulate verbs in the present tense, and write short paragraphs in French. Instructional strategies include presentation of the structure of the language, structured and free conversation, pattern drills, writing and reading exercises, pronunciation practice, games, projects and the completion of the units of material to indicate mastery. Students in French I are exposed to the importance of becoming members of a diverse and increasingly global society. Through cultural study, field trips, technology and guest speakers, students have the opportunity to interact with the French people and their culture.

French II

Grade Level Placement: 09, 10, 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “C” or above in French I or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

This course is a continuation of French I. On successful completion of this course, students are able to talk about an array of topics in French and to manipulate verbs in the various tenses (present, past, the present progressive, and command forms). Students give and receive information, socialize, express feelings, and persuade others using the present and past tenses. They are also able to read material in French on an intermediate level, and understand spoken French when it is spoken at a normal rate of speech and when focused on topics already studied. The instructional strategies include a further presentation of the structure of the language, structured and free conversation, pattern drills, writing and reading exercises, pronunciation practice, games, projects, and the completion of the units of material to indicate mastery. Students in French II are exposed to the importance of become members of a diverse and increasingly global society. Through cultural study, field trips, technology and guest speakers, students have the opportunity to interact with French people and their culture. The majority of communication is in French by both the teacher and the students.

French III

Grade Level Placement: 10, 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “C” or above in French II or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

The French III class is conducted almost exclusively in French. The study of the four basic skills (writing; reading; speaking; listening) continues with a strong emphasis on conversation and Francophone culture on three continents, supporting increased fluency and global awareness. Because the study of basic grammatical principles and verb tenses is nearly completed by the end of level III, students learn to refine the conditional and future tenses, si clauses and the subjunctive mood. Students study the history and culture of various French speaking regions throughout the world to better connect with the French speaking countries and the United States. French III students communicate more freely and creatively in the French language. At the end of French III, students become proficient in using the language to understand and communicate in a variety of different situations. Prerequisites for French III are a 70% or better in French II and I.

This class is also offered for advanced credit through the 1818 ACC at St. Louis University. Students will earn 3 credit hours for an entire year of French III. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in order to participate. Students electing to earn college credit will need to pay a small fee to SLU.

French IV

Grade Level Placement: 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “B” or above in French III or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

This course is a continuation and culmination of French I, II, and III. The French IV 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. To best facilitate the study of language and culture, the course is taught almost exclusively in French. The French IV 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). The French IV course is structured around six themes: • Beauty and Aesthetics •Contemporary Life • Families and Communities • Global Challenges • Personal and Public Identities • Science and Technology. Themes facilitate the integration of language, content, and culture and promote the use of the language in a variety of contexts. The themes may be combined, as they are interrelated.

Spanish I

Grade Level Placement: 09, 10, 11

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “C” or above in English course or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

Students are introduced to Spanish and learn vocabulary, verbs on topics concerning personal identification, leisure activities, family life, education, meal taking, community and neighborhood, house and home, and earning a living. On successful completion of this course, students are able to read material in Spanish at an elementary level, understand Spanish when it is spoken at a normal rate of speech and when conversation is on basic topics already studied, manipulate verbs in the present tense, and write short paragraphs in Spanish. Instructional strategies include presentations on the structure of the language, structured and free conversation, pattern drills, writing and reading exercises, pronunciation practice, games, projects and the completion of the units of material to indicate mastery. Students in Spanish I are exposed to the importance of becoming members of a diverse and increasingly global society. Through cultural study, field trips, technology and guest speakers, students have the opportunity to interact with people who speak Spanish and their culture. This is the first class in the high school Spanish trajectory to potentially earn the Seal of Biliteracy.

Spanish II

Grade Level Placement: 09, 10, 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “C” or above in Spanish I or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

This course is a continuation of Spanish I. On successful completion of this course, students are able to talk about an array of topics in Spanish, and to manipulate verbs in the various tenses (present, past, the present progressive, and command forms). Students give and receive information, socialize, express feelings, and persuade others using the present and past tenses. Students read material in Spanish on an intermediate level, and understand spoken Spanish when it is spoken at a normal rate of speech and when conversation is on topics already studied. Instructional strategies include presentation of the structure of the language, structured and free conversation, pattern drills, writing and reading exercises, pronunciation practice, games, projects, and the completion of the units of material to indicate mastery. Students in Spanish II are exposed to the importance of becoming members of a diverse and increasingly global society. Through cultural study, field trips, technology and guest speakers, students have the opportunity to interact with people who speak Spanish and their culture. The majority of communication is in Spanish by both the teacher and the students. This is the second class in the high school Spanish trajectory to potentially earn the Seal of Biliteracy.

Spanish III

Grade Level Placement: 10, 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “B” or above in Spanish II or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

This course is a continuation of Spanish I & II. On successful completion of the course, students can converse about an array of topics in Spanish and manipulate verbs in the various tenses (present, past, the future, the conditional, the present subjunctive, the present progressive and the command forms). Students understand most spoken Spanish when it is spoken at a normal speed and deals with topics already studied. Almost all communication is in Spanish by both the teacher and students. Students read material in Spanish on an intermediate to advanced level. The readings help students enhance comprehension, acquire vocabulary, and conduct spur discussion; students write reflections and/or answer comprehension questions after the readings. Students in Spanish III are exposed to the importance of becoming of a diverse and increasingly global society. Through cultural study, field trips, technology and guest speakers, students have the opportunity to interact with Spanish people and their culture. The instructional strategies include a further presentation of the structure of the language, structured and free conversation, pattern drills, writing and reading exercises, pronunciation practice, games, projects, and the completion of the units of material to indicate mastery. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible to take the Spanish assessment to potentially earn the Seal of Biliteracy.

This class is also offered for advanced credit through the 1818 ACC at St. Louis University. Students will earn 3 credit hours for successful completion of both fall and spring semesters. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in order to participate. Students electing to earn college credit will need to pay a small fee to SLU.

AP Spanish Language and Culture

Grade Level Placement: 10, 11, 12

1 Unit/Y Prerequisite: “B” or above in Spanish III or allowed by teacher recommendation

Credit Type: Foreign Language (FL)

NCAA Approved Course

This course is a continuation of Spanish I, II, and III. 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). Upon successful completion of this course students will be eligible to take the Spanish assessment to potentially earn the Seal of Biliteracy. The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is structured around six themes: • Beauty and Aesthetics • Contemporary Life • Families and Communities • Global Challenges • Personal and Public Identities • Science and Technology. Themes facilitate the integration of language, content, and culture and promote the use of the language in a variety of contexts. The themes may be combined, as they are interrelated. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible to take the Spanish assessment to potentially earn the Seal of Biliteracy.

This class is also offered for advanced credit through the 1818 ACC at St. Louis University. Students will earn 3 credit hours for the fall semester and 3 credit hours for the spring semester. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in order to participate. Students electing to earn college credit will need to pay a small fee to SLU.