World Language

Spanish

Spanish I

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit)

Spanish I is a fun and interactive beginning level course suitable for students with little to no Spanish experience. Students learn to understand basic written and spoken Spanish by focusing on frequently used structures and grammar patterns in the target language. Students build confidence and fluency through a variety of activities including storytelling, songs, and cultural readings. 

Spanish II

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: Spanish I or equivalent proficiency

Spanish II is designed to build upon and reinforce vocabulary and grammar structures learned in Spanish I. Students continue to develop their proficiency in the target language through a variety of activities – while the focus on the class is still comprehension of language, more output (speaking and writing) is introduced in Spanish II. Students should be comfortable communicating in the present tense and become more comfortable understanding past tense language.

Spanish III

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: Spanish II or equivalent proficiency

Spanish III is designed to build upon the foundation of language built in the students’ first 2+ years. Students continue to develop their proficiency in the target language through a variety of communicative activities – there is a greater expectation of speaking and writing in Spanish. Students read novels, tell stories, and work with various language tenses. 

Spanish IV

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: Spanish III or equivalent proficiency

Spanish IV Students continue to develop their proficiency in the target language through a variety of activities – there is a greater expectation of speaking and writing in Spanish in Spanish IV. The class is based around reading and discussing novels in Spanish. 

AP Spanish Language and Culture

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: Spanish IV or equivalent proficiency

AP Spanish Language and Culture is equivalent to an intermediate level college course in Spanish. Students cultivate their understanding of Spanish language and culture by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication in real-life situations as they explore concepts related to family and communities, personal and public identities, beauty and aesthetics, science and technology, contemporary life, and global challenges.

Español para Hispanohablantes 

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: Native Spanish Speaker

This course is for students who are able to speak Spanish but have not yet had the opportunity to develop mastery of the language in all aspects. The ideal candidate for “Español para Hispanohablantes” is a student who can already speak, listen, read, and write in Spanish. Because of the social configuration of many Spanish-speaking families, is it common for students to speak and listen at a native or close-to-native level, but struggle with the reading and writing abilities due to the lack of formal training in Spanish, which is precisely what this course will address. This course will be taught COMPLETELY in Spanish, including explanations, clarifications, and directions. There will be no English allowed in this course.

The goals of this course are to acquire pride in your home language and culture, come in contact with a variety of Spanish regional and social dialects, distinguish between formal and informal language registers and their appropriate domains, read with comprehension and enjoyment, write extensively on materials and topics presented orally or within your experience using an adequate level of formal writing, and become familiar with the educational and career opportunities of Spanish-English bilingualism.

French

French I

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit)

Students are introduced to listening and reading in French through comprehensible language provided by the teacher, based on the principle that in the language acquisition process, understanding always precedes production. Students are introduced to and begin to acquire the high-frequency structures in French which allow them to understand and communicate about themselves, expressing personal preferences and needs, their activities and talents, and daily experiences.

French II

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: French I or equivalent proficiency

Students continue to practice listening and reading comprehension and begin speaking and writing in French. Students begin to use the acquired high-frequency phrases and vocabulary (I am, I have, I want, I need, I like/don't like) to talk and write about themselves. By the end of the course, students will be able to read/listen at or above the Intermediate Mid Level and speak/write at or above the Intermediate Low level. Acquired skills include describing people, familiar places; giving biographical information; and expressing feelings and opinions.  

French III

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: French II or equivalent proficiency

We continue to use language skills learned in French I and II, with higher-level reading and listening comprehension objectives. With more emphasis on proficiency and accuracy, elements of grammar are introduced along with opportunities for students to practice interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Activities include group learning, role playing, discussions in French, and reading a short novel and short stories. Course curriculum also includes the study of Francophone countries and their cultures, French-language films and music.

French IV

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisite: French III or equivalent proficiency

This rigorous course represents a bridge between the French Immersion III/French 3 courses and the University of Minnesota CIS - French 1003 and CIS - French 1004 courses. Although this curriculum is not designed by the University of Minnesota, it serves to further develop the four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in order to prepare students to be successful in the CIS-1003 course for which they will be eligible to earn 5 college credits. Through the school year we review and deepen student understanding of Francophone cultures and essential French grammar, as well as expanding vocabulary, and improving writing and speaking proficiency. Students should already have a good command of grammar and considerable competence in listening, reading, speaking and writing.

CIS Intermediate French I (FREN 1003)

Grades: 9-12 Length/Credits: Full Year (1.0 credit) Prerequisites: French IV or equivalent proficiency

In this course students build on the interpersonal, interpretive and presentational skills developed in beginning French and on their knowledge and understanding of Francophone practices and products. Culture is taught through cultural readings and multimedia. FREN 1003 is a theme-based course. Themes addressed in this course include: French media and cinema, wellness and health, current French family, societal and global issues. The text, Deux Mondes, 7th ed., is accompanied by an electronic or paper workbook with a variety of practice activities. In the Deux Mondes textbook, students will work primarily with materials from Ch. 11 through Ch. 14. Students will also read the classic French novel, Le Petit Prince, by St. Exupéry. Since the majority of class time is devoted to communication activities, class attendance is fundamental. Expect an average of 1.5 hours of outside preparation for each class session hour.