The World Language Department of Villa Maria recognizes the need for all students to be able to communicate with the global community with cultural competence and understanding. Students must study at least 3 consecutive years of one language (French, Latin, or Spanish); although most students choose to continue their language studies beyond this requirement. The study of a second world language is also available as an elective.

Language Acquisition

The course of study provides the opportunity to meet all aspects of language learning, with an emphasis on interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication. The culture-centered curriculum and learning environment encourage risk-taking and promote problem-solving skills, while cultivating interculturality and global citizenship.

Cultural Understanding

The culture-centered curriculum encourages an appreciation for diversity, and promotes empathy toward and an understanding of foreign peoples and cultures. Students gain perspective on other cultures so that they may better understand their own.

Authentic Experiences

Students are encouraged to apply their language skills in the classroom setting and beyond. Language is studied in context via authentic, real-life resources, and meaningful experiences so that students become better informed citizens of the world. Opportunities for students to travel and practice the language and culture areprovided both locally and abroad.

World Language assigned by level, not grade. Students are required to complete three levels of a world language for graduation.

Latin 1 (411)

Grade 9

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course introduces Latin to the student and emphasizes a deep understanding and critical analysis of both English and Latin grammar constructions. Students develop grammar skills in all tenses of verbs and cases of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns. Intense study of word building and vocabulary helps develop skills in translations and Latin readings. The rich Roman heritage found in culture, history, and mythology is also presented in modified form. Class size in Latin 1 is limited to one class. Students entering the course after Year 9 must have departmental approval.

Latin 2 (412)

Grade 10

Credit 1.0

College Prep

The deepening of analysis of English and Latin grammar is stressed. Students develop their understanding of subjunctive verbs and complex sentence structures. The heritage of the classical language is imparted in greater detail by a study of famous writers and of events that shaped their thoughts, especially those of medieval and ecclesiastical Latin authors. A continuous growth of appreciation for the glories of the past as they are reflected in life today is encouraged. Teacher signature required.

Latin 3 (416)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course presents the progressive development of competence in the comprehension of Latin through a study of Latin prose, and authors up through the fifth century A.D. Students will increase and reinforce their vocabulary and grammar skills by reading Latina Mythica. A full survey of Latin grammar will be completed through reading Fabulae Faciles. Teacher signature required.

Honors Latin 3 (417)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Latin 2 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course.

This course presents the progressive development of the comprehension of Latin through a study of Latin prose, and authors up through the fifth century A.D. Students will increase and reinforce their vocabulary and grammar skills by reading Latina Mythica and Fabulae Faciles. Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of classical Greco-Roman mythology through reading authentic authors including selections from Ovid and Catullus. Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the Latin Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

Latin 4 (414)

Grade 12

Credit 1

College Prep

The main objective of this course is comprehension and appreciation of the various themes and structure of Latin literature. This is presented by way of the Aeneid by Vergil, the Gallic Wars by Caesar, and selections taken from a wide range of the authentic authors including Ovid and Catullus. It is important that the student realize the great influence Roman culture has exercised on the literary masterpieces of the western cultures. This survey is supplemented by a thorough review of Latin grammar and syntax. Teacher signature required.

Honors Latin 4 (418)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors Latin 3 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course. At the discretion of the department, students with three years of CP level Latin may take this course by completing additional summer studies.

The immediate objective of this course is comprehension and appreciation of the various themes and structure of Latin literature. This is presented by way of the Aeneid by Vergil, the Gallic Wars by Caesar, and selections taken from a wide range of the authentic authors including Cicero, Horace, and Catullus. It is important that the student realize the great influence Roman culture has exercised on the literary masterpieces of the western cultures. Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the Latin Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

AP Latin Language (419)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Advanced Placement

Prerequisite: Honors Latin 4. Exceptions to this requirement may be made at the discretion of the teacher.

AP Latin is designed for students who have thoroughly mastered the forms and constructions of Latin prose and poetry and are ready to move onto an in-depth literary study of individual authors of prose and poetry. Students are expected to move beyond the mechanics of translation to literary and stylistic analysis of Latin prose and poetry. Precise knowledge of vocabulary, translation (prepared and at sight) and critical analysis are emphasized as preparation for the Advanced Placement Examination. In accordance with the AP Syllabus, selections from both Caesar and Vergil are read in English translation and analyzed from literary, cultural, and historical perspectives. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Teacher signature required.

French 1 (421)

Grade 9

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course uses a standards-based and thematically organized program to teach the French language and culture through the lens of interculturality. Students are provided with opportunities to interact and engage with authentic materials and adolescent speakers of the language across the francophone world. Students develop proficiency in the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the context of the three communicative modes: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Vocabulary and grammar are presented in context. Students have opportunities for proficiency self-assessment using a digital portfolio where they can upload evidence of their linguistic and intercultural development. The curriculum features multiple strategies designed to help students interpret and express themselves with expanding literacy while learning to communicate and interact with cultural competency. Successful completion of this course will enable students to interact with native French speakers in a variety of common situations and progress to French 2.

French 2 (422)

Grade 10

Credit 1.0

College Prep

The objective of this course is to further develop proficiency in interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication skills acquired in French 1. Using a standards-based and thematically organized program to teach the French language and culture through the lens of interculturality, students are provided with opportunities to interact and engage with authentic materials and adolescent speakers of the language across the French-speaking world. Students continue to develop and expand the language skills learned in French 1 and gain the ability to express themselves in more complex ways. Learners will also be able to communicate in a greater variety of situations. Students build proficiency in speaking and writing and expand their interpretive abilities. Successful completion of this course will enable students to communicate with native speakers on a variety of subjects and be equipped to proceed to French 3. Teacher signature required.

French 3 (423)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course is designed for students who have completed French 1 and French 2. Students expand their vocabulary and practice advanced grammatical concepts while reinforcing material and structures learned during the two previous levels. Communication skills are developed through paired and group activities, written assignments and projects, oral presentations, and recorded video responses to speaking prompts. Students improve their listening and reading comprehension skills through exposure to authentic materials from the francophone world. Completion of this course will enable students to interact in a variety of situations with native French speakers and be able to proceed to French 4 if they so choose. Teacher signature required.

Honors French 3 (426)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in French 2 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course.

This course is a prerequisite for admission to Honors French 4 and is designed for students who have exhibited the ability to master advanced grammatical concepts and vocabulary at an accelerated pace. Students must demonstrate the ability to integrate new concepts with previously learned material and apply them in various situations. This course emphasizes communication in all language modes (interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational), through the lens of interculturality. By learning in an intercultural context, students acquire communication skills and content knowledge while exploring the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures. More complex and varied reading material is presented to improve critical reading skills and expose students to various genres of French literature. French film is also used to provide opportunities for discussion, short essays, and historical and cultural analysis. Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the French Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

French 4 (424)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

College Prep

French 4 is designed for students who have successfully completed French 3 and wish to continue their study of French beyond the required courses. The content of this course is similar to that of Honors French 4; however, modifications to assignments and assessments are made as appropriate. Teacher signature required.

Honors French 4 (427)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors French 3 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course. At the discretion of the department, students with three years of CP level French may take this course by completing additional summer studies.

This course, conducted almost entirely in the target language, emphasizes advanced communication in all language modes, through a thorough discovery of francophone film and literature in rich and varied contexts. Students will express themselves orally and in writing on a variety of personal, cultural, and literary topics. Instruction is based on authentic texts and film, and includes a comprehensive review of essential grammar concepts of the French language, as well as a review of the verb tenses. The focus of this course is the further development of student proficiencies in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication - in preparation for the AP French Language and Culture exam. Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the French Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

Honors French 5 (429)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors French 4 or Honors French 3 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course.

The content of this course is similar to that of the AP French Language and Culture course; however, modifications to assignments are made as appropriate, and the student is not required to take the AP French Language and Culture exam. Teacher signature required.

AP French Language and Culture (420)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Advanced Placement

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Honors French 4. This requirement may be made at the discretion of the department.

This course is designed to promote both fluency and accuracy in the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and the exploration of culture in both contemporary and historical contexts. To prepare students for the assessment of these skills, this course simulates the AP examination as closely as possible. Six themes are employed to integrate language, culture, and content in a variety of contexts: global challenges; science and technology; contemporary life; personal and public identities; families and communities; and beauty and aesthetics. Opportunities are provided to practice and develop proficiency in spoken and written interpersonal skills (conversation and email response), presentational speaking and writing (cultural comparisons and persuasive essays), and interpretive communication (newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts, audio/visual and other authentic sources). This class is conducted entirely in the target language. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement Examination in May. Teacher signature required.

Spanish 1 (431)

Grade 9

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course uses a standards-based and thematically organized program to teach the Spanish language and culture through the lens of interculturality. Students are provided with opportunities to interact and engage with authentic materials and adolescent speakers of the language across the Spanish-speaking world. Students develop proficiency in the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the context of the three communicative modes: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. Vocabulary and grammar are presented in context. Students have opportunities for proficiency self-assessment using a digital portfolio where they can upload evidence of their linguistic and intercultural development. The curriculum features multiple strategies designed to help students interpret and express themselves with expanding literacy while learning to communicate and interact with cultural competency. By successfully completing this course students will be able to interact with Spanish speakers in a variety of common situations and will be well prepared for level 2.

Spanish 2 (432)

Grade 10

Credit 1.0

College Prep

The objective of this course is to further develop proficiency in interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication skills acquired in Spanish 1. Using a standards-based and thematically organized program to teach the Spanish language and culture through the lens of interculturality, students are provided with opportunities to interact and engage with authentic materials and adolescent speakers of the language across the Spanish-speaking world. Students continue to develop and expand the language skills learned in Spanish 1 and gain the ability to express themselves in more complex ways. Learners will also be able to communicate in a greater variety of situations. Students build proficiency in speaking and writing and expand their interpretive abilities. Successful completion of this course will enable students to communicate with native speakers on a variety of subjects and be equipped to proceed to Spanish 3. Teacher signature required.

Spanish 3 (433)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

College Prep

This course is designed for students who have completed Spanish 1 and Spanish 2. It gives students practice in advanced grammatical concepts, while reinforcing structures learned during the first two years. Communication skills are developed through paired and group activities, oral presentations, written assignments and projects, and recorded video responses to speaking prompts. Students improve their listening and reading comprehension skills through exposure to authentic materials from the Spanish speaking world. Completion of this course will enable students to interact in a variety of different situations with native speakers and be able to proceed to Spanish 4 if they so choose. Teacher signature required.

Honors Spanish 3 (436)

Grade 11

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Spanish 2 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course.

This course is a prerequisite for admission to Honors Spanish 4 and is designed for students who have exhibited the ability to master advanced grammatical concepts and vocabulary at an accelerated pace. Students must demonstrate the ability to integrate new concepts with previously learned material and apply them in various situations. This course emphasizes communication in all language modes (interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational), through the lens of interculturality. By learning in an intercultural context, students acquire communication skills and content knowledge while exploring the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures. Students increase their reading proficiency and expand their knowledge of the culture of Spain through the reading of literature in Spanish. Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the Spanish Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

Spanish 4 (434)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

College Prep

Spanish 4 is designed for students who have successfully completed Spanish 3 and wish to continue their study of Spanish. It provides opportunities for students to further develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. By writing original dialogues, emails, and compositions, students demonstrate their mastery of complex grammatical concepts and the extensive vocabulary they have learned. Students will expand their vocabulary by learning about interesting and relevant topics, such as: travel, dining out, health, relationships, and university life. They will also have the opportunity to delve deeper into the study of the history, geography, and culture of Spain and Spanish speaking countries. Teacher signature required.

Honors Spanish 4 (437)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors Spanish 3 and a teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course. At the discretion of the department, students with three years of CP level Spanish may take this course by completing additional summer studies.

Honors Spanish 4 is designed for those students who have successfully completed Honors Spanish 3 and have demonstrated both a desire and an ability to continue the study of the language beyond the required courses. It is conducted almost entirely in the target language. The course is organized by themes based on social and cultural issues of Spanish-speaking communities such as: cultural identity, the changing roles of women and family, economic development and its effects on cultural heritage. Through a discovery of literature in varied contexts, the course emphasizes advanced communication in all language modes (interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational). Students must be enrolled in advanced-level honors courses to be eligible for nomination to the Spanish Honor Society. Teacher signature required.

Honors Spanish 5 (439)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors Spanish 4 or Honors Spanish 3 and teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course.

The content of this course is similar to that of the AP Spanish Language and Culture course; however, modifications to assignments and assessments are made as appropriate, and the student is not required to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam. Teacher signature required.

AP Spanish Language (430)

Grade 12

Credit 1.0

Advanced Placement

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Honors Spanish 4. This requirement may be at the discretion of the department.

Exceptions to this requirement will be made at the discretion of the teacher. Prior to admission to the class, students must demonstrate a serious approach to studies and the ability to work independently at an accelerated pace. In this class students strengthen their interpretive and communicative skills by: reading articles, short stories, plays, and novels; participating in class discussions; and completing a variety of oral and/or written assignments related to the readings. Great emphasis is placed on vocabulary acquisition and its integration with previously learned grammatical concepts in the writing of compositions and persuasive essays. Students practice comprehension of the language by listening to recordings of dialogues, narratives and lectures and by viewing Spanish language films and television programs (at home and in class). Students increase their oral proficiency by engaging in extemporaneous and simulated conversations and giving oral presentations (cultural comparisons) on various cultural topics related to the Spanish-speaking world. The three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) are implemented throughout the course. Six themes are integrated into the language, culture, and content in the following contexts: global challenges; science and technology; contemporary life; personal and public identities; families and communities; and beauty and aesthetics. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Language and Culture. The class is conducted entirely in Spanish. Teacher signature required.

Honors Spanish for Health Care Professionals (435)

Grade 11, 12

Credit 0.5

Honors

Prerequisite: a minimum grade point average of A- in Honors Spanish 3 and a teacher recommendation are required for enrollment in this course. At the discretion of the department, students with three years of CP level Spanish may take this course.

This course is designed for those students interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. Students will be introduced to essential medical vocabulary, practical reference information, and medical notes written from a cross-cultural perspective. The curriculum of the course will present a recompilation of everyday situations that doctors, nurses, and caregivers may encounter at work settings such as hospitals, emergency rooms, doctor offices, and clinics dealing with Spanish speaking patients in the United States. This course will include up-to-date information that highlights Hispanic customs relevant to healthcare, as well as health issues affecting Hispanics in the United States. Teacher signature required.