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2023-24  French (AP)

This is an advanced level language course that has been designed to help students refine and further develop their proficiency in French through authentic written and audio materials as well as to promote and improve higher level thinking skills. This includes integration of the four language skills: reading, speaking, listening and writing. The term integrated skills refers to the ability to integrate reading, listening and writing skills by interpreting and synthesizing information from two or three different sources to support and/or defend ideas. The course is conducted entirely in French. In addition, students will also learn about important contemporary and historical issues, significant works of literature and art, cultural aspects of francophone cultures, and everyday life. Students who enroll will also prepare to take the Advanced Placement Exam in French Language and Culture.

2023-24 French I

This course is designed for students who have had no French language study or students who have had less than one year of high school French. It provides the basis for the study and use of French. Students will develop proficiency in the three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. Please see below for more explanation.

Students are taught to interpret, speak, read, and write the language, with emphasis on spontaneous conversation and practical application. A working vocabulary, basic grammatical structures of the language, culture and customs are developed in context and introduced in a variety of ways.

2023-24 French II

This course is designed for students who have had one year or the equivalent of one year of high school French. The course is targeted at increasing student proficiency in their ability to speak, understand, read, and write French in a variety of culturally authentic contexts. The student is taught to understand, speak, read, and write the language, with emphasis on conversation and practical application. A working vocabulary is developed in context, as are the basic grammatical structures of the language. Students are also introduced to cultural perspectives, practices and products. Students will develop proficiency in the three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. Please see below for more explanation.

2023-24  French III and French III (Honors)

At this level, the class is conducted in French and students are expected to use only French in class. Students will develop proficiency in the four skills of communication: reading, listening, writing, and speaking.  Please see below for more explanation.

Students are taught to interpret, speak, read, and write the language, with emphasis on spontaneous conversation and practical application. A working vocabulary, basic grammatical structures of the language, culture and customs are developed in context and introduced in a variety of ways. In addition, students are introduced to literature in French and engage in oral and written discussions. based on their reading. 

Students in this class are expected to invest in learning about the French language and francophone culture. This course is designed as preparation for the French AP Language course.

2023-24 French V (Honors)

In French 5H, students continue to refine their skills. Students read and interpret selected French novels and texts, discuss contemporary issues, study and discuss the history and culture of the French-speaking world. Students also get the opportunity to study French films in depth. The grade for this course is weighted for both UC and high school credit.

2023-24  Japanese (AP)

This is an advanced level language course that has been designed to help students refine and further develop their proficiency in Japanese through authentic written and audio materials as well as to promote and improve higher level thinking skills. This includes integration of the four language skills reading, speaking, listening and writing. Students will need to integrate skills to either create oral presentations or write essays. The term integrated skills refers to the ability to integrate reading, listening and writing skills by interpreting and synthesizing information from two or three different sources to support and/or defend ideas presented in an essay or oral presentation. The course is conducted entirely in Japanese. In addition, students will also learn about important contemporary and historical issues, significant works of literature and art, cultural aspects of the Japanese cultures, and everyday life, all in preparation for success on the AP Japanese Culture and Language Exam.

2023-24  Japanese I

This course is designed for students who have had no or little Japanese language study. The student is taught to understand, speak, read, and write the language, with an emphasis on conversation and practical application.  A working vocabulary is developed in context, as are the basic grammatical structures of the language.  In addition to listening and oral drills, there are readings, written grammatical exercises. Students are introduced to culture and customs through skits, music, videos, food, and magazines.

2023-24  Japanese II

This course is a continuation of Japanese 1, further developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The goal of the second year is to give students a working knowledge of Japanese in both formal and informal settings. Contemporary topics, vocabulary, and culture are stressed. A variety of activities, including skits, projects, food days, and videos are included to enhance students’ understanding of life in Japan and their use of the language.

2023-24 Japanese III | III (Honors)

This course is a continuation of Japanese II, further developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in both formal and informal forms. Over 100 new kanji will be learned aiding in better understanding of written language. Honorific and humble forms will be introduced, but pertinent verb forms and grammar structures will be further developed and explored. Upon completing the course, students will have been introduced to all the major structural patterns of contemporary Japanese and will have begun to emphasize vocabulary building through the study of situation oriented materials that stress communicative competence. Intensive practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing will be conducted.

2023-24  Japanese IV

This course is a continuation of Japanese III, further developing the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in both formal and informal forms. In addition, honorific and humble forms are introduced. Upon completing the course, students will have been introduced to all the major structural patterns of contemporary Japanese and will have begun to emphasize vocabulary building through the study of situation oriented materials that stress communicative competence. Intensive practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing will be conducted. This is not an Advanced Placement Course.

2023-24 Mandarin|Chinese (AP)

The majority of the class time is devoted to well-balanced mixture of: Discussion and writing activities based on materials we have read, refinement of language skills based on text activities , oral presentation dealing with our reading and cultural discussion, listening to variety of authentic broadcasts and recording as preparation for the AP Chinese Language and Culture examination. By the end of the course, students will be able to:
 
  1. Comprehend , draw inferences from, and respond to spoken and written Chinese in a variety of personal, social, and cultural contexts.
  2. Use critical thinking skills (e.g., analyzing, comparing, synthesizing, and evaluating) to derive meaning from context.
  3. Describe an event or activity in a cohesive and coherent manner with linguistic accuracy.
  4. Demonstrate cultural appropriateness through spoken and written discourse.
  5. Interact in a variety of situations that pertain to daily life.
 
By using only Chinese language in class, students will increase their skills across the board in all skill areas. Having exposure to Chinese Language newscasts, podcasts, films, music and recording by native Chinese speakers, students will interact with large amounts of authentic language. Practice and assessment of skills will feature the use of simulated and released AP Exams. We use the textbook Integrated Chinese, Level 2, Part 2 by Cheng and Tsui Co. as main text, along with authentic materials from Chinese media, such as newspapers, magazines, broadcast, radio announcements, etc.

2023-24  Mandarin|Chinese I

Mandarin 1 is designed to provide the basic communicative skills in Mandarin, Chinese culture and history. Students will develop a basic mastery of the four language skills:  speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  Students will learn Hanyu pinyin, radicals, word usages, sentence patterns, basic dialogues and short sentences in real life situations.  The course also presents an introduction to the culture/history of  the Mandarin/Chinese-speaking world.  The students are able to use formulaic language to engage in conversations and appropriate responses in a culturally authentic way. This course is for beginning students or non-native speakers only. 
Specifically, students will be able to:
 
      1. Use the Pinyin Romanization system to pronounce Chinese correctly with the appropriate tone.
  1. Understand the basic Chinese radicals and follow rules of stroke orders for writing Chinese characters
  2. Have a general idea of the uniqueness of Chinese grammar (word order, measure words and etc.);
  3. Apply a basic working Chinese vocabulary, visually recognize 350 Chinese terms, and write about 200 characters.
  4. Conduct a beginning level conversation in Chinese. Topics include exchange of personal information, family structure, profession, place and time, hobbies, scheduling appointments.
  5. Write simple, fixed expressions and short sentences on topics given above.

2023-24  Mandarin|Chinese II

Mandarin II students will continue to develop a mastery of the four language skills  – speaking, listening, reading, and writing. They will further develop their oral skills, their knowledge of Chinese culture/history, and the skills needed to interact positively with members of the culture.  They will become more confident in using vocabulary they learned and more skillful in the conversational use of sentence structures.  They will develop needed skills in reading for content and begin to acquire basic skills in composition spontaneously.  They will demonstrate an understanding of the general meaning, key ideas, and some details in authentic texts.
 
Specifically, students will be able to:
  1. Converse in Mandarin Chinese in a culturally appropriate manner about every day topics such as school life, shopping, transportation, weather, dining.
  2. Read, write/produce and comprehend a short paragraph, using simple sentences written in Chinese characters.
  3. Recognize 400 or more Chinese characters and terms.

2023-24 Mandarin|Chinese III

Mandarin 3 is designed to bring the students to a level where they are able to satisfy most survival needs and many social demands in the life of a Chinese society. Students of Mandarin 3 class will learn the vocabulary and structures necessary to communicate in Chinese about the following: asking directions, birthday party, seeing a doctor, dating, renting an apartment, sports, and travel.
 
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • handle short social interactions on familiar topics by asking and answering a variety of questions.
  • describe, narrate and explain information. compare, contrast, argue, persuade and demonstrate critical thinking skills
  • write on familiar topics related to school and community in a generally organized way. 
  • write simple paragraphs about events and experiences in various time frames.
  • understand the main idea of texts related to everyday life and personal interests or studies.
  • understand and appreciate the facts and perspectives of Chinese culture related to the learning topics.

2023-24  Mandarin|Chinese IV & (Honors)

Mandarin 4H is designed to enable the students to participate extensively in the life of the Chinese society. By the end of the course, students will be able to:
  • manipulate most social situations and casual conversations regarding current events
  • discuss, compare and contrast, support or persuade an opinion on various topics
  • demonstrate understanding of the main idea and details in authentic texts
  • give oral presentations on various cultural topics such as Chinese food, school life, education system, social media, etc.

2023-24 Spanish Language and Culture (AP)

This is an advanced level language course that has been designed to help students refine and further develop their proficiency in Spanish through authentic written and audio materials as well as to promote and improve higher level thinking skills. This includes integration of the four language skills: reading, speaking, listening and writing. Students will need to integrate skills to either create oral presentations or write essays. The course is conducted completely in Spanish. In addition, students will also learn about important contemporary and historical issues, significant works of literature and art, cultural aspects of the Hispanic Cultures, and everyday life. The course is equivalent and/or comparable to a fifth and sixth semester college and university course that focuses on speaking and writing at an advanced level. Students who enroll will also prepare to take the Advanced Placement Exam in Spanish Language.

2023-24  Spanish Literature and Culture (AP)

This is an advanced level literature course that has been designed to help students interpret and analyze representative works of Peninsular and Latin American literature. This course is comparable to a third-year college introduction to Hispanic Literature course. The class is conducted entirely in Spanish and students are provided with opportunities to read, to discuss, to analyze critically and to write analytical essays about representative works from The Medieval and Golden Age, The Nineteenth Century as well as The Twentieth Century. In addition, students will write comparative essays which discuss thematic differences and similarities between works of art and excerpts from the texts read in class. All of the works included on the official AP Spanish Literature reading list are taught and read during the academic year. No abridged versions or films are used in place of text. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Spanish Literature and Culture Exam.

2023-24 Spanish I

This course is designed for students who have had little to no exposure to the Spanish language or students who have had less than one year of high school Spanish. It provides the basis for the continuing study and use of Spanish. Students will develop novice proficiency in the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. Please see below for more explanation.  

The students’ listening, speaking, and writing skills are developed with an emphasis on original and spontaneous self-expression.  Students will read novice-level texts in Spanish on a regular basis.  Students are introduced to cultural perspectives, practices, and products of Latin American and Spanish cultures. 

This class requires collaboration, curiosity, risk-taking, and consistent practice in and out of class.  It is designed as preparation for Spanish 2 or Spanish 2 Honors.

2023-24 Spanish II

This course is designed for students who have had one year or the equivalent of one year of high school Spanish. It develops the ability to speak, understand, read, and write Spanish in a culturally appropriate context. It provides the basis for the continuing study and use of Spanish. Students will develop proficiency in the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. Students are introduced to cultural perspectives, practices and products of Spanish and Latin American cultures. 

Success in this class depends heavily on the student’s cooperation, participation, curiosity and consistent practice in and out of class.This course is designed as preparation for Spanish III or Spanish III Honors.

2023-24  Spanish II (Honors)

This course is designed for students who have had one year or the equivalent of one year of high school Spanish. It develops the ability to speak, understand, read, and write Spanish in a culturally appropriate context. It provides the basis for the continuing study and use of Spanish. The student is taught to understand, speak, read, and write the language, with emphasis on conversation and practical application. A working vocabulary is developed in context, as are the basic grammatical structures of the language. In addition to listening and oral activities, there are readings, written grammatical exercises, and original dialogue performances. Students are introduced to cultural perspectives, practices and products. Success in this class depends heavily on the student’s cooperation, participation, curiosity and consistent practice in and out of class.

2023-24 Spanish III

The Level 3 course is conducted in Spanish and students are expected to use Spanish in class. Students will develop proficiency in the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. Please see below for more explanation.

The students’ listening and speaking skills are further developed with an emphasis on original and spontaneous self-expression. In addition, students are introduced to literature in Spanish and engage in oral and written discussions based on their reading. 

Students in this class are expected to invest in learning about the Spanish language and Spanish and Latin American cultures.

2023-24  Spanish III (Honors)

This intensive honors course at Level III is conducted in Spanish and students are expected to use only Spanish in class. Students will develop proficiency in the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. Please see below for more explanation.

The students’ listening and speaking skills are further developed with an emphasis on original and spontaneous self-expression. In addition, students are introduced to literature in Spanish and engage in oral and written discussions. based on their reading. 

Students in this class are expected to invest in learning about the Spanish language and Spanish and Latin American cultures. This course is designed as preparation for the Spanish AP Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture courses.

2023-24  Spanish III (Honors for Spanish Speakers)

 
The Spanish for Spanish Speakers course provides continuing language instruction for students who have developed proficiency in Spanish because it is their first language or is spoken extensively in the home. The course utilizes a language arts approach comparable to that of English courses offered to English-speaking students. It develops all language skills, emphasizing critical reading and writing, as well as the acquisition of academic vocabulary. It provides focused treatment of the culture, literature, and history of the Spanish-speaking world. This course is designed to benefit students of various backgrounds: 1) students born in the U.S. who speak Spanish at home and/or underwent an immersion program, 2) students born in Spanish-speaking countries who have had some formal education in Spanish, 3) students born in Spanish-speaking countries (and speak the target language) whose educational experience has been limited to English.