Modern Languages: Spanish

French V Honors

Students in this advanced Honors French course, conducted entirely in French, develop their language skills as they make connections between the French speaking community and their own. Major components of language, grammar, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions are taught through literary passages, film, podcasts, blogs, and authentic internet sources. An emphasis is placed on examining the complexities of identity, global challenges, and diversity in French-speaking countries in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada.. We discuss how our identity is shaped by the interplay of biology and environment as well as by our own actions as we explore novels that focus on this theme: Joseph Joffo’s Un sac de billes and Faïza Guène’s Kiffe Kiffe Demain. Through structured practice to free expression, small group and paired activities, students hone their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Prerequisite: B+ in French IV Honors and recommendation of the Modern Language Department.

Modern Language: Spanish

Spanish I

Spanish I is an introductory course designed for students with little or no previous exposure to Spanish. The course focuses on developing listening, speaking, and written communication skills as it exposes students to the linguistic, cultural, and racial diversity of the Spanishspeaking world. YouTube, music, and other videos featuring native speakers accompany the textbook ¡Qué chévere! and provide an entertaining context for learning the language. In-class skits and presentations further develop students’ confidence. Grammar is presented in a communicative manner that emphasizes meaningful context. Students will read the novel Patricia va a California as an introduction to the life of an immigrant as well as an introduction to the indigenous cultures in the Spanish speaking world. Online resources such as Edpuzzle, Flipgrid, and Kahoot! are used extensively.

Spanish II

Spanish II seeks to continue to motivate students to discover the importance of learning Spanish while becoming enthusiastic participants in the learning process. This class focuses on developing communication skills through writing and speaking practice, always in contextualized situations working individually or in groups. The course also introduces grammar and literature in Spanish through novelas such as Fiesta Fatal by Mira Camion. As future global citizens, students are asked to compare Spanish-speaking cultures to their own as they draw parallelisms and learn about relevant differences. The course also makes use of online resources (news clips, video clips, and articles) to expose the students to real Spanish in the real world. Assessments involve weekly written and oral quizzes. We use the series ¡Qué Chévere! Level 2. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Spanish 8 or Spanish I.

Spanish II Honors

Students in Spanish II Honors follow the same engaging program as Spanish II by utilizing the ¡Qué chévere! textbook series. Students in this advanced class learn to take a critical approach to the text and other materials, highlighting the racial, cultural, and linguistic assumptions at work in them. Students also explore the global role of the Spanish language and its importance on the national and international landscape. In addition to extensive use of online and other resources – news articles, authentic video and audio materials – students are introduced to literature in Spanish through two novella-length readers, El escape cubano and ¡Viva el toro! Students are expected to adhere to a Spanish-only policy in the classroom. Regular assessments are complemented by video and other projects. Prerequisite: B+ in Spanish 8 Honors or A in Spanish 8 or Spanish I and recommendation of the Modern Language Department.

Spanish III

Spanish III is designed to help students focus on the three modes of communication - interpersonal, presentational and interpretive - while encouraging them to become proficient in the target language and culture. Students assume a more active role in their language learning as they consider how to integrate and apply new cultural and linguistic skills to their everyday lives. For each unit, students work on a different project driven by varying topics presented in class. Students read Vida o Muerte en el Cusco as they learn about Andean culture and the indigenous peoples of Perú. Students will also view the TV series, El tiempo entre costuras, to drive discussions and provide grammatical context. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Spanish II.

Spanish III Honors

This course focuses on improving students’ proficiency through writing, reading, listening, and speaking at the intermediate level. There is a strong emphasis on Latin American and Spanish culture and literature, as well as a regular look into Latin American and Spanish current events. Students reinforce their skills in advanced grammar through informal interpersonal class discussions and interpretative compositions and position papers. Students read Vida o Muerte en el Cusco as an introduction to Peruvian and Andean culture, reinforce their comprehension by watching the telenovela El tiempo entre costuras and learn about the Spanish Civil War by viewing the film, El Viaje de Carol. Students discuss the social and political upheavals of the 70s and 80s in Argentina while reading La Guerra Sucia. Assessments include oral and written quizzes as well as oral presentations. Prerequisite: B+ in Spanish II Honors and recommendation of the Modern Language Department.

Spanish IV

In this course students continue their journey through Spanish language and culture. Students further develop their proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills as they communicate with each other regarding authentic materials including films from Hispanic filmmakers, as well as short stories, newspaper articles, videos and music. Intermediate to advanced level grammar as introduced by the textbook and accompanying workbook ¡Qué Chévere! is embedded within contextualized themed units. By the end of the course, students write about and discuss a variety of topics including the value of ideas, work and finance, science and technology, leisure time and future challenges using appropriate vocabulary and structures including the perfect, conditional and subjunctive tenses. Students also read the novel La Guerra Sucia and create a video project focusing on a relevant cultural topic. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Spanish III.

Spanish IV Honors

The Spanish IV Honors program offers a contextualized study of Spanish grammar and vocabulary through complex readings, formal essays, projects and class discussion introduced by the textbook ¡Qué Chévere 4! Students continue with the study of Latin American cultures via discussions of history, religion, economics, and art. Their study of literature includes reading the novel Todo lo que brilla, set in Ecuador. Students in this course analyze authentic audio visual materials in the media or the internet. This course is taught entirely in Spanish and students are expected to adhere to the commitment to communicate exclusively in the target language. Prerequisite: B+ in Spanish III Honors and recommendation of the Modern Language Department.

Spanish V

In this course, students discuss the influence of popular culture expressions such as music, cinema, television, literature, sports, and food in the Hispanic world. Students “visit” different Spanish-speaking countries and explore their most popular cultural expressions. Students are exposed to authentic current content (always in Spanish) and they are expected to participate in the class discussions and create critical projects. Students read contemporary novels such as El Escape by A.C. Quintero and watch films such as Diario de motocicleta in order to further develop their understanding of the different Hispanic cultures. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Spanish IV.

Spanish V Honors

Conducted entirely in Spanish, this advanced class further develops the audio-lingual skills that the students have acquired in previous years. This course, designed to improve students’ fluency and pronunciation in Spanish, follows a content-based language instruction with an interactive task-based approach. Students increase their fluency through a variety of communicative activities such as discussions of literary excerpts and current events, analysis of authentic audio visual materials in the media or the internet, situational skits, dialogues, debates and presentations on different topics. Students read contemporary novels such as Pulsaciones by Javier Ruescas and Como agua para chocolate by Laura Esquivel and watch films such as Diarios de Motocicleta and Y también la lluvia, to broaden their perspective on the relationship between culture, language, and literature. Prerequisite: B+ in Spanish IV Honors and recommendation of the Modern Language Department.