World Languages
WORLD LANGUAGES The Landon School World Languages Department teaches the disciplines of Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. Our mission is to prepare the boys so that by the conclusion of their formal study they will have achieved the following goals: • Meet and exceed the equivalent of an intermediate to intermediate-high level of proficiency, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). • Understand thoroughly and appreciate the structure of the language studied. • Broaden and enrich their ability to communicate effectively. • Become more aware of the world in which they live. Proficiency in a modern language will prepare students to go anywhere in the world where the language is spoken and be able to meaningfully communicate with the people who speak the language that they have studied. Proficiency in Latin means that students will be able to read and write Latin at a sophisticated level. This proficiency will enable them to read and analyze the works of the significant figures in the classic world defined by the breadth of the Roman epoch and its influence on Western civilization. By understanding thoroughly and appreciating the structure of the language studied, the students will have a complete knowledge of the elements of the language and the way they
function; the logic of the grammar and the word order; and the subtleties of the differences in diction. By broadening and enriching communication abilities, students will benefit from the experience of appreciating in greater depth a concept expressed in a language other than English; become aware of cultural nuances and values reflected in the use of the language studied; become acutely aware of the details in managing the skills of communication while using the language studied; and apply the knowledge gained in studying a world language to express themselves in English more efficiently and effectively. By becoming more aware of the world in which they live, students will ultimately gain an appreciation for the cultures in which the target language is or was spoken; widen the lenses through which they perceive the human experience, both present and past; and celebrate the diversity of the world in which we live, both at home and abroad.
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LOWER SCHOOL Learning a new language is fun and exciting. Repetition with lots of practice in the classroom and at home is the key to learning a new language. Students listen and repeat words and expressions, sing songs, play games, and create and present projects to reinforce what they study in class. Also, they hear, read, write, tell, and re-tell stories through a variety of Total Physical Response classroom activities. Students in Grade 3 Spanish meet twice a week. The course features different themes such as the Spanish alphabet, pronunciation, greetings and goodbyes, classroom commands and school materials, numbers 0-31, colors, family members, the parts of the body, basic foods, weather, and clothing. Students hear and read the story of El ratón Pablito, and they create their own comic book about the story. The vocabulary and phrases learned are repeated throughout the year and incorporated in student projects and presentations. As a final project,
