WORLD LANGUAGE

Completing three years of language study is required as part of the diverse curriculum in Middle School. Students entering in Grade 6 select to study Chinese, French, or Spanish. It is our philosophy that students will grow in their appreciation and mastery of a language if they remain in the same language for three years. Students may not add or drop a language after the first day of school, but movement, while not recommended, is possible if the schedule permits following the Grade 6-year only. Regardless of the language choice, students finishing three years of study in Middle School should be ready for a Level II or Level III course in Grade 9. Teachers make a recommendation for the next level based on academic readiness, current mastery in the language course, evidence of executive functioning skills (i.e., planning, time management, and ability to work independently), interest, and motivation.

The first two introductory years of language study are described as Novice 1A and 1B, while the third year moves to a Novice 2 level.

Novice 1A level courses run in response to interest, therefore, a course with fewer than five students may not run. New students in Grades 7 and 8 with previous language experience will take a skills assessment to establish their readiness for the grade level language. Those with no previous experience will enter an introductory course.

Novice 1A French and Spanish

Students fully engage their hearts, hands and minds in the Novice 1A course. With an incorporation of project-based learning, students develop an appreciation for people and cultures through active role-play, songs, and recreation of cultural traditions, helping them to broaden their understanding of varying perspectives, practices, and values from other parts of the world. Language study is engaging and meaningful when students learn the skills needed to communicate in the target language by engaging in miming, drawing, singing, improvising a scene, collaborating with peers and playing a variety of games. Simultaneously, students work to build the foundation for reading, writing, speaking and listening to the target language.

In Novice 1A courses, students build their introductory linguistic skills through short stories. In Spanish and French, stories promote learning within a communicative context and allow students to use text evidence to support their answers to comprehension questions. By emphasizing, expanding or promoting lexical terms, grammatical patterns and/or recognizing characters, the stories prepare students to be successful at the next level. They develop their writing skills through simple compositions or guided narratives, partake in interactive guided and unrehearsed conversations in the target language, and are expected to participate in diverse class activities.

Novice 1B French and Spanish

Novice 1B French, and Spanish world language courses allow students to further immerse themselves in the language and cultures as they expand their communication skills. With a continued focus on the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing, students expand their vocabulary in the target language and learn to develop skills that will permit them to have impromptu conversations with a peer or practice at home with a family member. Students grow in their appreciation for the culture by collaborating with a peer on a research project, watching videos, or preparing food, or art work that are common in the culture.

Novice 2 French and Spanish

In Novice 2 French and Spanish courses in Middle School, students end their three-year sequence of focused study and are able to understand and communicate in the target language using more complex sentence structures. Students engage their hands and minds by participating in interactive exercises, short plays, videos, short stories, or reading novels, helping them to build a fundamental capability of oral communication through real-life situations that explore new cultural, lexical and grammatical themes. They develop their writing skills through more elaborate compositions or guided narratives, partake in guided and unrehearsed conversations with peers in the target language. Finally, students engage their hearts by developing cultural sensitivity and global awareness while they are introduced to Hispanoparlante and Francophone cultures. They expand their horizons through exploring real estate (houses and their architectures), fashion, neighborhoods, hobbies, food and travel in the region. A community of respect is elevated as students acquaint themselves with a variety of perspectives on society as they practice their four linguistic competencies: reading and listening comprehension, speaking and writing skills.

Electives

Electives are offered each trimester in the following categories for students in Grade 6: computer science & technology, performing arts, and visual arts. Students in Grades 7 and 8 select from the same categories with the addition of music. Students select these courses in the spring by rank, ordering their choices in an electronic form sent through email. Students may take no more than two courses from the same category. Final placement is not guaranteed, but we will honor their preferences as much as possible.

Performing arts classes prepare for an ensemble performance, either large or small, during the term. Computer science & technology and visual art studio classes are designed for individual creativity on project-based work; and appreciation classes cover the history and significance of key genres, artists, or movements within the chosen discipline.

Performing Arts

The Middle School performing arts curriculum is specifically designed to encourage and foster creativity and risk taking. Each course can be taken independently, or courses can be combined to provide an in-depth study of various theatrical topics. Classes are collaborative and hands-on, requiring students to work together with their peers to solve technical challenges, create new designs and share stories. With an emphasis also on building self-esteem and specific skills, performance courses are designed to meet each student where they are, as a middle schooler and performer, and then to build upon that base. Paired with the MS Musical, all courses complement each other, and allow for individual and collective growth.

Middle School Musical/Technical Theater

The Middle School musical provides a performing arts experience that fosters self-confidence and personal fulfillment through teamwork. Students may elect to participate in rehearsing and performing the musical, or building sets and props and operating the technical equipment. Both classes are available to all students regardless of experience level. A typical day in class involves both hard work and fun, and relies on students to come prepared and develop a willingness to take risks and think creatively about problem solving. The culminating activity is the musical itself. Students undertake great individual responsibility and commitment to assure a successful production and rewarding experience for one another, including two Saturday rehearsals, four after school rehearsals, three performances, and set strike (clean up) day.

Participation in the MS musical is one of the most mission-aligned efforts a student will make at Sewickley Academy. From auditions to rehearsals and performances to set strike, students learn first hand the key components of creating and producing a full-scale musical. The skills learned throughout the process are directly transferable to other theatrical experiences a student may pursue, or more broadly, life skills and character traits such as job interviewing, public speaking, collaboration, self-confidence, and resilience.

Visual Arts

The Middle School visual arts curriculum is specifically designed to encourage and foster creativity and risk taking. Each course can be taken independently, or courses can be combined to provide an in-depth study of various artsrelated topics. Classes are collaborative and hands-on, allowing for individual and collective growth work as students work independently and together with their peers to reatively develop their artistic techniques. With an emphasis also on building artistic habits of mind and observational skills, visual arts courses are designed to meet each student where they are, as a middle schooler and artist, and then to build upon that base.

Current courses include: Drawing and Painting, Printmaking, Found Object Art, Sculpture, Glass and Mosaics, 3-D Art, Hand Building, Wheel Throwing.