World Language Department
Department Chairperson:
Mrs. Mary Jones
Department Members:
Mr. Andrew Dolan
Ms. Jamie Kneafsey
Mr. Joseph Murray
Mr. Jolain Romelus
"He who knows no foreign language has never really learned his own." - Goethe
Level I
During Level 1, students will learn to interact and survive linguistically in the target language in the classroom, primarily using memorized materials and functions that recur on a daily basis (e.g., greetings or describing the weather). TRhe students use the language in a manner that is comprehensible to a native speaker who is patient and accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. Phonological and grammatical errors are frequent. these errors are expected and even accepted as long as they do not interrupt the comprehensibility of the interchange
Students will usually give single sentence answers or evn partial sentences in response to cues involving visuals, tightly structured questions (yes/no, either/or) or a stuation (e.g., greetings when they enter the classroom). They rarely ask questions on their own but can repeat quetions from the teacher's model. It is hoped students will be learning to ask more questions by the end of this level and also to give more than just one-sentence answers to a question.
501 French 1 (Honors), Track 1, Gr. 9,10,11
511 Spanish 1 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 9,10,11
512 Spanish 1, Track 2, Gr. 9,10,11
513 Spanish 1, Track 3, Gr. 11
Level II
By the end of this level, students will possess the listening, speaking, reading and wriing skills necessary to be able to handle simple everyday survival tasks in the target culture (e.g., handling routine travel needs or taking care of their physical needs). Grammatical errors still appear in morphology and syntax patterns (especially in those dissimilar to English patterns) but subject/verb agreements are made with commonly used verbs, as are number agreements on nouns/articles. Phonological and grammatical errors are fewer than in level one but still occur frequently enough to mark the student distinctly as a foreigner. Student's speech will be understandable to natives accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
525 French 2 (honors), track 1, Gr. 10
521 Spanish 2 (honors), track 1, Gr. 10
522 Spanish 2, track 2, Gr. 10
523 Spanish 2, track 3, Gr. 10
Level III and Level IV
By the end of Levels III and IV, students will carry out all the functions of Level II but have greatly increased the content areas they can discuss. Going beyond the linguistic focus of primarily personal welfare and survival of level two, students at these levels are beginning to discuss other people, places and external events by describing and narrating in past, present and future time.
In conversations, the students are no longer primarily reactors. They participate actively in casual conversations and ask questions as part of the give-and-take of the interaction. They would be able not only to survive in the target culture but also live and function in it, albeit in a limited manner. They are able to face situations that involve minor problems or unexpected developments and begin to resolve the differences.
From the grammatical point of view, students can handle the basic elementary constructions quite accurately and can use constructions to refer to the past and the future in listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. Errors still occur in grammatical forms and usage. THe pronunciation is often faulty but intelligible. While they sometimes miscommunicate and must hesitate or use paraphrasing and fillers, they are likely to be comprehensible to natives not accusiomed to dealing with foreigners.
535 French 3 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 11,12
545 French 4 (honors, Tract 1, Gr. 12
531 Spanish 3 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 11,12
541 Spanish 4 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 12
562 Latin 1 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 11,12
545 French 4 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 12
531 Spanish 3 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 11,12
541 Spanish 4 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 12
562 Latin 1 (honors) Track 1, Gr. 9,12,11
This course will present basic Latin vocabulary, word forms and grammar in an orderly, cumulative fashion so that the student can achieve a fundamental reading knowledge of the language. A National Latin Exam for award recognition will be administered.
563 Latin 2 (honors), Track 1, Gr. 10,11,12
In this course there will be a review and further development of vocabulary, word forms and grammar. A National Latin Exam for award recognition will be administered.