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MS Curriculum Detail

World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

The ultimate goal of the World Languages, Literatures & Cultures Department is the communication of meaning as fluently and accurately as possible. We teach the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Our focus is on using the language in the classroom; teachers speak to students only in the target language. Such immersion necessitates active listening on the part of students and encourages and enhances conversation. We reinforce the study of grammar through open-ended scenarios, skits, and dialogs, which might include such real-life situations as navigating travel, shopping for clothing, and restaurant and market excursions. We also include aspects of the culture and civilization in order to enrich the language-learning experience. Additional enrichment activities may include guest speakers, music, video clips and filming, and pen pal exchanges.
 
French and Spanish seventh and eighth grade students have the opportunity to travel, respectively, to a francophone country during the mid-winter break  and Puerto Rico during the summer. Middle and Upper School Chinese students have the opportunity to travel to China once every three years. Non-Chinese language students may join the Middle School group for this trip.

  • Chinese - Level A

    Level A grade World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are introductory courses with vocabulary, grammar, and culture taught through meaningful communication. Within the first marking period, students converse with each other, not using memorized text, but within open-ended scenarios based on broad vocabulary study. Techniques in the classroom may include the use of skits, role-playing, songs, images, presentations, storytelling, competitions, games, and videos.
     
    Working in the target language, students also learn about aspects of Chinese geography, customs, and culture.
     
     

  • Chinese - Level B*

    Working in the target language, students also learn about aspects of Chinese geography, customs, and culture.

  • Chinese Level C

    Level C World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are a continuation of their respective seventh grade classes, and focus on aural-oral comprehension. Communicative skills are increasingly emphasized. Students learn how to function and react in many different real-life situations, such as socializing, expressing attitudes and opinions, exchanging basic day-to-day information, seeking to persuade, expressing abilities and goals, talking about actions in the past and in the future, and making comparisons. Teachers continue to use such techniques as open-ended scenarios, role-playing, songs, pair-work, music, videos and filming, and also establish letter or email exchanges with students in Chinese, French, or Spanish-speaking schools. At the end of the year, eighth grade teachers recommend placement for the ninth grade classes.
     
    Students learn more about the customs, cultures, and history of China through lessons/activities. 
     
     
     

  • French - Level B*

    Working in the target language, students also learn about the customs, and culture of France and Francophone countries.

  • French Level A

    Level A World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are introductory courses with vocabulary, grammar, and culture taught through meaningful communication. Within the first marking period, students converse with each other, not using memorized text, but within open-ended scenarios based on broad vocabulary study. Techniques in the classroom may include the use of skits, role-playing, songs, images, presentations, storytelling, competitions, games, and videos.
    Working in the target language, students also learn about the customs, and culture of France and Francophone countries.
     
     

  • French Level C

    Level C World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are a continuation of their respective seventh grade classes, and focus on aural-oral comprehension. Communicative skills are increasingly emphasized. Students learn how to function and react in many different real-life situations, such as socializing, expressing attitudes and opinions, exchanging basic day-to-day information, seeking to persuade, expressing abilities and goals, talking about actions in the past and in the future, and making comparisons. Teachers continue to use such techniques as open-ended scenarios, role-playing, songs, pair-work, music, videos and filming, and also establish letter or email exchanges with students in Chinese, French, or Spanish-speaking schools. At the end of the year, eighth grade teachers recommend placement for the ninth grade classes.
     
    As part of the language study, students learn about the geography of France and some Francophone countries, and about holidays and traditions in French provinces. 
     
     
     

  • Spanish - Level B*

    Working in the target language, students continue building their understanding of the customs, vocabularies (dialectical differences), and cultures of different countries in the Spanish-speaking world.

  • Spanish Level A

    Level A World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are introductory courses with vocabulary, grammar, and culture taught through meaningful communication. Within the first marking period, students converse with each other, not using memorized text, but within open-ended scenarios based on broad vocabulary study. Techniques in the classroom may include the use of skits, role-playing, songs, images, presentations, storytelling, competitions, games, and videos.
     
    Working in the target language, students also learn about the customs, vocabularies (dialectical differences), and cultures of different countries in the Spanish-speaking world.
     

  • Spanish Level B

    Level B World Languages, Literatures & Cultures continues introductory-level instruction, with emphasis on speaking in the target language from the beginning of the year. Within the first month, students are expected to converse with each other, not with a memorized text, but extemporaneously within open-ended scenarios based on broad vocabulary study. In addition to speaking and listening, strong emphasis is placed on developing reading and writing skills. Techniques in the classroom may include the use of skits, role-playing, music, pair-work, and video clips and filming.
     
    Working in the target language, students learn about the geography and cultures of selected Hispanic countries in Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

  • Spanish Level C

    Level C World Languages, Literatures & Cultures courses are a continuation of their respective seventh grade classes, and focus on aural-oral comprehension. Communicative skills are increasingly emphasized. Students learn how to function and react in many different real-life situations, such as socializing, expressing attitudes and opinions, exchanging basic day-to-day information, seeking to persuade, expressing abilities and goals, talking about actions in the past and in the future, and making comparisons. Teachers continue to use such techniques as open-ended scenarios, role-playing, songs, pair-work, music, videos and filming, and also establish letter or email exchanges with students in Chinese, French, or Spanish-speaking schools. At the end of the year, eighth grade teachers recommend placement for the ninth grade classes.
     
    Cultural study continues of holidays, customs, and daily life in selected Hispanic countries. 



     
     

  • World Language Independent Study

    Independent study languages courses are arranged individually with the department and teachers, usually for students who are already multilingual.
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