World Language
The Upper School offers Beginning through Advanced courses in Spanish, Chinese, French, and German and students may enroll in more than one world language course. Throughout the world language program, students are exposed to increasingly complex themes and develop their proficiency in alignment with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language standards. As they progress, students build cultural awareness and skill in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. In upper levels, substantive units on social, cultural and political issues are central to our courses. After completing Level IV of a language, students often elect to take Advanced Language Seminars, which explore topics at an advanced level entirely in the target language in a seminar format.
Students who advance to the Advanced Language courses are typically prepared to take Advanced Placement tests.
Chinese
Chinese I
By the end of this level, students can communicate about and identify the main idea and a few supporting details of short written and spoken messages on highly predictable, everyday topics on familiar themes involving personal identity, family, and daily life. They can use simple sentences that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in Novice Mid to Intermediate Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Ways of greeting Chinese people that explain your identity, ways of showing a beginning appreciation of Chinese language and culture, and ways of discussing trade and migration are the focus of this course. Themes and grammatical structures align with the Integrated Chinese I.
Chinese II
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations and present information on a number of familiar topics using increasingly complex sentences. They can handle short social interactions in everyday situations, write messages about familiar subjects, and recognize the main topic and some supporting details heard or read. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in the Novice High to Intermediate low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. This course explores how traditional medicine and health, unique features of Chinese housing, and Chinese historical relationship with the world all have a profound impact on daily life for children and adults in modern China. Themes and grammatical structures align with the Integrated Chinese 2 and Tales and Traditions I textbooks.
Chinese III
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations on familiar topics using a series of sentences, make presentations and write on a wide variety of familiar topics, and understand the main idea in the messages, presentations and texts on topics related to everyday life and personal interests. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Level III students focus their learning by analyzing and discussing traditional Chinese stories, food culture, and ideas of traditional architecture. Using text and video, they compare modern and ancient social structures. Themes and grammatical structures align with the Integrated Chinese 3 and Tales and Traditions I textbooks.
Chinese IV
By the end of this level, students should be able to participate in conversations and handle common social interactions, make a presentation on school and community events, write on a variety of topics, and understand the main idea in messages and presentations on a variety of topics. They can use and understand connected sentences while doing presentations, having conversations, reading, and hearing about everyday life. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Students in level IV get an introduction to ancient literature, discuss nuances of environmental protection in China, compare personal responsibilities of Chinese youth, and explore plans for professional life in China. Themes and grammatical structures align with the Integrated Chinese 4 and Tales and Traditions II textbooks.
Advanced Chinese
Advanced Chinese is an upper-level seminar course, the topics and foci of which will rotate over the course of two school years. For 2023-2024, the seminar is called "Classical and Contemporary Philosophy". It focuses on several essential classical readings studied and known by all Chinese middle and high school students. These Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist works are important keys to understanding Chinese conversation and discourse, and they are archetypally reenacted in modern Chinese literature. Putting those readings in a current context, students will be exposed to foundational Chinese ideas, and they will be taught how to use them in formal and informal ways. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
French
French I
French I students build foundational knowledge to meet basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, and identity - in authentic scenarios. The Upper School French I curriculum covers the Middle School French curriculum in one accelerated year, focusing on practical linguistic skills and cultural competency for basic interactions with French speakers. By the end of this level, students can communicate about and identify the main idea and a few supporting details of short written and spoken messages on highly predictable, everyday topics on familiar themes involving personal identity, family, and daily life. They can use simple sentences that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in Novice Mid to Intermediate Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
French II
French II focuses on problem-solving and expressing emotion around a variety of thematic units, including daily routines, technology, dating and relationships, illness and injury, and media. By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations and present information on several familiar topics using increasingly complex sentences in the past, present, and future. They can handle short social interactions in everyday situations, write messages about familiar subjects, and recognize the main topic and some supporting details heard or read. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in the Novice High to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
French III
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations on familiar topics using a series of sentences, make presentations and write on a wide variety of familiar topics, and understand the main idea in the messages, presentations and texts on topics related to everyday life and personal interests. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. The course textbook is Bien Dit! Level 3, and students explore the history and geography of the many countries that are part of the French-speaking world.
French IV
By the end of this level, students should be able to participate in conversations and handle common social interactions, make a presentation on school and community events, write on a variety of topics, and understand the main idea in messages and presentations on a variety of topics. They can use and understand connected sentences while doing presentations, having conversations, reading, and hearing about everyday life. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Through a variety of media, students in this course tackle social issues such as immigration, religion, and secularism in France.
Advanced French
Advanced French is an upper-level seminar course focusing on self, community, and justice, with specific topics rotating over the course of two school years. One set of courses centers around issues of environmental justice, revolutions across the Maghreb, and the preservation of cultural and linguistic heritage within the North American Francophone community. The second set of courses centers around ideas of self and community in a variety of contexts: the foundations of "Frenchness" in the French Revolution, the relationship between language, culture, and history in postcolonial Africa, and the idea of authentic selfhood as explored in existentialist theater and the arts. By the end of this level, students can participate with ease in conversations and everyday social interactions and can present information on topics of personal, community, national, or international interest. They can also interpret the main ideas and supporting details from written and spoken texts from literature and current news media. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in the Intermediate Mid to Advanced Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
German
German I (Not offered in 2023-24)
By the end of this level, students can communicate about and identify the main idea and a few supporting details of short written and spoken messages on highly predictable, everyday topics on familiar themes involving personal identity, family, and daily life. They can use simple sentences that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in Novice Mid to Intermediate Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Utilizing materials in Deutsch Aktuell Level 1, this course builds a foundation in the basic structures necessary to navigate authentic scenarios and covers the basic geography and cultures of the German-speaking countries. The Upper School German I curriculum covers the Middle School German curriculum in one accelerated year, focusing on practical linguistic skills and cultural competency for basic interactions with German speakers.
German II
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations and present information on several familiar topics using increasingly complex sentences. They can handle short social interactions in everyday situations, write messages about familiar subjects, and recognize the main topic and some supporting details heard or read. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Novice High to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Utilizing materials in Deutsch Aktuell Level 2, as well as selected short stories and novels, this course focuses on a variety of topics, such as travel, food, holidays and festivals and high-frequency topics to help students engage in social interactions with German-speaking peers.
German III
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations on familiar topics using a series of sentences, make presentations and write on a wide variety of familiar topics, and understand the main idea in the messages, presentations, and texts on topics related to everyday life and personal interests. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Utilizing materials in Deutsch Aktuell Levels 2 and 3, as well as selected short stories, novels, and media sources, students at this level explore topics related to communication, technology, health, future plans in education and occupations and selected historical topics.
German IV
By the end of this level, students can participate in conversations and handle common social interactions, make a presentation on school and community events, write on a variety of topics, and understand the main idea in messages and presentations on a variety of topics. They can use and understand connected sentences while doing presentations, having conversations, reading, and hearing about everyday life. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Students explore contemporary life in German-speaking countries through short stories, a play, and by following current events focusing on the political system and climate change.
Advanced German
Advanced German is an upper-level seminar course focusing on contemporary identities in the German-speaking world, with specific topics rotating over the course of two school years. By the end of the two-year sequence, students will have a broad understanding of various aspects of history and culture that affect German, Austrian, and Swiss identities, including: the evolution of changing values and demographic groups, the reckoning with Nazi crimes and the development of a culture of moral and political responsibility, the effects of immigration and multiculturalism, the art of political resistance, and the influence of geography on lifestyles. Students will examine these topics through the lens of central literary texts, current events, film, and music. By the end of this level, students can participate in everyday social interactions, discuss different points of view, and present information on topics of personal, community, national, or international interest. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in the Intermediate Mid to Advanced Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
Spanish
Spanish I
Throughout this course, students practice communicating about and identify the main idea and a few supporting details of short written and spoken messages on highly predictable, everyday topics on familiar themes involving personal identity, family, and daily life. They can use simple sentences that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in Novice Mid to Intermediate Low range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines.
Spanish II
Throughout this course, students participate in conversations and present information on several familiar topics using increasingly complex sentences. They can handle short social interactions in everyday situations, write messages about familiar subjects, and recognize the main topic and some supporting details heard or read. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Novice High to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. The cultural emphasis is on Spain and Mexico. The grammar focuses on the preterit, imperfect, and future tenses.
Spanish III
Throughout this course, students practice engaging in conversations on familiar topics using a series of sentences, make presentations and write on a wide variety of familiar topics, and understand the main idea in the messages, presentations and texts on topics related to everyday life and personal interests. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Spanish III students share stories and future plans, express doubt and hope, give suggestions and instruct others.
Spanish IV
Throughout this course, students practice maintaining conversations on common topics, make a presentation on school and community events, write on a variety of topics, and understand the main idea in messages and presentations on a variety of topics. They can use and understand connected sentences while doing presentations, having conversations, reading, and hearing about everyday life. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Students explore concepts of contemporary life, families and community, visual and performing arts, and current global issues in Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish V
By the end of this level, students typically participate with ease in conversations and everyday social interactions. They clearly communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest. The topics are handled concretely using narration and description in the major time frames of past, present, and future. These speakers can also deal with a social situation with an unexpected complication. Students completing this level typically demonstrate a proficiency in the Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. This course uses "Temas," a theme-based textbook that closely follows the Advanced Placement approach to learning and assessing. Topics included are Families and Communities, Science and Technology, Beauty and Aesthetics, Contemporary Life, Global Challenges, Identities and Public Personalities.
Advanced Spanish
Advanced Spanish is an upper-level seminar course with specific topics rotating over the course of two school years. By the end of the school year, students can participate with ease in conversations and everyday social interactions. They can communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest. The topics are handled concretely using narration and description in the major time frames of past, present, and future, as well as expressing opinions, making suggestions, and hypothesizing. These speakers can also deal with a social situation with an unexpected complication. Students completing this level typically demonstrate proficiency in the Intermediate High range in all modes of communication based on ACTFL guidelines. Over the course of four semesters, students study geography, history, political and social evolution of Spain (Fall 2023) and the Caribbean (Spring 2024), and Mexico (Fall 2022), the Andean region (Spring 2023).