World Language Department
World Language Week Contest
Listen to the music video and guess the language you are
hearing!
Klara Sands - Curriculum Leader
French, Spanish, and Latin are offered at the middle school in grades 7 and 8. Our two-year program is the equivalent of the first year of the study of with school a level one world language course. We strive to give our students the tools to begin communicating in and understanding French, Spanish and Latin. Our curriculum reflects that communication is a mixture of the spoken, the written, the auditory and a familiarity of the cultural context of the language used.
GRADE 7
French
The seventh grade French program is a standards-based program, which focuses on communication through the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
The program highlights the speaking and listening of French through expressions and vocabulary that relate to everyday experiences. Students work on thematic units that enable them to speak about their likes and dislikes, school supplies and what they need for school, what courses they take, and how they feel about their classes. They learn to talk about their interests and pastimes and they begin learning how to interact in a restaurant or café and order food.
Latin
The seventh grade Latin program introduces students to the study of the basic skills required to develop knowledge of vocabulary and language structure so that they are able to read Latin.
The learning of vocabulary is facilitated with oral work in class, keeping an organized notebook, associating English derivatives with their Latin roots and prefixes, and using the words in context via the readings about the adventures and lifestyle of a 1st Century Roman family. Through these readings, students learn about the lives of Roman teenagers, travel in Italy, and every day activities of a Roman family.
Spanish
The seventh grade Spanish program uses a standards-based approach with meaningful communication in Spanish as the primary goal. The four basic skills in language learning -- listening, speaking, reading and writing -- are taught to achieve this goal. In class, paired and group role- playing situations, written and oral exercises, question and answer activities, games, and songs all provide opportunities for practice. Audio and video activities challenge the student to improve listening comprehension.
GRADE 8
French
The eighth grade course is a continuation of the program begun in the seventh grade. The five basic facets of language learning -- listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture -- are stressed and reinforced. The course continues to follow thematic topics as a basis for the vocabulary and grammatical material presented. In addition to the present tense of regular verbs, students are introduced to the immediate future and the passé composé.
Student interaction in French is emphasized, with effective and accurate communication being the major goal. Students use vocabulary pertaining to the family, food, clothing and making plans.
Latin
The eighth grade Latin program continues the study of the basic skills required for knowledge of the language structure and for the ability to read Latin. Reading proficiency is emphasized. The program provides a variety of activities for mastering new vocabulary and reviewing those words learned in grade 7.
Students not only recognize meanings for the words but also increase their English vocabulary through the knowledge of Latin roots and prefixes. Grade 8 Latin emphasizes oral and written practice of language patterns. This includes being able to give a synopsis of verbs and knowing the case usage and endings for all five declensions. In addition, comparison of adjectives and adverbs, as well as the forms and use of relative, demonstrative and interrogative pronouns are learned.
Spanish
The eighth grade course is a continuation of the program begun in the seventh grade. The five basic aspects of language learning -- listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture -- are stressed and reinforced. The course continues to follow thematic topics as a basis for the vocabulary and grammatical material presented. Student interaction in Spanish is emphasized, with the major goal being the ability to communicate effectively and accurately, both orally and in writing. Students learn to share their experiences about topics such as families and family celebrations, eating in restaurants, where they live and the chores they do, shopping, vacation plans, community and ways to be involved, movies and TV.
There are a variety of activities and projects completed during the year that reinforce the students‟ knowledge and use of Spanish. The students use vocabulary and simple grammatical structures appropriate to real-life situations. They read materials of increasing difficulty and continue to write and speak about their own lives. Students have access to an interactive on-line edition of their textbook, which offers vocabulary and pronunciation practice, video clips, and a variety of reinforcement activities.