World Languages

List of 27 items.

• Chinese I

  Chinese I
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: none)
  
  This course is designed for students with no experience in the language. In the first year of Chinese class, students will develop Chinese conversational skills through basic social interactions. The phonetic system of Pinyin will be introduced as a guide to pronunciation. Basic vocabulary and grammar will be provided for each communication topic at the simplest level. Word processing in Chinese will also be introduced in the first year, as well as student insight into Chinese culture.

• Chinese II

  Chinese II
  (1 credit; open to Class 9-12; prerequisite: Chinese I)
  
  In Chinese II students will further develop their conversational skills of Chinese in basic social interactions. Continued emphasis will be on building high–frequency vocabulary in everyday conversational settings while also improving students’ reading comprehension and writing skills. Students are encouraged to participate in classroom activities and to practice their language skills in and outside of class.

• Chinese III

  Chinese III
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: Chinese II)
  
  Students will further increase their ability to use Chinese to communicate through speaking, reading, and writing. Students are encouraged to create oral presentations and dialogues to expand their natural use of Chinese. Students will also write short compositions on topics related to personal knowledge, experience, or interest. Students will consolidate their knowledge of the language and their ability to use it and will learn additional grammar and vocabulary as appropriate in context. Students will also explore topics of interest to young individuals, as well as cultural themes. 

• Chinese IV

  Chinese IV
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: Chinese III)
  
  This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Chinese III or equivalent as demonstrated in the placement exam. Students will continue to advance their understanding and fluency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Chinese. Students are expected to read and write on a daily basis as communication skills are further developed through class discussions and oral presentations. Many aspects of everyday Chinese culture will be introduced throughout this course. In addition, successful completion of this course will prepare a student for the AP Chinese class for the following school year.
  (This course will not be available in 2024-2025.)

• AP Chinese

  AP Chinese
  (1 credit; open to class 10-12; prerequisite: Chinese III and/or Chinese IV (H))
  
  This class follows the College Board’s Advanced Placement program and is conducted entirely in Chinese. Continued development of speaking and listening skills is achieved through activities such as class discussion, oral reports, literature reading, viewing and listening to authentic materials, and cultural study. Consolidation of grammatical concepts, a strong command of vocabulary and structure, and the ability to converse fluently in various settings are course objectives. Motivated students are highly encouraged to take the AP Chinese Exam. Since this is an AP course, students should expect university level academic expectations and rigor.

• French I

  French I
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: none)
  
  In this course students converse almost exclusively in French as soon as possible to acquire vocabulary and grammar in contextual situations. Brief video materials connected to topics in the text, as well as a serially presented story about French teenagers, reinforce listening comprehension in a visually appealing setting. Nightly homework assignments, as well as periodic longer compositions, help students develop their writing skills. Passages in the text plus additional poems and stories are read and discussed. Student-created skits, contemporary French music, and feature films enliven language study.

• French II

  French II
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: French I)
  
  This course continues the effort to acquire contextually based vocabulary and structures in an all-French atmosphere. Much emphasis is placed on both spoken and written communication. In addition to the electronic textbook, the course uses culturally authentic resources including infographics, music videos, news articles, and advertisements to introduce new vocabulary and structures. Daily conversational warm-ups, oral slide presentations, in-class skits, and student-made videos help  students hone their speaking skills. Interactive videos and feature films enhance the students’ listening comprehension. The reading program consists of humorous stories from the beloved Petit Nicolas as well as French graphic novels and comic books. Written assignments develop grammatical precision through self-expression. The  students’ awareness of French culture and civilization grows with this introduction to speaking, reading, and writing.

• French III

  French III
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: French II)
  
  Students in this course become more acquainted with classical French literature (with a close reading of Antoine de Saint Exupery’s novel Le Petit Prince) as well as francophone history, culture, and geography. Students are expected to research and report on a variety of topics with written submissions and oral
  presentations and to possess a mastery of grammatical forms (including all verb tenses) by the end of the second semester. Commercial and documentary films, poetry, online news sources and podcasts from the French-speaking world will allow students to better their understanding of several cultural topics such as French-American relations, francophone identity, colonial history, and French media. This course prepares students for the AP French Language and Culture course.

• French IV

  French IV
  (1 credit; open to class 10-12; prerequisite: French III)
  
  This year-long course will focus on developing greater sophistication and accuracy in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in French. In addition to an in-depth grammar study and vocabulary review, new French and francophone history and culture topics will be introduced. The students will read several short stories, fairy tales, adapted novels, and other authentic texts to better understand questions of identity, issues of belonging, nostalgia, heritage, innovation, and demographic change. Commercial and documentary films, music, painting, poetry, online news sources, and podcasts from the French-speaking world will also allow students to better their understanding of the aforementioned topics. Conversation will be encouraged by paired/group activities, class discussions, oral presentations, and analysis of the assigned readings and films. Students will submit regular written work on a variety of theme-based subjects. After completing this course, students may enroll in AP French Language and Culture or Seminar in French (H) / French Literature and Civilization (H) with the recommendation of the teacher.

• AP French Language and Culture

  AP French Language and Culture
  (1 credit; open to class 11-12; prerequisite: French III)
  
  This elective course, conducted entirely in French, uses a variety of authentic literary texts, online news stories, videos and podcasts to prepare students for real-life situations in French-speaking places around the world. Classroom participation is a key component to the class. Students prepare visually based oral presentations and are expected to conduct all group work in French. Students review advanced grammar and hone their skills through extensive writing assignments, including practicing persuasive essays and personal essays on a variety of theme-based topics. Literature in the class ranges from 16th-century poetry to 21st-century contemporary essays, news articles and spoken word poetry. The selections  reflect each of the 6 Global themes assessed on the AP French Language and Culture Exam (Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public identities, Family and Community, and Beauty and Aesthetics). Students in this course are prepared to take the AP French Language and Culture examination at the end of the year. 

• French Literature and Civilization

  French Literature and Civilization (H)
  (1 credit; open to class 11-12; prerequisites: AP French Language and Culture)
  
  This course guides students in exploring French and Francophone literature as a window on both literary analysis and historical contexts and events. Reading materials include classic literary texts by authors including Voltaire and Molière and modern authors and movements such as absurdist theater and Existentialism. Students will also read contemporary works and study French films from the New Wave and beyond that blur the line between art and  literature. Writing will include analytical essays as well as creative works. Students will continue to develop their listening and speaking skills through seminar-style discussions and a variety of audiovisual material. French is used exclusively in the classroom by both teachers and students. (This course, offered in alternating years with Seminar in French (H), will be available in 2026-2027.)

• Seminar in French (H)

  Seminar in French (H)
  (1 credit; open to class 11-12; prerequisites: AP French
  Language and Culture)
  
  This course offers a literary voyage around the French-speaking world, from France to its former colonies in the French Antilles, Africa and beyond. Students will read 20th-21st century novels, essays, poems and other literary works by authors including Maryse Condé, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt and Gaël Faye. The course teaches methodologies for literary analysis while exploring the historical, sociological and cultural contexts behind the works. Writing includes analytical essays as well as creative fiction and non-fiction. Students will continue to develop their listening and speaking skills through seminar-style discussions and a variety of interactive audio-visual material. French is used exclusively in the classroom by both teachers and students. (This course, offered in alternating years with French Literature and Civilization (H), is available in 2025-2026.)

• Latin I

  Latin I
  (1 credit; open to 9-12; prerequisite: none)
  
  Latin I is a course designed to introduce students to the basic principles of classical Latin morphology and syntax using the Cambridge Latin Series Units 1 and 2. In addition to the mastery of these basic tools, the course will focus on vocabulary acquisition, and the development of sight translation skills and reading competency necessary to continue successfully into the second year. Latin I provides a basic introduction to the language, literature, history, and culture of the Roman world. This course is subject to a minimum enrollment requirement.

• Latin II

  Latin II
  (1 credit; open to 9-12 class, prerequisite: Latin I)
  
  This year will begin with a thorough but well-paced review of all morphology and syntax covered in the Cambridge Latin Series Units 1 and 2. Following this comprehensive review, students will be taken into the realm of more complex syntax and morphology. The texts employed, Cambridge Latin Series Units 3 and 4, continue to build students’ language skills such that at the end of the year they are prepared to read unabridged, authentic Latin texts. The intellect-building, deductive process of language acquisition remains the heart of the course, while also developing mastery of more complex grammar. To make for a more consummate young classicist, lessons will be interspersed with forays into Roman art and archaeology, Roman culture, and Roman history.

• Latin III

  Latin III
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12 class, prerequisite: Latin II)
  
  The first two courses of Latin are dedicated to the mastery of regular morphology (the inflected forms of verbs, nouns, pronouns, and adjectives) and all forms of simple and complex Latin syntax. In Latin III, students make the transition from translating modern writers’ Latin stories to reading authentic Latin texts from the likes of Ovid, Caesar, Cicero, Catullus, and Vergil. Latin III also delves more in-depth into Roman history and culture by studying topics such as Roman epigraphy, numismatics, rhetorical devices, and poetic meter. Students may enroll in Latin IV or AP Latin after having completed the course.

• Latin IV

  Latin IV
  (1 credit; open to Class 10-12, prerequisite: Latin III)
  
  Latin IV is a reading course offered to students who have completed Latin I, II, and III. The objective of this course is to expose students to a wide range of Latin literary genres, which include the following: drama, history, love, poetry, epic poetry, oratory, philosophy, and satire. Students will focus on developing their reading skills and will enjoy the opportunity to study and assess Roman culture through the Romans’ own authentic Latin voice. Students may enroll in AP Latin after completing this course. 

• AP Latin

  AP Latin
  (1 credit; open to class 10-12; prerequisite: Latin III)
  
  AP Latin offers students the amazing opportunity to spend a year reading literature that immerses them in the culture, history, technology, and scientific understanding of the Roman Empire. The enduring story of Aeneas, his epic journey, his struggles, and his relationships have enthralled readers for centuries because of the big questions prompted that continue to be relevant to humans. One of the most amazing things about Vergil's Aeneid is that it is both the greatest piece of literature written in the Latin language and simultaneously political propaganda. The letters of Pliny the Younger give students insight into the period of the Flavians and Five Good Emperors, dealing with topics from relationships to superstitions to engineering to citizenship. Additionally, students will read Pliny's most famous letters about the eruption of Vesuvius as we consider what Romans knew about volcanoes and the refugee crisis that the natural disaster must have prompted. Students will analyze selections from Pliny's Epistulae and Vergil's Aeneid and read selections from other authors, such as Ovid, Horace, Lucan, Tacitus, Petronius, Marchina, and Landivar. The texts will be organized around thematic units, such as Roman administration, love letters, natural disasters, the supernatural, and female heroines. The works touch on topics pertinent to modern life: migration of peoples, the conflict between different cultures, and the human relationship with the divine. Each of these topics allows us to compare ancient and modern perspectives, giving students a broader insight into the human condition.

• Ancient Greek (H)

  Ancient Greek (H)
  (1 credit; open to class 11-12; prerequisites: successful completion of World Language graduation requirements) (recommended: completion of AP level course or level IV of a language)
  
  This senior-year elective will introduce students to ancient Greek language and culture. The course will focus on both the rudiments of acquiring the language in order to read ancient Greek texts and it will also survey important areas of ancient Greek culture. Since Latin and ancient Greek are both inflected languages, this ancient Greek course will be similar to a Latin language course. This course is ideal for any motivated student interested in studying the Classics, Latin, or Greek at the college level. This course is subject to minimum enrollment requirement.

• Spanish I

  Spanish I
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: none)
  
  This course is designed to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing, speaking, listening, analyzing and comparing cultural practices, products, and perspectives of various Spanish-speaking countries. The first semester is devoted to vocabulary acquisition and the present tense. The second semester still focuses on vocabulary acquisition while concentrating more on the preterit tense. Students should expect to be actively engaged in their own language learning, become familiar with common vocabulary terms and phrases, comprehend a wide range of grammar patterns, participate in conversations and respond appropriately to conversational prompts. All components of the class help reinforce the four basic language skills.

• Spanish II

  Spanish II
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: MS Spanish or
  US Spanish I)
  
  In this intermediate course, students continue to develop conversational and written skills begun in Spanish I. After reviewing the grammatical structures of first-year Spanish, both orally and in writing, students will proceed to study more advanced grammatical structures and usages as they continue to develop their skills in the five major language areas. Readings, compositions, oral presentations, lab work, and online resources are important parts of the course. Student-created skits and videos, presentations, contemporary music in Spanish, and video selections enliven language study.

• Spanish III

  Spanish III
  (1 credit; open to class 9-12; prerequisite: Spanish II)
  
  This course is designed to develop a greater level of sophistication in the four basic language skills with an emphasis on vocabulary acquisition, grammar review, and advanced grammar. Students will read authentic literary texts in whole or in part. Conversation will be encouraged through paired activities and analysis of particular readings and video clips. Speaking and writing activities will involve topics of various themes. Students will also be introduced to authentic listening tasks. Student-created skits, presentations, contemporary music in Spanish, and several short films enliven the language study. Students may enroll in Spanish IV or AP Spanish Language and Culture after having completed the course.

• Spanish IV

  Spanish IV
  (1 credit; open to class 10-12; prerequisite: Spanish III)
  
  This course will focus on developing a greater level of sophistication and accuracy in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in Spanish. In addition to grammar and vocabulary review, new topics in Spanish and Latin American history and culture will be introduced. The students will read several short stories, two adapted novels, and other authentic texts. Conversation will be encouraged by paired/group activities, class discussions, oral presentations, and analysis of the readings and films. Frequent writing and speaking assignments will involve topics suggested by the various textbook themes. Students may enroll in AP Spanish Language and Culture or Seminar in Spanish after completing this course.

• AP Spanish Language and Culture

  AP Spanish Language and Culture
  (1 credit; open to class 10-12; prerequisite: Spanish III or IV)
  
  This is an advanced elective course that is designed for students, who have had a successful experience in Spanish III and/or IV. In order to develop language skills, the course is conducted entirely in Spanish using an integrated approach. All course material includes authentic sources: Spanish language newspapers, radio broadcasts, video clips, movies and literary works. Language and culture are taught through the use of these materials. Grades are based on the students’ ability to read and write the language, as well as their capacity to understand and speak Spanish at an advanced level. Evaluations take many forms throughout the school year. They range from major written examinations to minor exercises in student journals and include individual oral  presentations, paired conversations, listening tests and one-on-one evaluations with the instructor among others. Successful completion of this AP course allows admittance to Seminar in Spanish or Spanish Literature and Culture (H).

• Seminar in Spanish (H)

  Seminar in Spanish (H)
  (1 credit; open to classes 11-12; prerequisite: Spanish IV or AP Spanish Language and Culture)
  
  This year-long elective course is designed for advanced students who seek to improve their Spanish fluency (both in speaking and writing) and who have already completed Spanish IV or beyond. This class seeks to improve the students’ understanding of the histories and cultures of our diverse Spanish-speaking world.  Seminar in Spanish (H) incorporates the use of films, online articles, and literature to cover a diversity of topics in a meaningful context. Please note that most of the films viewed are foreign films; therefore, many are either not rated according to US standards or have a restricted US rating. Parents/guardians will be asked to sign a permission slip allowing their students to view the films. After completing this course, students may enroll in AP Spanish  Language and Culture / Topics in Advanced Spanish with Service Learning (H) / History of Art in Spain and Latin America (H) / Spanish Literature and Culture (H).

• Topics in Advanced Spanish with Service Learning (H)

  Topics in Advanced Spanish with Service Learning (H)
  (0.5 credit; fall or spring semester; open to Classes 11-12; prerequisite: Spanish IV or AP Spanish Language and Culture)
  
  Topics in Advanced Spanish-Service Learning is a semester-long Honors elective course designed for students seeking to continue developing their language proficiency and understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. The course curriculum incorporates journal articles, literature (fiction and essay), short films and podcasts, and sociological texts. An important component of the course is students working a minimum of four times during the semester in a Community Center where Spanish is the primary language. Written reflections and class discussions about the service will be required. This course will be taught in Spanish, but assigned texts may be in English as needed. After completing this course, students may enroll in AP Spanish Language and Culture /
  Seminar in Spanish (H) / History of Art in Spain and Latin America (H) / Spanish Literature and Culture (H).

• History of Art in Spain and Latin America

  History of Art in Spain and Latin America (H)
  (0.5 credit; fall or spring semester; open to Classes 11-12; prerequisite: Spanish IV or AP Spanish Language and Culture)
  
  This semester-long Honors elective course is designed for students seeking to continue developing their language proficiency and understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. The course will be taught in Spanish and rely on authentic material to help students further develop their language skills. The course curriculum focuses on the most critical events in Spain and Latin America’s history and the most representative works of art from different periods. It is aimed at those interested in understanding the varied history of the Spanish speaking world and its most important works of art. This course is ideal for those who want to comprehend the relationship between Spain and Latin America’s history and their culture, customs, and politics today. After completing this course, students may enroll in AP Spanish Language and Culture / Topics in Advanced Spanish with Service Learning (H) / Seminar in Spanish (H) / Spanish Literature and Culture (H).

• Spanish Literature and Culture (H)

  Spanish Literature and Culture (H)
  (1 credit; open to Classes 11-12; prerequisite: AP Spanish
  Language and Culture)
  
  This year-long elective course is designed for advanced students seeking to develop their written and spoken Spanish fluency further. The class focuses on a thematic approach to introduce students to unabridged texts and is conducted entirely in Spanish. Students study a wide range of Spanish-speaking authors from Medieval Spain to 21st-century Hispanic America to hone their critical reading and analytical writing skills. This course focuses on the literary analysis of the works read (short stories, novels, poetry, plays, and essays). All works are studied in their historical and cultural contexts so that students can gain an insight into the different voices, historical periods, and cultures represented in the readings. Students engage in intensive conversation practice while analyzing the works and developing their essay-writing skills in Spanish. After completing this course, students may enroll in AP Spanish Language and Culture / Topics in Advanced Spanish with Service Learning (H) / History of Art in Spain and Latin America (H) / Seminar in Spanish (H). (This course is not available in 2025-2026.)