SPANISH

Why do I need to learn Spanish?  This is the question of most students when they find themselves with the opportunity or the obligation to take a Spanish class. Why don’t Hispanics learn English? Why did they come to live in this country if they resist getting used to the American way of life? Those Hispanic people...!

For most Americans, Hispanics are strangers who bring spicy food and colorful costumes to their “already defined” American culture, girls with shapely bodies and “macho” workers who like to listen to loud dance music and smile at women.

Let me tell you …
According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1st, 2003 is of 39.9 million. This makes people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest race or ethnic minority. Hispanics constitute 13.7 percent of the nation’s total population. This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico, who, of course, speak Spanish. According to the same Census, the projected Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2050 is 102.6 million. Hispanics will constitute 24 percent of the nation’s total population on that date. This means that when you start your professional life, if you do not know some Spanish, you might be in trouble.

Now…
What is the Spanish language?   Do you have any idea of the socio-linguistic relations that come together in the Spanish language?  Did you know that the words “astra” in Latin, “estrella” in Spanish and “star” in English, even when they mean the same thing, can each convey a different feeling?  Would you like to know the relationship of the Spanish language with your own language?  Would you like to try to be in the shoes of someone who is learning a different language?  Would you like to know the language of Cervantes?  Are you sure?

We are going to work and work seriously, seriamente. To learn a language requires a method, and we are going to be very strict with ours. Through our process of language study, we are going to get to know some of the most important artists, writers, musicians, politicians and philosophers of Hispanic culture. We are going to learn about real life in the Hispanic countries. We are going to talk, listen, write, read and try to put ourselves closer to the Hispanic way of living and thinking.

All you need to bring is yourself: your openness and your willingness to learn. You don’t need to bring your fear of making mistakes. All of us make mistakes when we are learning, and the more we err, the more we learn. We are all going to be travelers in the adventure of a new language…Bienvenido!

Important Note: Do not sign up for Spanish if you are not willing to do homework carefully and on time on a consistent basis. You cannot earn credit in Spanish or learn Spanish without doing this, and as it is not required to graduate, you should only take it if you are willing to make this commitment. While many colleges want you to take a foreign language, no credit in Spanish will not help you to get into colleges.

 

SPANISH 1                                                                                                               

Ivette Roberts

This course is a continuation of the second trimester of Español 1.  During this third trimester, we will continue to reinforce the grammatical concepts previously taught in class.  New and more complex grammatical concepts will be learned and analyzed as the curriculum advances. We will cover present tense of ar- er- and ir verbs, me gusta, me encantan, the verb estar; plurals of nouns and articles, the plural of adjectives; the verb ser, the verb ir; interrogative words, ir + a + infinitive; the verb jugar, the verb tener; possessive adjectives, the verb venir; the verbs ser and estar, comparisons and superlatives and stem changing verbs. We will also deepen our knowledge of the cultural aspects of the target language. We will “travel” throughout Latin America to compare and contrast the Hispanic culture versus the North American culture.  You will be asked to do a presentation about a Hispanic country. In order to earn credit in this class, you need to demonstrate an adequate proficiency in the target language. Therefore, you must study to pass your tests. Class participation is a vital part of your language learning experience. Making an effort will not only be reflected on your evaluation but will also make the class more fun.  Remember, homework will support and reinforce what we do in class. Late homework on a regular basis will have a negative impact on your evaluation. Attendance is crucial because a great portion of the learning will occur during class activities.

 

SPANISH II                                                                                                              

Ivette Roberts

This course is a continuation of the second trimester of Español II. During this course we will study new and more complex grammatical concepts. We will learn how to write short descriptive paragraphs in Spanish related to your daily life. We will also deepen our knowledge of the cultural aspects of the target language. During this trimester, we will learn popular songs in Spanish to reinforce vocabulary and grammatical concepts in a fun way. We will “travel” throughout Latin America to compare and contrast the Hispanic culture versus the North American culture. In order to earn credit in this class, you need to demonstrate an adequate proficiency in the target language. Therefore, you must study to pass your tests. Class participation is a vital part of your language learning experience. Making an effort will not only be reflected on your evaluation but will also make the class more fun.  Reading comprehension and oral communication will be an important component of this class.  Be prepared to be evaluated in class.  You will be required to communicate in Spanish to the best of your abilities.  Remember, homework will support and reinforce what we do in class.  Late homework on a regular basis will have a negative impact on your evaluation.  Attendance is crucial because a great portion of the learning will occur during class activities.

 

SPANISH III

This course is a continuation of the first trimester of Español III. During this trimester we will continue to reinforce the grammatical concepts previously taught in class.  We will learn Subjunctive- regular verbs, irregular verbs, stem changing verbs and subjunctive with verbs of emotions. Vocabulary enrichment will also be an important component of this class. We will deepen our knowledge of the Hispanic world through videos and literary work. . In order to earn credit in this class, you need to demonstrate an adequate proficiency in the target language. Therefore, you must study to pass your tests. Class participation is a vital part of your language learning experience. Reading comprehension and oral communication will be an important component of this class. Be prepared to be evaluated in class. You will be required to communicate in Spanish to the best of your abilities. Making an effort will not only be reflected on your evaluation but will also make the class more fun.  Remember, homework will support and reinforce what we do in class. Late homework on a regular basis will have a negative impact on your evaluation. Attendance is crucial because a great portion of the learning will occur during class activities.

 

SPANISH IV

This course is a continuation of the second trimester of Spanish IV. During this trimester, we will continue to study compound tenses. You will also have the opportunity to translate varied written texts into Spanish. You will be asked to choose an essay or a poem from one of your English classes to be translated into Spanish. Vocabulary enrichment will also be an important component of this class. We will deepen our knowledge of the Hispanic world through videos and literary work. Also, you will be asked to interview a person from a speaking Spanish country and share your impressions with the rest of the class. In order to earn credit in this class, you need to demonstrate an adequate proficiency in the target language. Therefore, you must study to pass your tests. Class participation is a vital part of your language learning experience. Reading comprehension and oral communication will be an important component of this class. Be prepared to be evaluated in class. You will be required to communicate solely in Spanish. Making an effort will not only be reflected on your evaluation but will also make the class more fun.  Remember, homework will support and reinforce what we do in class. Late homework on a regular basis will have a negative impact on your evaluation. Attendance is crucial because a great portion of the learning will occur during class activities.

 

FRENCH

This year we are pleased to be able to offer beginning French thanks to a donation of time by the Mount Hope Learning Center.  While we won’t be able to offer beginning French every year, Corina will follow this year’s class through over the next few years, so any student wishing to learn French should begin this year.

 

FRENCH I                                                                                          

Corina Best
 
Why might you want to choose French class? French is one of the more desired languages to learn in the world.  It’s the language of love, and it’s also a beautiful language. People have wanted to learn through time to open their horizons to more experiences and new cultures.

In the US, there are many people who speak French; they come from Canada, France, Haiti and several countries in Africa, so you can share and practice with them and know more about their cultures and make friends all over the world.

Generally, young people are open minded and want to know more about everything! Therefore, the more languages you learn, the more doors you will open everywhere you go. You never know where you are going to live or study, and speaking French could lead to having a successful international experience in you life.

There are more than 265 million people learning, teaching, speaking or simply loving the French language in the world.  If you have ever dreamed of speaking the language of love, the decision to choose French as a foreign language is the best.

Think carefully about that.  French is complex, beautiful and sometimes snobby but demands perseverance, attention and hard work.  We are going to work seriously; we are going to be very strict and responsible with what we are doing: oral and writing comprehension, oral and writing expression, theater to learn body language as well as French civilization in order to understand francophone in the world.

Listening and repeating are the keys. Bring your interest!  Let me know what you need! Don’t worry about making mistakes! Respect the class, and respect yourself!  Welcome to French class and enjoy learning!

For third trimester, the book we are going to use is still: Tandem 1. By: C. Bergeron and M. Albero Edition Didier.   The purpose of this first French course is to enable the students to talk about themselves and about the environment and to express what they like descriptively. They will also learn how to ask for or give information using the present tense of regular verbs.

Oral and writing comprehension, reading, writing, speaking and acting are strategies we will use almost every day in class.   Attendance, punctuality, note taking, homework and active participation are very important. The students will need pens, notebooks and their student books every day.  Teasing classmates is totally prohibited.

 

OTHER LANGUAGES

While it is not possible for School One to offer other languages during school, School One students may take other languages for credit outside of school.  The class/tutor must be appropriate, willing to write a School One evaluation and approved beforehand by the Assistant Head.  Please contact him with any questions about this.