Overview
Students are required to successfully complete two years of study of the same world language for graduation.
For French and Spanish, classes and curriculum prioritize developing students’ ability to communicate effectively in the target language, rather than merely emphasizing grammar and vocabulary memorization. This holistic, proficiency-based approach fosters real-world communication skills and cross-cultural understandings through the integration of authentic resources.
For Latin, emphasis is placed on reading comprehension and interpretation. Proficiency-based instruction encourages students to engage with authentic materials, and the history, literature, and culture of the texts situate the language in relevant historical context. This approach enables students to learn how to derive meaning from texts, moving beyond traditional translation methods to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of the language.
In all languages, integrated performance assessments (IPAs) and common assessments evaluate students’ ability to perform tasks in the target language such as engaging in conversations, writing emails, or interpreting texts.
Courses
Our course sequence is a continuum and reflects a student’s target proficiency benchmark. As proficiency increases, students move from Novice to Intermediate to Advanced. All language courses will have a mix of abilities, and through differentiated instruction, all students aim for the same proficiency benchmark by the end of the year. The linear course sequence of the proficiency levels is as follows:
Novice High → Intermediate Low → Intermediate Mid → Intermediate High → Advanced Low
Placement
Students will not necessarily follow the linear course sequence, as placement is based on their proficiency testing results on an approved World Language assessment, such as the STAMP, PLACE, or ALIRA, in conjunction with teacher recommendation. This means that students have the opportunity to jump to higher levels based on their language ability. For example, a student in Novice High may skip the Intermediate Low course and jump to Intermediate Mid their second year of study.
Honor Societies
French, Spanish, and Latin Honor Societies recognize high academic achievement and dedication to the study of the student’s selected target language. For questions about eligibility criteria or for more information, please contact the honor society’s academic advisor:
French Honor Society (La société honoraire de français), Susan Schmidt, Advisor
Spanish Honor Society (La sociedad honoraria hispánica), Katie Stanton, Advisor
National Junior Classical League (NJCL) Latin Honor Society, Travis Andrade, Advisor
Meet Our World Language Teachers
Molly Drane, Department Head, K - 12, Extension 3047
Travis Andrade, Latin Teacher, Extension 5140
Kelly Grace, Spanish Teacher, Extension 5259
Susan Schmidt, French Teacher, Extension 5128
Katie Stanton, Spanish Teacher, Extension 5730
Karla Steele, Spanish Teacher, Extension 5184