|
Click to Download a PDF version. |
James Hillhouse High
School
|
|
|
Program of Studies Art |
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
At the dawn of the twenty-first century, we already live in an ever increasing multi-cultural and multi-lingual world locally, nationally and internationally. At Hillhouse, we believe that our students will be better prepared personally and professionally for that world if we give them the knowledge of at least one foreign language plus exposure to other cultures. We offer four languages: French, Italian, Spanish and Latin. For each of these languages, we believe in the importance of teaching the skills of speaking, reading, writing and listening in the target language. In addition to classroom activities, field trips and hands on projects, we also offer our students the opportunity to travel abroad and to participate in a variety of state and national academic competitions. Because we believe that our students should have the opportunity to study a foreign language, we offer a four year sequence with courses ranging from novice levels to advance placement. Assessment Methods: Regardless of the level of Foreign Language class, all four skills of language acquisition are developed and assessed: aural, oral, reading and writing. A variety of assessment activities is employed to suit the needs of the students in the class: quizzes, tests, oral presentations, portfolios, creative writing, visuals etc. The value assigned to each of the four language skills depends on the level and difficulty of the course being taught. For example in F. L. Levels 1 and 2 greater emphases is given to the aural and oral phases than in reading and writing. In Levels 3 – A.P., students are asked to read longer, more difficult literary works and to analyze these. Thus, greater value is given to the reading and writing phases. Teachers will state grading formulas for all classes on their quarterly syllabi. City-wide final exams are given in all Level 1 and some Level 2 courses. The AP. exam is given in all Advance Placement courses.
French 1 Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: None Description: French I is an introduction to French language and culture. It is designed for students with little or no previous background in the language and stresses the development listening comprehension and speaking skills. Vocabulary topics include general interest subjects, such as family, home, school, food, shopping and leisure time. Students are introduced to the culture of the Francophone world, with special emphasis on the geography of France and its heritage. They also begin to read short passages and write simple sentences in French.
French II Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of French I Description: French II is an intermediate level course designed to help students further develop their speaking, reading and writing skills. More advanced grammar concepts and cultural readings from the French-speaking world are presented. Special emphasis is placed on reading comprehension and composition skills. French II Honors includes additional cultural readings, translation poetry and research projects.
French III Grade(s) 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of French II/teacher recommendation Description: French III continues the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, with added emphasis on the analysis of literature. In class, students are expected to communicate in French whenever possible, using language that describes events in the past, present and future. Research papers and oral presentations are also required. Cultural activities focus on French history and literature.
French IV Grade(s) 11, 12 1 Credit Level: I Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of French III/teacher recommendation Description: French IV is designed to help students expand vocabulary through topical readings and analysis of literature. Advance grammatical structures are presented and reinforced through writing and oral presentations. Cultural studies of French-speaking world include poetry, drama, short stories, articles and novels. The class is conducted wholly in French.
French V Grade(s) 11, 12 1 Credit Level: I Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of French IV/teacher recommendation Description: French V is an advanced level course in French literature and composition. Stories, plays, poems, historical and journalistic writings form the basis for student analysis. Topics for writing and discussion include literary themes, interpretation and cross-cultural comparisons. Students use advanced vocabulary and grammatical structures in impromptu situations, free writing and directed essays. Cultural studies include history, art, and current topics from French-speaking world.
Advanced Placement French Grade 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and, if necessary, a placement test. Description: This is a college level class intended for very motivated students who, in the course of their study of French, have consistently demonstrated superior learning abilities in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Students chosen for this class will also have shown sustained interest in the language as well as in the culture and will have repeatedly shown evidence of independent learning. The program consists of an in depth sharpening of the four skills mentioned above through a variety of activities modeled on previous A. P. exams, reading and writing are used extensively as a means of sharpening all skills. Students must be prepared for a workload consistent with a college level class. This class will interest students who plan on pursuing their study of French in college, students who are interested in becoming teachers of French and native-speakers of French who have received some of their previous schooling in French. Students enrolled in this class must take the A.P. French Language exam administered through the College Board.
Honors Spanish I Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: None Description: Honors Spanish I provides an introduction to the Spanish language and the culture of the vast Spanish-speaking world at an accelerated pace. It is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish and stresses the development of listening comprehension and speaking skills. Vocabulary topics include general interest subjects, such as family, home, school, food, shopping and leisure time. Cultural activities focus on the arts and traditions of Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hispanic regions of the USA. Students also begin to read short passages and write simple sentences in Spanish. Honors students will be expected to employ topical vocabulary creativity in oral and written work. Periodic mini-projects will be assigned.
Spanish I Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: None Description: Spanish I provides an introduction to the Spanish language and the culture of the vast Spanish-speaking world. It is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish and stresses the development of listening comprehension and speaking skills. Vocabulary topics include general interest subjects, such as family, home, school, food, shopping and leisure time. Cultural activities focus on the arts and traditions of Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hispanic regions of the USA. Students also begin to read short passages and write simple sentences in Spanish.
Basic Spanish I Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 3 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: None Description: Basic Spanish I provides an introduction to the Spanish language and the culture of the vast Spanish-speaking world at a reduced pace. It is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of Spanish and stresses the development of listening comprehension and speaking skills. Vocabulary topics include general interest subjects, such as family, home, school, food, shopping and leisure time. Cultural activities focus on the arts and traditions of Mexico, Puerto Rico and Southwestern regions of the USA. Students also begin to read short passages and write simple sentences in Spanish.
Honors Spanish II Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Grade of A or B in Spanish I Description: Honors Spanish II is an intermediate level course designed to help students further develop their speaking, reading and writing skills in Spanish at an accelerated pace. More complex language structures are introduced to increase conversational and reading ability. Cultural studies of Spanish-speaking peoples continue, with special emphasis on Spain, Hispanic regions in the United States, Peru and Chile. Spanish II Honors includes additional cultural readings, poetry, essays, and research projects. A variety of assessments will be employed.
Spanish II Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Spanish I Description: Spanish II is an intermediate level courser designed to help students further develop their speaking, reading and writing skills in Spanish. More complex language structures are introduced to increase conversational and reading ability. Cultural studies of Spanish-speaking peoples continue, with special emphasis on Spain Hispanic regions of the United States, Peru, Argentina and Chili. __________________________________________________________________ Basic Spanish II Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 3 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Spanish I Description: Basic Spanish II is an intermediate level course designed to help students further language structures are introduced to increase conversational and reading ability. Cultural studies of Spanish-speaking peoples continue, with continued emphasis on the Southwest regions of the United States and Puerto Rico.
Honors Spanish III Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish II Description: Honors Spanish III continues the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Spanish, with added emphasis on literature, composition and analytical skills at an accelerated pace. In class, students are expected to communicate in Spanish whenever possible, using language that indicates past, present and future. Research papers and oral presentations are also required. Cultural activities focus on Hispanic literature and events in Latin America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Argentina and the USA.
Spanish III Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish II Description: Spanish III continues the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in Spanish, with added emphasis on literature, composition and analytical skills. In class, students are expected to communicate in Spanish whenever possible, using language that indicates past, present and future. Research papers and oral presentations are also required. Cultural activities focus on Hispanic literature and events in Latin America (Chile, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Argentina) Spain and the USA.
Basic Spanish III Grade(s) 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 3 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Basic Spanish II Description: Basic Spanish III is an intermediate level course designed to allow students to further their knowledge of the Spanish language and of the culture of Spanish and Hispanic people at a modified pace. The language structure and the study of culture will be experienced through speaking, listening, reading and writing components of the course at a level of difficulty appropriate for level 3 course. _______________________________________________________________________ Honors Spanish IV Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Grade of A or B in Spanish III Description: Honors Spanish IV is designed to help students expand vocabulary through topical reading and analysis of literature at an accelerated place. Advanced grammatical structures are presented in reinforced through writing and oral presentations. Cultural studies of the Spanish-speaking world include the history, art, and literature of the countries outlined in the Spanish IC curriculum. Literacy genres such as poetry, drama, short stories, articles, and excerpts of novels will be explored and analyzed in depth through oral interpretations and written exposes. Students are routinely expected to make interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections and comparisons. A variety of assessment activities will be utilized, including essays, creative writing, portfolios, thematic visuals, aural exercises, impromptu speaking, standardized aural exercises, television viewing, and reviews of movies connected to the Spanish IV thematic units. The class is conducted entirely in Spanish.
Spanish IV Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish III Description: Spanish IV is designed to help students expand vocabulary through topical readings as well as oral and written analysis of literature. Advanced grammatical structures are presented and reinforced through writing and oral presentations. Cultural studies of the Spanish-speaking countries specified in the curriculum. Students are expected to make interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections when reading poetry, drama, short stories, and journalistic articles. The class is conducted primarily in Spanish.
Spanish V Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish IV plus teacher recommendations Description: Spanish V is an advanced level course which focuses on the linguistic and cultural aspects of Spanish speaking countries identified in the Spanish V curriculum. Cultural entries, short stories, plays, poems, historical and journalistic writings form the basis for oral and written analysis. Thematic interpretations, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections and comparisons are drawn from pertinent historical and literary topics. Students are expected to learn and use advanced vocabulary and structure in impromptu situations, creative writing and directed, expository essays. Cultural topics also include art and current socio-political development occurring in the countries being studied. Assessment will be varied and will include oral presentations, aural exercises, written analyses, portfolio assessments, visuals, and creative compositions. Class will be conducted entirely in Spanish. _____________________________________________________________________ Spanish for Spanish-Speakers 1 Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 2 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Spanish-speaking background plus some knowledge of Spanish and teacher recommendations. Description: This course is a course for Native Speakers of Spanish. It is open to all native speakers who either speak Spanish fluently or have some background in Spanish beyond a Spanish 2 level. Students will work on all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Cultural and identity issues of Hispanics/Latinos will be explored. Writing assignments include original poems, descriptive essays, and persuasive essays. Students will do oral presentations, research projects, journal writing, and literary criticism. Works to be read include Peninsular and Latin American authors. Textbooks to be used include Dime Dos and Sendas Liter arias.
Spanish for Spanish-Speakers II Grade(s) 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish for Spanish-Speakers 1 or Spanish 4 or teacher recommendations. Description: This course is designed for the Native Speaker of Spanish who has a high level of reading and writing skills. The course is conducted completely in Spanish. This course is a pre AP course in that students may continue on to AP Spanish, with the teacher’s recommendation. Students build on their reading and writing skills by intensive and extensive readings of Peninsular and Latin American authors in a variety of genres: poetry, plays, essays, and short stories. Writing assignments are conducted at a rigorous pre-AP level and students are introduced to the area of LITERARY ANALYSIS. Works to be read include selections from the AP reading list: Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel Garcia
Spanish: AP Literature Grade(s) 10, 11, 12 1 Credit Level: 1 Length of Course: Full Year Prerequisite: Completion of AP Spanish Language or Spanish for Native Speakers II, and teacher recommendations. Description: AP (Advanced Placement) Spanish Literature is a course for those students seeking advanced placement and/or credit toward future college Spanish Courses. It is limited to those students who have a high level of proficiency in Spanish and have some knowledge of literacy analysis. The course is conducted at a level comparable to that of a third-year college class. The class follows closely the national guidelines for AP Spanish Literature courses. The readings are selected from the national required reading list for AP. Students will develop sophisticated writing and reading skills and will refine their skills of literacy analysis. Students enrolled in AP Spanish Literature must take the AP Spanish literature exam, administered by the College Board in May of each year. Those Students who score 3, 4, or 5 on the exam may receive college credits and/or advanced placement at the college they plan to attend.
|
|
