Offering Levels One through Advanced Placement French, German, and Spanish throughout the Upper School grades, the Foreign Language Department places emphasis on each of the fundamental skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The materials used have been carefully selected to foster progress in these skills as appropriate for each level, as well as to expose the student to the cultural differences of other people. Because the study of a modern language is a cumulative process, the student is encouraged to begin as soon as possible and to continue through graduation. Honors sections of French, German, and Spanish are offered beginning with Level II. Our Advanced Placement program prepares qualified students in all three languages to take the Advanced Placement examination. Students may participate in exchange programs with schools in Spain, France, Germany, and in all three-language clubs.
French I (year course): This course introduces students to the basic structures necessary for communication in a variety of situations, which are social in nature, or which may occur while one is visiting a francophone country. Class is conducted in French and students are expected to interact with the instructor and with each other in French through role-play, games, guided conversations, and cooperative learning activities. Students have frequent exposure to native speakers in natural settings and structural exercises through video and audiocassettes. With few exceptions, grammar and vocabulary are presented without the use of English. Learners are guided to begin thinking in French from the very beginning through techniques that encourage the association of new words and expressions directly to concepts rather than to English translations. Pronunciation lessons are enhanced by phonetic analysis. Cultural issues emerge naturally via lexical items and contexts. Students occasionally use the internet to reinforce grammar and vocabulary through on-line games or exercises and to further explore culture using French websites. Tests contain writing, reading, listening, and, often, speaking components.
French II (year course): This course strengthens and expands students’ skills in using the vocabulary and grammar structures most frequently needed for communication in everyday situations. Students have ample practice in reading, writing, speaking and listening through video- and audiocassettes, written exercises, role-play and communication activities. Cultural awareness of France and other French-speaking countries is developed via readings, maps, realia, pictures and video. Internet-based activities provide practice in language and a window into culture. Class is conducted in French and students are expected to address the teacher and each other in French.
French II Honors (year course): Students of particular skill and motivation are encouraged to take this honors section of French II. Using the same text and workbook as the regular sections, more sections are covered and in greater detail. Supplemental discussion and aids such as an accompanying video program and selected films (Chocolat) expose students to life in France. Through extensive use of French in the classroom, it is hoped that students will make the transition from textbook French to everyday usage. This transition is further fostered by the students' role-playing and to the summarizing of the main ideas of our soap-opera video, to one another, all in French. The audio program assists with correct pronunciation.
French III (year course): Students expand their vocabulary, knowledge of structure and cultural awareness through the textbook, workbook and audio and video recordings of Discovering French level 3 and through teacher-designed packets. Written assignments afford students the opportunity to use structures and vocabulary covered in the course to express their own ideas. The many literary works and history and culture units provide content as well as context for discussion and study of language. Oral practice is less guided and centers increasingly on more natural and open conversation. The course is conducted in French. Discussions, role play, oral presentations, games, and partner and small group work are designed to give students ample speaking time, to allow the use of the language in context, and to encourage students to begin thinking in French.
French III Honors (year course): Moving at a faster pace and exploring in more depth, students in this honors class strive to perfect their grammar and expand their vocabulary through readings and exercises in the text Discovering French. They read and discuss cultural information, dialogues, and stories. Class is conducted in French. Pair and group work increases oral practice. Students express ideas in fully developed essays and in oral class presentations. Cultural topics are investigated on the Internet and in French movies.
French IV (year course): Many students elect to continue their foreign language study beyond the basic requirement French III. These students review the grammar and idiomatic expressions using Amsco Troisième Livre. They will read the adapted version of Le Bossu de Notre-Dame, by Victor Hugo. A unit on Paris and geography of France will enhance their studies. French is the language of the classroom. Students are evaluated on their daily aural/oral comprehension and expression, as well as their written work, tests and compositions.
French IV Honors (year course): This course introduces students to more difficult reading as they study complete works of 20th century literature. In addition to improving their grammar and enriching their vocabulary, students perfect writing skills in resumes, narratives, and literature analysis. French is used exclusively in class and most tests have a speaking portion.
French V (year course): Students in this course read literary selections from the 19th and 20th centuries. These readings serve as the springboard for class discussions and for various writing assignments. French continues to be the language of the classroom, with short individual oral presentations becoming more and more frequent as the year progresses. A review of French grammar (as needed) encourages precision in written and oral work.
AP French (year course): French is used exclusively in this advanced language course, which prepares students to take the Advanced Placement examination. Students are asked to express themselves with precision and spontaneity in group discussions, literary analysis, and casual conversation. Students enhance their mastery of structure through a deeper study of the finer grammar points. Vocabulary expands to include more technical and sophisticated terminology as well as idiomatic expressions to enable one to communicate effectively in a variety of formal and informal situations. Readings include traditional and contemporary literature as well as articles from current French periodicals. Listening skills are further developed through the use of tapes. Students work to develop language skills and writing technique through a wide range of analytical, descriptive, narrative, and expository writing. Students learn about the Impressionist movement. Students use the Internet to gather information about Impressionism and explore French websites. Teacher designed exercises on the on-line server Blackboard® provide unlimited practice and immediate feedback for grammar.
German I (year course): Komm mit! by Winkler, et al. provides an integrated program of listening, speaking, reading and writing within a context of cultural awareness. An emphasis on paired and group activities leads to better proficiency in using the language. The text, richly illustrated, includes the most recent information on a unified Germany and presents the fundamentals of grammar within a framework of numerous everyday situations pertinent to the lives of young people. Topics include: introductions, interests, life at home and in school, shopping, concerts, eating out and parties. A completely integrated video and audio program reinforces listening skills and serves as a window into culture. Students reinforce grammar and vocabulary through on-line games and exercises and explore German web sites. With few exceptions, grammar and vocabulary are taught in German and students learn to respond and interact in German.
German II (year course): The integrated approach of the first year is continued in Komm mit! Level 2, a richly illustrated text incorporating the latest information on a unified Germany. Topics include life at home, free-time activities, vacations, healthy living and eating, and personal health. Linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness are enhanced through pair and group activities, audio exercises, a video program and an exercise booklet. Each of the four language skills is practiced in the context of everyday situations. Students develop comprehension skills, broaden vocabulary and learn about post-war Germany as they read several imaginative short stories and a short mystery. Students further explore culture and practice new material via the Internet.
German II Honors (year course): This course using the Komm mit! series is intended for more advanced second level students where a higher degree of achievement and proficiency is expected. The highly illustrated text provides for much interaction among students leading to responses of a very personal nature. Topics range from life at home and vacations to healthy living and city vs. country life. A completely integrated video program introduces new materials and sharpens listening skills, as does the audio program used for regular assignments. The reading of authentic materials pertinent to the varied topics, coupled with extensive cultural references, encourages cultural sensitivity and critical thinking. There are cultural activities involving the Internet as a resource as well as online games and exercises.
German III (year course): The methods of the previous level are continued using the Komm mit! series. Topics include: city vs. country living, clothing, vacation plans, after school interests and a restaurant meal. The video and audio programs allow the students to immerse themselves in authentic German situations and to hear German spoken in all parts of Germany as well as in Austria. More emphasis is placed on reading and writing along with more personalized conversation. There are cultural activities involving the Internet as a resource as well as online games and exercises. The text is supplemented with short stories all three terms and a novel in the spring. The readings are an intriguing venue for encountering the language in context and serve as a springboard for discussion.
German III Honors (year course): This course is a prerequisite for German IV Honors where a higher degree of achievement and proficiency is expected. The Komm mit! series is continued with topics including clothing, vacation plans, after school interests and ordering a meal in a restaurant. Additional emphasis is placed on writing, short skits are often video taped and a complete audio and video program enhances listening skills and cultural sensitivity. In the spring term the story Die Ilse ist weg by Christine Nöstlinger is read. It revolves around family conflicts that a teenager experiences which cause her to leave home for a time. Her sister takes up the suspenseful search for her. Students are able to learn new vocabulary and grammar within the context of a work written for German teenagers. Additional cultural activities are available using the Internet as a resource as well as online games and exercises.
German IV / V(year course): ) Using the text Deutsch Aktuell, students gain a deeper appreciation for the history and cultural heritage of today’s German-speaking countries. New grammar points are integrated within a wide variety of text types including dialogs, short stories, biographies and cultural articles. The highly illustrated text provides ample partner and group activities to strengthen speaking skills. The accompanying workbook provides for a wide variety of written exercises including use of the Internet. The supplementary text Dreimal Deutsch provides more cultural and historical information about Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Keine Panik! or Ein bisschen Panik!, a humorous audio play, allows students to practice listening and speaking skills. With the video series, Junge Leute, students will follow the lifestyles and daily experiences of several young people from Germany and Austria. A unit on the Amish (Pennsylvania Deutsch) in the spring term culminates with a field trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The feature film "Bella Martha" is shown during the winter term.
German IV Honors (year course): With German as the primary language in the classroom, this course is a prerequisite for AP German. Students are exposed to a variety of materials concerned with a deeper understanding of German culture and modern issues. Each of the linguistic skills is practiced using Kaleidoskop by Moeller, et al., combining authentic cultural reading selections, short stories, poetry and a wide variety of creative vocabulary, grammar, writing and listening exercises. Thought-provoking topics include: leisure time, communication, Germany in the 21st century, family, multicultural society and stereotypes. Varied listening and discussion exercises accompany a video of segments from German TV relating to each topic. In addition, a unit is devoted to Grimm's fairy tales and during the spring term the Amish (Pennsylvania Deutsch) are studied, culminating with a field trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Oral work continues to be stressed and compositions of varying length are assigned frequently. During the winter term the feature film "Das Versprechen" is shown. The film is set in a divided Berlin, Germany where two lovers are trapped on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall.
AP German (year course): With German used exclusively in the classroom, students have the opportunity to review and refine each of the linguistic skills. One chapter of Kaleidoskop is completed on the topic of music. Video segments from German TV accompany this topic. Yildiz heißt Stern by Isolde Heyne tells the story of a Turkish teenage girl and her family who are attacked by right-wing radicals. The theme deals with the situation of foreigners in Germany and the difficulties of life between two cultures. Grenzgänger by Herbert Günther is a story written for German teenagers. This story, written since German re-unification, is about two teenagers, a girl from the West and a boy from the East. In addition to learning new vocabulary and expressions within context, students are exposed to the differences in mentality between the two former Germanys, as well as some geography of northern Germany during a three-week bike ride taken by the two teens and some friends. The feature film "Good Bye Lenin!" is a satire about life in former East Germany; this film is shown during the winter term. The course is completed with the suspenseful drama about revenge, greed and justice Der Besuch der alten Dame by the Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Listening skills are strengthened using Jugendliche vor dem Mikro, a series of interviews with teenagers throughout Germany on a wide variety of current topics. Supplementary reading broadens the student's vocabulary and frequent compositions of varying length are assigned on varied topics.
Spanish I (year course): Bienvenidos, a colorful and well-balanced text, is the basis for this course. Along with its superior format, the text incorporates various types of readings in every chapter, including those that expose the student to cultural aspects of each Spanish-speaking country. The skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish are appropriately emphasized by the text and teacher. Spanish is used in the classroom by means of drills and question-answer exercises, and native speakers are heard via the tapes that accompany the text. An exercise book is used to reinforce the grammar, vocabulary, and culture introduced by the text. A corresponding video program for each chapter of the text invites cultural and linguistic authenticity into the classroom.
Spanish II (year course): Spanish continues to be the language of the classroom as the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are broadened with the second year text, Buen Viaje! Reading and writing Spanish are granted more importance the second year, while listening comprehension and speaking continue to be stressed. The cultural sections of the text become more sophisticated, providing the student with insights into the Spanish-speaking world. An exercise book reinforces and checks the many important elements of each chapter. Many verb tenses are introduced and practiced at this level. A corresponding video program for each chapter of the text invites cultural and linguistic authenticity into the classroom.
Spanish II Honors (year course): More advanced second year Spanish students can develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish at a quicker rate than is possible in the non-honors Spanish II course. In addition to covering more thoroughly the text, Buen Viaje!, spontaneity of speech and written expression of ideas are two important goals of this course. Students have ample opportunity to enhance their linguistic skills by doing activities online. Students will also read a short novel called La momia desaparece.
Spanish III (year course): While the four fundamental skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing continue to be stressed and refined, a more expansive vocabulary and an in depth study of the grammatical structures enter as an important goal of this third level program. The third level textbook, Ventanas, is divided into units, which contain sections of new and review grammar, as well as varied reading material, including cultural accounts and dialogues. Class discussions are based on the reading assignments, which provide for a higher level of sophistication than in the introductory years. Additionally, a viewing of Ventanas video program (which is formatted like a sitcom for students), readings from Latin American newspapers on the Internet, as well as magazine articles, will act as a vehicle for the grammar studied and for understanding the culture of the Hispanic people in Spain and Latin America. In this third year of study, Spanish becomes more and more the language of creative and spontaneous communication.
Spanish III Honors (year course): This course is the prerequisite for Spanish IV Honors and serves the highly motivated Spanish student who is committed to developing his/her language skills. The text, Spanish for Mastery 3: Situaciones, emphasizes a more expansive vocabulary and a broader understanding of grammar, particularly the use of the subjunctive. Situations for speaking practice are an integral part of every unit. Students will be evaluated on their participation in classroom conversations and written themes. The class instruction and discussions are held in Spanish and students are expected to use only Spanish in the classroom.
Spanish IV (year course): This fourth year course sharpens the student’s ability to communicate in both written and spoken form. Reading comprehension, discussion, and writing skills improve by working with a variety of subjects of interest to the students. Political, social, historical, and artistic topics will be introduced through use of the text, music, films, and realia from the countries being discussed. The textbook and workbook Conexiones review the grammar in depth and present a varied array of topics that will allow the student to practice and apply the grammar in class discussions.
Spanish IV Honors (year course): As the prerequisite for AP Spanish, this course provides the committed and talented fourth level Spanish student with a challenging and preparatory curriculum. Students read the works of renowned Hispanic authors, poets, playwrights, and essayists. Class discussions and student essays reflect the literature explored. Literary themes such as irony, symbolism, and allusion are treated within this sophisticated curriculum. Although at this level, there is for the first time a literary emphasis, the literature is employed to provide enrichment in all the communication skills. In addition, all verb tenses and the more complicated grammar structures of Spanish are reviewed. Specific attention is given in the third term to preparation for the Spanish Achievement Test.
Spanish V (year course): If you don't use it, you lose it! This is a course designed to further development of oral and written communicative language ability through the study of the rich cultural diversity in the Spanish-speaking world. Different readings will cover culture, history, literature, music, art, politics and environmental issues. Some movies are shown to elicit oral and written responses to issues of stereotypes, political ideologies, family structures, and religious practices. Since understanding Spanish grammar and developing an extensive vocabulary are necessary tools for both written and oral communication, we will be reviewing important grammatical concepts and learning vocabulary related to the readings. In addition to maintaining a response journal to further written communication, students will be asked to make in-class presentations, to further oral communication.
AP Spanish (year course): The most advanced level of Spanish offered, this course prepares the student to take the AP Spanish exam. The literary emphasis of AP Spanish is employed to provide enrichment in all the communication skills. In addition to reviewing all the verb tenses and the more complicated grammar structures of Spanish, the students are exposed to examples of many genres of literature. The Latin American short story is explored through the use of an anthology first term. A short novel by Yarcia Márquez inspires conversation on literary themes such as irony, symbolism, and allusion second term. A play is read during the third term, and is a vehicle by which various social and political issues are examined. This course is designed to continue the development of an extensive vocabulary and to furnish the students with grammatical spontaneity in discussions of a sophisticated nature. AP Spanish students write often in short essay form on themes reflecting the literature studied. Spanish is the language of instruction and students are required to participate solely in that language.
Directions | Site Map | Contact | Employment | Privacy Policy | Directory | Calendar | Library | School Store | Support McDonogh