Courses

Chinese

L-170 Chinese I

Year 1 unit
This course, designed for anyone new to the Chinese language, introduces students to spoken and written Mandarin Chinese, paying particular attention to practical vocabulary and basic sentence patterns. Students learn the Pinyin (romanized) system of writing and learn to read and write the most basic Chinese characters. After they master 200 characters, students are able to create skits and write short essays about their daily lives. By the end of the year, students are able to recognize up to 350 Chinese characters and can communicate about themselves, families and friends.

Open to: 9/10/11/12

Chinese

L-270 Chinese II

Year 1 unit

In this course, students continue to develop the fundamentals covered in Chinese I and practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing. They review their knowledge of the 350 Chinese characters learned in Chinese I. Through occasional readings, listening to CDs, and watching lesson-related videos, students improve their understanding of Chinese culture while acquiring new vocabulary and sentence patterns. Classroom activities and tests are completely in Chinese. By the end of the year, the students are able to recognize up to 500 Chinese characters.

Prerequisite: Chinese I (L-170) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 9/10/11/12

Chinese

L-370 Chinese III

Year 1 unit
This course is a continuation of Chinese II (L-270). Students strengthen their abilities in the four skill areas for practical communication in Chinese. They develop their knowledge of the Chinese characters learned in Chinese II and learn new vocabulary and sentence patterns, while using Chinese to discuss various topics. They gain an understanding of Chinese culture through occasional readings, listening to CDs, and watching lesson-related videos. By the end of the year, they are able to read Chinese essays and engage in daily conversation. They are also able to recognize up to 800 Chinese characters.

Prerequisite: Chinese II (L-270) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 9/10/11/12

Chinese

L-470 Chinese IV

Year 1unit

In this course, students handle more complicated readings and prepare to interact with native speakers about every day life. They are provided an opportunity to explore Chinese literature and culture (folklore, poetry, festivals, etc.) while building their competencies in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Chinese. Students become familiar with the concepts of Chinese history, society, traditional culture, and the changing cultures of modern China and Taiwan. When students finish this level, they are able to read authentic materials and carry conversations in basic business settings.

Prerequisite: Chinese III (L-370) or recommendation of the department

Open to: 10/11/12

French

L-130 French I

Year 1 unit
First-year French students learn a wide range of vocabulary, expressions, and usage, as well as the grammatical structures to support them. The course employs a textbook, workbooks, and a variety of audio visual material which offer practice and reinforcement in authentic situations. These materials and class discussion help develop a cultural awareness of francophone countries. Cooperative activities and paired work promote the communicative function of the language. Both classroom practice and testing emphasize the importance of all aspects of the material: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and knowledge of culture.

Open to: 9/10/11/12

French

L-230 French II

Year 1 unit
In this course students review the fundamentals of French I while gradually building new vocabulary and learning to use additional tenses and structures. By means of written and oral drills, selected readings, audio passages, and lesson-related videos, students increase their skill in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Cultural topics are introduced through occasional readings and visual aids.
Prerequisite: French I (L-130) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 9/10/11/12

French

L-330 French III

Year 1 unit
By successfully completing this course, students cover all basic French grammatical structures. Through discussion of the material, whether reading or audio-visual, they enrich their vocabulary, gain insight into French culture, and achieve greater ease in oral communication. Students also develop their writing skills through written assignments and short essays. Excerpts of French films and various presentations reinforce the class material and help to expand students’ understanding of the country and its people.
Prerequisites: French II (L-230) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 9/10/11/12

French

L-430 French IV: Cours Avancé

Fall .5 unit
This course provides an opportunity for students to sample a variety of literary genres (poetry, short story, etc.) and at the same time develop and strengthen their knowledge of French grammar. Selected readings from France, French Canada, Africa, etc. are the focus of classroom discussions and of essay writing. In addition, students review verb tenses and important grammar structures while adding to their repertoire of new vocabulary. They also watch, discuss, and study one or two of the great classics from French cinema.
Prerequisite: French III (L-330) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 10/11/12

French

L-431 French IV: Cours Avancé

Spring .5 unit
Students continue to strengthen and develop their knowledge of French grammar and vocabulary. In addition, the class studies Madame Bovary; this is the focus of class discussion and enables students to examine cultural, historical, and social issues pertaining to the text. In addition, students write essays and develop writing skills in French. There is a strong emphasis on meaningful and informed participation in class. Students also are expected to do research and to apply this to class discussion, power point presentations and essays. They continue their study of various grammar structures and new vocabulary. All students write a final analytical paper (3-5 pages in length) on Madame Bovary at the end of the semester.
Prerequisite: French IV (L-430) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 10/11/12

French

L-531 Advanced Placement French V: Cours Supérieur

Year 1.5 unit
This course focuses on developing writing skills and verbal skills. Equal emphasis is placed on developing skills in speaking, listening, and reading with particular attention paid to vocabulary and grammar. Through vocabulary building, drills in speech patterns, study of pronunciation and intonation, and discussion of contemporary topics, students improve their verbal comprehension and ability to speak. In addition, students write short, frequent essays and are exposed to French literature through a wide variety of texts from the Middle Ages to the modern times. As with other AP courses, additional assignments are required during school vacations. To receive credit for this course, students are expected to take the Advanced Placement exam in French language.
Prerequisite: French IV (L-431) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 11/12

Latin

L-120 Latin I

Year 1 unit

In Latin I, students are introduced to the inflectional system in Latin— that is, the declension of nouns and conjugation of verbs. Grammar is taught through the introduction of simplified works of Latin literature. Latin I covers all of the tenses of the indicative mood, and the uses of all of the cases of nouns. By the end of the course, students will be able to read simplified Latin texts; will learn the basics of Roman mythology, government and culture, and will gain a much deeper understanding of English grammar and the grammar of other Indo-European languages they may study. In addition, they will have an arsenal of basic vocabulary which will serve them well in understanding college level written English.

Open to 9/10/11/12/PG

Latin

L-220 Latin II

Year 1 unit

Latin II covers the tenses of the subjunctive mood and some of the more advanced points of Latin syntax and grammar. By the end of the course, students will be able to read original Latin texts with a dictionary and some grammar help. This course will guide students through a deeper understanding of Roman culture, history, politics and literature through readings which become less abridged as the course progresses. As students learn more Latin vocabulary, their vocabulary in English will flourish accordingly.

Prerequisite: Latin I (L-120) or recommendation of the department
Open to 9/10/11/12/PG

Latin

L-320 Latin III

Year 1 unit

Latin III is the bridge course between highly structured grammar study and reading Latin literature with little grammatical support. As such, it is a year in which students bring all of their accumulated grammar knowledge to authentic literary texts, learning the last details of grammatical complexity as they tackle the works of authors such as Caesar, Cicero, Horace, Livy, Catullus, Martial and Vergil. This course serves an important function for those students who may wish to study AP Latin or enter college with the skills needed to study Latin literature.

Prerequisite: Latin II (L-220) or recommendation of the department
Open to 9/10/11/12/PG

Latin

L-622 Ovid

Year 1 unit

In this course, we will study Ovid’s Metamorphoses in depth. This will be a seminar course, consisting primarily of detailed preparation outside of class, reading and translating in class, and ongoing online discussions throughout the week. Students will present one project or paper each semester.

Prerequisite: Latin V: AP Latin (L-520) or recommendation of the department
Open to 11/12/PG

Spanish

L-160 Spanish I

Year 1 unit
After successfully completing Spanish I, students are able to carry on short conversations with acceptable pronunciation, intonation, and syntax and write answers to questions in the present and past tenses. They also are able to express themselves about future events. Students develop confidence in oral work and broaden their knowledge of cultures that embrace Spanish as their official language. Work in the textbook is accompanied by short readings and extensive work on the supersite, which includes tutorials, videos, films, and more.
Open to: 9/10/11/12

Spanish

L-260 Spanish II

Year 1 unit
In this course students continue to develop skills learned in Spanish I, including reading, writing, and speaking. By the end of the course, they can employ with reasonable accuracy the future, conditional, and past tenses, and some forms of the subjunctive. Class activities include reading and acting out dialogues, conversing in Spanish, reviewing grammar exercises, and writing compositions. Through coursework students read short stories and poetry according to their level. Supersite work continues to be important.
Prerequisite: Spanish I (L-160) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 9/10/11/12

Spanish

L-360 Spanish III

Spanish

L-460 Spanish IV

Fall .5 unit
This course is designed to improve the student’s command of Spanish in all aspects. Through reading works of Spanish and Latin American authors, students study Spanish literature, while acquiring knowledge of the political history of each country. Brief essays and oral reports are completed following reading assignments and pertinent movies. A final paper is required in the spring semester.
Students planning to take AP Spanish V (L-561) should enroll in this course.
Prerequisite: Spanish III (L-360) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 10/11/12

Spanish

L-461 Spanish IV

Spring .5 unit
See Spanish IV (L-460).
Prerequisite: Spanish IV (L-460) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 10/11/12

Spanish

L-561 Advanced Placement Spanish V: Curso Avanzado

Year 1.5 unit
This course emphasizes the development of writing skills. Short essays are assigned weekly. Equal emphasis is placed on developing skills in speaking, listening, and reading with particular attention paid to grammar and vocabulary. In the fall semester the readings are dedicated to Spanish authors from the XV century to the present. During the spring semester, emphasis is placed on reading short stories and plays by Latin American authors. As with other AP courses, additional assignments are required during school vacations. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Spanish Language exam.

Prerequisite: Spanish IV (L-461) or recommendation of the department
Open to: 11/12

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