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The Foreign Language department teaches students of Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish to understand, speak, read, and write the target languages within the context of their respective cultures. Students of Latin learn to read Latin literature and to understand and value Roman contributions to civilization. The program creates opportunities for students to experience and acknowledge different patterns of thought and other value systems. Through the department’s interdisciplinary approach, students better understand their own language and culture and develop a sense of responsibility and commitment as world citizens.
All students must take two years each of any two languages or complete the study of one language through level III (strongly recommended) to satisfy the Harvard-Westlake School diploma requirement for foreign language study.
CHINESE
| Chinese IA |
3000-0 |
| Full year —
Grade 7 |
Chinese IA is an introduction to modern Chinese. It provides students with basic knowledge of Pinyin, daily conversational vocabulary, Chinese characters, and basic grammar. The course is designed to develop students’ four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, although special emphasis is placed on speaking. Pronunciation and writing of Pinyin is taught and practiced throughout the year. Important topics that relate to daily student life are discussed and students make situational conversations and presentations. Students are also introduced to the Chinese writing system, including basic strokes, stroke order, radicals, and simple and useful Chinese characters. The skills of using a dictionary are introduced in the middle of the year. Authentic Chinese printed and audiovisual materials from e-mail, Internet, and television news program sources are added to provide a realistic depiction of China. Chinese culture, including Chinese festivals, schools in China, mannerisms, and gestures, is also addressed in this course. |
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Chinese I
|
3010-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 9 |
This course, designed for the beginning student, introduces the fundamentals of modern Chinese. Equal emphasis is placed on the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students learn approximately 600 Chinese traditional and simplified characters. Students also learn basic sentence patterns in the standard speech of Putonghua, so-called Mandarin Chinese. Integrating culture with linguistic analysis, the course introduces the following topics in three units: 1) counting and/or calculations in the cardinal number system (zero to mega), ordinal number systems, fractions, percentages, decimals, currency, time (age, century, decade, year, month, week, day, hour, minute, and second), length, and size; 2) identification and description of people and things, including body parts, personal status, naming, family and relative relations, community relations, greetings, introductions, phone calls, positions, directions, colors, shapes, and some sports; and 3) talk about the world, including seasons, countries, capitals, government, some folklore, and modes of transportation. Students are introduced to Chinese calligraphic works and principles, works of art, poetry, proverbs, children’s songs, and folk songs through texts used in class. A popular feature of the program is the performance of skits presented in forms drawn from Chinese traditional performing arts. Such methods enable students to easily approach the language and culture of China and to have a lot of fun in the process. |
FRENCH
|
French IA
|
3100-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 7 |
With this course, students begin the formal study of French. French IA develops all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Teachers use multiple approaches geared toward the interests of middle school language learners, which include the use of CDs at home. The material of the course is pertinent to French and French-speaking cultures and introduces varied vocabulary and expressions of everyday life, using appropriate grammatical structure, in conversations and short written descriptions. Through videos, DVDs, and the Internet, students are exposed to French civilization and cross-cultural differences. |
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French IB
|
3105-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 8 |
This course is a continuation of French IA with equal emphasis on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Material covered includes fundamental concepts and grammatical structures as well as colloquial expressions and their usage. Classes are conducted mainly in French, and students interact with one another in the target language. Written and oral compositions are assigned. Through videos, the Internet, and research projects, students familiarize themselves with French culture and civilization, including history, art, everyday life, and the cultural diversity of the francophone world. |
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French I
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3110-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
This course is for students beginning French in grades 8 or 9 and covers the curricula of French IA and French IB outlined in the preceding descriptions. |
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French II
|
3120-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
This course is a continuation of French IB. It presents a more extensive study of grammatical structures, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions of the spoken language. The course is conducted in French, and students engage in conversations to provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. They understand and interpret spoken and written French on a variety of topics. Readings are directed to emphasize and reinforce the grammatical concepts studied as well as to explore the different facets of French and francophone culture. The use of CDs at home is an integral part of the course. Written compositions and long readings paired with oral and written questions are required. |
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French III
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3130-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 9 |
The primary linguistic goal of French III is to allow students to express themselves in increasingly precise and, consequently, detailed language. At this stage, they progress from sentence-level speech to paragraph-level speech. This move toward more complex language requires a firm linguistic base. Therefore, the course includes a systematic review of all concepts learned previously and the study of advanced grammatical concepts such as anterior future, past conditional with “if” clauses, present and past subjunctive, literary past, passive voice, causative faire, indirect discourse, and relative pronouns. All essential structures are reviewed several times throughout the program. The cultural content covers: contemporary daily life; the cultural background of the French-speaking world; an introduction to the arts, literature, history, film, painting, and music; a sampling of French fiction (short stories) from French writers such as Ionesco, De Maupassant, Colette, and Molière; and an in-depth study of The Little Prince. Written and oral compositions are required. |
JAPANESE
|
Japanese I
|
3210-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 9 |
This course introduces the fundamentals of modern Japanese. The objective is to enable students to develop the four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with special attention given to the acquisition of conversational skills. Correct structure, pronunciation and intonation, and gestures and mannerisms are emphasized from the beginning. In addition to the development of sentence patterns, the students are required to learn the reading and writing of two sets of syllabary, Katakana and Hiragana (forty-six letters in each set). Periodically, Japanese culture is also explored during class days devoted to featured activities such as haiku writing, riceball making, and obon dancing. Students deepen their understanding of the culture through independent research projects each semester. |
LATIN
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Latin IA
|
3300-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 7 |
With this course, students begin the formal study of Latin. Topics include three declensions, uses of the cases, gender, agreement of adjectives, present tense active indicative of all verbs, pronouns, infinitive forms and use, and principal parts of verbs. The skills of reading Latin out loud, analyzing sentence structure, and using Latin roots as a key to English vocabulary are stressed. The study of ancient Roman culture includes slaves, life in the country, women, education, the Aenead, and food. Students also use Latin computer programs in the technology center. |
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Latin IB
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3305-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 8 |
In this course, students continue their introduction to basic concepts, vocabulary, and Roman culture. Topics include the locative and time constructions, indicative active past tenses, numerals, demonstrative pronouns, fourth and fifth declensions, and the comparative and superlative. Using Latin roots as a key to English vocabulary is continued. The study of ancient Roman culture includes mythology, the early history of Rome, religion, coins, Caesar, Cicero, and the fall of the Republic. A great emphasis is placed upon translating Latin into clear English and English into correct Latin. Students also use Latin computer programs in the technology center. |
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Latin I
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3310-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
This course is for students beginning Latin in grades 8 or 9 and covers the curricula of Latin IA and Latin IB outlined in the preceding descriptions.
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Latin II
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3320-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
In this course, students learn to perfect the skills of translating, analyzing, and writing Latin as they practice all previous topics. They broaden their vocabulary base and continue to learn major grammatical concepts such as subjunctives and indirect statement. The study of ancient Roman culture includes ancient Greece, Octavian, Antony and the Senate, the second triumvirate, the Roman army, Brutus and Cassius, and Latin poetry.
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Latin III
|
3330-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
This course provides a review of grammar previously learned such as indirect statement and subjunctive constructions. A thorough background in Latin grammatical syntax and vocabulary is essential for success in advanced Latin courses. Emphasis is also placed on reading comprehension and translation. Selected passages from major Roman authors such as Cicero, Ovid, Pliny, and Sallust offer a perspective on Roman culture, history, and classical mythology as well as provide a means of improving the students’ ability to translate.
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SPANISH
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Spanish IA
|
3500-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 7 |
In this course, students begin a formal study of Spanish. The skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all presented within the context of communicative situations. Students become familiar with standards of courtesy and appropriate greetings. They learn the grammar and vocabulary necessary to describe themselves and others, school life, sports and leisure activities, food, and the weather. With each of these themes, similarities and differences between U.S. and Hispanic cultures are discussed. Interactive lessons, including the use of videos, CDs, and the Internet, familiarize students with the diversity of peoples and cultures that form the Spanish-speaking world. |
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Spanish IB
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3505-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 8 |
This course is a continuation of Spanish IA. A communicative approach to language learning is used to improve students’ listening, speaking, reading, writing, and study skills. In addition, students explore further the diverse cultures and peoples of the Spanish-speaking world. Students at this level complete several projects pertaining to Spain and Latin America, and the level and amount of reading and writing completed by students increases. In class, Spanish is the primary language spoken by both teacher and students. |
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Spanish I
|
3510-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
This course is for students beginning Spanish in grades 8 or 9 and covers the curricula of Spanish IA and Spanish IB outlined in the preceding descriptions. |
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Spanish II
|
3520-0
|
| Full year —
Grades 8 and 9 |
In this course, students continue to improve the skills of reading, understanding, speaking, and writing Spanish. Moving at a faster pace, students practice all topics introduced in Spanish IA and IB and expand their vocabulary. The exploration of Hispanic cultures, oral presentations, and written compositions continue to be the central focus of the program. Great importance is placed on the application of contextualized grammar concepts. Note-taking and test-taking skills are an important aspect of the program. |
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Spanish III
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3530-0
|
| Full year —
Grade 9 |
This communicative course is designed to strengthen skills and concepts acquired in previous Spanish courses. The course undertakes a thorough overview of Spanish grammar, including the use and sequence of all verb tenses and moods. Students learn structures and expressions necessary to discuss advanced topics such as urban versus rural life, the visual arts, television and its impact on society, native peoples past and present, electronic communications in today’s world, community service, unexplained phenomena, jobs and the professional environment, and political violence in Latin America. |
(from the 2008-2009
Curriculum Guide) |
