Spanish 1 - This is an introductory course that presents Spanish to students through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Particular emphasis is placed upon the mastery of forms and uses of the verbs in the present and past indicative tenses. Students are also introduced to the culture of Spanish-speaking countries. The Multimedia Language Center is used by groups and also independently to develop listening comprehension skills.
Spanish 2 - The objectives of Spanish 2 are to improve the skills attained by students in Spanish 1 and to continue the presentation of basic grammar including an introduction to the subjunctive mood. Emphasis is placed upon increasing active vocabulary through the study of new words that appear in dialogues, readings and thematic lists. Students continue to read about the culture of the Spanish-speaking world and to use the Multimedia Language Center for practice in listening comprehension.
Spanish 2 (Honors) - Requires departmental approval. This course is offered to students who have shown a high degree of self-motivation and previous success and who wish to advance at a faster pace. The objective of Spanish 2 Honors is to continue the presentation of basic grammar, including the indicative, imperative and subjunctive moods. Emphasis is placed on increasing the student’s active vocabulary through selected readings. Students continue to read about the culture of the Spanish-speaking world and to use the Multimedia Language Center for audio and oral practice.
Spanish 3 - Spanish 3 focuses on a review of grammatical principles while emphasizing conversation and written expression. Students increase their working vocabulary by learning new words gleaned from short readings, conversation and real-life situations. To facilitate oral communication and aural comprehension, there are frequent exercises using videos, CDs, classroom reading and conversation. Literary selections and guided Internet research expand the cultural knowledge of the student.
Spanish 3 (Honors) - Requires departmental approval. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or Spanish 2 Honors. This is a pre-Advanced Placement-level course that reinforces all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The grammar studied in levels 1 and 2 is reviewed along with further study of idiomatic expressions, including frequent drills and assignments in the Multimedia Language Center and oral presentations in class. In addition to the grammar and vocabulary review sections, literary selections from Spain and hispanophone America are introduced to encourage and to develop reading skills, writing ability and cultural awareness. Selected Spanish-language websites are assigned so that students can obtain additional information and familiarity with idiomatic living language. This course is conducted in Spanish.
Advanced Spanish 4A (Honors) and Advanced Spanish 4B (Honors) Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or equivalent. The students enrolled in the Advanced Spanish class have finished three years of high School Spanish; thus, they should have a good understanding of the Spanish grammar and an intermediate level of proficiency. In each course, students will not only develop and refine speaking, reading and writing skills in the target language, but will also become more aware of the cultures whose primary language is Spanish. For that purpose, students will read short stories, poetry and culture readings as well as watch and discuss movies. Throughout the year students will be expected to write essays on works by a given author and on movies discussed in class.
Spanish 4 (AP) (Language) - Requires departmental approval. Prerequisite: excellence in Spanish 3 or Spanish 3 Honors or equivalent. This college-level course is designed for students who want to continue developing their proficiency in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish, and its content should qualify students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Language. Following the College Board course description, this AP class emphasizes: 1. the ability to comprehend formal and informal spoken Spanish; 2. the acquisition of vocabulary and a grasp of structure to allow the easy, accurate reading of newspaper and magazine articles, as well as of modern literature in Spanish; 3. the ability to compose expository passages; and 4. the ability to express ideas orally with accuracy and fluency. Sample questions and test-taking strategies from previous AP exams are studied in detail. To stimulate the students' interest, selected Spanish-language websites are assigned, including audio and video whenever possible.
Spanish 5 (AP) (Literature) - Requires departmental approval. Prerequisite: excellence in Spanish 4 AP Language. The objective of this college-level, survey-style course is to develop an appreciation of literature that is written in Spanish. It introduces prominent works from Spain and Spanish America across the centuries. The required reading list includes authors in all genres from the Middle Ages to the present. In addition to the reading and critical discussion of literary works, students are encouraged to take advantage of the Internet to expand their knowledge of the topics and issues studied. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish; and it is anticipated that, upon completion, students will qualify for the Advanced Placement examination in Spanish Literature.