This course combines language development with critical thinking. Students will concentrate on interpersonal and presentational spoken and written communication based upon their ability to analyze and interpret information heard and read. Students will be able to identify and summarize main points and important details and make appropriate inferences and predictions from advanced and authentic texts and auditory stimuli. Students will be able to participate actively in both formal and informal conversations on a variety of topics that range from personal interests to public interests while maintaining appropriate cultural register. Their vocabulary will be very good but might contain occasional interference from their native language. They will be able to circumlocute and to rephrase both in writing and speaking. They will have control of both simple and complex structures with few errors. They will be readily understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. They may have trouble providing a structured argument in extended discourse although will likely be successful in stating opinions or citing conditions.

(Advanced Low - Advanced Mid)
This course combines language development with critical thinking. Students will concentrate on interpersonal and presentational spoken and written communication based upon their ability to analyze and interpret information heard and read. Students will be able to identify and summarize main points and important details and make appropriate inferences and predictions from advanced and authentic texts and auditory stimuli. Students will be able to participate actively in both formal and informal conversations on a variety of topics that range from personal interests to public interests while maintaining appropriate cultural register. Their vocabulary will be very good but might contain occasional interference from their native language. They will be able to circumlocute and to rephrase both in writing and speaking. They will have control of both simple and complex structures with few errors. They will be readily understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. They may have trouble providing a structured argument in extended discourse although will likely be successful in stating opinions or citing conditions.

(Novice High)
By the end of this course, students will be able to respond to simple questions and to communicate basic information in both speech and writing. They will be able to recombine familiar words and expressions to describe self, family, daily activities, personal preferences and basic cultural information. They will be able to navigate with some success in day-to-day survival situations and will be able to read for instructional and directional purposes.

(Intermediate Low)
In this course, students will begin to handle interactive, task-oriented social situations in both speech and writing. They will create sentences and questions with the language in order to handle such basic survival situations as ordering food and making simple purchases. Students will also participate in direct conversations about themselves their daily activities, and their language’s culture.  Additionally, they will practice their listening skills and begin to transcribe and take notes from auditory sources. They will write short paragraphs, electronic messages, and postcards with good control of basic structures. Students will be able to read and understand passages based on personal and social needs, i.e., public service announcements. Students will generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

(Intermediate Mid)
Students in this course continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They will respond with partial control to direct questions or requests for information; however, their speech may contain pauses, inaccuracies, and misunderstandings. They will begin to self-correct with some success. Students will also explore the world through news and cultural sources; however, they may have difficulty with authentic sources, especially auditory. Students will be able to read basic cultural texts and be able to summarize information from these sources. Students will be able to write in a variety of practical forms such as formal and informal letters and emails although most topics will be based on personal experience. Students will be understood by a sympathetic native speaker used to dealing with non-native speakers.

(Intermediate Mid- High)
Students in this course will be able to converse successfully in the majority of basic situations and in some advanced topics. Hesitation and errors may be present in the delivery of advanced discourse as students depart the world that revolves around them and take on a more global perspective. They will be able to initiate, sustain and conclude a conversation even though there may be errors. They will connect ideas in order to narrate and describe. Students will be able to understand and determine main ideas in advanced narrative and descriptive texts, both cultural and literary, although they may need to read these texts multiple times. There may be occasional hesitation in their delivery. In general, native speakers will be able to understand students without the need for repetition.

Advanced Literature Course
This class if for students who want to improve their language skills and who want to continue to practice speaking, writing, listening and critical thinking in the target language of French or Spanish. Admission into this class is by permission of the instructor and Chair of the World Language Department.

(Intermediate High - Advanced Low Language) Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context, students will be able to understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students will be able to read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, and technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they will be able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students will also have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level will be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

Honors V (Intermediate High – Advanced Low)
Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context students understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they are able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

Mandarin I is an introductory course for students with little or no prior knowledge of Mandarin Chinese. The course focuses on elementary language skills and an essential introduction to Chinese culture. The course begins by introducing the Pinyin phonetic system and basic formation of Chinese characters, and moves on to basic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. By the end of this course, students will be able to respond to simple questions and to communicate basic information in both oral and writing formats. Students are able to recombine familiar words, phrases, and memorize expressions to describe self, family, time and personal preferences. 

Mandarin II continues to expand students’ foundational communication skills learned in Mandarin I and to provide students with the cultural foundation necessary for effective communication in the Chinese-speaking world. Students begin to handle interactive, task-oriented social situations in both speech and writing. They create simple sentences and questions with the language in order to handle such basic survival situations as making appointments, describing daily activities and making simple purchases. Students learn how to read and ask questions about authentic materials including course schedule, sale signs, and transportation tickets. When speaking, students are generally understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. 

Students in Mandarin III continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They further explore the culture and customs in the Chinese-speaking world and learn to navigate a limited number of real-life scenarios, such as discussing the weather, ordering food, and asking for directions. Additionally, they practice their listening skills and answer questions based on dialogues spoken at a real-life pace. They write short paragraphs, diary entries, electronic messages, and email with good control of basic structures and can read and understand passages based on personal and social needs, such as weather forecast websites, menus and maps. When speaking, students can generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

Students in this course continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They are able to handle some uncomplicated communicative tasks in real-life scenarios, such as seeing a doctor, taking public transit and making a travel plan. Students express opinions and preferences in their writing, but their long answers lack transitional words and sentences. They learn to respond orally with partial control to direct questions or requests for information; however, their speech may contain pauses, inaccuracies, and misunderstandings. Students will be understood by a sympathetic native speaker used to dealing with non-native speakers.

At this stage, students have a broad vocabulary and can understand more complex authentic material related to everyday life in the Chinese-speaking world. Students write at length in characters and often use transitional words, phrases, and a variety of grammar structures with increasing accuracy. In conversation, students are able to handle most familiar situations with ease and begin to engage in discussions on less predictable topics. While they can attempt more complex tasks, they may not consistently perform at an advanced level. Native speakers generally understand them, but some repetition may be necessary.

Honors V (Intermediate High – Advanced Low)
Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context students understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they are able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

In this course students will learn about the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries through literature. Students will view short stories, novels, plays and poems in North America, Latin America, and Spain. With other cultural materials, students will study the social, political, and cultural context of the texts presented. The course will explore various issues, among which women’s roles in contemporary society, immigration, globalization, and experiences of war and violence. 
(Not offered 2025-2026)

(Novice High)
By the end of this course, students will be able to respond to simple questions and to communicate basic information in both speech and writing. They will be able to recombine familiar words and expressions to describe self, family, daily activities, personal preferences and basic cultural information. They will be able to navigate with some success in day-to-day survival situations and will be able to read for instructional and directional purposes.

 (Intermediate Low)
In this course, students will begin to handle interactive, task-oriented social situations in both speech and writing. They will create sentences and questions with the language in order to handle such basic survival situations as ordering food and making simple purchases. Students will also participate in direct conversations about themselves their daily activities, and their language’s culture.  Additionally, they will practice their listening skills and will begin to transcribe and take notes from auditory sources. They will write short paragraphs, electronic messages, and postcards with good control of basic structures. Students will be able to read and understand passages based on personal and social needs, i.e., public service announcements. Students will generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

(Intermediate Mid)
Students in this course continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They will respond with partial control to direct questions or requests for information; however, their speech may contain pauses, inaccuracies, and misunderstandings. They will begin to self-correct with some success. Students will also explore the world through news and cultural sources; however, they may have difficulty with authentic sources, especially auditory. Students will be able to read basic cultural texts and be able to summarize information from these sources. Students will be able to write in a variety of practical forms such as formal and informal letters and emails although most topics will be based on personal experience. Students will be understood by a sympathetic native speaker used to dealing with non-native speakers.

(Intermediate Mid-High)
Students in this course will be able to converse successfully in the majority of basic situations and in some advanced topics. Hesitation and errors may be present in the delivery of advanced discourse as students depart the world that revolves around them and take on a more global perspective. They will be able to initiate, sustain and conclude a conversation even though there may be errors. They will connect ideas in order to narrate and describe. Students will be able to understand and determine main ideas in advanced narrative and descriptive texts, both cultural and literary, although they may need to read these texts multiple times. There may be occasional hesitation in their delivery. In general, native speakers will be able to understand students without the need for repetition.

(Intermediate High - Advanced Low)
Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context, students will be able to understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students will be able to read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, and technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they will be able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students will also have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level will be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

Honors V (Intermediate High – Advanced Low)
Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context students understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they are able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.