2025-26 Course Descriptions - Catalog - Page 38
WORLD LANGUAGES
WORLD CULTURES
How do languages emerge from and in昀氀uence
culture? This foundational course introduces
students to world languages and the cultures that
surround them. All 6th grade students explore their
own language history and culture and develop
basic communication skills in both French and
Spanish. Throughout the two semesters, students
learn greetings, alphabets, numerical systems,
and language structures in Spanish and French.
They gain insights into the cultural signi昀椀cance of
these languages and develop a basic geographical
perspective on where these languages came from
and where they exist now. Students engage in
dynamic learning experiences including projects
and presentations based on cultural aspects of
the languages such as food, music, movement,
and storytelling. A key component of the course
is our service learning initiative in partnership
with Centronia, an educational organization
dedicated to providing affordable, quality early
childhood education and family support services
in a bilingual and multicultural environment to
low-income children. Within this initiative, our
students collaborate with educators in various
pre-K classrooms, engaging in activities and games
tailored to the speci昀椀c needs and comfort levels of
both our students and the Centronia community.
Overall, this course aims to foster linguistic and
cultural awareness, as well as a sense of community
engagement among our students.
Note: All 6th-grade students take this course and
then can choose between French and Spanish for
their future language study.
FRENCH I
Qui sommes-nous? In this course, students
independently use their learning to develop a sense
of individual and cultural identity. They learn to
empathize with others across linguistic and cultural
differences by expressing themselves in basic
contexts while applying language structures to
create meaning for a variety of purposes. Students
reach these goals by performing elementary
functions of the language and gaining exposure
to practices and perspectives of French-speaking
cultures. The course focuses on the four basic skills
of communication: speaking, listening, reading, and
Curriculum Guide | 38
writing, and uses student-centered, project-based
learning so that students develop greater ownership
of and interest in the material. The key themes of the
course are introductions, descriptions of self, family,
housing, clothing, and activities. Students participate
in conversations about meals, times, dates, and
weather.
Note: This course is open to students in grades 7-12.
