WORLD LANGUAGES PHILOSOPHY
In an interdependent world, the study of languages promotes communication with people of other cultures, a fuller participation in the global community and preparation to play an active role in a global economy. Through its course offerings, the Department of World Languages seeks to develop in students a degree of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in French, Mandarin, and Spanish and in English for English language learners. Latin instruction focuses on reading, translation, vocabulary building, and the principles of linguistic structure. The culture of the target language is presented as an integral part of language instruction.
In French, Mandarin, and Spanish, students are expected to understand the spoken language, using familiar vocabulary and structures, at moderate speed, with occasional repetition. They are expected to speak the target language using pronunciation and intonation which can be understood by a native speaker, familiar with foreigners. The fluency of expression is expected to increase with each level. Students should be able to read and understand information appropriate for each level. They are expected to write with increasing accuracy and develop composition skills in the upper levels.
In Latin, students are prepared to read and grasp the fundamentals of grammar, syntax and translation. They are also taught vocabulary, classical history and culture, with the aim to expand their ability to integrate their lessons to their native language and culture. As in French and Spanish, such skills are expected to increase with each level.
At the beginners’ level, the Department further aims to develop a basic knowledge of the geography and behavior of some cultures where the target language is or was spoken. In the upper levels, this expands to include the cultural heritage and literature of these cultures.
As a school with a large international population, The MacDuffie School seeks to accommodate students’ wishes to study literature in their native language. Where at all possible, an external tutor will be sought and trained to offer MacDuffie’s standard first language curriculum. This service is available at an additional cost to families.
In an effort to address the different learning styles of the students, the Department promotes a multi-sensory approach and teaching methods, which are appropriate for the students’ developmental stage. The principle of spiraling is applied to various aspects of the curriculum: knowledge and skills from one stage are recycled in increasingly sophisticated ways. Students are assisted in their progress through continuous feedback and opportunity to practice. The systematic inclusion of study and organizational skills fosters a daily routine which is an integral part of the cumulative effect of language learning.
Each student who graduates from MacDuffie must have successfully completed at least two consecutive years of study in one world language while enrolled in the Upper School. The second year must be at a higher level than the first. A year-end grade of at least C- is necessary in order to advance to the next level. Students who enter in the sixth grade take a required course in Eastern and Western Cultures as an introduction to language. Since the development of fluency demands a high investment in time, students are strongly encouraged to continue their studies into the advanced levels.
Many students at MacDuffie avail themselves of the opportunity to begin the study of a second world language. This enables them to gain a deeper understanding of linguistic structure, a more extensive vocabulary base and a heightened cultural awareness. However, terminating the study of language after only two years in order to begin studying a second is highly discouraged in most cases, since such short exposure does not enable the student to acquire a workable knowledge of either language.
All the offerings of the Department are year-long courses.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
1400/1401 – Latin 6 and Mandarin 6
Grade 6
Students acquire skills of foreign language through the introduction of two languages: Latin and simplified Mandarin. Students learn by reading and speaking and by being introduced to classical Eastern and Western cultures. Emphasis in Latin is given to the rudiments of grammar and English, French, and Spanish vocabulary based on Latin root words. Emphasis in Mandarin is given to simple communication, culture, and History. Many projects and frequent opportunities for interaction provide an age-appropriate atmosphere to facilitate further study in a foreign language.
1430/1432 – French A and B
Grades 7 – 8
This two-year sequence is geared toward the Middle School learner. The basic linguistic structures of a first-year Upper School course are taught in conjunction with an expanded vocabulary to facilitate successful advanced study. Students are encouraged to use the language from the beginning. Supplementary classroom activities include recordings, short readings, slides, DVDs and related work on computers.
1460/1462 – Spanish A and B
Grades 7 – 8
This two-year sequence covers the basic linguistic structures and vocabulary of a first-year course at the Middle School level. Vocabulary development and strong oral/aural skills are emphasized. Students are encouraged to use the language from the beginning. Supplementary classroom activities include recordings, slides, DVDs and related work on computers.
UPPER SCHOOL
LATIN
1402 – Upper School Latin I
This first-year Latin course includes the preliminary study of Latin grammar, vocabulary and translation. Particular emphasis is given to early Roman history, Roman legends and mythology. Students are instructed in skills of vocabulary enhancement through a knowledge of derivatives and etymons. Open to Middle School students who meet the prerequisites of the Department of World Languages.
1404 – Latin II (Prerequisite: Upper School Latin I)
This second-year Latin course includes a continuation of lessons in Latin grammar and sentence structure, additional vocabulary and more advanced translation. These translations serve to increase knowledge of Roman history and Classical civilization as well as to provide a preparation to read Latin literature. Particular emphasis is given to English vocabulary enhancement through the study of Latin etymons.
1405 – Latin III (Honors) (Prerequisite: Latin II)
The third-year Latin course will continue the study of advanced Latin grammar and syntax while beginning the study of the literature of Latin writers such as Cicero, Livy and Ovid, The curriculum of these courses may prepare the students for the Advanced Placement examination in Latin in the following year.
1407/1409 – Latin IV (Honors/AP) (Prerequisite Latin III)
Students will read significant parts of Caesar’s Gallic War and Vergil’s Aeneid. The course will emphasize sophisticated understanding of the Latin language through comprehensive review of grammar and syntax, as well as the introduction of various literary devices and rhetorical techniques employed by prose and poetic authors. Students will also have the opportunity to read a number of authors at sight, in order to enhance their ability to read and comprehend Latin as well as prepare them for the sight passages on the AP exam.
At the invitation of the instructor, outstanding students in Latin have the option to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exams. They need to communicate their commitment to additional practice and preparation by the end of the first quarter . A student’s AP status will be reviewed after the first semester exam.
FRENCH
1434 – French I
This course is an introduction to the French language and culture. The four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing are developed, with a particular emphasis on oral communication, the acquisition of concrete vocabulary and basic grammar skills. From the beginning, French is used in the classroom. Open to Middle School students who meet the prerequisites of the Department of World Languages.
1436 – French II (Prerequisite: French I)
Continuing the emphasis on the acquisition of the four basic language skills, the course includes a foundation in grammar and syntax. The practical vocabulary is further expanded and classes are conducted primarily in French. Readings include texts pertaining to the civilization of Francophone countries including excerpts from Le Racisme expliqué à ma Fille by Tahar Ben Jelloun.
1438/1440 – French III/French III Honors
Students continue their study of grammar while practicing and expanding their oral and written skills. The emphasis is on vocabulary building and cultural awareness. Students read and analyze full-length works of different genres, to introduce them to the contemporary French-speaking world. Authors from France, Canada, Africa, and the Caribbean are included. From this level on, classes are conducted in French.
1442/1446 – French IV-V: The Age of Reason (Honors) (Prerequisite: FrenchIII Honors)
(offered in 2012-2013)
In the two alternating advanced French courses the four language skills continue to be developed and refined. Oral communication is practiced in class discussions based on reading assignments. Literary selections concentrate on seventeenth and eighteenth century France and are presented in their cultural and historical contexts. Students are introduced to the values of the Renaissance through the poetry of Ronsard. Classicism is illustrated with La Fontaine’s Fables and Beaumarchais’s theater. Voltaire’s prose is studied as an example of the spirit of the Enlightenment leading to the great revolutions. In addition, students are exposed to various media in order to promote cultural literacy.
1444/1448 – French IV-V: The Individual and Society (Honors) (Prerequisite: FrenchIII)
(offered in 2013-2014)
In the two alternating advanced French courses the four language skills continue to be developed and refined. The works of various authors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are studied in their cultural and historical contexts. Classroom discussions are based on readings which may include the poetry of Victor Hugo and Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine and Jacques Prévert, the prose of Albert Camus and Gisèle Pineau, the theater of Eugène Ionesco, as well as other texts dealing
with contemporary issues in the French speaking world. In addition, students are exposed to various media in order to promote cultural literacy.
At the invitation of the instructor, outstanding students in French have the option to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exams. They need to communicate their commitment to additional practice and preparation by the end of the first quarter. A student’s AP status will be reviewed after the first semester exam.
SPANISH
1464 – Spanish I
This course is an introduction to the Spanish language with emphasis on oral language comprehension and use, and with strong preparation in basic grammar and vocabulary. Spanish is used from the beginning in the classroom. Open to Middle School students who meet the prerequisites of the Department of World Languages.
1466 – Spanish II (Prerequisite: Spanish I)
This course is a continuation of Spanish I with increased emphasis on comprehension, speaking, reading, and original writing. Students receive an extensive exposure to Spanish grammatical structures. The practical vocabulary is further expanded. Classes are conducted primarily in Spanish.
1468 – Spanish III (Prerequisite: Spanish II)
Students work on the development of skills in oral and written language. The reading of short stories and periodicals promotes vocabulary building. An engaging video series with native speakers also aids in increased comprehension of more sophisticated spoken Spanish. From this level on, classes are conducted exclusively in Spanish.
1470 – Spanish III (Honors) (Prerequisite: exemplary work in Spanish II and permission of the instructor)
In addition to the areas covered in the standard class, this course places greater emphasis on more sophisticated oral skills in class, as well as more in depth practice of advanced writing and literary skills. In addition, the honors students will read their first full length novel.
1472/1478 – Spanish IV-V: Peninsular Literature (Honors) + (AP) (Prerequisite: SpanishIII Honors or permission of instructor)
(offered in 2013-2014)
In the two alternating advanced Spanish courses, students continue to practice and improve on the four language skills. The curriculum revolves around the readings of such authors as Cervantes, Unamuno, García Lorca, and Matute. These works are studied within an historical and cultural context. In addition, students are exposed to various media in order to promote cultural literacy. Conversations and writing analyze such themes as the role of women, religion, and the rise and fall of power in Spain.
1474/1476 – Spanish IV-V: Hispanic Literature (Honors) (Prerequisite: Spanish III Honors or permission of instructor)
(offered in 2012-2013)
In the two alternating advanced Spanish courses, students continue to practice and improve on the four language skills. The curriculum includes the reading of authors recommended by the Advanced Placement examiners such as Garcia Marquez, Borges and Fuentes. Students examine the complex factors which contributed to the civilization of the Latin American nations, i.e. native and conquering populations. In addition, students are exposed to various media in order to promote cultural literacy.
At the invitation of the instructor, outstanding students in Spanish have the option to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exams. They need to communicate their commitment to additional practice and preparation by the end of the first quarter. . A student’s AP status will be reviewed after the first semester exam.
OTHER WORLD LANGUAGES
1485 – Other World Languages – (prerequisite – permission of the instructor)
As a school with a large international population, The MacDuffie School seeks to accommodate students’ wishes to study literature in their native language. Where at all possible, an external tutor will be sought and trained to offer MacDuffie’s standard first language curriculum. This service is available at an additional cost to families.
