French I
Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, French I teaches students to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as sports, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students also gain an understanding of the cultures of French-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe, as well as insight into Francophone culture and people.

The content is based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. (back)

French II
Building on French I concepts, French II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves, as well as about topics beyond their own lives — both in formal and informal address. Balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language, each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms in cooking, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes verb conjugations and uses in the present tense, past tense, and imperative and conditional moods, as well as direct and indirect objects and personal, possessive, and relative pronouns. Students deepen their knowledge of French-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. To further connect to French culture and people, students are encouraged to view supplementary materials on the Web or to consult community resources or other media.

The content is based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. (back)

Spanish I
Spanish I covers the five Cs of the ACTFL standard: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The instruction is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. Spanish I students learn to greet people, describe family and friends, talk about hobbies, and communicate about other topics, such as ecology, travel, and medicine. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Vocabulary includes terms to describe school subjects, parts of the body, and people, as well as idiomatic phrases. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes the verb system, adjective agreement, formal and informal address, reflexive verbs, and past tense. Students explore words used in different Spanish-speaking regions, and they learn about the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and regions within and outside Europe. Web explorations give students further insight into the culture and people of the Spanish-speaking world, including the United States.

Spanish I is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. The content is based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. (back)

Spanish II
Spanish II covers the five Cs of the ACTFL standard: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. The instruction is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language.

Leveraging Spanish I concepts, Spanish II students learn to communicate more confidently about themselves and their hopes and fears, as well as about topics beyond their own lives — both in formal and informal situations. Each lesson presents vocabulary, grammar, and culture in context, followed by explanations and exercises. Students expand their vocabulary in cooking, geography, and architecture. Instruction in language structure and grammar includes verb forms, tenses, moods and uses, impersonal constructions, and reported speech. Students deepen their knowledge of Spanish-speaking regions and cultures by learning about history, literature, culture, and contemporary issues. Students also are encouraged to consult materials outside the course, such as Web links, community resources, or other media, to better understand Spanish-speaking culture and people.

Spanish II is balanced between the thematic and communicative approaches to learning language. The content is based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. (back)