Middle School Curriculum

Select a Department

World Language

Cultural authenticity is at the heart of the world languages program. Our goal is to teach world languages using authentic materials and activities to give students a perspective on the language and those who speak it. Students do not learn about the language and the culture; they learn in the language. They experience the culture through art, cuisine, games, literature, and poetry. Classes are taught in the target language.

Starting in 6th grade, Middle School students commit to a three-year study of French, Mandarin, or Spanish. As needed, students are placed out of grade level to accommodate the student’s language proficiency. 
  • French I

    French I courses are for students who have had minimal or no previous instruction in French. Grammar and vocabulary are presented through thematic units. We aim to cover six units over the course of the first academic year. Classes are conducted in both English and the target language. Verbal and auditory skills are taught through structured lessons with a grammatical component, games, and interactive activities. The French I curriculum includes French manners, customs and daily habits, the etymology of words and an introduction to the conjugation of verbs. French I students are graded on class participation and written classwork. Students practice songs and poems at home but are not expected to complete written homework assignments.
  • French II

    French II courses are for students who have successfully mastered French I material. Grammar and vocabulary are presented through thematic units. We aim to cover 8 units throughout the academic year. Classes are conducted in the target language and students are expected to participate orally in French. Grammar and vocabulary are presented through thematic units in every class. Students begin the formal process of writing a formal French essay and are able to orally answer comprehension questions from the text. Students are expected to complete graded written homework assignments daily.
  • French III

    This course is for students who have successfully mastered French II material. Grammar and vocabulary are presented through thematic units. We aim to cover 6 units throughout the academic year. Classes are conducted entirely in the target language and students are expected to participate actively in every class. Grammatical structures and formal writing form a part of each daily lesson. Students are expected to communicate material in the target language and to complete written and oral assessments entirely in French. By the completion of French III students master oral communication in the present, past, and future tenses. Students are able to write a formal essay and defend an oral thesis in French.
  • Mandarin I

    Mandarin I is for students with no prior experience learning Chinese. Chinese pinyin, the writing system, and the culture are introduced at the beginning of the course. By the end of this year, students can read simple characters and hold a simple conversation about themselves, their family, the Chinese zodiac, and their identities. 
  • Mandarin II

    Mandarin II is for students with one year of experience learning Chinese. More advanced grammar and vocabulary topics are presented through thematic units on time, daily routine, class subjects, hobbies, food, and drink introduced throughout the year. Students continue to build their use of the target language through aural, oral, and writing exercises, as well as a range of interactive activities online. 
  • Mandarin III

    Mandarin III is for students who have already mastered Mandarin II materials or have two years of experience learning Mandarin. More advanced grammar and vocabulary topics are presented through thematic units on weather, transportation, cuisine, weather, seasons, traveling, direction, and professions. Students continue to build their use of the target language through aural, oral, and writing exercises, as well as a range of interactive activities online.
  • Spanish I

    Spanish I caters to students with no prior exposure to the language, as well as for continuing students looking to solidify a good base in the language before proceeding to Spanish II. Grammar and vocabulary topics are presented through thematic units on topics such as greetings and introductions, school life, and family. Use of the target language is built through both aural and oral communication exercises as well as a range of interactive activities both in class and online.
  • Spanish II

    Spanish II caters to students who have successfully completed Spanish I. More advanced grammar and vocabulary topics are presented through thematic units on topics such as pastimes, vacations, and going shopping. Students continue to build their use of the target language through both aural and oral communication exercises as well as a range of interactive activities both in class and online with the aim that by the end of the year, students can conduct most of their classroom interactions in Spanish.
  • Spanish III

    In Spanish III, students continue to study thematic units that include high frequency vocabulary relating to daily routine, food, and party planning. They solidify their knowledge of the present tense and expand their knowledge of the past tense and other grammatical concepts. Students are also exposed to articles, short stories, novelas, and other authentic realia that look more deeply into questions of cultural identity, and they are asked to ponder essential questions relating to immigration, race and oppression, and dictatorships in Latin America. By the end of the year, students are able to spontaneously converse on these topics in Spanish and identify and express their opinions more formally, both orally and in writing.

Faculty

  • Photo of Eva Burgoyne
    Eva Burgoyne
    Middle School Mandarin Teacher and Advisor
    Bio
  • Photo of Veronique de La Bruyere
    Veronique de La Bruyere
    Middle School French Teacher and Advisor
    Bio
  • Photo of Jennifer Olson
    Jennifer Olson
    Middle School Spanish Teacher
    Bio
  • Photo of David  Traynor
    David Traynor
    Middle School Spanish Teacher
    Bio