Spanish 

The Spanish department seeks to inspire in students a life-long interest in other cultures, as well as a desire to learn and use other languages to communicate with people from other countries. Our philosophy rests on the belief that language is the primary manifestation of a culture and that there are four integrated skills of effective communication: listening, speaking, reading and writing. We create within our classrooms an environment in which instruction and communication are in Spanish and in which instructional objectives reflect the distinctive nature of the community in which we teach. 

SPANISH I 

In this course, students master the present tense so that they are able to describe and present themselves and others using functional language both in writing and orally.  In addition, they learn how to form questions and use idiomatic expressions using appropriate syntax and vocabulary in order to facilitate interaction with native speakers and enact appropriate cultural behavior and language outside the classroom. 

SPANISH II 

In this course students develop an ability to use more sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structure to solidify and build on the skills acquired in Spanish I.  Students learn formation and use of the preterit and imperfect tenses as they continually add new words and phrases to their vocabulary.  They also learn the imperative, including culturally correct forms of giving commands, in order to perceive meaning and tone, particularly in spoken language.  Throughout the year, students read and analyze Spanish texts so they can synthesize details within the text and use those details to develop a deeper understanding of Spanish and Latin American cultures.

SPANISH III 

In this course students continue to build their mastery of written and spoken language through analysis of authentic twentieth century and contemporary texts.  Students learn the formation and use of the subjunctive and conditional in order to express and comprehend opinions, doubts, hopes, and uncertainty with an audience of native speakers.  Toward this end, students learn to imitate patterns of speech and master oral debate in Spanish so they can express complex ideas in a variety of settings and registers.  Students also examine the problem of justice through the lens of three modern Latin-American revolutions so that they can identify and synthesize major historical trends while arguing for their relevance in the present. 

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE 

In this course, students develop accuracy and fluency in Spanish in order to comprehend and synthesize authentic texts and produce college-level analysis of those texts.  Students demonstrate their command of Spanish linguistic skills through formal presentations, conversations, and personal reflection employing academic or colloquial language where appropriate.  The application of these skills culminates in a project in which students evaluate local organizations engaged in contemporary issues facing immigrant communities.