Upper School

T

he Upper School offers Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish courses. Any of these languages, taken through level three, fulfills the three-year foreign language requirement for graduation.

The department believes that communication is at the heart of language study. Aural/oral skills are emphasized at the beginning of the sequence, and while writing skills are developed concurrently they rely on the student’s ability to confidently express himself orally.

Courses are categorized as “foundation,” “review,” and “expansion” courses. By the end of the “foundation” sequence, a student is able to express ideas or talk about events in the present, the past, or the future. They can also suggest or order course of actions. Vocabulary and expressions belongs to their daily life. They also appreciate differences with their own culture. “Review-expansion” courses strengthen the students aural/oral as well as written skills and bring them to a higher level of understanding the culture whose language they study.

• Students entering 9^th grade are encouraged to continue with one of the languages they started in the Middle School—Chinese, French, or Spanish. Students can also add a second language or start a new one (Arabic I, Chinese I, French I, Italian I, or Spanish I).

• 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th graders are encouraged to take advantage of all the modern language offerings and add/start a new language. However, 12^th graders should have in mind that the nature of the senior year (college visits, etc.) rarely allows for a satisfactory completion of a level I course.

Sequence: Regular courses vs Honors courses

• “Regular” courses are not labeled as such. “H” (Honors) applies to advanced/accelerated and honors courses.

• 9^th graders who have had a satisfactory performance (from B+ to C-) in a level I course and who need a less fast-paced instruction, take a level II course.

• 9^th graders who have achieved at a high level of proficiency in speaking and in writing (A- or above) and have shown that they are independent and motivated learners who can handle fast-paced instruction, take a level II H course.

• Level I—III/III H courses are “required courses,” and Level IV/IV H—V/AP courses are “elective courses.”

Level I Foundation-beginning ¢	Level II Foundation-intermediary ¢	Level III Foundation-final ¢	Level IV Review-expansion ¢	Level V Expansion
	Level II H Foundation-final ¢	Level III H ^(1) Review-expansion ¢	Level IV H Pre-AP Language ¢	AP Language ^(2)
	^(1) Students (usually 10^th graders) who have performed at the highest performance level go directly to AP Language. ^(2) AP Literature courses are offered to students (usually 12^th graders) who have scored 5 on the AP Language exam the previous year.

Notes

• Prerequisites: Prerequisites vary according to levels and track.

- For Level II—III courses: C- or above in previous course (students with D+ or below

have summer make-up work with an exam in September)

- For level II H: A- or above in previous level I course

- For level III H courses: B+ or above in previous Level II H course

- For Level IV—V courses: C or above (students with C- or below have summer

work)

- For Level IV H Courses: B+ or above in Level III H courses

- For AP Language courses: B+ or above in Level IVH courses

- For AP Literature courses: A score of 5 on the AP Language examination or the

approval of the instructor

• SAT IIs: Students (usually 11^th graders) are encouraged to take the SAT II exams at the end of a level IV/IV H course.