Spanish Language Courses

Spanish 1
Spanish 1 is a beginning course in Spanish language and culture. In this course students will learn basic communication skills that are useful for daily life conversations (including greetings; telling the time, date and weather; expressing likes and dislikes; describing people, places and things; etc.) Students will develop basic proficiency in the three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. The course also introduces the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.) Topics include holidays, food, sports and pastimes.) The basic text is Realidades 1

Spanish 2
Prerequisite: Spanish 1 with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
Spanish 2 is a beginning/intermediate course in Spanish language and culture. In this course students will expand their interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational skills. Students will further develop their communication skills by learning how to describe their daily routines, childhoods, family celebrations, pastimes, etc. There is a strong emphasis on grammar and verb tenses in this course. In addition, students will broaden their knowledge of Spanish-speaking countries and cultures. The basic text is Realidades 2

Spanish 3
Prerequisite: Spanish 2 with a grade of C or better, or teacher recommendation
Spanish 3 is designed to bring the students to a level where they are able to satisfy most survival needs and many social demands. They should be able to show increased spontaneity in speaking. Accuracy is stressed. Students have fair control of basic grammar, including the tense forms, when communicating. Students will learn to discuss leisure time activities and other topics beyond survival needs. Writing will include some basic essays, reports, summaries, and translations. The basic text is Realidades Level 3. They will read a collection of stories and myths to supplement the text and improve the acquisition of vocabulary.

Spanish 4 Honors
Grades 10 - 12
Prerequisite: Spanish 3 with a grade of B or better, or teacher recommendation
The course is an advanced course in Spanish language and culture. In this course we will have a strong focus on Spanish culture and expand on all of the communication skills students have learned, including the reading of short stories. In addition to the cultural focus, we will cover specific topics from Realidades that have not been covered. Grammar and writing skills will be reviewed and refined in context. The basic texts are Realidades Level 3 and Album.

AP Spanish Language and Culture
Grades 11-12
Prerequisite: Spanish 4H with a grade of B- or better, or teacher recommendation
This is a 5th year, college-level Spanish language course. Students communicate solely and exclusively in Spanish, and exposure to instruction, reading and auditory input is also entirely in Spanish. Grammar and vocabulary review is extensive. Students explore the arts, history, psychology, current events, culture and literature. Writing skills learned include organization, analysis and synthesis of various topics. Supplementary materials for students include textbooks (Temas, and Abriendo Paso, Gramatica), authentic written texts, internet sources, radio edits, and music. Podcast and voice-recording technology is used frequently for auditory input and oral assessment. Students should expect to master their abilities to respond to and express ideas—in both formal and informal communicative modes—with accuracy, fluency, and confidence. Students also prepare for success on the College Board’s Advanced Placement examination in May.

AP Spanish Literature and Culture
Grades 11-12
Prerequisite: Spanish 4H with a grade of B- or better, AP Spanish Language, or teacher recommendation
This is a 5th year, college-level Spanish literature course. This course is designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that of a third-year college course in Peninsular and Latin American literature. The course is designed to introduce students to the formal study of a representative body of Peninsular and Latin American literary texts. The reading list introduces students to the diverse literature written in Spanish and thus helps them reflect on the many voices and cultures included in this very rich literature.

Spanish for Native Speakers 3
Prerequisite: Spanish assessment and teacher recommendation
This course is tailored to build upon the existing skills of students who have Spanish as a primary language. Students will refine and expand their linguistic abilities. Areas of focus will include basic and advanced grammatical structure and orthography through interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication. Through a variety of media, students will also explore culture, geography, history, current events, and literature of the Spanish-speaking world. This class will be taught exclusively in Spanish. A diagnostic entrance exam will be used to determine a minimal fluency in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students not meeting minimum requirements will be recommended to a traditional Spanish language course. This class is offered to students of any grade level. Upon completion of this course, instructors will recommend the appropriate subsequent level of Spanish study. This may be Spanish AP or a Spanish IV Honors depending upon student proficiency.