World Languages
The World Languages Department strongly recommends that students who are planning to attend a university:
- Take at least three years of the same world language (A minimum of two years is required for UC and CSU) and pass with a grade of “C-“ or better.
- Students who have not received a grade of “C-“ or better must repeat the previous level before moving on to the next level. Taking the same level of a world language does not count as fulfilling the UC requirements of 2 years. Students must complete 2 years/2 levels of a world language with a “C-“ or better in order to fulfill the UC requirements.
Meaningful communication and cultural awareness are the main goals of the world language courses. Basic writing skills such as spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure are stressed and constantly reinforced. Active listening/receptive skills and oral/expressive participation are required. These courses are designed to develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the target language. Attendance affects the grade of all students at every level.
French 1 American Sign Language 1
German 1 Spanish 1 Japanese 1 Chinese 1
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 9-12
Prerequisite: None
It is strongly recommended that students must read at grade level, have earned a "C-" or better in their last English class, and should have recommendation from present English teacher. The class is designed for students who have very little to no exposure to the Target language. It is not appropriate for students who understand the language when spoken, whether or not they themselves are able to speak.
Description: These courses are designed to develop the skills of listening/receptive, speaking/expressive, reading, and writing. Reading selections progress from the simple to the more difficult. Course expectations include: daily homework, oral participation, reading and writing assignments, and projects.
Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 9-10
Prerequisites: Students understand conversational Spanish, whether or not they are able to speak the language. Students should be interested in improving their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in Spanish.
Description: This course will be conducted entirely in Spanish. Students will develop their grammatical skills and expand their conversational and academic vocabulary through listening, speaking, reading and writing. Course activities will emphasize literacy skills through the exploration of authentic texts and written assignments. Students will validate their Spanish-speaking heritage within the course content. This course satisfies most college and university entrance requirements.
Spanish for Heritage Speakers 3
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 10-12
Prerequisites: Completion of Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 with a “C-“ or better, or recommendation from class instructor, based on an interview and placement test.
Description: This course is a continuation course of Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2. Advanced grammar and vocabulary are studied in conjunction with the sampling of various forms of literature written for and by native speakers. Among the readings will be poetry, short stories, novels, plays and periodicals. Writing assignments are a direct reflection of the readings and discussions. Course is conducted in the target language.
French 2 American Sign Language 2
German 2 Spanish 2 Japanese 2 Chinese 2
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 9-12
Prerequisites: Completion of level 1 with a grade of "C-" or better and recommendation from present world language teacher.
Description: This course extends the skills already acquired in the first year. Students are introduced to more complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Frequent oral/expressive, written assignments, and projects are designed to offer practice in learning new concepts. Oral/expressive comprehension and speaking are intensified through the increased vocabulary.
French 3 American Sign Language 3
German 3 Spanish 3 Japanese 3
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 10-12
Prerequisites: Completion of Level 2 with a grade of "C-" or better and recommendation from present world language teacher.
Description: These courses extend the skills already acquired in the first two years of study. Grammar and vocabulary studies will continue. Oral/expressive participation will be a main focus. Written assignments may be lengthy. Some literature will be introduced. Course is conducted and students communicate in the target language.
French 4 American Sign Language 4
German 4 Spanish 4 Japanese 4
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 11-12
Prerequisites: Completion of the Level 3 with a grade of "C-" or better and recommendation from present world language teacher.
Description: Advanced grammar and vocabulary are studied in conjunction with the sampling of various forms of literature written for and by native speakers. Among the readings will be poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and periodicals. Writing assignments are a direct reflection of the readings and discussions. Course is conducted in the target language.
American Sign Language Honors
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grade 12
Prerequisites: Students must read at grade level, have earned a “B” or better in their ASL 3 course. Recommendation by current ASL teacher. An expressive and receptive skills interview. Student must complete 15 or more deaf community service hours before applying for the honors class. Students must attend an orientation and submit a log of hours indicating the completion of summer community service.
Description: This course is a continuation of American Sign Language (ASL 3) and extends the skills acquired in the first three years of study, but goes beyond the requirements of ASL 4. Extensive interaction with members/organizations of the Deaf community is the primary focus. Students may complete lengthy written assignments, read and analyze literature, conduct a videotaped interview, or complete a research paper. A second year of fieldwork is required with additional hours. All class sessions will be exclusively conducted in the target language.
AP French AP German
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grade 12
Prerequisites: Students must complete Level 3 with a grade of "B" or better and obtain teacher recommendation.
Description: AP courses are equivalent to those offered at the college level. Students are expected to take the national AP exam in French or German in May. These courses are designed for students to achieve proficiency in speaking, reading, listening, and writing, and to specifically prepare students for the Advanced Placement Language Exam.
AP Spanish Language
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grade 12
Prerequisites: Students must complete the Level 4 with a grade of "B-" or better, pass an entrance exam, and obtain a recommendation from their current World Language teacher. Exceptional students who have completed Level 3 may apply. Priority will be given to students who have completed level 4 and to Seniors.
Description: Advanced Placement Spanish is equivalent to a college level course. Students are expected to take the national AP exam in Spanish in May. The course is designed for students to achieve advanced proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and to specifically prepare students for the Advanced Placement Language Exam in Spanish.
AP Japanese
Full year course, 5 units each semester, grades 11-12
Prerequisites: A grade of “B-” or better in Japanese 3, and teacher recommendation.
Description: Japanese AP is the continuation course for students who earned a B- grade or better in Japanese 3. This course is equivalent to what is offered at the college level. Students are expected to take the national AP exam in Japanese in May. These courses are designed for students to achieve proficiency in speaking, reading, listening and writing, and to specifically prepare students for the Advanced Placement Language Exam. More emphasis will be placed on personal issues as they reflect the culture of the students and of Japan.