“Walker’s is [what] gave me an improved global perspective.”
MS Foreign Language
The language courses seek to promote student proficiency in the target language in four areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. These skills should be mastered so that the student will, according to her level, be able to engage in conversation about general subjects; pronounce the language well enough to be understood by a native speaker; read and comprehend prose addressed to the general reader; and write correct prose. Latin, of course, focuses more on reading and writing. The student should also gain a basic knowledge of the geography, customs, and, to some extent, the history and literature of the various countries where the target language is spoken. All course offerings in foreign languages are subject to sufficient enrollment.
Requirements
All students in the Middle School are required to study a language other than English. Students in 6th grade study one semester of Latin and one semester of Mandarin Chinese. Students may choose to begin formal study of either Spanish or Latin in 7th grade and, beginning in 2013, will also have the option of Mandarin Chinese. Students will complete level one of their chosen language by the end of 8th grade.
Courses in this department:
Latin
Latin 1
This course serves as an introduction to the Latin language. Students will cover lessons 1-20 of Jenney’s First Year Latin. By then they will have a good grounding in many of the inflections of Latin verbs, nouns, pronouns and adjective, a vocabulary of some four hundred words and the ability to translate some basic prose passages. The stories encompass the Trojan here Aeneas’ journeys after the Trojan War and are based on Vergil’s Aeneid. The linguistic elements are the most important part of the course, but students also learn about a variety of distinctive institutions and customs of the Romans such as local government, architecture and interior design, and gladiators, and gods. Students will also take the National Latin Exam in the spring.
Grades 8-12
Latin 1A
Students will cover lessons 1-10 of Jenney’s First Year Latin By then they should have a good grounding in many of the inflections of Latin verbs, nouns, pronouns and adjectives, a vocabulary of approximately two hundred words and the ability to translate some basic prose passages. The stories encompass the Trojan hero Aeneas’ journeys after the Trojan War and are based on Vergil’s Aeneid. The linguistics elements are the most important part of the course, but students also learn abut a variety of distinctive institutions and customs of the Romans such as local government, architecture and interior design, and every day life. Students will also take the National Latin Exam in the spring.
Grades 6-7
Strongly recommended for grade 6
Latin 1B
This is a continuation of Latin 1A, and the two courses combined allow students to begin Latin 2 at the high school level. The course covers lessons 11-20 of Jenney’s First Year Latin. Students will also take the National Latin Exam in the spring.
Grades 7-8
Prerequisite: successful completion of Latin 1A
Spanish
Spanish 1
The course introduces and develops the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing, and speaking. There is a special emphasis on pronunciation, especially in the beginning of the course. Cultural topics from around the world are explored. Vocabulary required for mastery includes greetings, calendar, family members, school, occupations, travel, telling time, numbers, weather, foods, animals, parts of the body, clothing, descriptions of physical characteristics and basic personality traits, sports and pastimes, directions, places around town, the house and question words. Verb conjugation is explored in detail to include all regular and irregular verbs in the present indicative, present progressive, immediate future, formal commands, stem-changing and reflexive verbs. Other grammatical concepts studied in Spanish 1 include: gender and number agreement; subject pronouns; direct object pronouns and indirect object pronouns used with gustar; affirmative and negative expressions; differences between ser and estar, saber and conocer; idiomatic expressions with tener, hacer, and gustar; comparisons; the personal “a”; expressing likes and dislikes.
Grades 8-12
Spanish 1A
This course introduces and develops the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing, and speaking. There is a special emphasis on pronunciation, especially in the beginning of the course. Cultural topics from around the world are explored. Vocabulary required for mastery includes greetings, family members, occupations, travel, telling time, numbers, weather, foods, animals, and clothing. Grammatical concepts include: structure of words; verb tenses in the present indicative, and present progressive; regular and irregular verbs; stem changing –ar, –er, and –ir verbs; subject pronouns; differences between ser and estar; and idiomatic expressions with tener, hacer, and gustar.
Grades 6-8
Spanish 1B
This course is a continuation of Spanish 1A, and the two courses combined will allow eighth graders to begin Spanish 2 in high school. This course will have a heavier focus on grammar as well as on the four basic skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking. Grammatical concepts include: stem-changing verbs; commands; indirect object; pronouns; affirmation and negotiation; reflexive verbs; adverbs; demonstrative adjectives; ordinal numbers; and a small introduction to verbs in the preterit tense.
Grades 7-8
Prerequisite: Completion of Spanish 1A or approval of department
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