Spanish Course Descriptions

Introduction to Spanish - Grades 5-7
Rowena Aldridge, Instructor
This semi-immersion course provides an introduction to the Spanish language through the examination of the food, music, art, and cultural practices of a variety of Spanish-speaking countries.  The course is designed for students who have little or no previous study of Spanish. Focus will be on developing familiarity with the language sound system, pronunciation, functional vocabulary related to everyday life, cultural information and basic grammatical structures.  Emphasis will be on the acquisition of four skills: listening, speaking, reading and limited writing.   Learning activities will include homework and periodic assessments.  

Spanish 1 - Grades 7-10
Megan Townes, Instructor
Language acquisition occurs naturally, quickly, and more effectively through firsthand experience. We acquire language by USING it. There is a difference between learning ABOUT a language and learning to USE the language. We want students to acquire the language to facilitate communication.  Remember, if you don’t use it, you lose it. Communication is always the first objective but the benefits of language study also include development of critical thinking and analytical reasoning while also enhancing creativity and imagination.   This Spanish course is designed to introduce students to the Spanish language and its associated cultures. The purpose of the course is to communicate in Spanish, understand other cultures, connect with other disciplines and acquire information, develop insight into one’s own language and culture, and to participate in the global community. This course is a traditional Spanish 1 pace and content. Completion of this course satisfies one year of the high school foreign language requirement.