All students must satisfactorily complete at least one credit (one year) of instruction in a language other than English to receive a high school diploma. Students passing foreign language in 8th grade and passing the 8th grade Foreign Language Proficiency Test receive this credit.

Students who fail either the class or the test or both must take and pass a year of foreign language in 9th grade. Students pursuing the Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation are required to complete a three-unit sequence in a Foreign Language.

Spanish 2/French 2

One (1) year; One (1) credit

Prerequisite: Successful completion of French 1 or Spanish 1

This course continues the Foreign Language sequence. Students will develop a better understanding of the culture of the French or Spanish speaking world through the acquisition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Spanish 3/French 3

One (1) year; One (1) credit

Prerequisite: Successful completion of French 2 or Spanish 2.

In French 3 and Spanish 3, there is a continued emphasis on all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Vocabulary is expanded to improve all four skills. French and Spanish culture continues to be an integral part of the program. Students will take a checkpoint B exam at the end of this course.

Spanish 4/French 4

One (1) year; One (1) credit

Prerequisite: Successful completion of French or Spanish 3

In French 4 and Spanish 4 there is an emphasis on additional literary topics. All major verb tenses are presented. Writing and speaking are of greater depth and complexity. This level of language study includes projects, which emphasize higher-level skills and enrichment. Speech samples and authentic documents are longer and more sophisticated. A final exam and a final project will be required at the end of this course.

CHS French/CHS Spanish

One (1) year; One (1) credit (FMCC – COLLEGE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Spanish/French 4

Students can earn a total of 6 college credits in this course. This course is designed as a culmination of students’ French or Spanish studies in high school. At this point, they have already learned the structures necessary to communicate. In this course, students review and refine those grammatical structures while learning new vocabulary to communicate on a variety of topics. This level of language study emphasizes all aspects of language: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture. This course is designed to be a college level course and instruction is conducted exclusively in French or Spanish.

International Studies

Half (1/2) year; Half (1/2) credit

Prerequisite: Grades 10-12

In International Studies, students investigate many topics ranging from Environmental Studies and Ecotourism to Global Health to Culture and International Relations. Students learn what is happening in the real world and consider how the rest of the world sees citizens of the United States. This class encourages student choice and students teaching each other.

Practical Conversation

Full year; Half (1/2) credit

Practical Conversation in Spanish or French is for students who want to improve their communication skills. This course gives the students the extra practice needed to become more fluent. The main idea of this course is to focus on the students’ ability to express themselves in everyday situations. Students work on pronunciation, vocabulary, and idioms to further develop their conversation skills. This course stresses the expansion of effective listening comprehension and speaking skills through culturally and linguistically appropriate activities. This course is designed to be taken by any student in grades 9-12, regardless of their prior knowledge and experience with the language.