World Languages

MISSION

The World Language Department provides curriculum that advocates world languages as an indispensable part of a child’s education through meaningful and relevant education in language, and the cultural and historic contexts that surround its use. Students will begin as novice language learners and develop into intermediate and advanced students of the language through instruction in listening, speaking, reading and writing and a study of the language learning process. Through language and cultural studies, students will also reinforce and expand their knowledge of other disciplines in order to succeed in higher education, and more importantly, as citizens in our ever-changing, global society.

PROGRAM GOALS

Students will reflect on how learning a second language changes their relationship to the community in which they live and the global community; Students will explore and analyze the cultural contexts in which target language is spoken; Students will communicate in the second language through speaking, listening, reading and writing, both in and outside of the classroom environment; Students will examine the process of learning a second language and how they personally learn languages best; Students will analyze the arts and their connection to the cultures in which the target language is spoken and the students’ own artistic endeavors; And students will enrich their knowledge of other disciplines and will reinforce their knowledge of their first language through language and cultural instruction.

COURSES

Spanish I College Prep
The introductory Spanish course introduces students to the sound system and basic vocabulary of the language. Students will begin developing basic proficiency in the language utilizing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Upon completion of the course students will be able to speak and understand basic Spanish. Students will have the opportunity to explore the language through a variety of texts, poems, songs and films. Exploration of Spanish speaking countries will be used to develop cultural awareness and enhance language-learning opportunities.

Spanish I Honors
The honors introductory Spanish course introduces students to communication in the Spanish language. Students will develop basic proficiency in the language utilizing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Upon completion of the course students will be able to speak and understand basic Spanish. The honors course will be an intensive immersion environment requiring the students to communicate in the language exclusively. Students will have the opportunity to explore the language through a variety of texts, poems, songs and films to enhance their ability to communicate in the language. Exploration of Spanish speaking countries will be used to develop cultural awareness and enhance language-learning opportunities.

Spanish II College Prep
Spanish II College Prep is an intermediate class designed to further develop the students’ skills in all aspects of the target language; the focus of this course is to advance the students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening from the novice to the intermediate level in Spanish. This class will provide a language intensive environment for the students and will promote communication in the target language. Students will have the opportunity to practice the language and improve their proficiency through authentic tasks and activities. Students will examine the Spanish language and the cultural contexts in which it takes place as well as, the relationship between language and culture; they will also continue to reflect on the process of learning a language and on themselves as language learners. AP Spanish standards and adapted AP Spanish rubrics will be utilized in this course and at all levels of Spanish. Students will explore the language and cultures in which it is spoken through the use of various authentic texts such as, stories, poems, songs, visual art, and film. Prerequisite: Spanish I College Prep or placement by teacher or principal.

Spanish II Honors
Honors Spanish II is an intermediate class designed to further develop the students’ skills in all aspects of the target language; the focus of this course is to advance the students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening from the novice to the intermediate level in Spanish. Spanish II will help prepare students for AP Spanish courses and will offer in-depth language studies. This class will provide a language intensive environment for the students and will promote communication in the target language. Students will have the opportunity to practice the language and improve their proficiency through authentic tasks and activities. Students will examine the Spanish language and the cultural contexts in which it takes place as well as the relationship between language and culture; they will also continue to reflect on the process of learning a language and on themselves as language learners. AP Spanish standards and adapted AP Spanish rubrics will be utilized in this course and at all levels of Spanish. Students will explore the language and cultures in which it is spoken through the use of various authentic texts such as, stories, poems, songs, visual art, and film. Prerequisite: Spanish I College Prep or placement by teacher or principal.

Spanish III College Prep
The third year of Spanish is an intermediate course that advances students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening to the level of analysis, discussion and formation of arguments, with a specific focus on literary and oral proficiency. Through extensive practice using genuine contexts, including newspapers, short stories, conversation and some film, students will develop more sophisticated techniques for using and comprehending the language. Spanish 3 provides an intensive examination of the vocabulary, grammar and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world via the theme of interpersonal relationships with other human beings and the world. The objective of this course is to lead students to communicate effectively in Spanish through instruction in grammar, everyday vocabulary and authentic Spanish-language literature. Spanish 3 will primarily use teacher-provided text and notes. As a supplement, we will also use the McDougal Littel Avancemos Level 3 textbook as well as additional texts, CD’s, videos and Internet sites to further language learning and development. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 College Prep or placement by teacher or principal.

A typical unit will look like the following:
· OBSERVE: A context utilizing certain grammar structures, or sometimes vocabulary, will be presented. Can you observe what is happening with the structure of the language? Can you figure it out before you get the information explicitly?
· DEFINE: This is when you receive notes and we will define the grammar structures to be studied, and also learn new vocabulary.
· ACQUIRE: We will do several things to help you acquire grammatical and vocabulary structures in this class: (i) PQA – personal questions and answers; (ii) stories – many written by me, others from different sources, that repeat the grammatical structures and vocabulary under study.
· PRODUCE: You will be responsible to produce something with what you require. This is where quizzes, tests, GRASPS, Google Voice assignments come in.

Spanish III Honors
The third year of honors Spanish is an intermediate course that advances students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening to the level of analysis, discussion and formation of arguments, with a specific focus on literary and oral proficiency. Through extensive practice using genuine contexts, including newspapers, short stories, conversation and some film, students will develop more sophisticated techniques for using and comprehending the language. Spanish 3 provides an intensive examination of the vocabulary, grammar and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world via the theme of interpersonal relationships with other human beings and the world. The objective of this course is to lead students to communicate effectively in Spanish through instruction in grammar, everyday vocabulary and authentic Spanish-language literature, and prepare students for AP Spanish during their senior year. Spanish 3 will primarily use teacher-provided text and notes. As a supplement, we will also use the McDougal Littel Avancemos Level 3 textbook as well as additional texts, CD’s, videos and Internet sites to further language learning and development. Prerequisite: Spanish 2 Honors or placement by teacher or principal.

A typical unit will look like the following:
· OBSERVE: A context utilizing certain grammar structures, or sometimes vocabulary, will be presented. Can you observe what is happening with the structure of the language? Can you figure it out before you get the information explicitly?
· DEFINE: This is when you receive notes and we will define the grammar structures to be studied, and also learn new vocabulary.
· ACQUIRE: We will do several things to help you acquire grammatical and vocabulary structures in this class: (i) PQA – personal questions and answers; (ii) stories – many written by me, others from different sources, that repeat the grammatical structures and vocabulary under study.
· PRODUCE: You will be responsible to produce something with what you require. This is where quizzes, tests, GRASPS, Google Voice assignments come in.

Spanish IV College Prep
This course provides the opportunity for students to enhance the Spanish they have already developed in Spanish I, II, and III. The course focuses on the refinement of grammatical structures with complex vocabulary through literature and experience with authentic contexts. Speaking, reading, writing and listening skills are reinforced continually. The history and evolution of the Spanish language in many cultures will be examined as well as how the language is used today. Spanish is the primary language of instruction and students are expected and encouraged to use Spanish as much as possible in the classroom. The textbook for the course is the 4th year installment of the Avancemos series, however this text will be heavily supplemented by authentic source material throughout the school year. Assessments include tests, quizzes, projects, dialogs- both informal and prepared, cultural study and class participation.

Spanish IV Honors
This course is an advanced language course that continues with a more depth study of Spanish in multiple areas. Student proficiency is increased through an intense approach involving reading, speaking, writing and listening skills with more complex grammar and vocabulary- especially as used in idiomatic expressions and conversational Spanish language. The course is taught almost entirely in Spanish, with the exception of administrative communication as well as particularly difficult grammar structures. Reading and writing assignments are more challenging as they include more authentic literature and cultural texts. Students in Spanish IV Honors will understand the significance of becoming members of a diverse and increasingly global society. The textbook for the course is the 4th year installment of the Avancemos series, however this text will be heavily supplemented by authentic source material throughout the school year. Assessments include tests, quizzes, projects, dialogs- both informal and prepared, cultural study and class participation.

AP Spanish Language
In this course, students develop a strong command of the Spanish language, with proficiency in integrating language skills and synthesizing written and auditory materials, the formal writing process, extensive interpersonal and presentational speaking and writing practice, and interpretive reading and listening comprehension skills through quality, authentic, and level-appropriate audio and video recordings as well as culturally based texts. They are also further exposed to the world of literature and current events of Spanish-speaking countries through authentic written texts, including newspaper and magazine articles, literary texts, and other nontechnical writings that develop students’ reading and comprehension abilities. Class is conducted completely in Spanish and includes frequent writing and integration of skills with a rigorous review of grammatical structures. Development focuses on advanced organizational and analytical strategies through the use of Prentice Hall’s interactive workbook AP Spanish Preparing for the Language Exam as well as the literary text Encuentros Maravillosos, however the majority of student growth and preparation for the AP Spanish Language Exam will come through the use of significant authentic materials as supplements.

Spanish for Native Speakers
AUDIENCE:  We offer two years of courses called Spanish for Native Speakers at ChiArts.  They are honors level courses designed for students who have learned Spanish in a “natural” environment – that is, at home, in a Spanish-speaking country, or in a dual-immersion school. The vast majority of students in this program were born and raised in Chicago with parents who immigrated from a Spanish-speaking country. This means that the majority of the students in this course are dominant in English, but speak and understand Spanish. There may also be students who learned Spanish with their grandparents, or non-Hispanic students who have lived abroad for some period of their life or attended a dual-immersion school.  If your reading and writing skills in English are at grade level, you should have enough proficiency to be able to read the texts and also begin learning how to write in Spanish*.

SCOPE & SEQUENCE:  Students who take SNS I & II have the chance to take two AP-level Spanish classes, which are AP Spanish Language (junior year) and AP Spanish Literature (senior year).  SNS students also get a chance to strengthen their Spanish skills towards earning the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy Find more info by searching in Google for ‘CPS Seal of Biliteracy’.

DESCRIPTION: In these courses, Spanish-speaking students will reflect on their own identity and language skills, and then set out to widen and perfect their knowledge of written and spoken Spanish. The entire class is conducted in Spanish.  The focus of each unit is either a short novel, or a historical/cultural topic. We will focus on grammar topics in the context of our readings that second-generation heritage speakers often do not fully acquire or are unfamiliar with. One of the goals of the course is to give students explicit grammatical knowledge of structures that they may have been using for years and understanding the whole paradigm they fit into. Students will act out a lot of material read and discuss how the plot and theme of readings connects to social issues in the U.S. and abroad. Students will discuss current events, focus on spelling, learn about history and culture in Spanish-speaking countries, write stories, sing songs, learn about Spanish-speaking artists, and more – all in Spanish, of course. Prerequisite: Placement test, and/or placement by teacher or academic counselor.

SOME SAMPLE UNITS from SNS I & SNS II include, but are not limited to:

  • Leyendas Latinoamericanas
  • The novel “La Casa Embrujada”
  • Cuba & Celia Cruz
  • La cultura puertorriqueña en Chicago y la historia de Humboldt Park
  • Gentrification of Latino communities
  • La historia y cultura de España
  • La dictadura de Trujillo en la República Dominicana
  • Pen pals from Spain

*Much of this description taken from Potowski, K. (2008). Español 113 y 114 en UIC. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from The University of Illinois.