The World Language program at Georgetown Preparatory School is a proficiency-oriented program. The overall aim is to develop the ability of the students with a view toward use of the language for communication. Through communicative activities, the four language skills are developed along with knowledge of the culture of those countries in which the language is spoken. By the third year of study, much of the class is taught in the target language.
Students may begin the study of modern language in the freshman or sophomore year. If a student has previously studied a language, he may take a placement test to determine if he can begin at a second or third year level.
French, German, and Spanish are offered to all students. Levels I and II concentrate on basic vocabulary and grammar, as well as geography, culture, and current events. Level III focuses on improving conversational and writing skills. Two levels of the same modern language are required for graduation. AP courses are offered to those students who meet curriculum requirements.
Course Offerings
French
As a supplement to the structural and oral study of the language, the French program incorporates video and audio segments taken from a variety of sources including BFMTV and France2, as well as articles from le Figaro and Libération. Other francophone countries such as Belgium, Canada, Switzerland and some of the African countries are included in the cultural segments. An exchange program with "Classes américaines" students from a renowned Bordeaux high school is also an option for participating students.
AP French Language
AP French Language concentrates on a wide variety of reading materials (literary and contemporary). Students learn about French literature and history, and learn to discuss, evaluate and write about a variety of texts (selections include writings by Rabelais, Ronsard, La Fontaine, Voltaire, Hugo, Baudelaire and Proust). In addition daily TV newscasts (BFMTV) and articles from the French press are used to acquire vocabulary and consolidate grammar and tense use.
As the exam has recently changed its format, greater emphasis is placed on speaking, reading comprehension and cultural elements of the French-speaking world. Students are expected to be able to understand texts, and express ideas with greater accuracy and increasing fluency.
German
In addition to the regular study of grammar and conversation, the German program includes a broad study of culture. The music of composers such as Strauss, Mozart and Wagner is introduced, and students learn poems by Goethe and Heine. Students will read stories by the Grimm Brothers, Goethe and Schiller among others. An optional trip to Germany and other German speaking countries may be offered to students who have completed two years of study.
AP German Language
AP German emphasizes conversational fluency and use of the language for active communication. The primary course objectives are to understand spoken German; to be able to express ideas orally and in writing, using common idioms and accurate structure; and to read selected passages with superior comprehension. To that end, students will write essays on a wide range of topics.
Spanish
The South American countries, as well as Spain, Mexico and Central America are the focus of studies for students of Spanish. We explore the language, culture, and traditions through a variety of speaking, writing, reading, and comprehension activities. The students are provided the tools that will help them learn how to express themselves articulately, interact effectively, and become a confident communicator in Spanish. We participate in an exchange program with Argentina for those students who qualify.
Spanish II Honors
The course aims to reinforce the importance of second language acquisition through a variety of activities. The curriculum includes a wide variety of selections that motivate students to make the effort to communicate well in Spanish. All the grammatical elements for this course are built upon skills acquired in Spanish I. There is a heightened emphasis on engaging the students to express their opinions and discuss their experiences.
AP Spanish Language
This course is designed to prepare students to achieve the best score in the AP Spanish Language Examination in May. The curriculum includes a thorough review of the grammar, vocabulary and culture studied in the past years. The emphasis of this course is on communication as well as on listening to a variety of authentic sources, such as National Geographic en Español, BBC in Spanish and some Latin American newspapers. Notes by the teacher are used to extend, clarify, and drill advanced structures such as idiomatic expressions. The students are required to keep a weekly journal to write their opinions and reports.
Spanish V - Topics in Latin American Film and Spanish Dialectology
This course has been designed for the advanced student of Spanish and native or heritage speakers. The first semester centers on topics such as Group Identity, Immigration, Humor as a Cultural Need and Revolution and Counterrevolution as seen through films from Latin America and Spain. Essays, debates and discussion are used to analyze and critique the thematic content in modern Spanish language cinema and develop an understanding of cultural contrasts. The second semester is dedicated to the in-depth study of Spanish Dialectology exploring Spanish sociolinguistics and phonology in order to create original fieldwork through a replication study. The student will carry out a sociolinguistic and perceptual dialectology based on the particular dialect of their choosing and present the findings in a culminating chapter in a collective class paper.