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link to World Language Courses
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Updated 11/2022
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Philosophy
The primary objectives of the World Language Program are to achieve acceptable levels of communicative skills in each target language and a cultural awareness of the places in the world and the native speakers of each language. These two areas address the mission statement of FRHS. They prepare students for scholastic and career endeavors, and also promote understanding and tolerance of other cultures. Studies have shown that language students perform better on SATs and other standardized tests than non-foreign language students. The advantages and benefits of studying a foreign language also include the broadening of the student’s knowledge of the world, improving grammar skills in both English and the second language, enhancing career opportunities in business, the military, medicine, law, the arts, history, science, social work, and many other fields. The World Language Department is committed to using all available technology such as the language laboratory, video, radio and television broadcasts, computer programs, and the Internet to help meet these goals by introducing language in an authentic cultural context. Language classes are predominantly conducted in the target language. In all language courses, the culture, history, geography, and major personalities of the native country are recurrent themes.
All language courses are taken in sequence, run for 18 weeks, and are worth 5 credits per quarter. All language courses are college preparatory. It is recommended that only students who maintain a “C” average in Levels 1, 2, and 3 go on to the next level. Students who maintain a “B” average in Level 3 are encouraged to continue their language studies into Level 4 and ultimately into a Level 5 AP language course.
All language courses are taken in sequence, run for 18 weeks, and are worth 5 credits per quarter. All language courses are college preparatory. It is recommended that only students who maintain a “C” average in Levels 1, 2, and 3 go on to the next level. Students who maintain a “B” average in Level 3 are encouraged to continue their language studies into Level 4 and ultimately into a Level 5 AP language course.
The Fossil Ridge High School World Language Department is implementing competency standards set forth by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL). It provides a detailed description of the kinds of communication functions, range of vocabulary, degree of accuracy and flexibility that learners of a language are able to control at different levels in each of the four major language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). These descriptions can be helpful in setting language learning goals, in planning learning activities and in evaluating proficiency. To be successful in language classes, students must practice the classroom materials OUTSIDE of class time. Learning a language requires repetitive practice of the introduced classroom material. A typical student should spend approximately 2-4 additional hours per week reviewing vocabulary and grammar, as well as completing the homework materials. Students who only complete the homework but do not practice the vocabulary and grammar may find it difficult to achieve excellence for the class.
World Language Course Options
4710 French Level 1
4720 German Level 1
4730 Spanish Level 1
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: None
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students are introduced to vocabulary and structures. Activities include dialogues, novice readings, listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community! At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 1 - Novice Low - Students will be able to communicate and present about familiar topics, identify common practices and products within the target cultures, make connections with other disciplines and students’ own culture. Class activities include conversations, reading short selections and written exercises.
4750 French Level 2
4760 German Level 2
4770 Spanish Level 2
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 1 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 1 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students increase vocabulary and structures. Activities include dialogues, novice readings, listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 2 Novice Mid—Ability to participate in basic conversations and present using learned and simple phrases, describe familiar practices and products, organize information acquired from authentic resources, and compare similarities and differences of basic structural patterns of one’s own language. Continued emphasis placed on the improvement of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
4790 French Level 3
4800 German Level 3
4810 Spanish Level 3
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 2 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 2 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students enhance vocabulary and expand structures. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, intermediate listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 3 Novice High—Ability to participate in a variety of exchanges on familiar topics using high-frequency vocabulary and learned grammatical structures, examine common practices and products within the cultures studied, and examine information acquired from authentic resources.
4820 French Level 4
4820CEFR French Level 4 (May be taken for concurrent enrollment credit through FRCC)
4830 German Level 4
4840 Spanish Level 4
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 3 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 3 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students expand vocabulary and refine structures. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, advanced listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community! At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 4 Intermediate Low—Ability to initiate, sustain and conclude conversations on a variety of familiar and learned topics, draw conclusions and examine perspectives, and recognize similarities in own language.
4850 AP French Level 5
4860 AP German Level 5
4871 AP Spanish Level 5
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 4 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 4 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students solidify vocabulary and apply structures as independent learners in preparation for the AP exam. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, advanced listening selections, and written communication.
Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 5 Intermediate Mid—Ability to present in a variety of situations on familiar and unfamiliar vocabulary and learned grammatical structures, analyze perspectives and products, as well as similarities and differences between one’s own language and target language being studied.
4888 Spanish Advanced Communication
* Intended for high school students in a combined class of native and second language Spanish speakers.
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 4 or Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Advanced Spanish Communication gives students with developed language skills the opportunity to maintain improve and refine their Spanish communication skills through literature current events film community service and other interactive activities. The entire course will be conducted in Spanish. Students are expected to fully participate in all disciplines of the course in Spanish. Students in this course address the World Language standards of communication culture connections comparisons and communities.
4710 French Level 1
4720 German Level 1
4730 Spanish Level 1
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: None
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students are introduced to vocabulary and structures. Activities include dialogues, novice readings, listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community! At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 1 - Novice Low - Students will be able to communicate and present about familiar topics, identify common practices and products within the target cultures, make connections with other disciplines and students’ own culture. Class activities include conversations, reading short selections and written exercises.
4750 French Level 2
4760 German Level 2
4770 Spanish Level 2
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 1 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 1 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students increase vocabulary and structures. Activities include dialogues, novice readings, listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 2 Novice Mid—Ability to participate in basic conversations and present using learned and simple phrases, describe familiar practices and products, organize information acquired from authentic resources, and compare similarities and differences of basic structural patterns of one’s own language. Continued emphasis placed on the improvement of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
4790 French Level 3
4800 German Level 3
4810 Spanish Level 3
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 2 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 2 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students enhance vocabulary and expand structures. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, intermediate listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 3 Novice High—Ability to participate in a variety of exchanges on familiar topics using high-frequency vocabulary and learned grammatical structures, examine common practices and products within the cultures studied, and examine information acquired from authentic resources.
4820 French Level 4
4820CEFR French Level 4 (May be taken for concurrent enrollment credit through FRCC)
4830 German Level 4
4840 Spanish Level 4
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 3 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 3 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students expand vocabulary and refine structures. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, advanced listening selections, and written communication. Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community! At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 4 Intermediate Low—Ability to initiate, sustain and conclude conversations on a variety of familiar and learned topics, draw conclusions and examine perspectives, and recognize similarities in own language.
4850 AP French Level 5
4860 AP German Level 5
4871 AP Spanish Level 5
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 4 with grade of ‘C’ or better and/or Level 4 Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Students solidify vocabulary and apply structures as independent learners in preparation for the AP exam. Activities include conversations, authentic readings, advanced listening selections, and written communication.
Students experience language through the study of cultures, while making connections and comparisons to their native language and developing communication skills in the target language. The study of a world language prepares students to compete in a global community!
At FRHS: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved the ACTFL standard of: Level 5 Intermediate Mid—Ability to present in a variety of situations on familiar and unfamiliar vocabulary and learned grammatical structures, analyze perspectives and products, as well as similarities and differences between one’s own language and target language being studied.
4888 Spanish Advanced Communication
* Intended for high school students in a combined class of native and second language Spanish speakers.
Credits: 10
Prerequisites: Level 4 or Teacher approval
Meets requirement(s): Arts & World Language
Advanced Spanish Communication gives students with developed language skills the opportunity to maintain improve and refine their Spanish communication skills through literature current events film community service and other interactive activities. The entire course will be conducted in Spanish. Students are expected to fully participate in all disciplines of the course in Spanish. Students in this course address the World Language standards of communication culture connections comparisons and communities.