World Language

Dawson’s World Languages Department provides students with language skills and understanding needed to communicate and thrive in today’s interconnected world. By encouraging students to stretch their comfort zones, achieve proficiency in a chosen world language, and develop a deep appreciation for diverse cultures, Dawson’s language teachers aspire to motivate curious and compassionate global citizens.

AP Chinese Language & Culture

AP Chinese Language and Culture is designed to provide students learning experiences equivalent to the fourth semester of a college Chinese Mandarin course. It also offers specific preparation for students to take the Chinese Language Advanced Placement Examination. As such, the ultimate goal is substantial growth toward intermediate high listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students will interpret increasingly complicated written and aural texts, such as literary texts, newspaper and magazine articles, and expository essays, recorded conversations and soliloquies. Course materials, whether textbook-based or authentic, will present students with language of increasing structural complexity and sophisticated use of rhetorical devices and tone. Students will also speak and write extensively, with attention to completeness, cohesion, and richness of expression. Mandarin is the language of instruction and discussion for both teacher and students.
AP French Language & Culture

AP French Language and Culture is a college-level course intended for students in the culminating year of their study of French. The three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational) defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century are foundational to this course. Coursework provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their proficiency in each of the three modes in the intermediate to pre-advanced range as described in ACTFL’s Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners.

Students who enroll in this course should already have a good command of the grammar and considerable competence in listening, reading, speaking, and writing French. In addition to fine-tuning these skills, students will examine the products, practices, and perspectives of Francophone countries, while making comparisons and connections through interdisciplinary topics across languages and cultures, both within and beyond their classroom and community. French is used exclusively in the classroom by both teacher and students. All students enrolled in the course must take the AP exam in May.

Prerequisites:

Fr IV, department approval

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
AP Spanish Language & Culture

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course stresses various modes of communication and encourages students to explore culture in engaging thematic contexts, all in preparation of the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. Students are encouraged to demonstrate spoken and written proficiency in a variety of situations, employing the Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational modes of communication. Students also demonstrate an understanding of the Culture, and an awareness and appreciation of cultural products. Additionally, advanced grammar and literature are studied in depth. Students read a variety of Spanish and Latin American literature that include several short stories. All students must take the AP exam in the spring.

Prerequisites:

Sp IV, department approval

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
Cine en español

This semester course is designed for students who have completed Spanish IV or AP Spanish, and who want to continue developing their Spanish skills while also learning more about the richness of the Spanish-speaking world. Using films in Spanish from around the world as comprehensible input, students will work to expand their vocabulary and practice the grammar previously learned as they discuss cultural and historical topics that arise. Students will compare and contrast topics not only to their own culture, but between the various Spanish-speaking countries throughout the world as they enjoy the natural language in context that cinema can offer.
French I

In French I, students acquire foundational language skills and an appreciation of Francophone cultures. Students engage in all modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and develop vocabulary for common situations. Per national guidelines, the goal is for both students and teacher to maintain French during 90% of class time. Students demonstrate their learning through performance-based assessments in real-world contexts. By the end of French I, students will exhibit Novice-Mid to Novice-High level proficiency (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines).

Prerequisites:

None

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
French II

In French II, students continue to develop their communication skills, with a particular focus on speaking proficiency. Students reinforce the foundation built in French I, and engage with new real-life situations and authentic materials. Per national guidelines, the goal is for both students and teacher to maintain French during 90% of class time. As in French I, French II students demonstrate their learning with performance-based assessments. By the end of French II, students will exhibit Novice-High to Intermediate-Low level proficiency (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines).

Prerequisites:

French I

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
French III

French III rounds out the introduction to all major communicative time frames (past, present, future). Students continue to interact with authentic resources in real-life contexts and expand their knowledge and understanding of Francophone cultures and history. Per national guidelines, the goal is for both students and teacher to maintain French during 90% of class time. As in previous years, students demonstrate their learning via performance-based assessments. By the end of French III, students will exhibit solid Intermediate-Low level proficiency or above (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines).

Prerequisites:

French II

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
French IV

In French IV, students transition from concrete topics of study to working to express abstract levels of thought. Writing and speaking skills include the ability to summarize, narrate, and defend, as well as to express opinions and feelings. Students engage with advanced grammar concepts and use them in context. Per national guidelines, the goal is for both students and teacher to maintain French during 90% of class time. As in previous years, students demonstrate their learning via performance-based assessments. By the end of French IV, students will exhibit Intermediate-Low-Mid level proficiency (ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines).

Prerequisites:

French III

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
Mandarin I

Mandarin I is intended for students who have little to no prior knowledge of Chinese. Through work in this course, the student will begin to develop skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing Mandarin Chinese, and will acquire knowledge of vocabulary and grammar necessary to handle simple, practical situations. By year’s end, students will be able to interpret highly contextualized messages that use approximately 325 high-frequency words and extract targeted phrase-length information from real world texts. They will also be able to speak and write in highly formulaic language and in simple, sentence length utterances. Students will also gain exposure to the day-to-day practices of Chinese speakers and the richness of culture throughout the Chinese-speaking world.
Mandarin II

Mandarin II further develops students’ ability to speak and write on topics relevant to student life and to handle practical situations. Students will interpret a variety of spoken and written Mandarin texts, including real world examples. By year’s end, students will be able to interpret short, multi-sentence messages that use approximately 625 high-frequency words. They will also be able to extract targeted phrase-length information from real world texts of growing complexity. Students will be able to speak and write in utterances composed of several logically coherent sentences. Lastly, the course explores attitudes and conventions common in the Chinese-speaking world.
Mandarin III

Mandarin III further develops students’ ability to speak and write on topics relevant to student life and to deal with practical situations with the goal that students will be entering intermediate low proficiency level by year’s end. Students will interpret a variety of spoken and written Mandarin texts, including real world examples. By year’s end, students will be able to interpret multi-sentence messages that use approximately 1,060 high-frequency words and extract targeted phrase-length information from increasingly complex real world texts. Students will be able to speak straightforward social situations and write on concrete topics. Their short, paragraph-length statements and written texts will exhibit growing coherence with intermittent use of connective and transitional elements. The course also explores attitudes and conventions common in the Chinese-speaking world.
Mandarin IV

Mandarin IV further develops students’ ability to speak and write on topics relevant to student life and to deal with practical situations with the goal that students will be transitioning into intermediate mid proficiency level by year’s end. Students will be able to interpret multi-sentence messages that use approximately 1,520 high-frequency words and extract targeted information from increasingly complex real world texts. Students will be able to speak straightforward social situations and write on concrete topics. Their short, paragraph-length statements and written texts will exhibit growing coherence with intermittent use of connective and transitional elements. The course also explores attitudes and conventions common in the Chinese-speaking world.
Mandarin V

Culture Through Language is designed to provide learning experiences that expand beyond topics rooted firmly in the basic needs of a foreign speaker in China. Students will interpret increasingly complicated written and aural texts, such as short stories, non-fiction articles, and expository essays, TV advertisements, recorded interviews, spoken word performances, and music videos. Course materials, whether textbook-based or authentic, will present students with language of increasing structural complexity and sophisticated use of rhetorical devices and tone. Students will also speak and write extensively, with attention to thematic development, cohesion, and richness of expression. This will lead to substantial growth toward intermediate high proficiency in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing.

Through this class, students will continue to build factual knowledge of the target culture, recognizing cultural differences represented by cultural products (art, literature, etc.) and practices (festivals, politics, etc.). Emphasis will increasingly shift toward a deep appreciation that human beliefs and values all exist in cultural contexts. This understanding is developed through careful analysis of cultural products and practices, with an emphasis on the underlying perspectives that inform them. This project will also enrich the student’s understanding of their own cultural identity.

Prerequisites:

Mandarin IV

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
Spanish I

The Spanish I program is designed to build a solid foundation in the Spanish Language with an early focus on pronunciation and oral interaction. This course develops skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students are introduced to basic vocabulary and grammatical elements and the use of the language for everyday communication. Vocabulary building activities will be constant throughout the year. Students develop the skills required to read simple texts as well as write simple passages. They also learn to appreciate and respect the cultural traditions and differences of Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish II

Spanish II is an intensive course designed to further develop the students’ basic knowledge of the Spanish language, particularly their vocabulary. Students continue to expand their skills in reading, writing, grammar, and listening, with a special focus on oral communication. Students reinforce their foundation in the language and are introduced to various new tenses and more complicated points of grammar. The class is conducted in Spanish 90% of the time, and students are required to speak to the teacher and to each other in Spanish. Students also study numerous cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world.

Prerequisites:

Spanish I

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
Spanish III

The Spanish III course combines all the skills, vocabulary, and cultural information studied in Spanish I and II, and it completes the initial cycle of essential grammar needed for oral and written communication. The course begins with an emphasis placed upon conversational skills. All students are expected to be able to carry on a normal conversation in Spanish. Students should be able to use proficiency-based language and ask basic informational questions. The students also begin reading selected works in Spanish and creating more extensive written expression via e-mail and essay production.

Prerequisites:

Spanish II

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students
Spanish IV

The Spanish IV program will begin with an extensive review of pronunciation. Great emphasis will be placed upon conversational skills. All students will be expected to be able to carry on a normal conversation in Spanish. Students should be able to use proficiency-based language and ask basic informational questions. We will be using the Breaking the Spanish Barrier Text, and Los Cuentos de Eva Luna. We will also be reading selected works in Spanish and begin more extensive written expression via e-mail and essay production. Bi-weekly Oral Presentations shall be standard, and a Debating series will investigate Castro and Cuba, Pinochet and Chile, and Franco and Spain.

Prerequisites:

Spanish III

Terms:

Full year

Eligible:

All Students

Curriculum Detail

World Language

AP Chinese Language & Culture

AP French Language & Culture

AP Spanish Language & Culture

Cine en español

French I

French II

French III

French IV

Mandarin I

Mandarin II

Mandarin III

Mandarin IV

Mandarin V

Spanish I

Spanish II

Spanish III

Spanish IV

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