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Mandarin 3 Honors

Course No: 4633
Subject: Mandarin
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: AP/Honors, Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Mandarin 2/2H or placement by written and oral examination
Criteria for Enrollment: See criteria for Honors Enrollment
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Mandarin 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as superior Mandarin students, who wish to become fluent in Mandarin and prepare themselves for Mandarin 4 AP. This course broadens the range of grammatical structures the students can effectively use in communication. Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written Mandarin. The students will be required to speak in Mandarin in various situations ranging from class discussions to oral presentations and skits. Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and various articles. This course includes a closer look at the classic and modern Chinese culture, enriching the student’s vocabulary and deepening his or her awareness of the Mandarin-speaking world. This class is conducted mainly in Mandarin and students are expected to speak in Mandarin at all times.

*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations

Spanish 1

Course No: 4110
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11
Course Length: Year
Course Type: Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: None
Criteria for Enrollment: None
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Spanish 1 is designed for the beginning Spanish student.  No background in Spanish is expected.  Comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills are developed simultaneously from simple to more complex sentence structures.  The language skills are presented in a logical progression so that the student learns by practice both in the classroom and at home with the help of on-line tutorials.  The learning process is based on the active participation of each student in a variety of formats.  Students learn essential vocabulary, basic structures of the language, and cultural aspects of Latin America and Spain.  By the end of the course, each student has the ability to do the following:  ask questions and answer  them affirmatively  or  negatively  using  present tenses; arrange proper word order; speak and write clearly; write short compositions; and use common idiomatic expressions.

Spanish 2

Course No: 4120
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Spanish 1 or Spanish 1 Accelerated or placement by written or oral examination
Criteria for Enrollment: Satisfactory completion of Spanish 1 or placement by written and oral examination
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Spanish 2 is a language course designed for students who have successfully completed their first year of Spanish.  It is a two-semester course which aims to improve the student’s ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish, to systematically review grammar previously studied, and to master new concepts in Spanish, and to enhance the student’s knowledge of the cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world.  The emphasis on improvement of oral skills will be considerable, and the student will be encouraged to speak in Spanish on a variety of topics and in a number of situations ranging from question and answer to oral presentations and/or situations.

Spanish 2 Honors

Course No: 4123
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: AP/Honors, Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Spanish 1 or Spanish 1 Accelerated or placement by written and oral examination
Criteria for Enrollment: See criteria for Honors Enrollment
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Spanish 2H is an accelerated course designed to challenge the student who, during his/her first year, has actively participated in class, mastered the grammar and vocabulary presented in level one and/or demonstrated the ability to advance more rapidly than the average college preparatory student.  The teacher will aid students in acquiring the following skills: increased oral proficiency on a variety of topics, an expanded vocabulary, the ability to read selections appropriate to intermediate level students and increased ability to write essays.  The course materials are designed to stimulate conversation and to perfect that skill, striving to imitate the native speaker’s pronunciation, accent, and rhythm, as the student’s abilities increase.  Students will also become more informed about some of the contemporary problems and difficulties affecting Hispanic communities.  Students will further develop their ability to express themselves in spoken and written Spanish.

*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA

Spanish 3

Course No: 4130
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or 2H or placement by written and oral examination
Criteria for Enrollment: Minimum semester grade of C in Spanish 2, recommendation of second-year teacher and active class participation
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Spanish 3 is an intermediate level language course designed for those students who have acquired satisfactory competency during their first two years of language study.  The course builds upon the skills and material covered in Spanish 1 and 2.  It reviews all major grammatical structures and introduces a broader scope of grammatical knowledge.  Emphasis is given to improving oral skills, broadening the range of grammatical structures the student can effectively use in writing and conversation, enriching the student’s vocabulary and deepening his/her awareness of present day social justice issues within the Spanish-speaking world, as well as examining immigration issues facing Latinos.  This class is conducted in Spanish, except when complex grammar concepts require a clearer explanation in English.  Students are expected to speak in Spanish at all times.

Spanish 3 Honors

Course No: 4133
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: AP/Honors, Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Spanish 2 or 2H or placement by written and oral examination
Criteria for Enrollment: See criteria for Honors Enrollment
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

Spanish 3H is an advanced language course designed for students identified during their first two years as those superior Spanish students, who wish to become fluent in Spanish and prepare themselves for Spanish 4 AP. Students will practice the major grammar structures previously studied, as well as more complex grammar concepts, including expanded uses of the subjunctive mood.  Considerable emphasis will be given to enriching the students’ active vocabulary and increasing their ability to comprehend and express themselves in spoken and written Spanish.  Students will be required to speak in Spanish in a variety of situations ranging from class discussion to oral presentations and situations.  Students will be able to read with comprehension selected short stories and newspaper and magazine articles. They will also become more informed about some of the contemporary problems and difficulties affecting Hispanic communities.  This class is conducted in Spanish, and students are expected to speak Spanish at all time.

*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations

Spanish 4

Course No: 4140
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: Elective
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Spanish 3 or 3H
Criteria for Enrollment: Minimum semester grade of C in Spanish 3 or recommendation of Language Department Chair
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

This two-semester course is an advanced language course designed for those students who wish to improve and build upon their Spanish skills and delve deeper into the cultures and literature of the Spanish-speaking world.  Prominent topics uncovered will be the volatile history of Latin American dictatorships, the impact and perception of Hispanics/Latinos in the U.S., and the diversity and beauty of art in the Spanish-speaking world.  The course is comprised of an on-going review of all major grammar structures, as well as a thorough study of more complex grammar concepts.  Considerable emphasis is given to broadening his/her cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world and increasing his/her ability to comprehend and express him/herself in  both spoken and written Spanish In order to maximize interaction with the language, students are expected to speak Spanish at all times.

Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 – Honors

Course No: 4112
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: AP/Honors
UC/CSU Subject Approval: E
Prerequisite: Heritage speaker of Spanish
Criteria for Enrollment: Placement by written or oral examination, plus recommendation from the Language Department Chair
Fulfillments: Elective which meets one year of language graduation requirement.

Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors will develop the language and literacy skills of heritage speakers. Students in this course come from Spanish-speaking family backgrounds. They speak and understand Spanish in the home, and they demonstrate some skills in reading and writing Spanish.

The course will build upon the deep knowledge that heritage speakers of Spanish bring to the language classroom. With a focus on the formal registers of Spanish, this course will advance a student’s proficiency in Spanish for multiple contexts–academic, professional, and personal. Special attention will be given to building vocabulary for specific contexts, using advanced grammar, strengthening formal composition skills, and deepening academic reading ability. In this course, students will increase their knowledge of a variety of topics including but not limited to topics such as identity, communities, world challenges, and literature from the Spanish-speaking world.
Taught exclusively in Spanish, this course is designed for heritage speakers only.

Upon successful completion of this course and the course final exam, students are recommended to enroll in further Spanish courses, such as Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 – Honors.
*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations

Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 – Honors

Course No: 4124
Subject: Spanish
Grade Level: 10, 11, 12
Course Length: Year
Course Type: AP/Honors
Prerequisite: Heritage speaker of Spanish; completion of Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors or by Placement Exam
Criteria for Enrollment: A minimum semester grade of B in Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors; or placement by written and oral examination plus recommendation by the Language Department Chair
Fulfillments: Meets one year of language graduation requirement

This course will build upon the skills developed from Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 Honors. Students in this course come from Spanish-speaking family backgrounds. They speak and understand Spanish in the home, and they demonstrate some skills in reading and writing Spanish.

In Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 Honors, students will continue to develop their formal composition skills, deepen their academic reading ability, and build their vocabulary for increased proficiency in multiple contexts–academic, professional, and personal.   Through culturally relevant units and authentic resources from the Spanish-speaking world – including videos, articles, art, music, and literature – students will increase their knowledge of the cultural practices, products, and perspectives of the Spanish-speaking world. 

Many of the unit assessments will begin to familiarize students with the Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture Exam tasks, which include comparing and contrasting, persuasive writing, analytical reading, and listening to authentic texts. 

Taught exclusively in Spanish, this course is designed for heritage speakers only.

Upon successful completion of this course and the course final exam, students are recommended to enroll in further Spanish courses, such as Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture or the Spanish electives. 

*Class receives honors weighting in SI weighted GPA and UC/CSU GPA calculations