International Languages
The primary aim of the International Language program is to present world languages as essential living tools for communication, given the global community in which we live.
The primary aim of the International Language program is to present world languages as essential tools for communication, given the global community in which we live. Employing proficiency-based methods, students develop the ability to use other languages in realistic situations following the standards of communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities while developing the skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
The knowledge, insight, and appreciation they gain for other cultures allows students to develop empathy by broadening their understanding of how others live, think, and interact in ways different to their own.
Students build a solid linguistic scaffolding in middle school, which ultimately enables them in upper school to appreciate authentic, unabridged works in various media, and to express themselves with confidence and proficiency in communicating in another language. Sacred Heart schools are part of a dynamic international network with a well established global exchange and service program. Upper school students may study abroad, and all FR families are invited to host exchange students.
Sacred Heart schools are part of a dynamic international network with a well-established global exchange and service program.
Middle School: 5th-8th Grade
French
The French Language & Our Sacred Heart Heritage
Year-long / Required for 5th or IL Waiver
In this course, students will explore the basics of the French language while also learning about the history and traditions of our Sacred Heart Schools Network. Through a variety of interactive activities, students will develop their listening and speaking skills in French, and also gain an understanding and appreciation of the unique heritage of Sacred Heart Schools, including the life and legacy of Saint Madeleine Sophie, the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart. In addition to common French phrases, students will learn key vocabulary for Sacred Heart Schools such as congé and Goûte!
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 5
Credit earned: 0.5 MS International Language
Introductory French
Year-long / 6th Grade
The course aims to follow the natural path of language acquisition by supporting students in first mastering basic speaking and listening skills and then digging into the study of French phonics. By emphasizing basic conversational French, students will learn vocabulary and phrases for everyday communication. Students will have opportunities to learn through immersion games and practice in pairs and small groups as they focus on building their listening and speaking repertoire. Later in the course, phonics will be introduced to help students develop the foundations needed to rapidly acquire language in their future studies. This strong understanding of French phonics will allow students to read, write, and spell with fluency in future courses.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 6
Credit earned: 0.5 MS International Language
French 1A: Communication and Culture
Year-long / 7th Grade
Students in French IA study a series of units which encourages immediate use of practical expressions and appreciation of culture in the French-speaking world. Themes include school, daily life, home and family, and food and meals. Students learn parts of speech in French and how they function together to communicate in the present and near-future tense. Through texts, discussion, partner work, games, Internet resources, and audio files and videos, all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking- are practiced daily. This proficiency-based program offers in-class opportunities for students to engage in communicative activities as they work towards mastering instructional objectives. Students use a shared OneNote notebook to organize resources, notes, and homework.
Prerequisite: Conversational French or completion of summer work
Grade level: 7
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
French 1B: History and Culture
Year-long / 8th Grade
In French IB students continue building on their language skills and on the content they have acquired in the seventh grade course. Level 1B expands the communication skills already acquired and broadens awareness of history and culture in the Francophone world. Through texts, discussion, partner work, games, Internet resources, audio files and videos, all four language skills- reading, writing, listening, and speaking- are practiced daily. Our program offers in-class opportunities for students to engage in communicative activities as they work towards mastering instructional objectives. Students use a shared OneNote notebook to organize resources, notes, and homework.
Prerequisite: French 1A
Grade level: 8
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
Mandarin
Interactive Mandarin: Games, Songs, and Conversation
Semester / 5th Grade / This course is offered based on student interest.
In this course, students will work with Upper School students to learn basic Mandarin phrases and vocabulary through games and songs. The course will cover topics like greetings, numbers, colors, and common phrases. Through interactive and engaging activities, students will be able to practice their pronunciation and listening skills. This course is designed to be a fun and immersive learning experience.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 5
Credit earned: 0.25 MS International Language
Mandarin 1A: Mandarin Language and Culture
Year-long / 7th Grade
The first year of Mandarin is designed to guide students to effectively learn the fundamentals of In Mandarin 1B, students will apply what they have studied in Mandarin 1A. Supplemental materials help students learn common practical vocabulary and expressions not in the textbook. We will focus on tones for the purpose of improving pronunciation with emphasis on developing students’ conversation, reading characters and writing skills. We will advance more on communication and writing with a computer as it will be rewarding for the learners and improve their practical language skills. Integration of technology will assist in fostering students’ capabilities for Mandarin reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Students will learn about Chinese culture and how to interact with Chinese people with proper social norms. Since students have already gained some foundation for the language, they will find this second year of learning to be rewarding! Chinese used in daily life in China. Students learn to read and write simplified characters as well as tones and Pinyin, the official Romanization from China, which is widely used in Chinese language programs. Various learning activities related to real-life situations and cultural introductions are also included in the class through class activities and multimedia. The class is aimed to enable students to obtain basic communication skills; and students will understand and appreciate the culture of the Chinese-speaking countries.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 7
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
Mandarin 1B: Mandarin Language and Culture
Year-long / 8th Grade
In Mandarin 1B, students will apply what they have studied in Mandarin 1A. Supplemental materials help students learn common practical vocabulary and expressions not in the textbook. We will focus on tones for the purpose of improving pronunciation with emphasis on developing students’ conversation, reading characters and writing skills. We will advance more on communication and writing with a computer as it will be rewarding for the learners and improve their practical language skills. Integration of technology will assist in fostering students’ capabilities for Mandarin reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Students will learn about Chinese culture and how to interact with Chinese people with proper social norms. Since students have already gained some foundation for the language, they will find this second year of learning to be rewarding!
Prerequisite: Mandarin 1A
Grade level: 8
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
Spanish
Introductory Spanish
Year-long / 6th Grade
The course aims to follow the natural path of language acquisition by supporting students in first mastering basic speaking and listening skills and then digging into the study of Spanish phonics. By emphasizing basic conversational Spanish, students will learn vocabulary and phrases for everyday communication. Students will have opportunities to learn through immersion games and practice in pairs and small groups as they focus on building their listening and speaking repertoire. Later in the course, phonics will be introduced to help students develop the foundations needed to rapidly acquire language in their future studies. This strong understanding of Spanish phonics will allow students to read, write, and spell with fluency in future courses.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 6
Credit earned: 0.5 MS International Language
Spanish 1A: ¡Exploremos Español Juntas!
Year-long / 7th Grade
The approach to learning in Spanish is grammar and syntax-based, situational, and cultural; the theme of each unit encourages immediate use of practical expressions and introduces new grammatical structures, including subject-verb-adjective agreement and the present tense. Supplementary activities include viewing videos in Spanish, introducing the students to art from different Spanish-speaking countries, and listening, comprehension and writing activities.
Prerequisite: Conversational Spanish or completion of summer work
Grade level: 7
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
Spanish 1B: Conversaciones y Culturas
Year-long / 8th Grade
Spanish 1B emphasizes good communication skills and cultural understanding. Supplementary activities include cultural studies and viewing short videos in Spanish. Investigations of cultural events, history, and geography are also incorporated.
Prerequisite: Spanish 1A
Grade level: 8
Credit earned: 1.0 MS International Language
Upper School: 9th-12th Grade
Graduation requirement: 6 bins and level 3 proficiency in a single language.
French
French I (equivalent to French 1A and 1B in the middle school)
French I is an introductory course to the French language and Francophone culture. Students learn to communicate in the present and past about themselves, their family, their environment and many other aspects of daily life. Through a variety of communicative and proficiency-oriented activities in speaking, listening, reading and writing, this course aims to provide students with a solid foundation in the fundamental structures of the language as well as broaden their cultural understanding.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
French II
Level II expands the communication skills already acquired in Level I and increases cultural awareness of the different areas of France and the Francophone world. Students learn to express themselves using different tenses and modes. Class activities include pair-work, video clips, skits, short compositions, and cultural readings, as well as one-on-one interviews. The course is conducted as much as possible in French with an emphasis on proficient communication in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Prerequisite: C+ in French I or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
French III
In Level III students continue to develop their communicative competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students interact with authentic materials such as short films, articles, literature excerpts, and online language learning activities to develop listening comprehension, oral competence, and sociocultural communicative proficiency. This class is mostly conducted in French.
Prerequisite: C+ in French II or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Course format for French IV and V will be determined by enrollment. Insufficient enrollment means the course will be offered through One Schoolhouse. Student will be notified of format before the school year begins.
French IV
Students develop awareness of cultural, social, and political issues. This course allows students to communicate effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating linguistic competence and international understanding. Using a variety of media (readings, TV broadcasts, video clips) and text types (essays, articles, debates, brochures), students continue to work on the development of oral and written expression in order to be able to express themselves accurately and resourcefully in French, using correct register and format for a variety of written text types which include - formal - informal letters, journal entries, articles, interviews, speeches etc. Interactive oral activities, personal research and presentations are also included. This class is conducted in French and students are expected to communicate only in French.
Prerequisite: C + in French III or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
French V - Survey of French Literature
This course is designed to familiarize the students with significant works and authors in literature from the Middle Ages through the 20th century, and the historical, cultural, and social factors which influenced literary trends and movements. Class activities include readings, analysis, and discussions of a variety of excerpts from plays, novels, poetry, and philosophical essays. Several plays and short novels will be read in their entirety. Activities also include presentations and short essays. This class is completely in French.
Prerequisite: C+ in French IV or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Mandarin
New enrollment in Mandarin in the upper school is on pause for the 2024-25 school year. Level I will not be offered, and Levels IV and V will be offered through One Schoolhouse.
Mandarin II
Chinese II students continue to improve their Chinese skills by using both structured and created language. Cultural connections are made at appropriate intervals to familiarize students with the Chinese speaking world. Students learn to initiate and participate in daily communication, apply new vocabulary and more complex sentence patterns to fulfill the functions of expressing individual needs, describe circumstances, compare the similarities and differences of phenomenon, and demonstrate culturally contextualized understanding. Students improve character literacy, authentic language production and cultural competency.
Prerequisite: C+ in Mandarin I or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: Open to returning students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Mandarin III
Chinese III students develop their essential Chinese language skills while gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture through engaging with various audio, visual, textual materials and increasing authentic language application experience. The course is designed for students who have had at least two years of Chinese study and takes them into structured communication through comprehensive skill-enhancement with abundant task-based practical grammatical structures and sentence patterns.
Prerequisite: C+ in Mandarin II or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: Open to returning students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Spanish
Spanish I (equivalent to Spanish 1a and 1b in the middle school)
This course is designed for students to begin the development of their linguistic skills in a foreign language. The approach to learning in Spanish I is both situational and cultural - the theme of each unit encourages immediate use of practical expressions and broadens awareness of Spanish-speaking people's culture. The proficiency-based program offers in-class opportunities for students to engage in communicative activities as they work toward mastering the instructional objectives. Interdisciplinary readings, video clips, and skit preparations add variety to the program.
Prerequisite: None
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Spanish II
Spanish II students will continue expanding their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge of the Spanish language. The goal of this course, gradually conducted more and more in Spanish, is to increase the oral and written use of Spanish as well as to further listening and reading comprehension. In order to achieve these goals, students will work individually and in a team in a number of presentations, projects, songs, games and hands-on activities that will take them onto cultural fields such as Hispanic markets, legends, food, movies, and family and relationships.
Prerequisite: C+ in Spanish I or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Spanish III
Students in Spanish III will strengthen their vocabulary and grammatical tools of the Spanish language by reading and watching cultural documents, reflecting upon traditions of the Spanish speaking world. By the end of our course, mostly conducted in Spanish, students will have been able to research and discuss environmental issues, social matters, technology conditions and professions. Through our adventure in Spanish, they will exercise their analytical thinking in substantiating opinions, emotions and decision-making as a foundation for their global leadership role.
Prerequisite: C+ in Spanish II or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Spanish IV
In this advanced course, students continue to develop their conversational skills while increasing their mastery of correct grammatical usage and reading comprehension. Students research and discuss current events not only in the Spanish-speaking countries but in the global community, using newspaper and magazine articles. Supplementary activities include memorizing famous poems, reading short novels and stories, and viewing video segments and films.
Prerequisite: C+ in Spanish III or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
Spanish V
In this advanced course, students continue to develop their conversational skills while increasing their mastery of correct grammatical usage and reading comprehension. Students research and discuss current events not only in the Spanish speaking countries but in the global community, using newspaper and magazine articles. Supplementary activities include memorizing famous poems, reading short novels, stories and viewing video segments and films.
Prerequisite: C+ in Spanish IV or Forest Ridge teacher recommendation
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 3 bins International Language
French and Spanish Conversation
French & Spanish Language Conversation
Offered during X bin
This course gives students the opportunity to practice their language skills during mods in which their core language course does not meet. It will be split into two sections: one conducted in French, and the other in Spanish. Throughout this immersive course, students will engage in a variety of activities, including pair conversation and whole group discussions. These activities are crafted to provide a balance between formal and informal topics, casual dialogues, and more structured conversations. A special focus will be placed on exploring current events in Francophone and Hispanic countries. By incorporating real-world issues, students will not only enhance their language proficiency, but also, gain valuable insights into the cultural and social dynamics of French- and Spanish-speaking communities. This course is assessed on a Pass/Fail scale.
Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in French I or above
Grade level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Credit Earned: 0.5 - 1.5 bins International Language Elective
