The World Languages Department offers instruction in five languages: Chinese, French, Japanese, Latin and Spanish.

Five-year programs are offered in French, Japanese, and Spanish; four-year programs are offered in Chinese and Latin. In all of these courses, every student is expected to read and write, and, in the case of Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish, to understand and speak with reasonable fluency. Advanced-level courses prepare students for Advanced Placement examinations.

Although studying three years of one language satisfies the requirement for graduation, studying four years is strongly recommended and undertaken by most of our students. In rare cases, two years each of two languages may satisfy the requirement. At College Prep, two languages can be studied concurrently.

The French program is one of intense immersion; students are taught to listen, speak, read, and then write, in ways similar to how they learn their mother tongue.

During the first two years students are taught the fundamentals of grammar and acquire essential vocabulary for basic conversation. Important aspects of French culture are discussed as well. After students complete the second year, literature is introduced, and France and the francophone world are studied in greater depth.

After completing three years of French, students become eligible to select from a variety of seminars. Literary analysis, sociological interpretations of French society, essay writing, idiomatic usage, conversation and fine points of grammar and style are integral parts of all these classes; end-of-year independent projects are often required. To supplement formal study in all classes, teachers show movies during the year and schedule occasional trips to French plays, films, and restaurants.

French I

New material is first learned orally, and then in written form, with students exercising their skills in original compositions at the end of each lesson. Activities such as skits, fashion shows, and cooking allow the students to use what they have learned in fun and exciting ways. Multimedia activities using film, music, and the internet are used to enhance the learning process. The goals of this course are to have students master the basic syntax of the language and to build the confidence and skills needed to hold an interesting conversation.

French II

Using the communicative approach of French I, students master vocabulary pertaining to everyday situations and the precise use of the majority of the verb tenses. The use of pronouns is studied in detail. In addition to oral and written exercises, skits and activities, students write more elaborate and creative essays, applying new vocabulary and structures. In the second semester students read their first novel, Rêves Amers by Maryse Condé. As in French I, multimedia activities are used to strengthen vocabulary and listening skills. 

French III

In this course, students transition from acquiring language skills to applying these skills to the study of the literatures and civilizations of francophone countries. The second semester is dedicated to French-speaking countries and regions elsewhere in the world. Cultures are explored through a variety of readings and multimedia resources, such as Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s novel Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran and the movies Indochine and Au Reviour les Enfants. Communicative competence continues to be improved by enriching skills in all areas involved in language learning: oral comprehension and expression, grammar, idiomatic vocabulary, reading, writing, and creative usage of the language. Students are actively prepared to take the French SAT Subject Test by the end of this course. This course has been designated an Honors course by the University of California.

French IV Seminars (AP) and French V

Typically, two different seminars are offered. Both have been designated as Advanced Placement classes. These classes are organized in such a manner as to strengthen speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills, as well as to interpret the specific topic under study. Students prepare for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination but are not required to take it. Past offerings have included: The Short Story, Women in French Literature, Comic Masterpieces, Advanced Conversation and Composition, Twentieth-Century Theater, and Contemporary French Society.

French 2012 Seminars:

France: Unity in Diversity?

How does France strive to maintain a cohesive country while, at the same time, becoming an ever-more diverse society? How is France both similar and different in this respect from the United States? Various aspects of French society (for example, the relationship between the people and their government, the immigrant situation, minorities and their different challenges, the school system and how it does/does not address the needs of youth, and the approach to universal health care) will be explored in order to provide students with a thorough understanding of this diverse country and an appreciation for the fact that there is not just one way to create and sustain a modern society. Sources of information will include a civilization reader, many films (Entre les murs, La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille, La Haine, la Bataille d’Algiers), a grammar review text, a novel (Kiffe Kiffe Demain, written by a young girl of Algerian descent growing up in a housing project), daily news broadcasts from French television, the internet, French radio, articles from the press, and popular songs. Activities include discussions, presentations, essays, quizzes, and tests. Each student will do an independent project at the end of the second semester on a topic of his or her choice that deals with an aspect of French society today. Each topic must have a listening/speaking component and a literary research component and will be presented to the class in place of a final examination. All students prepare for the Advanced Placement French Language Examination.

The Japanese program attracts students who are interested in Japan’s unique culture, language, and technological industries.

The Japanese program complies with the National Standards for Japanese Language Learning. Students gain a strong foundation in the language and attain socio-cultural competency.

The program invites Japanese visitors for cultural presentations and as conversation partners, and it connects students with Japanese communities both in the Bay Area and in Japan. Total immersion is the goal of the program, and the use of English in the classroom is gradually phased out by Japanese III.

Throughout the program, important aspects of Japanese history and culture are studied and discussed. Calligraphy is occasionally practiced, and word processing and other technology are integrated into the classes.

Japanese I

In the first year of Japanese, students learn the basic structures essential for communication through kinetic exercises, skits, and cultural activities. The class seeks to encourage mastery of Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji (at this level, recognition is emphasized). Students read and write extensively and learn to use a Japanese word processor.

Japanese II

In the second year of Japanese, students continue to learn basic structures essential for communication, while adding more compound and complex expressions. Students create skits and a cooking video, study culture, and read Japanese stories. Students continue to master Kanji, while reading and writing extensively. 

Japanese III

In the third year of Japanese, students start learning respectful and humble expressions in addition to basic compound and complex sentence structures essential for communication. More advanced adjective and verb forms are mastered. Students prepare speeches and video projects. They study culture, read authentic Japanese material, and continue to master Kanji, while reading and writing extensively. Throughout the year, the class covers Japanese literature and film; examples include TV drama series The Chef, animation films by Hayao Miyazaki, etc. This course has been designated as an Honors course by the University of California.

Japanese IV/V (AP)

AP Japanese is focused on preparing students for the AP examination.  It is designed to develop advanced communication skills in Japanese.  Interpersonal, interpretive and presentation activities will be emphasized.  In addition, reading, writing, aural and oral comprehension, conversational skills, and elements of Japanese culture are woven into the class. The class is taught in the immersion style and only Japanese is spoken.

During the course of the year, the class covers Japanese literature and film; examples include Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa, a TV drama series (Densetsu no Kyooshi), animation films by Hayao Miyazaki, etc. In the second semester the class turns to the history of Japan.  Students read authentic Japanese materials, and produce and present PowerPoint projects or video commercials in Japanese. These projects strengthen the students’ comprehension of and fluency in Japanese.  At the end of this course, students are expected to attain ACTFL Oral Proficiency at the Intermediate Low to Mid level. Technology is fully integrated into the class activities and students’ projects. For example, emails and voicemails are exchanged with the teacher in Japanese. Students may take the AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam in May.

The Latin program is designed to give students a facility in reading Latin and an understanding and appreciation of Roman civilization.

Throughout the four years of Latin offered at College Prep, emphasis is placed on the language, literature, history, and culture of the ancient Romans.

We have a chapter of the California Junior Classical League, and students attend the Bay Area Ludi Octobres in the fall and the state convention in the spring. All Latin students take the National Latin Exam in March.

Latin I

The Cambridge Latin Course has been adopted for the first two years of Latin instruction. This reading approach offers the student the opportunity to study Latin inductively: meanings of words and syntax are first presented in model sentences or reading selections. Students are then given extensive practice with the grammatical structures and with vocabulary reinforcement. Cleverly and carefully integrated into the language presentation are cultural material and historical content. Students first explore the daily life and activities of a family in ancient Pompeii of the first century. A family member survives the destruction of Pompeii in AD 79, and the class follows him to Roman Alexandria, Roman Britain, and finally Rome. Student projects center on the cultural material of the course.

Latin II

Students continue learning vocabulary and the grammar needed to read Latin authors. Using the Cambridge Latin Course, students get extensive practice with more noun cases as well as subjunctive usages and verbals, including indirect statement and ablative absolute. Cultural material includes more study of Roman Britain (the Roman baths at Bath and the Roman army) and of first century A.D. Rome itself. Students read a piece of Roman historical fiction and make mythology posters.

Latin III

The “Roman character” is the focus of study in Latin III. The typical Roman of the Republican Era, as met in stories by Livy, is contrasted with the first century A.D. character of Trimalchio in the Millionaire’s Dinner Party. Second semester is devoted to the personalities of Catiline and Cicero, who are met in selections from Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae and Cicero’s In Catilinam I, and of the poet Catullus. Roman Republican history and political institutions are studied through readings in English and slides. Students study the Roman Forum and make models of a Roman Forum building, as well as undertake an intensive grammar review for the SAT Subject Test in Latin. This course has been designated as an Honors course by the University of California. 

Latin IV/V (AP)

The year 2012-2013 brings a new Advanced Placement exam in Latin. The readings will focus on the late Republic and early Empire periods of Roman history. Julius Caesar's accounts of the war in Gaul (de Bello Gallico) will comprise the prose readings while selections from Vergil's Aeneid, the epic written to extol Augustus' accession to the Principate, will give experience with Latin poetry.

Chinese is the most widely spoken first language in the world and is increasingly important in the worlds of business, economics, politics, culture, and literature.

The Chinese program is the newest language program at College Prep and will expand over the next few years. This program aspires to provide students with a strong foundation in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Chinese can be a difficult language to learn, but motivated students will be surprised at the level of progress they are able to make and will feel a deep sense of accomplishment as their language skills improve.

Students who decide to participate in the Chinese program will leave College Prep well prepared for advanced language study in college and will be equipped to interact (through written and spoken channels) with native speakers here and throughout the world.

Chinese I

The class is an elementary Mandarin Chinese course that focuses on helping students develop basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in modern standard Chinese, using pinyin and simplified characters. Chinese I is for students who were not raised in Mandarin-speaking environments and who have had little or no exposure to the language. The course uses multi-media teaching materials to introduce Chinese language and culture and to provide students with strong basic skills in reading and writing Chinese characters. Special emphasis is placed on helping students establish a solid foundation in speaking and pronunciation.

Chinese II

The class is an intermediate Mandarin Chinese course designed for students who have completed Chinese I or who have obtained an equivalent level of language proficiency. Chinese II continues the process of introducing students to Chinese language and culture.  The course uses multi-media teaching materials, along with appropriate authentic language materials, to help students develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to an intermediate level. Mandarin will be the primary language of instruction.

Chinese III

The class is a high-intermediate Mandarin Chinese course designed for students who have completed Chinese II or who have obtained an equivalent level of language proficiency. The course helps students further develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills with a goal of preparing them for advanced language study. Mandarin is the only language of instruction. Students will be exposed to a broad array of authentic language materials so that they can acquire the ability to survive (and thrive) in a real Chinese-speaking environment. This course has been designated an Honors course by the University of California.

Chinese IV (AP)

This class is an advanced Mandarin Chinese course that prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across the three communicative modes (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) and the five goal areas (communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities). The course focuses on language proficiency while interweaving level- and age-appropriate cultural content throughout the course of the year and providing for frequent assessment of students’ developing proficiencies within the context of their learning. Instructional materials and activities are strategically adapted from authentic sources to support the linguistic and cultural goals of the course. All students prepare for the AP Chinese Language and Culture Exam.

The Spanish language is spoken in more than 21 diverse countries and territories.

All Spanish classes incorporate activities that draw on this wealth of cultural and linguistic variation. Spanish is learned with an active approach, through conversing, problem-solving, debating, composing, and acting.

Students are given the opportunity to develop all language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They study and apply vocabulary and grammar incrementally. After the third year of Spanish, students may take Spanish seminars

Spanish I

In Spanish I students start with little or no knowledge of the language. From the beginning of the course, students are required to use the language in class. Grammar and vocabulary are practiced through a variety of activities that include skits, presentations, videos, songs, tongue twisters, and personal experiences. This class also introduces the students to the varied Spanish-speaking world and acquaints them with different accents, customs, foods, music, etc. During each semester the students watch a feature film and during the second semester they are given reading supplements. Students are encouraged to practice their Spanish outside the class using a variety of Internet programs.

Spanish II

Spanish II allows the students to further their language study with more work on the present tense and intense practice of the past and future tenses and other grammatical structures. A fair amount of time is dedicated to expanding vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. A variety of supplements accompany the main text. These include CDs, DVDs, a grammar exercise book, activity sheets and digital tools, all focused on continued growth with all language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). We will be reading three novelettes (Lejos de casa, Reunión de vecinos and Dos semanas con los ticos). Other supplementary videos (some viewed online) and two or three full-length feature films will complete the class program. Language skills will be enhanced through a variety of activities, including presentations, videos, readings, songs, discussion, debate, and pair and group work. There are frequent assignments for which students read online newspapers from Spanish-speaking countries and/or watch international newscasts on the Web. Listening to music (and singing) in Spanish, watching and discussing Spanish television and Web programs, seeing Spanish-language films, and simply speaking the language in both guided and spontaneous conversation are all ways to practice and enhance one’s mastery and enjoyment of the language.

Spanish III

The underlying theme of Spanish III is the school motto, Mens Conscia Recti, “A Mind Aware of What is Right.” Therefore, each semester includes units and activities that permit use of the target language for thoughtful dialogue, debate and writing focused on topics that include some dimension of ethical conduct. The first semester centers on the interpersonal dimension, including tolerance and respect, while the second semester focuses on national and international topics, including the environment, sustainable development, and human rights. Students review grammar and vocabulary of Levels I and II and study yet more verb forms. In addition to increasing the core vocabulary, they study a variety of idiomatic expressions and familiarize themselves with lexical variation from country to country. Students learn by using the language in context and by doing a variety of activities and projects such as the creation of a magazine page and performance (poetry recitation, drama, song and a socio-political speech). As much as is technically possible, there is contact with students and teachers in a school in Mexico. Media resources include the Internet and both short and full-feature films (all contextually integrated with the main text). A novel and shorter works of a variety of genres supplement the main text. Students are prepared to take the Spanish SAT Subject Test by the end of this course. This course has been designated an Honors course by the University of California.

Spanish IV Seminars (AP) and Spanish V

The department offers a selection of designated Advanced Placement seminars, emphasizing the improvement of oral, written, and comprehension skills in Spanish at an advanced level. Grammar is reviewed periodically. Students prepare for the Advanced Placement Spanish Language Examination but are not required to take it. Courses such as The Short Story, Current Events in the Hispanic World, Perspectives on Hispanic Culture, Magic Realism, and a literary survey have been offered in the past. 

Fall 2012 Spanish Seminar:

Advanced Conversation, Literature, and Creative Writing (AP)

The objectives of this yearlong course are: 1) to acquire, refine and practice conversational skills necessary to communicate effectively in different social and cultural situations; 2) to cultivate students’ knowledge of and appreciation for the diversity of the Hispanic language and culture through a variety of selected readings that range from pre-Colombian creation myths to contemporary movements such as Modernism, Surrealism and Magic Realism. Writing assignments will be primarily creative in nature. Students will be encouraged to experiment with specific literary devices and their own imaginations as means of understanding more fully the way literature works to convey ideas. An independent project will be required at the end of each semester. Class activities will include: discussions and debates on current and controversial issues, oral presentations, role playing, literary readings, creative writing exercises, grammar reviews and the viewing of some films from different Spanish-speaking countries. Once in a while the class will work at a local public school with Spanish-speaking kids. Other field trips may be scheduled as well. Students who plan to take the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Language will have assigned time to prepare for it and be familiar with each section of the exam.

Culture and Current Events in the Spanish-Speaking World (AP)