Languages and Cultural Studies

Languages and Cultural Studies Department

List of 1 items.

Philosophy

The Language and Cultural Studies Department at Xaverian aims to promote linguistic and cultural literacy while cultivating a life-long appreciation and enthusiasm for languages and the cultures they reflect. We believe that all students can learn a new language and that a global mindset is a necessity and an asset in today's society.

Languages and Cultural Studies Department Goals

List of 3 items.

Engage All Types of Learners

To offer a variety of different learning strategies aimed at engaging all types of learners in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Foster Respect and Appreciation for All Cultures

To create a classroom environment that fosters mutual respect, appreciation, and joy for all cultures.
Promote Language Learning

To promote language learning beyond the instructional setting, we focus on the national standards for foreign language learning: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities.

High School Courses

List of 14 items.

Italian 9

This course aims to develop higher cognitive thinking skills that will enable students to understand, speak, read, and write in Italian within the appropriate cultural framework. Student-centered activities including conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, computerized instruction, and audio-visual materials all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to some measure of language proficiency. Students receive instruction in the construction of well-organized paragraphs of at least fifty words using the target language. At the end of the course, students will be able to converse and write with some ease of expression about familiar topics in the NYS curriculum, have knowledge of grammatical foundations of Italian, and have exposure to an overall cultural view of the countries where Italian is spoken.
Italian 9 Honors

This honors course aims to develop the advanced skills within an advanced range that will enable students to understand, speak, read, and write in Italian within the appropriate cultural framework. Student-centered activities including conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, computerized instruction, and audio-visual materials all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to an above average measure of language proficiency. Students receive instruction in the construction of well-organized paragraphs of at least eighty words. At the end of the course, students will be able to converse and write with ease about familiar topics listed in the NYS curriculum, have knowledge of grammatical foundations of Italian, and have some notions about the culture of Italian-speaking countries.
Italian 10

This course stresses the improvement of the productive skills (speaking and writing) as well as the learning of more complex grammatical structures and expressions, combined with further study of Italian culture. Real-life activities, including the reading of periodicals and the completion of audio-video projects, are an integral part of the course. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized paragraphs with a minimum of 100 words using the target language.
Italian 10H

The aims of the level 9 course are continued at a more advanced level in honors courses, which are conducted mostly in the target language. Stress is on developing aural, oral, and writing skills, as well as general fluency in speech. Students’ conversational abilities are enhanced through the learning of idiomatic expressions typical of native speakers. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized paragraphs with a minimum of 110 words using the target language. Reading is intensified through the study of several representative works by distinguished authors. More complete grammatical constructions are presented. An ongoing cultural survey introduces the student to the history, geography, literature, and culture of the countries where the language is spoken.
Italian 11

This upper-level Italian class focuses on the study and practice of all elements necessary to achieve a degree of proficiency that allows students to interact successfully with native speakers in everyday situations. This is complemented with representative reading selections in the target language that will contribute to a deeper cultural understanding. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized compositions with a minimum of 150 words using the target language. A midterm exam is given in January and the NYS Regents Comprehensive examination equivalent, which counts as part of the final examination, is administered upon completion of the course.
Italian 11H

This course reviews more intensely the basic skills in communication through a progressive use of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will continue to develop proficiency in the target language through more extensive training in the expression and fluency in both the written and spoken forms of the language. A midterm exam is given in January and the NYS Regents Comprehensive examination equivalent, which counts as part of the final examination, is administered upon completion of the course.
Italian 12

This is a course designed to further develop, strengthen, and refine the skills of students who have achieved proficiency in the language. This course offers students a blend of language acquisition with a journey into the heart of Italian culture, history, and creativity. It goes beyond traditional language learning by incorporating various forms of art, including visual arts, literature, cinema, and music. Each lesson becomes a cultural odyssey, offering students a profound understanding of Italy's artistic contributions while honing their Italian language skills.

Students will engage in interactive oral activities, write weekly compositions, and read and discuss a variety of authentic texts. In addition, students watch films, documentaries, and footage from Italian television, which they will write about and discuss. Grading in the course is based on the quality of work in these activities throughout the course, as well as oral and written examinations.
Spanish 9

This course aims to develop higher cognitive thinking skills that will enable students to understand, speak, read, and write in Spanish within the appropriate cultural framework. Student-centered activities including conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, computerized instruction, and audio-visual materials all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to some measure of language proficiency. Students receive instruction in the construction of well-organized paragraphs of at least fifty words using the target language. At the end of the course, students will be able to converse and write with some ease of expression about familiar topics in the NYS curriculum, have knowledge of grammatical foundations of Spanish, and have exposure to an overall cultural view of the countries where Spanish is spoken.
Spanish 9 Honors

This honors course aims to develop the advanced skills within an advanced range that will enable students to understand, speak, read, and write in Spanish within the appropriate cultural framework. Student-centered activities including conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, computerized instruction, and audio-visual materials all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to an above average measure of language proficiency. Students receive instruction in the construction of well-organized paragraphs of at least eighty words. At the end of the course, students will be able to converse and write with ease about familiar topics listed in the NYS curriculum, have knowledge of grammatical foundations of Spanish, and have some notions about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish 10

This course stresses the improvement of the productive skills (speaking and writing) as well as the learning of more complex grammatical structures and expressions, combined with further study of Spanish culture. Real-life activities, including the reading of periodicals and the completion of audio-video projects, are an integral part of the course. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized paragraphs with a minimum of 100 words using the target language.
Spanish 10H

The aims of the level 9 courses are continued at a more advanced level in honors courses, which are conducted mostly in the target language. Stress is on developing aural, oral and writing skills, as well as general fluency in speech. Students’ conversational abilities are enhanced through the learning of idiomatic expressions typical of native speakers. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized paragraphs with a minimum of 110 words using the target language. Reading is intensified through the study of several representative works by distinguished authors. More complete grammatical constructions are presented. An ongoing cultural survey introduces the student to the history, geography, literature, and culture of the countries where the language is spoken.
Spanish 11

The upper level focuses on the study and practice of all elements necessary to achieve a degree of proficiency that allows students to interact successfully with native speakers in everyday situations. This is complemented with representative reading selections in the target language that will contribute to a deeper cultural understanding. The writing requirement is expanded to well-organized compositions with a minimum of 150 words using the target language. A midterm exam is given in January and the NYS Regents Comprehensive examination equivalent, which counts as part of the final examination, is administered upon completion of the course.
Spanish 11H

This course reviews more intensely the basic skills in communication through a progressive use of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students will continue to develop proficiency in the target language through more extensive training in the expression and fluency in both the written and spoken forms of the language. A midterm exam is given in January and the NYS Regents Comprehensive examination equivalent, which counts as part of the final examination, is administered upon completion of the course.
Spanish 12

This is a course designed to further develop, strengthen, and refine the skills of students who have achieved proficiency in the language. This course offers students a blend of language acquisition with a journey into the heart of Spanish culture, history, and creativity. It goes beyond traditional language learning by incorporating various forms of art, including visual arts, literature, cinema, and music. Each lesson becomes a cultural odyssey, offering students a profound understanding of Spain and South America's artistic contributions while honing their Spanish language skills.

Students will engage in interactive oral activities, write weekly compositions, read and discuss a variety of authentic texts. In addition, students watch films, documentaries, and footage from Spanish television which they will write about and discuss. Grading in the course is based on the quality of work in these activities throughout the course as well as oral and written examinations.

Middle School Courses

List of 5 items.

Latin 6

This course aims to develop basic skills to understand, speak, read and write the Latin language within the appropriate cultural framework. Students are exposed to the vocabulary and the structure of Latin, begin to learn about the people who spoke the language, and are introduced to specific cultural and literary highlights. Student-centered activities, conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, and audio/visual materials, all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to some measure of language proficiency. At the end of the course, students should be able to correctly analyze Latin and English sentences, understand and translate simple texts; they will also have been exposed to an overall cultural view of the Latin-speaking world.
Latin 7

This course aims to develop basic skills to understand, speak, read and write the Latin language within the appropriate cultural framework. Students are exposed to the vocabulary and the structure of Latin, begin to learn about the people who spoke the language, and are introduced to specific cultural and literary highlights. Student-centered activities, conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, and audio/visual materials, all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to some measure of language proficiency. At the end of the course, students should be able to correctly analyze Latin and English sentences, understand and translate simple texts; they will also have been exposed to an overall cultural view of the Latin-speaking world.
Latin 8

This course aims to develop basic skills to understand, speak, read and write the Latin language within the appropriate cultural framework. Students are exposed to the vocabulary and the structure of Latin, begin to learn about the people who spoke the language, and are introduced to specific cultural and literary highlights. Student-centered activities, conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, and audio/visual materials, all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to some measure of language proficiency. At the end of the course, students should be able to correctly analyze Latin and English sentences, understand and translate simple texts; they will also have been exposed to an overall cultural view of the Latin-speaking world.
Spanish 7

This course aims to develop the communicative skills of a language: speaking, reading, writing, and listening within a cultural framework. Students are exposed to the vocabulary and the grammatical structure of the Spanish language as well as the awareness and appreciation of the culture of different Spanish-speaking countries. Student-centered activities, conversational situations, reading and writing in authentic contexts, and audio/visual materials all facilitate the necessary interaction leading to basic language proficiency. At the end of the course, students should be able to communicate on a basic level in Spanish and have an understanding of the cultures of the Hispanic-speaking world.
Spanish 8

Spanish 8 is designed to develop the four basic communication skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These will enable students to communicate and understand the target language outside of the classroom, as well as assist native speakers. Students at this level are expected to try to communicate regularly in Spanish with the teacher and classmates.

Specialized Studies Courses

List of 2 items.

Spanish I

The students will learn the vocabulary, grammar, and proper structure of the Spanish language. This course offers students with no previous experience in Spanish the opportunity to acquire the basic skills necessary to speak, read and write in a second language. The students will also become familiar with the culture and develop an appreciation of cultural distinctions. All lessons include the implementation of a variety of mediums to facilitate learning and follow the learning standard guidelines set forth in the NY State curriculum.
Spanish II

This course offers students who have completed Spanish I an opportunity to practice the skills necessary for speaking, reading, and writing in a second language. All lessons include the implementation of a variety of media to facilitate learning and all lessons follow the learning standard guidelines set forth in the NY State curriculum