World Languages

The World Languages Department offers full-credit courses in Latin, French, and Spanish. The program is designed to provide students with the fundamentals necessary to speak, understand, read, and write a world language. Completion of two to three years of the same language taken at Brother Martin is required for graduation. A student must complete his second year of a world language with at least a B average in order to continue the study of that world language.

Courses:

Latin French Spanish German American Sign Language Latin

Latin I

This course stresses vocabulary, grammar and syntax especially in their relation to English. These areas are studied in the context of Latin writings in mythology, history, and poetry.

Latin II

This course includes more writings in mythology, history, and other Latin literature as well as the following concepts: the ablative absolute, participial constructions, and the subjunctive.

Latin III Honors

This course  examines an oration of Cicero, portions of epics, and excerpts taken from a survey of Latin literature well into the medieval period. The uses of the subjunctive, participles, and gerunds are stressed.

Latin IV Honors

This course utilizes the play Miles Gloriosus and passages of the epic Aeneid to further develop linguistic mastery and understanding of Greco-Roman culture.
French French I
This course is a balance of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the present verb tense. Students will be asked to prepare simple dialogues and write single paragraphs and compositions. Cultural connections will be presented throughout the course.

French II
This course  consists of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the imperative and past verb tenses. Students will progressively increase the complexity of dialogue presentations and compositions. Cultural connections will be presented throughout the course.

French III Honors

This course continues to develop all foreign language skills with a focus on the present perfect, future, subjunctive, and conditional verb tenses. Students will deepen their reading comprehension skills by reading modern short stories and a novel. Students will deepen their cultural understanding with research and presentations.

French IV Honors

This course  continues to develop all foreign language skills with advanced grammar and conversation. Students will deepen their language skills and cultural understanding through the study of literature, history, music, cinema, and art.

Spanish

Spanish I

This course is a balance of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the present verb tense. Students will be asked to prepare simple dialogues and write single paragraphs and compositions. Cultural connections will be presented throughout the course.

Spanish II

This course consists of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the imperative and past verb tenses. Students will progressively increase the complexity of dialogue presentations and compositions. Cultural connections will be presented throughout the course.

Spanish III Honors

This course continues to develop all foreign language skills with a focus on the present perfect, future, subjunctive, and conditional verb tenses. Students will deepen their knowledge in all facets of the target language. Students will deepen their cultural understanding with research and presentations.

Spanish IV Honors

This course continues to develop all foreign language skills with advanced grammar and conversation. Students will deepen their language skills and cultural understanding through the study of literature, history, music, cinema, and art.

German

German I

This course stresses the skills in listening, understanding, speaking, reading, and writing German. It teaches elements of pronunciation and the essentials of grammar. Cultural connections will be presented throughout the course.

German II

This course extends the skills taught in the first course. It continues to present the cultural, as well as, linguistic context of the language.

German III

This course is offered as independent study to students electing to further explore and improve their study of the German language and culture.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language

American Sign Language is a senior elective offered for 1/2 credit. The course will focus on the basic lexicon and structure of ASL. Appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and social behavior are introduced to develop conversational skills in ASL. Information about the Deaf community and Deaf culture will be introduced. The course is designed for students who have little or no previous knowledge of ASL.

Helpful Link:

Word Reference
Word Reference contains an English to Spanish, Spanish to English, English to French, French to English word dictionary. Students place the word they want translated in one of the text boxes on the left hand side of the page.