Parlez-vous français?

Oui je parle français. 

¿Usted habla español?

Si, hablo español.

Yes, our students speak French and Spanish. Those are the two languages offered in the district through our World Languages program.

DDHS offers five courses in French, five courses in standard Spanish, including an Advanced Placement Spanish course, and two courses in Spanish for native Spanish speakers. The Spanish for native speakers courses are designed to fulfill different aspects of the language for proficient Spanish speakers, including readings with oral and written analysis, dictation, sentence and paragraph work, and essays. 

Completing a complete language course study should give students a thorough understanding and comprehension of the language, and students will become proficient in all four language skills — listening, speaking, reading and writing.

http://www.ddschools.org/academics/distancelearning.cfmAdditionally, through our Distance Learning Program, students can take language courses in Chinese and German. 

World Languages Courses

French I
French I provides students with a fundamental basis in four skills of communication: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  Emphasis will be on building a vocabulary base and upon linguistic survival in the classroom. Training in the fundamentals is provided through the use of a basic text, conversations, structure drills, CDs, and pair work.  An introduction to the French-speaking world and to the people and culture of France is offered.

French II
French II allows students to increase communication skills in French through conversation, structure drills, reading and writing exercises.  French culture is taught through the medium of films, readings and individual projects.  Emphasis is placed upon survival skills in the target culture. French II students continue to learn and review the basic structure of the language and begin to use French extensively in the classroom.  CDs, movies, songs, and readings are used to supplement the basic text.

French III
Further development of communication skills, both oral and written, will occur in French III.  Students will Increase familiarity with the culture and geography of France and of other French-speaking countries. Using the basic text and supplemental materials, students continue their study of basic French grammar and expand vocabulary. They begin to apply skills in directed composition and role-play situations. Francophone cultures are studied through poems, readings, films, and songs.  In addition, literature and French films are studied and enjoyed.

French IV
Students will continue to grow in their knowledge of the French language and people, and will have opportunities to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing in French. French IV includes a review and continuation of grammar and vocabulary, and readings from contemporary literature.   In addition, films, poems, and short stories may be studied and enjoyed throughout the year.

Advanced Placement French V
French will be used almost exclusively in the classroom. The class work will include compositions and readings in French and a systematic review of grammar in order to better prepare students for college placement examinations.  Readings include short stories, poems and readings about contemporary francophone countries.  Films, songs, and authentic audio recordings will be used to sharpen the student’s “ear” for French.

Spanish I
Learn the basics of communication in Spanish through listening, reading, writing, and most importantly, speaking.  Emphasis is on linguistic survival in the classroom. The first year course trains students in the fundamentals of Spanish.  Grammar and vocabulary are presented by the teacher and are reinforced by the course textbook, listening activities, songs, and games that practice the language.  Culture is presented with teacher-prepared materials, movies, and videos.  Students with a general interest in learning to speak Spanish will profit from this course.

Spanish II
An extension of basic communication skills in Spanish is developed through listening, speaking, reading and writing activities.  A goal of the course is to familiarize students with the richness of the Hispanic culture to discourage stereotypes. Emphasis is on communication skills with the goal being the ability to make his/her basic needs known. The second year course reviews the fundamentals with continuation of grammar and vocabulary to include irregular verbs in the present and the preterite (past) tense.  Listening activities, songs, videos, and visuals are used to reinforce vocabulary.  Individual projects and dialogues are also used to personalize language study in Spanish II.

Spanish III
Spanish III will acquaint students with more advanced materials in Spanish and reinforce basic communication skills.  Spanish and Latin American cultures are emphasized. This course reviews the fundamentals and extends grammatical study to include more irregular verbs, as well as the preterite and imperfect tenses, the future, and the conditional. Each unit reviews oral skills and teaches new grammar and thematic vocabulary.  This is accomplished through the use of short readings, writing assignments, partner practices, videos, songs, and poetry.  Spanish is the primary language used by teacher and students.

Spanish IV
A goal of Spanish IV is to master basic communication skills.  Students will extend reading skills to the short story, and broaden writing skills to letter writing and compositions.  The class is taught entirely in Spanish, and students are expected to use only Spanish in class. This course stresses conversational practice in Spanish and includes a review and continuation of grammar, which will include the compound tenses and the subjunctive.  Reading components will include articles, poetry, short stories, and other realia, and political reality in Central and South America is studied through stories, songs, and  analysis of the films Romeroand La Historia Oficial.  Additional cultural units may include the art of Goya, Velazquez, El Greco, Kahlo, Rivera, Posada, and Picasso, as well as Dia de los Muertos.

Spanish for Native Speakers/Español II para los nativos
Descripción para los dos niveles:  Español para los nativos está designado para los estudiantes que hablan  español, quienes tienen generalmente buena conversación, escritura y entendimiento perfecto del lenguaje.  Las actividades en esta clase llenarán diferentes aspectos del lenguaje: lecturas con análisis oral y escrito, dictados de palabras, oraciones, y párrafos.  Nosotros complementaremos nuestro lenguaje con prácticas de gramática, la cual es muy importante en el uso del lenguaje escrito. Nosotros exploraremos diferentes autores hispanos.  En esta clase utilizamos el texto Nuevas Vistas, otros ensayos, y prácticas de gramática, y estaremos leyendo La casa en Mango Street.  (Español II usa el curso avanzado I y Español III continúa con el curso avanzado II.)

Spanish II and Spanish III for the native speaker courses are designed for students that speak Spanish fluently, have excellent conversational skills, good writing skills, and perfect understanding of the language.  The activities of the class will fulfill different aspects of the language:  readings with oral and written analysis, dictation, sentence and paragraph work, and essays.  Language will be complemented with grammatical practices, especially for written language.  Different Hispanic authors will be explored.  The class will use the Nuevas Vistas textbook series, other essays, and  grammar practices.  We will also read The House on Mango Street.  (Spanish II will use the first level book, and Spanish III will continue with the second level in the series.)

Advanced Placement Spanish V
AP Spanish Language is intended for students who wish to develop their proficiency in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  Students who enroll should already have a basic knowledge of the language and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples and should have attained a reasonable proficiency in listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing.  This class requires extra time and effort to be successful on the AP Exam. The course is taught entirely in Spanish, following the suggested Advanced Placement curriculum and the Abriendo Paso series.  Conversational skills and vocabulary are developed and increased, and the students are expected to use only Spanish in class.  All tenses and basic grammar points are reviewed, and there is a study and practice of the subjunctive. Reading and composition activities are based upon selected short stories from Spain and Latin America, including Borges, Cortazar, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Quiroga, Cisneros, Esquivel, Franco, Unamuno, and selected short novels.  Students will develop conversational skills through oral presentations both formal and informal presentations. Students will be expected to take the AP Exam in May.

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