Department of World Languages

The objective of the World Languages Department is to ensure that students achieve near-native fluency in a target language and understanding of the culture (s) of native speakers. In order to reach these goals, the department provides early training in speaking, writing, listening, and readings skills. Conscious of the demands of the 21st century, we consider worldview concepts such as diversity, globalization, language, and cultural appreciation in our approach to teaching.

Our students are required to take a three-year sequence in the same language to gain a solid foundation. However, we encourage them to go on to a fourth year of study in order to develop competencies beyond The New York State requirements, to ensure mastery, and to meet standards of the College Board. We offer Advanced Placement classes in Chinese, French, Italian, Latin, Japanese, and Spanish.

Faculty members of the World Languages Department bring authentic cultural experiences as well as a strong command of the target language to their classes. Some of our cultural activities include an annual international food festival, field trips, honor societies, and clubs. Students also have the opportunity to study abroad to acquire first-hand experiences in a language and culture.

Our program aims at broadening students’ horizons to empower them with better communication skills and to develop open and inquisitive minds. Our mission is to abide by the College Board’s belief that “all students deserve an opportunity to participate in rigorous and academically challenging courses.” It is also our goal to eliminate barriers that restrict access to AP courses, by utilizing teaching strategies and logistical testing formats, in all levels, that will enable students to do well in such classes. We are working on building and applying the concept of “vertical teams,” so that when a student begins an AP course he will be familiar with most, preferably all, grammatical structures and verb tenses. In theory, the AP Language course should be a review course in which students achieve mastery in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

We hope this sheds light on the World Languages departmental goals and guidelines. We have the highest expectations, both for our students and for ourselves as a Department.