World Languages
The world we live in is rapidly changing and the demand to be proficient in more than one language is growing quickly. We strive to keep pace with the evolving requirements in colleges and to provide students with the opportunity to learn a second or third language. At MSJ we believe that students should graduate with an awareness and appreciation of other cultures. Students who complete advanced levels of study in French or Spanish will acquire an in-depth knowledge of the language and culture and be able to communicate effectively with native speakers. Students are strongly encouraged to study additional languages to help them increase their career opportunities and to provide the necessary foundation in languages required by colleges.
In first-level courses the goals are to develop effective communication in the language using the four skills of: speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. Students should be able to comprehend and participate in short dialogues or to give oral talks on prepared topics and to carry on basic conversations using familiar sentence constructions and vocabulary. They should also be able to write simple paragraphs and know significant details about the French or Spanish speaking worlds including culture and geography.
Advanced language courses build on first-level learning—continuing to develop speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills with equal emphasis. The students’ knowledge of the language vocabulary, grammatical structure, and their communication skills see significant improvement. Students completing advanced language studies will be able to relate activities, events, and experiences that effect them in present, past, and future tenses as well as expand their ability to ask questions and gain information. Finally, students will begin the process of identifying main points and supporting details as well as summarizing, stating implications, and supporting opinions.
(First-year students are required to take a language placement test)
• French I, II, and III with opportunity for further study at the French IV and V levels
• Spanish I, II, and III with opportunity for further study at the Spanish IV and V levels
