Beaver’s Chinese, French and Spanish programs are designed to develop proficiency in the four basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At all levels, students develop increasing levels of proficiency through exploration of the cultural, social, and political landscapes in which the languages are spoken. With the exception of Level 1 courses, all courses are 1-term topical language classes centered around a guiding theme.
Honors and Standard Level students work together in the same sections in all language courses. Students who intend to pursue honors credit will discuss that possibility with their teachers and advisors in the first week of the course and will commit to completing honors level work within the context of the course. With the exception of the Level 1 courses, all language courses may be taken at the Honors or Standard Level.
All students must take a language; any student who thinks that he/she may qualify for a language waiver should carefully read the Language Waiver Policy that is included at the end of the Modern Language course descriptions.
Thirty credits in one language are required for graduation, which is the equivalent of 6 terms of the language. Most students continue their foreign language study beyond the basic requirement in order to achieve greater proficiency and to meet the expectations of selective colleges.
In order to advance to the next level of a language, students must demonstrate mastery of the necessary skills and receive Department approval.
Independent Study
Modern Language: Advanced Chinese
Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Intermediate Chinese skills. Departmental Permission Required.
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
Cuisine and Culture: Students will learn vocabulary related to groceries, ingredients, dining out and the kitchen. They will learn different expressions as well as units of measurement used in Chinese-speaking countries. They will also learn about the typical dining etiquette.
Travel and Transportation: Students will learn practical topical vocabulary around travel, asking for and giving directions while developing their skills of reading authentic Chinese signs, understanding Mandarin of various accents and expanding their vocabulary.
Modern Language: Advanced French
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
The Francophone World: Québec of today and Yesterday<:In this class, students will explore Quebec’s rich history and culture. Students will use literature, current events, film, music and other resources to learn about the region of Quebec. This course will explore themes including La Révolution Tranquille, Quebecois identity today, Quebec’s indigenous population, Quebec’s relation to France today and yesterday. The course will also look at Quebec today as well as explore Quebec’s future. Students will read excerpts by Quebecois writers including Michel Tremblay, Wajdi Mouawad. This class will be taught entirely in French.
Revolutions: France, Haiti and Beyond:This course will look at Revolutions across the Francophone world and their effects on national identity. We will begin with the enlightenment philosophy that fueled the French Revolution and other revolutions since. We will look at significant moments in and the causes and aftermaths of the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution and other revolts and revolutions across the Francophone world. We will look at these revolutions through different lenses using a variety of primary and secondary sources, from official documents to novels, plays, movies and more. The class will also address current conflicts happening in the Francophone world such as in Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Modern Language: Advanced Spanish
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
Environments in Crisis: This course focuses on current environmental challenges across Latin America. Students will be encouraged to analyze the connections between the social contexts and contemporary environmental crises. Through case studies, students will explore the interrelationships between human activity and environmental change. The topics to be studied will include the destruction of the rainforest, water pollution, exploitation of natural resources, habitat destruction and endangered species. Students will examine how social media, community engagement, and advocacy initiatives have played key roles in the positive outcomes of environmental problems.
Social Justice in Latin America: In this course, students will investigate the key social justice issues facing the Spanish-speaking populations of the Americas. We will examine struggles for equity among various groups, including indigenous populations, political dissidents, and the poor and disenfranchised. Using a variety authentic sources from the media, such as news articles, documentaries, music, literature and poetry, we will compare and contrast the multiple perspectives of people of Latin American descent. Students will be expected to demonstrate their understanding and express their opinions in discussions, essays and projects. One of the goals of this course is for students to understand the societal forces that shape the beliefs and attitudes of diverse groups of people.
Modern-Day Colombia: While discovering what Colombia is like today economically, socially, and culturally, students will gain a better understanding of the country as a whole from different angles. Some of the topics that will be studied are music and regionalism, waves of immigration, faces of the political arena, soccer and Los Dos Escobares, Gabriel García Márquez, El Bogotazo, and more. Students will research and learn about the drastic changes that have taken place in the last twenty years, especially in regions like Medellín, that have revamped and revived Colombia as it stands today.
Current Events:This course aims at improving your knowledge and understanding of Latin American cultures. The goal is to enhance your awareness and understanding of the cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. The course is organized by themes based on contemporary social, political and cultural issues of Spanish-speaking societies. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written reports, and debates, emphasizing problem-solving and respect for the opinions of others. This course uses a large selection of materials. We will use movies, the Internet, newspapers, readings, and radio programs that will be discussed during the semester and upon which class activities are based.
Modern Language: Arabic I
Modern Language: Chinese I
Modern Language: Foundations Arabic
Modern Language: Foundations of Chinese
Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Chinese I skills and Departmental Permission Required.
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
Friends from the Start: Students will learn vocabulary related to background information, hobbies, leisure time and celebrations.
Everyday Life: Students will get a chance to compare their life to that of teens in China and around the world today. By the end of the term, students should be comfortable describing their daily lives, from routines and schedules, to hobbies and habits.
Modern Language: Foundations of French
Prerequisites: French 1 or equivalent and Departmental Permission Required.
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
The Marketplace: Students will develop their oral and written skills in French as they learn about the buying and selling of goods in the French speaking world. From groceries and clothing to hotels and restaurants, students will learn to barter, compare and contrast. Students will learn vocabulary related to groceries, ingredients and cooking. They will also learn about typical prepared foods that can be found in the marketplaces of francophone countries.
Everyday Life: Students will get a chance to compare their lives to those of French and Francophone teens today. By the end of the term, students should be comfortable describing their daily lives, from simple morning routines to hobbies and habits.
Social Life: Students will learn how to get to know people better through more in-depth conversations about their backgrounds and interests. They will practice necessary skills and vocabulary to plan outings, pay visits, or invite friends over for homemade meals.
Modern Language: Foundations of Spanish
Prerequisites: Spanish 1 or equivalent and Departmental Permission Required.
Social Life: Students will study vocabulary related to family, friends and social life in the Spanish-speaking world. Students will build their communication skills as they tell stories about family and friends.
Cuisine & Culture: Students will learn vocabulary related to groceries, ingredients and the kitchen. They will learn different expressions as well as units of measurement used in Spanish-speaking countries. They will also learn about the typical gastronomy of different countries.
Customs and Celebrations:In this course, students will explore different traditions and celebrations practiced in Spanish-speaking countries. They will also learn to talk about their own customs in their families and from their childhood. This course focuses on traditions and customs of Mexico, as well as one of its famous artists, Frida Kahlo, reading a level-appropriate biography in Spanish.
Travel & Tourism:In this course, students will learn about important historic places in Spanish-speaking countries, both in Urban and rural environments. Through this exploration students will also learn valuable skills and vocabulary for traveling and navigating through new places in Spanish.
Home LifeIn this course, students read a novel called Bianca Nieves y sus siete toritos, which is about the life of a girl growing up in Spain whose father is a torero. They learn to understand Bianca’s complicated home life. In addition, students learn about different cultural aspects of Spain, including, but not limited to the controversy around bullfighting.
Modern Language: French I
Modern Language: Intermediate Arabic
Modern Language: Intermediate Chinese
Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Foundations of Chinese skills and Departmental Permission Required.
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
Home, School and Work: Students will learn to talk about their life at home, school and their plans for their future education and careers. They will learn the necessary vocabulary to express their likes and dislikes concerning their present life, education and future goals.
Social Life: Students will learn how to get to know people better through more in-depth conversations about their backgrounds and interests. They will practice necessary skills and vocabulary to plan outings, pay visits, or invite friends over for homemade meals.
Modern Language: Intermediate French
Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Foundations of French skills and Departmental Permission Required.
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
France: A Nation of Regions: As a country, France is known for, among many other things, its cheese and gastronomy; but each dish and each cheese comes from its own distinct region. What makes a country roughly the size of Texas have so many distinct regions with their own distinct cultures? In this class we will look at the regions of France and see what makes them unique and proud including gastronomy, art, poetry, music, literature and history. We will look at the French idea of terroir and why the foods from one area are unique to that area and cannot be reproduced elsewhere. The class will also look at how the French government and the regions themselves attempt to preserve their cultural heritage in the face of a changing world and globalization.
Mystery and suspense: This course will use the abbreviated version of ‘The Phantom of The Opera’ and other French stories. Students will use these stories to review the past tense and learn the future and conditional tenses while working on their speaking, pronunciation, listening, reading and writing skills. Students will work on plot twists of the stories and create their own mystery and suspense stories using film, audio and other media forms.
Modern Language: Intermediate Spanish
Course topics are briefly outlined below.
Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Foundations of Spanish skills and Departmental Permission Required.
Health & Wellness:In this course, students will explore health-related topics including cultural context of food, access to healthcare, physical exercise, emotional well-being, and the importance of meditation and maintaining a healthy balance with technology. Through the novel that students read called Vida o muerte en el Cusco, students learn about medical emergencies, as well as what it is like to travel through Peru.
Urban Life:In this course, students will explore various aspects of life in the city. Students will examine how topics such as pollution, accessibility, and migration shape urban settings. Students will also reflect on the causes and consequences of gentrification around the world and in our local communities
Storytelling: In this course, students will explore aspects of storytelling including short stories, journalism, poetry, and oral histories and the art of the interview.
Business & Entrepreneurship: In this course, students will explore the various aspects of business and entrepreneurship through themes such as advertisement, consumerism, and how Hispanic and Latinx businesses shape communities. Students will have the opportunity to use the tools in the R+D center to create and market a product.
Contemporary Artists of the Spanish-Speaking World:In this course, students will explore art through various modes such as music and visual art produced by contemporary Spanish-speaking artists. They will work closely with these works and use them to develop their own artistic voice.