Warren Hills Regional School District

Warren Hills Regional Middle School
Course of Study 2008-09

Department of World Languages/ESL *

The aim of these offerings is to enable students to use the chosen language for communication and to develop insights into the literature and cultures of the respective countries. Colleges and universities demanding a foreign language for admission desire competency in speaking, reading, and writing in the target language.

Please note that the World Language curriculum for middle school students for 2008-2009 is under review in the current school year. Should changes in the program offerings listed below occur, parents and students will be notified during the summer.

Level I (5010 French, 5110 German, 5210 Spanish) (grade 8)
The beginning level of formal world language study introduces the student to the fundamental principles of the language and begins to develop the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Using a variety of teacher-made and commercially prepared materials including a textbook, supplementary materials, contemporary magazines, audio tapes, and film, the student will be afforded ample opportunity to become actively involved with the chosen language. Although the beginning level of world language study concentrates on the students’ understanding and recognition of basic grammatical functions, equal emphasis is placed upon the students’ ability to use the language in familiar everyday situations. Cultural aspects of the respective countries are presented by means of audio-visual aids and teacher-directed activities.

5300 English as a Second Language (ESL grades 7 & 8)
Students enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) come to Warren Hills from a variety of cultural backgrounds and with varied levels of English skills. Instruction must therefore be individualized. The curriculum appropriate for any given student is modified through varying techniques, strategies, and materials. The program is designed to encourage students to maintain their identity, language and cultural heritage, while learning a new language and adapting to a new cultural environment. The principle goal is to prepare the ESL students to be as functional as possible, as soon as possible, in the English speaking classroom.

5300.1 ESL Supplemental
This course is for those students that are currently enrolled or in transition from an ESL program. This course is designed to track the process of the ESL student in their core subjects. Students will continue to work on their English skills in conjunction with their other subject areas. Projects will be assigned accordingly.