Foreign Language

Sequence of Study

Students must complete one credit of a foreign language in order to earn their high school diploma, which is typically completed by the end of eighth grade. Students must complete two additional credits of a foreign language in order to earn their Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation.

8th grade courses

  • Spanish I
  • Spanish Language and Culture

9th grade courses

  • Spanish I
  • Spanish II
  • Spanish Language and Culture

10th grade courses

  • Spanish II
  • Spanish III
  • Spanish Language and Culture

11th grade courses

  • Spanish III
  • Spanish IV **
  • Spanish Language and Culture

12th grade courses

  • Spanish IV **

**University in the High School credit

Course Descriptions

Spanish I

Grades: 9-12                                                                                   Exam: midterm, final exam

This course will study basic, common words and expressions and is a graduation requirement. This course is designed for students who need to complete a foreign language requirement or who are interested in beginning a course of study in Spanish.

Spanish II

Grades: 10-12                                                                                Exam: midterm, final exam

Prerequisite: Spanish I

This course is a higher-level Spanish course offered to students who are interested in obtaining their Advanced Regents Diploma. This course emphasizes more complex, diverse vocabulary and grammar in preparation for more advanced study.

Spanish III

Grades: 10-12                                                                                 Exam: midterm, final exam

Prerequisite: Spanish I & II

This course will study reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in Spanish and further develop and refine verbal skills in the Spanish language.

Spanish IV

Grades: 11-12                                                                                 Exam: midterm, final exam

Prerequisite: Spanish I, II, & III (85 average) and teacher recommendation strongly encouraged to help ensure student success.

College Credit:  Students may earn college credit based on the grade achieved in the course and individual college policies for earning college credits.

Spanish IV is an advanced level course for students who want to pursue their interest in Spanish language and cultures.  This class offers college bound students an option to continue language instruction while earning college credit. During the year we will review and expand upon grammar structures and concentrate on improving vocabulary, conversational fluency and reading skills through class discussion (conducted primarily in Spanish), listening, reading and writing activities, as well as Spanish-language videos and films, literature, and independent projects and presentations on selected topics of interest.

Spanish Language and Culture

Grades: 8-12                                                                                   Exam: midterm, final exam

Prerequisite: Students not successful in Spanish 7 and/or 8 and/or have not passed the required local proficiency.

This course is designed to provide initial exposures to foreign language credit needed for graduation.  Classwork will focus on understanding linguistic and cultural similarities as a means to help students acquire a basic proficiency level in conversation as well as reading, writing and listening comprehension in Spanish.  Topics will include culturally specific/relevant vocabulary by theme, such as food, shopping, geography and nature.

This class fulfills the minimum language requirement for graduation but does not prepare students to continue with upper level Spanish courses (II, III, etc.)