Language Department Handbook (Rev 4/05) Philosophy In keeping with the Jesuit tradition of education at St. Ignatius College Preparatory and in accordance with our school’s statement of philosophy, the language department has as its goal the development of "men and women for others" through a creative and dynamic language program. Toward this end, the Spanish, Latin, French, German and Japanese courses offer rigorous training in both linguistic skills and cultural knowledge so that the ability to communicate goes hand-in-hand with an appreciation of the human condition of the native speakers of these languages. Since language is the essential tool of communication, the emphasis of our program is to develop the five basic skills of language: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translating. Students will be able to express their ideas conversationally with accuracy and fluency, write coherent and well-developed prose, or translate a passage from the target language with an accurate grasp of structural patterns and an appropriate range of vocabulary. Language is also a symbolic expression of peoples' perceptions and interpretations of reality. Only by crossing the language barrier is one able to fully comprehend the thinking of other peoples, because language carries, reflects, and molds cultures, thoughts and ideas. In addition, exposure to a second language challenges the students to reflect on themselves (i.e., their habits and values) in relation to other people. In this way, the St. Ignatius language program supports the progress of our students toward becoming "men and women for others." Language Department Handbook (Rev 4/05) Department Mission The mission of the Language Department is : 1) to help the student enjoy and become comfortable with the study of a new language; 2) to develop proficiency in the use of the new language; 3) to awaken and expand the student’s awareness and appreciation of another culture; and 4) to aid and develop assimilation and transference skills. Language Department Handbook (Rev 4/05) Proficiency in the Use of the Target Language The student is given opportunities to develop an ear for the target language. The student is immersed in the target language during class time and is able to hear the target language in use through a wide variety of oral and taped listening activities. Students are also assigned to listen to audio activities on a regular basis which seeks to improve both listening comprehension and pronunciation skills. The student is given opportunities to communicate effectively using the skills s/he has mastered and is developing in class. Students are challenged to constantly put their language skills to use through structured exercises, spontaneous speech and in everyday classroom communication. The student is challenged to communicate ideas in resourceful ways. The student is given opportunities to write passages which describe, narrate and/or express opinions. The student is challenged to write purposefully in the target language as well as to take risks by constantly employing new vocabulary and sentence structures. Awareness and Appreciation of Another Culture The student is given opportunities to appreciate the diversity of cultures through reading, videos, music and other class activities. The student is challenged to inquire into the history, art, literature and culture of native speakers and to understand their significance. The student is given opportunities to appreciate the similarities among the human condition of all cultures and to legitimize the opinions, perspectives and values of those of other cultures. The student is given opportunities to think critically through analysis of reading passages, discussions and written reflections. The student is given opportunities to discuss, debate and inform themselves about a broad spectrum of social and justice issues facing the world today and how these issues affect our lives. Language Assimilation and Transference Skills The student is given opportunities to increase his/her knowledge of English vocabulary through word studies and analysis of roots of the target language. The student is given opportunities to demonstrate prior knowledge of concepts of grammar, vocabulary and/or translation skills in new situations. Language Department Handbook (Rev 4/05) Profile 2000 The Language Department works actively to meet the goals of the PROFILE 2000 and THE EXPECTED SCHOOL WIDE LEARNING RESULTS. Specific points of these documents and the ways in which the department accomplishes these outcomes are cited below. I. OPEN TO GROWTH Persons open to Growth who: • evaluate divergent points of view • demonstrate tolerance and respect for divergent points of view. • The language student can freely and safely express ideas and opinions during class discussions, debates, role plays, and other partner and group activities. • Written assignments allow the language student time to reflect on meaningful life experiences while clarifying his/her own points of view. • Language students receive daily opportunities to learn about the multicultural world in which they live, preparing them to be active participants in this multilingual and multicultural world. • Through the study of literature and film, the student is encouraged to discuss and consider current world and social issues. • Field trips enhance cultural awareness among language students, exposing them to the richness and diversity of other cultures. Post field trip discussions and written reflections allow students to internalize their experience. II. INTELLECTUALLY COMPETENT Intellectually competent persons who: • think critically and creatively. • analyze and solve problems in a variety of disciplines, utilizing information from diverse sources. • communicate effectively. • The language classroom introduces cultural and world issues in addition to inviting speakers to talk to the classes in the target language about literature and/or current social justice events which encourage curiosity. • Through the example of the language teacher, the student learns an organized approach to learning tasks; review, connection to new material, summary of new material learned and explanation of homework. • Essays are coded and re­written in order to encourage student responsibility for learning. • The language student studies his/her own and other cultures while studying cultural units. S/he is encouraged to investigate and discuss global topics such as overpopulation, immigration and pollution. The student also develops a reading and/or speaking skill which can be applied to and employed in other learning areas. III. RELIGIOUS Religious persons who: • understand the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and His mission. • demonstrate growth in personal spirituality. • Student is exposed to non­Christian religions in Spanish through cultural lessons on Day of the Dead, for example. Latin students are taught about Roman religion. • Regular debates on social justice issues are held in the target language which not only increases the student's vocabulary but also an awareness of available choices concerning these moral issues. • Student develops an understanding of the relationship between faith and Jesus and being a person for and with others, and a familiarity with church teaching on social justice: for example, units on political refugees are often taught with an emphasis on social justice. • Language students have an opportunity to serve others by taking part in an immersion program which includes trips to French and Spanish speaking countries. Language teachers have modeled this behavior by leading and/or participating in many of the immersion trips. IV. LOVING Loving persons who: • develop and support community and act as "persons for and with others." • Every language student learns that it is acceptable to be human and to make mistakes through role playing and skits which are performed in front of the class. • The language student has come to understand personal prejudices and stereotypes. The language department agrees on the principle of oral proficiency through the implementation of cooperative learning. As a result the language student learns to communicate effectively with all of his/her peers. • In role­plays and debates students are required to assume different roles, for example, act as representatives from a particular country, assume the role of a job interviewer etc. Consequently, the student learns to respect and appreciate the feelings of others. V. COMMITTED TO JUSTICE Persons committed to justice who: • work toward a just society • exercise a personal value system based on the Gospel message and thus are able to confront the moral ambiguities promoted by contemporary culture. • The student becomes more understanding, accepting and generous with others through many activities in the language classroom, specifically, cooperative learning, debates and discussions on aspects of social justice, such as immigration issues. The language student is beginning to see that Christian faith implies a commitment to a just society. This is reinforced in the language department through discussion of such films as El Norte, Guantanamera, Strawberry and Chocolate, as well as documentaries. The language student becomes more aware of global issues through debates, readings and writing assignments on the NAFTA agreement, immigration, AIDS and other current and historical issues. • Latin classes especially explore the historical significance of injustice in modern society, i.e. the role of women,