This course covers the equivalent of a college Hispanic Literature survey course. Students read and analyze critically the form and content of selected works from the literatures of Spain and Spanish America from the medieval and Golden Age periods to the present. In addition, students work to improve their written communication skills as well as their understanding of Hispanic culture. Upon completion of the course, students will take the Advanced Placement Spanish Literature Exam. This course will be conducted in Spanish.

This course completes the study of ancient literature at Bellarmine by acquainting the student with Roman mythology and poetry. Students read passages from Ovid, Catullus and Vergil, learning about both poetic meter and literary style. Students will also read passages of the works in English as well as analyze the cultural, historical, political, and social context of the literature.

This course endeavors to improve students’ listening and speaking skills in the context of practical conversation topics. Students read from authentic sources, newspaper articles, view films, listen to music, and are exposed to poetry as well as short works of literature to gain understanding of cultural and social justice themes. Oral communication is emphasized, and daily participation is expected. New and review grammar structures are taught in context. Class is conducted in Spanish.

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is a rigorous course taught exclusively in Spanish that requires students to improve their proficiency across the three modes of communication (interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational). The course focuses on the integration of authentic resources including online print, audio, and audiovisual resources, as well as traditional print resources that include literature, essays, and magazine and newspaper articles with the goal of providing a rich, diverse learning experience. Students communicate using rich, advanced vocabulary and linguistic structures as they build proficiency in all modes of communication toward the pre-advanced level. Students are required to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam in May.

This course is designed to improve students’ listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills in the context of themes exploring a variety of current global issues. New grammar concepts will also be studied in context. Oral presentations, debates and discussions, short stories and movies will be used to deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of current events and issues in the French-speaking countries. The class is conducted in French.

This intensive course is designed to further improve the students’ oral proficiency and expand on vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. Students will acquire more advanced linguistic skills while systematically reviewing previously studied materials. In addition to the basic textbook, students will also read more extensively on a variety of cultural and social topics adapted from authentic texts. Students are introduced to the written Chinese (shumianyu) and taught how to make the transition from reading pedagogically prepared materials to more authentic materials. By the end of the year, students are expected to be able to understand and sustain more complex conversations in Mandarin, write short compositions with coherence and correct grammatical application, and develop an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture through projects and presentations.

This course is designed to improve the students’ proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Students will acquire more advanced linguistic skills while systematically reviewing previously studied materials. Students are introduced to the written Chinese (shumianyu) and taught how to make the transition from reading pedagogically prepared materials to more authentic materials. By the end of the year, students are expected to be able to understand and sustain more complex conversations in Mandarin, write short compositions with coherence and correct grammatical application, and develop an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture through projects and presentations.

ASL is designed to be an innovative course which develops basic communicative proficiency in visual conceptualizing, hand and body movements, and storytelling.

Students will actively sign and watch others sign. Students will understand ASL glossing and how it differs from the English language. The most important goal for this level will be actively participating, both in and out of the classroom. This objective directly aligns with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning.

Signing will be the used majority of the time in the classroom, as exposure to the language paired with an intense effort to understand what is being communicated is the most powerful tool for language acquisition. A non-verbal atmosphere may cause some initial stress or anxiety. Overcoming this anxiety, feel free to make mistakes and learn from them and supporting those around you to do the same is another goal I have for students in my class. If these goals can be accomplished students will have the ability to use what they learned at different local hangout of deaf people.

This course is an introduction to the study of Latin literature and its historical and cultural context. Students will begin the year with an intensive review of Latin morphology and syntax. Then the students will study selections from authors that may include Eutropius, Caesar, Catullus, Ovid and Vergil. Through a close study of these authors, over the course of the year, students will learn a variety of literary styles, the form and function of Latin rhetorical figures, the techniques of metrical analysis and poetry analysis. The students will also become familiar with the major political and cultural events of the late Republic and early Empire and the mythological foundation stories. This course work serves to provide students with the cultural background and the literary analysis skills required for success in Latin 4AP.

This course continues the development of the student's ability to read the Latin Classics with ease and enjoyment, and to appreciate ancient Roman culture. Through a careful reading of a variety of classical and later Latin prose authors, students will explore the history, literature, culture, and values of the Ancient Romans and the impact they had on later literature and culture.