Languages

Recognizing the Bay School's commitment to the global community, we believe that the study of another language, and its associated culture, is essential. The overall objectives of the program include the development of language skills, both oral and written, and a cultural objective, i.e., an acquaintance with and appreciation of a different people, their history, civilization, and customs. Spanish and Mandarin Chinese are the two core foreign languages taught at the Bay School. Students who have previously studied French are given entrance placement tests to confirm their readiness to continue study of French on the high school level.

Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin I
This is an introductory language course in Modern Standard Chinese (Putonghua), with an emphasis on developing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. In the first year, students learn the tonal system, pronunciation, basic grammar, and the fundamentals of the Chinese writing system. Students develop the ability to carry out simple conversations in Chinese on a limited range of topics. Additionally, in view of the intimate relationship between language and culture, we dedicate significant class time to learning about Chinese culture, recent history, and geography.

Mandarin II
Mandarin II students review and continue working with the materials introduced in Mandarin I with the expectation that they will master new vocabulary and increasingly complex sentence patterns. There is further focus on the Chinese tonal system and character acquisition. The course employs a variety of approaches so that the students increase their ability to acquire pertinent information through listening, to express themselves with more confidence, and to read and write characters with greater fluency and ease. The ultimate goal of Mandarin II is to equip students with the tools necessary to communicate effectively with native speakers in the target language.

Mandarin III
The goal of this course is to further develop students' communicative abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing modern Chinese. Students focus on strengthening their listening and reading comprehension skills through increased exposure to authentic material. Upon completion of this course, students are able to handle most daily conversation with relative fluency and are comfortable speaking and interacting in the target language.

Mandarin IV
The goal of this course is to enhance students' abilities to communicate fluently, precisely and elegantly in modern Chinese. This course will incorporate Chinese literature and history, and explore current events and youth culture in greater China. We focus on reading and understanding primary documents, although an advanced-level textbook is used as a supplement. As is true for all levels of Bay's language courses, emphasis is placed on broadening students' understanding of vocabulary, grammar, idiomatic expressions and cultural knowledge. Students will learn to master complex sentence patterns for the purpose of sustaining longer, in-depth conversations. Finally, students will be encouraged to express their opinions and creativity through various modes.

Mao to Now: Modern Chinese Literature
Through literature and film, this course will survey the political, social, economic, and intellectual trends in China from the end of the Maoist era to present. Students will analyze characteristics of Chinese literature, understand elements of Chinese cinema that make it unique to the culture, and generate responses that communicate an understanding of the topics addressed in the course. Potential themes/topics include: Maoist/post-Maoist China's influences on literature/film, the role of censorship in Chinese literature and film, family and state, hierarchy and paternalism, gender roles and relations in Chinese society, the divide between urban and rural China as represented in literature and film, nationalism and cultural pride, popular culture and genres in contemporary China, the relationship between the center and the periphery, and Han majority vs. minority culture. This course is cross-listed as both a Mandarin course and a Literature course. Students wishing to earn Foreign Language credit for this course should have completed Mandarin IV. Any junior or senior may choose this course as a Literature course.

Spanish

Spanish I
This introductory course provides students with the opportunity to learn the fundamental grammar and vocabulary necessary for basic communication in Spanish. Students will develop partial capability in the four major communication skills-listening, speaking, reading, and writing. By the end of this course, students will be able to express themselves at a rudimentary level in both the present and past tenses. Focus will be placed on gaining the confidence necessary to speak fluently. In addition, students will develop an appreciation for the various cultures associated with the Spanish language.

Spanish II
Students in Spanish II will have mastered the present, past, and future tenses and will have been introduced to a variety of other tenses. They will increase their facility in the four major communication skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) with an emphasis on clear and elegant communication. Culturally, Spanish II seeks to develop a greater appreciation for how Spanish-speaking communities and cultures continue to reshape and redefine the modern world.

Spanish III
Spanish III is an intermediate-level language course focused on five major goals: (a) to review all of the basic skills and vocabulary learned during the first two years of study; (b) to increase students' core vocabulary base and to expand their understanding and working knowledge of more complex grammatical points; (c) to connect their language skills with other disciplines such as Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology; (d) to increase students' level of fluency, both written and oral, so that they can communicate effectively and elegantly in Spanish; and (e) to make students aware of the richness of diversity in the Spanish-speaking communities both in and outside of the United States.

Spanish IV
Spanish IV is an advanced-intermediate course that integrates language and culture while using topics that reflect global issues of interest and concern to today's youth. The course discusses geography, art, music, and literature from the Spanish-speaking world to synthesize the development of all aspects of language skills and cultural awareness-with particular emphasis on Spain. Although preparation for the Advanced Placement exam in Spanish is not a principal focus of the course, Spanish IV does include bi-weekly workshops designed to help prepare students who wish to sit for the exam.

Spanish V: Cine y la Condición Humana
Spanish V is an advanced interactive course that explores social issues within the framework of a selection of Spanish-speaking films and literature excerpts in the target language. Students' knowledge of themes presented in class is further enriched by classroom exploration of Spanish and Latin cultures through research in Spanish, oral presentations, essay writings, and the study of drama in its cultural and historical contexts.

French

French III
French III uses a variety of topics to review and to solidify the first two years of French grammar and vocabulary, to expand vocabulary, and to put into active use the structures that have been learned as well as the new points which will be taught, to teach students to think and to react in French and to broaden their knowledge about global issues facing the francophone world.

French IV: Littérature et Histoir
French IV is a comprehensive course that will give students an in-depth view of France, its history, culture, and civilization by using a systematic approach to introduce French history and literature. At the same time, this course will continue to review and expand upon the grammar and vocabulary that has been learned in previous years so that students can continue to strengthen their language skills.

French V: France et La Provence
Experience the foods, fragrances, and folklore of La Provence. This class will introduce the geography, history, and culture of La Provence through the use of live footage, novels, movies, music, art, and food. We will use the novels of Marcel Pagnol, Le Chateau de Ma Mere, and La Gloire de Mon Pere, and Alphonse Daudet's Lettres de Mon Moulin as the basis of our study. Students will learn the specialized vocabulary from this area of France, which includes life in the countryside, flowers and perfume, farming, regional dishes, soaps, and herbs.

French V: Personal Journey through Film: A French Experience
This class focuses on meaningful universal themes as presented in thought-provoking French cinema. Twelve films organized in six clusters (two films each) are accompanied by texts (film scripts, literary texts), and exercises (film comprehension questions, journal writing, creative writing, grammatical structures) chosen for their thematic unity. Themes include childhood and adolescence, family, society, memory, creativity, and self-discovery; and these are enriched through creative writing and critical thinking exercises. For a final, students produce a portfolio highlighting the variety of their work.