Forsyth County Schools

World Language Course Descriptions

American Sign Language (ASL) I
Introduction to basic knowledge about sign communication and deafness. Emphasis is placed upon the acquisition of comprehension and production skills, knowledge of the Deaf community, and the development of cultural awareness.

American Sign Language (ASL) II
Enhances Level I American Sign Language (ASL) skills and continues to develop receptive and expressive signing skills. Components include the study of communication, DEAf culture, connections with other disciplines, comparisons with the student's first language, and potential for involvement in the Deaf community.

American Sign Language (ASL) III
Enhances Level II American Sign Language (ASL) skills. This course is designed to increase receptive and expressive sign language skills. Expands all ASL II concepts and understanding of the complexities within the language.

American Sign Language (ASL) IV
Enhances Level III American Sign Language (ASL) skills and provides an opportunity to continue the development of receptive and expressive signing skills. Provides continued study of ASL linguistic features.

French I
Introduces the French language; emphasizes all skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an integrated way. Includes how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to develop an understanding of French-speaking cultures.

French II
Enhances Level I skills in French and provides opportunities to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice on how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, and to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics. Provides opportunities to increase understanding of French-speaking cultures.

French III
Enhances Level II skills in French and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in previous topics and introduces new topics; offers further opportunities to increase understanding of French-speaking cultures.

French IV
Enhances Level III skills in French and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued language development through exploration of familiar and unfamiliar topics and provides opportunities to develop broader and more extensive understandings of French-speaking cultures. 

French V
Enhances Level IV skills in French, provides opportunities to increase levels of proficiency in all skill areas and to deepen understanding of French-speaking cultures.

German I
Introduces the German language; emphasizes all skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an integrated way. Includes how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to develop an understanding of German-speaking cultures.

German II
Enhances Level I skills in German and provides opportunities to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to increase understanding of German-speaking cultures.

German III
Enhances Level II skills in German and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in previous topics and introduces new topics; offers further opportunities to increase understanding of German-speaking cultures.

German IV
Enhances Level III skills in German and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued language development through exploration of familiar and unfamil­iar topics and provides opportunities for a broader and more extensive understanding of German-speaking cultures.

German V
Enhances Level IV skills in German, provides opportunities to increase levels of proficiency in all skill areas and to increase understanding of German-speaking cultures.

Advanced Placement (AP) German Language and Culture
Conforms to CollegeBoard topics for the Advanced Placement German Language and Culture examination. Emphasizes having a strong command of vocabulary and structure, understanding spoken German, reading newspapers and magazines, contemporary fiction, and non-technical writing without using a dictionary, and expressing ideas orally and in writing accurately and fluently.

IB German, Year I

Prepares students for the examination of the International Baccalaureate (German) in the advanced listing, oral, reading, writing, and text handling skills with a wide range of oral and written texts on themes that explore change, groups in society and leisure. 

IB German, Year II

Language B Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) are language acquisition courses for students with some previous experience of learning the language. While studying the language, students also explore the culture(s) connected with it. Higher and standard levels are differentiated by the recommended teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage, the required study of literature at HL, and the level of difficulty and requirements of the assessment tasks and criteria. The course is organized into themes. Three core themes are required: communication and media, global issues, and social relationships. In addition, at both HL and SL, teachers select two more themes from the five options provided. Finally, two works of literature are studied at HL only.

Italian I

Introduces the Italian language; emphasizes all skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an integrated way. Includes how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to develop an understanding of Italian-speaking cultures.

Latin I
Introduces students to the Latin language and ancient Roman civilization. Emphasizes the ability to write simple Latin phrases and to understand simple Latin passages presented orally and in writing.

Latin II
Enhances Level I skills and provides opportunities to translate longer, more challenging passages. Emphasizes how ancient Roman language and civilization have influenced Western language and civilization.

Latin III
Enhances previously learned skills and introduces original works by Latin authors. The works of the authors may be selected in any order for courses designated at the third, fourth, and fifth-year levels. The authors whose works are studied are Catullus, Cicero, Horace, Ovid, and Vergil. Selected works from authors such as Aulus Gellius, Juvenal Livy, Martial, Cornelius, Nepos, Plautus, Sallust, Pliny, as well as authors from later Latin, can be included. Explores the political, economic, social characteristics represented in the works studied and examines the various writing styles of the authors.

Latin IV
Enhances previously learned skills and introduces original works by Latin authors. The works of the authors may be selected in any order for courses designated at the third, fourth, and fifth-year levels. The authors whose works are studied are Catullus, Cicero, Horace, Ovid, and Vergil. Selected works from authors such as Aulus Gellius, Juvenal Livy, Martial, Cornelius, Nepos, Plautus, Sallust, Pliny, as well as authors from later Latin, can be included. Explores the political, economic, social characteristics represented in the works studied and examines the various writing styles of the authors.

Advanced Placement (AP) Latin
The AP Latin course is designed to give students the experiences needed to be successful on the College Board AP Latin exam. The course's goals are to develop the students' abilities to translate the required passages from Caesar's De Bello Galloci and Vergil's Aeneid into English as literally as possible, to help them understand the context of the written passages (including the political, historical, literary, and cultural background of each author and text), and to help them understand the reasons behind the particular style of writing and the rhetorical devices employed. The course should also help students to be successful in analyzing Latin passages to understand how and why the author uses the language in a particular way and the effects he is hoping to produce. Students will learn to analyze the text and draw their own logical conclusions. This course should give students tools to read Latin prose and poetry aloud and with accurate comprehensions and appreciation. For the Vergil text, students will learn dactylic hexameter and how it is used to enhance the text and create the effect, and students will scan the poetry at least once a week.

IB Latin, Year I

The IB Second Language course Standard Level offers students an enriched study of language, literature, and culture with relevance to international societies.  Students review all language concepts and study representative writers in the original language independently and in groups.  Students are immersed in a culturally rich environment in which they actively participate.  They are assessed on effective and accurate communication.  Tasks of the advanced language learner include use of the language within and outside of school, information, and communication via technology, involvement in activities for personal enrichment, and career development – all working to produce a lifelong learner. To achieve an appreciation and understanding of cultures, students will partake in interactive endeavors and culturally rich environments where their ability to communicate effectively and accurately plays an essential role.  Students will be exposed to topics through thematic units and will demonstrate understanding and competence by presenting individual and group projects.

IB Latin, Year II

The IB Second Language course Higher Level offers students an enriched study of language, literature, and culture with relevance to international societies.  Students review all language concepts and study representative writers in the original language independently and in groups.  Students are immersed in a culturally rich environment in which they actively participate.  They are assessed on effective and accurate communication.  Tasks of the advanced language learner include use of the language within and outside of school, information, and communication via technology, involvement in activities for personal enrichment, and career development – all working to produce a lifelong learner. To achieve an appreciation and understanding of cultures, students will partake in higher-level interactive endeavors and culturally rich environments where their ability to communicate effectively and accurately plays an essential role. Students will be exposed to topics through thematic units and will demonstrate understanding and competence by presenting individual and group projects.

Russian I
Introduces the Russian language and culture; emphasizes all skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an integrated way. Includes how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to develop an understanding of Russian-speaking cultures.

Russian II
Enhances Level I skills in Russian and provides opportunities to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to increase understanding of Russian-speaking cultures.

Russian III
Enhances Level II skills in Russian and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in previous topics and introduces new topics; offers further opportunities to increase understanding of Russian-speaking cultures.

Spanish II
Enhances Level I skills in Spanish and provides opportunities to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in how to greet and take leave of someone, to ask and respond to basic questions, to speak and read within a range of carefully selected topics, and to increase understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Spanish III
Enhances Level II skills in Spanish and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued practice in previous topics and introduces new topics; offers further opportunities to increase understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Spanish IV
Enhances Level III skills in Spanish and provides further opportunities to increase listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in an integrated way. Provides continued language development through exploration of familiar and unfamiliar topics and provides opportunities for a broader and more extensive understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Spanish V
Enhances Level IV skills in Spanish, provides opportunities to increase levels of proficiency in all skill areas and to deepen understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Language and Culture
The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is equivalent to an intermediate-level college course in Spanish. Students cultivate their understanding of the Spanish language and culture by applying interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication in real-life situations as they explore concepts related to family and communities, personal and public identities, beauty and aesthetics, science and technology, contemporary life, and global challenges. This includes vocabulary usage, language control, communication strategies, and cultural awareness. To best facilitate the study of language and culture, the course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish.

Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Literature
The AP® Spanish Literature and Culture course is designed to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in literature written in Spanish. The course introduces students to the formal study of a representative body of texts from Peninsular Spanish, Latin American, and U.S. Hispanic literature.  The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Spanish across the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and the five goal areas (communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities) outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. The overarching aims of the course are to provide students with ongoing and varied opportunities to further develop their proficiencies across the full range of language skills — with special attention to critical reading and analytical writing — and to encourage them to reflect on the many voices and cultures included in a rich and diverse body of literature written in Spanish.  The inclusion of “and Culture” in the title of the course reflects a purposeful alignment of the course to a standards-based Spanish curriculum. In particular, the course reflects a meaningful integration of the cultures, connections, and comparisons goal areas of the Standards.  Emphasis is placed on approaching the study of literature through global, historical, and contemporary cultural contexts. Teachers and students are encouraged to make interdisciplinary connections and explore linguistic and cultural comparisons. A key objective of the course is to encourage students not only to understand and retell the content of the texts they read but also to relate that content to literary, historical, sociocultural, and geopolitical contexts in Spanish.

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IB Spanish HL Year One

Course Description: IB Spanish is a language acquisition course developed at two levels—standard level (SL) and higher level (HL)—for students with some background in the target language. While acquiring a language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. The focus of these courses is language acquisition and intercultural understanding. IB Spanish approaches the learning of language through meaning. Students build the necessary skills to reach the assessment objectives through the expansion of their receptive, productive, and interactive skills. The recommended number of teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage, the study of literature, and the level of difficulty and demands of assessment and assessment criteria differentiate Spanish SL and HL. The IBO standards for Spanish mandate that the curriculum for the class consist of five core topics: Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization, and Sharing the Planet. HL students are required to read a minimum of two works of literature originally written in the target language. This class is taught exclusively in Spanish and students are expected to use Spanish at all times. This course is the first part of a two-year program; therefore, the IB Assessment will be completed in IB Spanish SL/HL Year Two.

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IB Spanish SL & HL Year Two

Course Description:  IB Spanish is a language acquisition course developed at two levels—standard level (SL) and higher level (HL)—for students with some background in the target language. While acquiring a language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. The focus of these courses is language acquisition and intercultural understanding. IB Spanish approaches the learning of language through meaning. Students build the necessary skills to reach the assessment objectives through the expansion of their receptive, productive, and interactive skills. The recommended number of teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage, the study of literature, and the level of difficulty and demands of assessment and assessment criteria differentiate Spanish SL and HL. The IBO standards for Spanish mandate that the curriculum for the class consist of five core topics: Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization, and Sharing the planet. HL students are required to read a minimum of two works of literature originally written in the target language This class is taught exclusively in Spanish and students are expected to use Spanish at all times. The IBO Assessments (Internal & External) will be completed during this course.

Spanish for Native Spanish Speakers I
Designed for Heritage Language Learners of Spanish, this course can accommodate a wide range of Heritage language learners, from those who are minimally functional (can comprehend Spanish but are not able to speak fluently, read or write) to those who are more proficient and literate in Spanish. The recommended entrance requirement for the beginning level is at the Intermediate-Mid level of proficiency in listening comprehension on the ACTFL scale. It is not necessary that students speak at the Intermediate level prior to entering the course. This course will develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The student will also develop an awareness and understanding of Hispanic cultures, such as language variations, customs, geography, and current events.

Spanish for Native Spanish Speakers II
Designed for Heritage Language Learners of Spanish, this course can accommodate a wide range of Heritage language learners, from those who are somewhat functional (can comprehend spoken Spanish but speak haltingly and need improvement in reading and/or writing) to those who are more proficient and literate in Spanish. The recommended entrance requirement is at the Intermediate-High level of proficiency in listening comprehension on the ACTFL scale and an Intermediate-Mid level of proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. This course will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and will promote a deeper understanding of the Hispanic cultures, such as language variations, customs, geography, history, and current events.

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Spanish for Native Spanish Speakers III
Designed for Heritage Language Learners of Spanish, this course can accommodate a wide range of Heritage language learners, from those who are somewhat functional (can comprehend spoken Spanish but speak haltingly and need improvement in reading and/or writing) to those who are more proficient and literate in Spanish. The recommended entrance requirement is at the Intermediate-High level of proficiency in listening comprehension on the ACTFL scale and an Intermediate-Mid level of proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. This course will continue to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and will promote a deeper understanding of the Hispanic cultures, such as language variations, customs, geography, history, and current events.

Workplace Spanish
Students learn specific vocabulary and phrases related to the work environment in such concerns as work safety, security, and simple directions appropriate to communicating with employees whose first language is Spanish. Emphasis is placed on oral and listening applications of the language in the workplace, especially as a means of effecting better functional cross-communication between Englisch and Spanish speakers.

Advanced Workplace Spanish
Students learn advanced vocabulary and phrases related to the work environment in such concerns as work safety, security, and simple directions appropriate to communicating with employees whose first language is Spanish. Advanced emphasis is placed on industry-related vocabulary and speaking and listening applications in the workplace, especially as a means of effecting better functional cross-communication between English and Spanish speakers.