Middle School Languages

Sixth grade students select one of four languages – French, Spanish, Chinese, or Latin – earning a half credit, with another half credit in 7th grade. Modern languages are taught to ensure the acquisition of correct pronunciation, intonation, and idiomatic usage. Courses stimulate interest in the cultural diversity implicit in studying a language other than English. Eighth-graders continue with level II of the language, following the same texts and curriculum as students in Upper School.

List of 12 items.

  • Chinese IA

    The course objective is to teach basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in standard Mandarin Chinese. Students will learn the sound system-Pinyin Romanization with four tones. Students will gain knowledge of the basic concepts of the Chinese writing system-Chinese Radicals and Characters, and simple grammar structure. Students will explore Chinese ways of living and Chinese customs related to the language requirements of the course.
    The course objective is to teach basic speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in standard Mandarin Chinese. Students will learn the sound system-Pinyin Romanization with four tones. Students will gain knowledge of the basic concepts of the Chinese writing system-Chinese Radicals and Characters, and simple grammar structure. Students will explore Chinese ways of living and Chinese customs related to the language requirements of the course.
  • Chinese IB

    Students will gain more knowledge of the basic concepts of the Chinese writing system-Chinese Radicals and Characters, and simple grammar structure. Students will comprehend directions and commands related to classroom tasks, readings of simple sentences and short paragraphs containing the characters required in the textbooks. The emphasis of the course will follow the National Standards in teaching Chinese with goals in communication, cultural, connection, comparisons and communities.
    Students will gain more knowledge of the basic concepts of the Chinese writing system-Chinese Radicals and Characters, and simple grammar structure. Students will comprehend directions and commands related to classroom tasks, readings of simple sentences and short paragraphs containing the characters required in the textbooks. The emphasis of the course will follow the National Standards in teaching Chinese with goals in communication, cultural, connection, comparisons and communities.
  • Chinese II

    Chinese level II students will focus on Chinese sound system and the mechanics of stroke order and radicals in writing characters. A variety of language tasks will be provided for the students to increase their ability to acquire information through listening, to express themselves with more confidence, and to read and write characters with more ease. We will also follow the National Standards in teaching Chinese with goals in communication, culture, connection, comparisons and communities.
    Chinese level II students will focus on Chinese sound system and the mechanics of stroke order and radicals in writing characters. A variety of language tasks will be provided for the students to increase their ability to acquire information through listening, to express themselves with more confidence, and to read and write characters with more ease. We will also follow the National Standards in teaching Chinese with goals in communication, culture, connection, comparisons and communities.
  • French IA

    The objective of this course is to achieve basic proficiency in French in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to be aware of and sensitive to existing cultural differences. The students will learn basic French grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation. The course is designed to simulate real-life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. 
    The objective of this course is to achieve basic proficiency in French in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to be aware of and sensitive to existing cultural differences. The students will learn basic French grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation. The course is designed to simulate real-life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. 
  • French IB

    The objective of this course is to achieve basic proficiency in French in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to be aware of and sensitive to existing cultural differences. The course is designed to simulate real-life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. 
    The objective of this course is to achieve basic proficiency in French in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to be aware of and sensitive to existing cultural differences. The course is designed to simulate real-life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. 
  • French II

    The students will learn more complex French grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation. The course is designed to simulate real life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. The students will learn the imperfect verb tense, the future verb tense, the conditional verb tense, present participles, relative pronouns, “if ” clauses, and an introduction to the present subjunctive. 
    The students will learn more complex French grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation. The course is designed to simulate real life communicative situations, in which the students learn to participate and express themselves. The students will learn the imperfect verb tense, the future verb tense, the conditional verb tense, present participles, relative pronouns, “if ” clauses, and an introduction to the present subjunctive. 
  • Latin IA

    In this introductory course, students learn about the ancient Romans and the linguistic, cultural, and historical legacy they have left to modern civilizations. Students learn how to communicate and read Latin stories, explore the basic grammar of the Latin language, and delve deeply into a wide variety of subjects including mythology, architecture, geography, medicine, entertainment, archaeology, and history. In addition, students explore the English language through grammar and Latin roots in order to understand the lasting influence of the Romans. Special projects and exposure to the Greek alphabet, language, and civilization help contextualize who the Romans were and allow students to evaluate their social norms and institutions.
    In this introductory course, students learn about the ancient Romans and the linguistic, cultural, and historical legacy they have left to modern civilizations. Students learn how to communicate and read Latin stories, explore the basic grammar of the Latin language, and delve deeply into a wide variety of subjects including mythology, architecture, geography, medicine, entertainment, archaeology, and history. In addition, students explore the English language through grammar and Latin roots in order to understand the lasting influence of the Romans. Special projects and exposure to the Greek alphabet, language, and civilization help contextualize who the Romans were and allow students to evaluate their social norms and institutions.
  • Latin IB

    The life of the Roman poet Horace, known best to us from the phrase “carpe diem,” unfolds in our textbook series the Oxford Latin Course. In Part I, students read his early life story in Latin, which is set in his hometown, Venusia. Through explorations in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, students learn how to read and analyze graduated stories about Horace as well as subjects he would have studied as a young boy, including the Trojan War, stories of Greek and Roman mythology, and early Roman history. Students also learn about Latin roots of English words, pronunciation of classical Latin, and life in the Late Roman Republic. By the end of the year, students will have learned all the cases of the first three declensions of nouns, the present tense of all verbs, and a wide variety of sentence patterns.
    The life of the Roman poet Horace, known best to us from the phrase “carpe diem,” unfolds in our textbook series the Oxford Latin Course. In Part I, students read his early life story in Latin, which is set in his hometown, Venusia. Through explorations in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, students learn how to read and analyze graduated stories about Horace as well as subjects he would have studied as a young boy, including the Trojan War, stories of Greek and Roman mythology, and early Roman history. Students also learn about Latin roots of English words, pronunciation of classical Latin, and life in the Late Roman Republic. By the end of the year, students will have learned all the cases of the first three declensions of nouns, the present tense of all verbs, and a wide variety of sentence patterns.
  • Latin II

    Latin II continues with the Oxford Latin Course Part II, introducing students to the grammar topics and sentence structures that form the core of ancient Latin literature, with an added focus on etymology and word-building using Latin roots. We follow the life of the the Roman poet Horace through the tumultuous reign and assassination of Julius Caesar and into the civil wars of the 40s and 30s BCE. Beyond grammar and syntax, Latin II students will explore the nature of Roman civic life, from gladiatorial combats and circus games, to the supreme military parade, the Roman triumph. By the end of the year, students will be familiar with all the active and passive voice, relative clauses, and all the verb tenses, paving the way for their first forays into Roman poetic literature in Latin III.
    Latin II continues with the Oxford Latin Course Part II, introducing students to the grammar topics and sentence structures that form the core of ancient Latin literature, with an added focus on etymology and word-building using Latin roots. We follow the life of the the Roman poet Horace through the tumultuous reign and assassination of Julius Caesar and into the civil wars of the 40s and 30s BCE. Beyond grammar and syntax, Latin II students will explore the nature of Roman civic life, from gladiatorial combats and circus games, to the supreme military parade, the Roman triumph. By the end of the year, students will be familiar with all the active and passive voice, relative clauses, and all the verb tenses, paving the way for their first forays into Roman poetic literature in Latin III.
  • Spanish IA

    This course introduces students to basic Spanish speech patterns, grammar, and vocabulary. The students learn language functions such as making introductions, discussing wants and needs, talking about school and classes, discussing after school activities, likes and dislikes, weekend activities, and describing people. In addition, the students learn: pronouns, question words, definite and indefinite articles, noun-adjective agreement, the conjugation of regular and some irregular present tense verbs, and possessive adjectives
    This course introduces students to basic Spanish speech patterns, grammar, and vocabulary. The students learn language functions such as making introductions, discussing wants and needs, talking about school and classes, discussing after school activities, likes and dislikes, weekend activities, and describing people. In addition, the students learn: pronouns, question words, definite and indefinite articles, noun-adjective agreement, the conjugation of regular and some irregular present tense verbs, and possessive adjectives
  • Spanish IB

    This course continues to introduce students to basic Spanish speech patterns, grammar, and vocabulary. In addition, the students learn: stem-changing verbs, expressions with tener, reflexive verbs along with their reflexive pronouns, encantar, future voice, direct and indirect object pronouns, comparisons, demonstrative adjectives, present progressive, informal commands, and preterite tense conjugations.
    This course continues to introduce students to basic Spanish speech patterns, grammar, and vocabulary. In addition, the students learn: stem-changing verbs, expressions with tener, reflexive verbs along with their reflexive pronouns, encantar, future voice, direct and indirect object pronouns, comparisons, demonstrative adjectives, present progressive, informal commands, and preterite tense conjugations.
  • Spanish II

    The objective of this course is to learn new language functions while introducing more complex grammatical concepts and vocabulary. In addition, students learn: adverbs, the preterite tense including irregular verbs, informal commands and irregular informal commands, the imperfect tense including irregular verbs, superlatives, and formal commands. Students also learn the differences bewteen saber and conocer and are introduced to the basic differences in the uses of the preterite and imperfect tenses.
    The objective of this course is to learn new language functions while introducing more complex grammatical concepts and vocabulary. In addition, students learn: adverbs, the preterite tense including irregular verbs, informal commands and irregular informal commands, the imperfect tense including irregular verbs, superlatives, and formal commands. Students also learn the differences bewteen saber and conocer and are introduced to the basic differences in the uses of the preterite and imperfect tenses.
Address: 6500 St. Stephen's Dr., Austin, TX 78746
Phone: (512) 327-1213