World Languages

The Grandview World Language program is standards-based, emphasizing the National Standards for communication, cultural comparisons, and connections. According to these standards, students must be able to perform the following: write in the foreign language using effective writing strategies to communicate clearly; read the foreign language to construct meaning from a variety of materials; speak the foreign language to convey meaning through speech in both formal and informal situations; listen to the foreign language and interpret verbal cues to construct meaning; and understand the cultural context of the foreign language.

Students who complete four years of language study during high school and/or demonstrate proficiency through a national proficiency assessment will be eligible to earn the Seal of Biliteracy. This prestigious award celebrates students who achieve high levels of proficiency in two or more languages. By earning this distinction, students showcase their preparedness for college, career opportunities, and engagement in a globally interconnected community.

Learning a world language is strongly encouraged. Many colleges have a minimum foreign language entrance requirement (see Colorado Higher Education Admission Recommendation guidelines). For example, some programs at the University of Colorado require completing level 3 in a single language, and other state schools strongly advocate completing at least level 2 of a foreign language.

American Sign Language

ASL 1

Prerequisites: None

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

American Sign Language is a unique, visual language with its own grammar, structure, and rules. This course will introduce students to the important functions of ASL grammar, the basic rules of signing in ASL and the distinct aspects of deaf culture. Students learn to communicate about themselves and their immediate environment by using ASL vocabulary, idioms, fingerspelling, simple phrases and expressions, non-manual signals and gestures.

ASL 2

Prerequisites: Complete of ASL 1

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

American Sign Language is a unique, visual language with its own grammar, structure, and rules. This course expands on the foundations of American Sign Language. Students will continue to increase their understanding of the important functions of ASL grammar and the distinct aspects of deaf culture. Students expand their ASL vocabulary, idioms, fingerspelling, more complex phrases and expressions, non-manual signals and gestures.

ASL 3

Prerequisites: Completion of ASL 2

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

This course is an advanced study of American Sign Language through readings, research, presentations, discussions, and analysis. It is designed for students who have completed ASL 1 and ASL 2 and who want to study specific topics that are not offered in the curriculum. Students will take charge of their learning to further their understanding of American Sign Language the deaf culture.

ASL 4

Prerequisites: Completion of ASL 3

Grade level: 11-12

Credit: 1

This advanced course will help students master complex conversations and enhance their fluency in American Sign Language. They will grow a deeper understanding of Deaf Culture through engaging activities and real-world community participation and embrace an ASL-friendly environment by making signing a regular habit, and share resources from social media, news, or the community in our 'show and tell' sessions. Additionally, students will discover exciting career opportunities in ASL, from interpreting to emergency communication.

Chinese

Chinese 1

Chinese 2

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Chinese 1 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

Building on the speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills acquired in Chinese 1, students will encounter a few of the more complex grammatical structures and finish assimilating the first series of Chinese characters. In addition to daily oral practice, students will read and write in Chinese and interact with authentic Chinese language materials, both aural and written. To deepen understanding of Chinese culture and language, students are encouraged to participate in Chinese Club activities.

Chinese 3

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Chinese 2 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

In Chinese 3, students will continue to develop their abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing modern Mandarin Chinese. This course will particularly emphasize communicative competence and cultural awareness through regular contact with authentic linguistic and cultural materials in the classroom. To deepen understanding of Chinese culture and language, students are encouraged to participate in Chinese Club activities.

Advanced Chinese courses

Chinese 4 Honors / DE Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 1 Honors
AP Chinese Language & Culture / DE Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 2 Honors

Chinese 4 Honors / DE Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 1 Honors

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Chinese 3 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

In Chinese 4 Honors, students will continue to develop their abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing modern Mandarin Chinese with a strong emphasis on communicative competence and cultural awareness. In addition, students will regularly engage in exercises designed to develop the level of literacy in Chinese necessary to carry them through the AP-level course. Due to the advanced nature of this course, grades will be weighted. Students in Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 1 may choose to dual enroll at the University of Colorado Denver for 3 credits.

AP Chinese Language & Culture / DE Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 2 Honors

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in *Honors Chinese 4, *Int. Mandarin Chinese I or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

Fee: See AP Section for exam information

Students will continue to develop their abilities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing modern Mandarin Chinese with a strong emphasis on communicative competence and cultural awareness. In addition, students will regularly engage in exercises designed to develop the level of literacy in Chinese necessary to pass the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam and to prepare for the continued studies at the college level. Students in Intermediate Mandarin Chinese 2 may choose to dual enroll at the University of Colorado Denver for 3 credits.

French

French 1

Prerequisites: None

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the French language and the French-speaking world and its cultures, to understand spoken and written language at a basic level, and to teach them to communicate about their world. Students will primarily learn in an immersion environment where the French language is the principle means of instruction. Therefore, students will be taught and required to discern meaning from context, use key recognizable words and phrases, apply visual cues to aid in comprehension, listen carefully and with purpose, and consistently engage in thinking and self-questioning which allows them to make meaning. Students are expected to be active participants in whole-class, group, pair, and individual learning situations in order to have multiple experiences with the language in order to lay the foundation necessary to become proficient readers, listeners, writers, and speakers of French.

French 2

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in French 1 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

In this course, novice French students continue to learn to understand spoken and written French and to communicate in the French language about their world, as well as to learn about the French-speaking world and its cultures. Students will primarily learn in an immersion environment where the French language is the principle means of instruction. Therefore, students will be taught and required to discern meaning from context, use key recognizable words and phrases, apply visual cues to aid in comprehension, listen carefully and with purpose, and consistently engage in thinking and self-questioning which allows them to make meaning. Students are expected to be active participants in whole-class, group, pair, and individual learning situations in order to have multiple experiences with the language in order to lay the foundation necessary to become proficient readers, listeners, writers, and speakers of French.

French 3

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in French 2 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

In French 3, students build upon their communication skills from previous levels. They learn to elaborate in their skills of interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal communications. They also build their AP skills through assessments and activities that mimic the AP exam. The curriculum moves through multiple tenses and moods - present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive, as well as through multiple themes. Our themes include healthy living and body science, travel, environmental issues, labor and schooling, and personal relationships.

Advanced French courses

French 4 Honors / DE Intermediate French 1
AP French Language & Culture / DE Intermediate French 2

French 4 Honors / DE Intermediate French 1

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in French 3 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

This is a level 4 honors course. The focus of this course is to increase students’ comfort level and proficiency in the realm of spontaneous conversation, understanding authentic texts and audio-visual sources, and writing and discussion about such sources to increase their knowledge of the French language and the French-speaking world. The contexts in which students will practice these skills and build knowledge include Being a Citizen and Digital Citizenship, Future Plans, The Quest for Self, and Cultural and Linguistic Identity. Within each context, students will examine at least one French-speaking community as well as their own communities.
Students who choose to register for Intermediate College French 1 through the University of Colorado Denver’s CU Succeed program may earn 3 college credits.

AP French Language & Culture / DE Intermediate French 2

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in *Honors French 4, *DE Intermed. French 1 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

Fee: See AP Section for exam information

The focus of this course is to bring students into the intermediate proficiency range in language acquisition and cultural literacy through a variety of interactions, both with authentic sources from around the French-speaking world and among one another. Students work on increasing vocabulary and word recognition strategies, reading and listening comprehension, and oral and written expression in a variety of contexts and on a variety of themes which increase their knowledge of the world around them and the French-speaking world while preparing them for the AP French Language and Culture exam and for higher level college French courses (200-300 level). The units of study include Families in Different Societies, The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity, Influences of Beauty and Art, How Science and Technology Affect our Lives, Factors that Impact the Quality of Life, and Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges.

Students who choose to register for Intermediate French 2 through the University of Colorado Denver’s CU Succeed program may earn 3 college credits.

German

German 3

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in German 2 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

Students will extend their vocabulary development, grammar knowledge, and syntactical structures; and by learning expressions, constructions, and more complicated verb tenses and moods, students will fine tune their German. Students will improve their reading comprehension through reading a variety of German literature, which may include short stories, newspapers, magazine articles, novels, or dramas. Students will develop composition skills, creating a quarterly portfolio.

German 4 Honors

AP German Language and Culture

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in *German 4 Honors or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 11-12

Credit: 1

Fee: See AP Section for exam information

Students will work on mastering their fluency in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Vocabulary enrichment continues to be of utmost importance as does reviewing and refining grammatical and syntactical structures. Students will read a variety of literary, historical, and contemporary works and will focus on German contributions to the arts and humanities. An Advanced Placement German Language exam will be administered at the end of the course. Depending upon the score on the AP exam and the policies of the individual college, the student may receive college credit. Due to the advanced nature of this course, grades will be weighted.

Spanish

Spanish 1

Prerequisites: None

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

This is a beginning course in Spanish in which students will study basic Spanish vocabulary and grammatical structures. The focus on the course will be on the development of the communicative skills of reading, speaking, writing and listening in the Spanish language while discovering some of the richness of the Spanish and Latin American cultures. Students will explore the Hispanic cultures and practice their language skills on the internet and by interacting with authentic material. Spanish Club is open to interested students.

Spanish 2

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Spanish 1 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

In building on Spanish 1 speaking, reading, writing and listening skills, Spanish 2 students will expand and enrich their knowledge of Spanish vocabulary and grammatical structures while furthering their knowledge of the Hispanic world. Students will learn strategies to help them understand authentic spoken and written Spanish texts and to express themselves in Spanish about a variety of familiar topics in oral and written form. Students will explore the Hispanic culture and practice their language skills on the internet and by interacting with authentic material. Spanish Club and an opportunity to travel to a Spanish-speaking country are open to interested students.

Spanish 3

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Spanish 2 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 9-12

Credit: 1

In this course students will build on their Spanish 2 background to extend their vocabulary development and their knowledge of grammar and syntactical structures while furthering their knowledge of the Hispanic world. A major emphasis is placed on the development of learning strategies that will help students understand authentic spoken and written texts in Spanish and to effectively communicate in written and oral form with accuracy and confidence. Students will explore the Hispanic cultures and practice their language skills on the internet and by interacting with authentic material. Spanish Club and an opportunity to travel to a Spanish-speaking country are open to interested students.

Advanced Spanish courses

Spanish 4 Honors / DE Second Year Spanish 1

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in Spanish 3 or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

In this course students will work on developing their fluency in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Vocabulary enrichment continues to be of utmost importance as does reviewing and refining grammatical and syntactical structures. Students will read a variety of literary, historical, and contemporary works and will continue to refine their oral and written communicative abilities. They will explore the diversity of the Hispanic world as well as the contributions of many Hispanics to modern society. Spanish Club and an opportunity to travel to a Spanish-speaking country are open to interested students. Due to the advanced nature of this course, grades will be weighted.
Students who choose to register for Second Year Spanish I through the University of Colorado Denver’s CU Succeed program may earn 3 college credits.

AP Spanish Language & Culture / DE Second Year Spanish 2

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in *Spanish 4 Honors, *DE Second Year Spanish I, or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 10-12

Credit: 1

Fee: See AP Section for exam information

This course is designed to meet the needs of academically motivated students who plan to attend college. Students will increase fluency in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. The focus will be on developing a strong command of vocabulary and structure; understanding spoken Spanish in various conversational situations; reading newspaper and magazine articles, contemporary fiction, and non- technical writings; and fluently and accurately expressing ideas orally and in writing. To prepare students for the AP exam, students also will write time-limited compositions, respond orally to visual or word prompts in class, and regularly practice spontaneous responses and fluency in the language lab. An Advanced Placement Spanish Language Exam will be administered at the end of the course. Contingent upon the score on the AP exam and the policies of the individual college, the student may receive college credit. Due to the advanced nature of this course, grades will be weighted.

Students who choose to register for Second Year Spanish 2 through the University of Colorado Denver’s CU Succeed program may earn 3 college credits

AP Spanish Literature and Culture

Prerequisites: Demonstrated proficiency in AP Spanish Language and/or teacher recommendation

Grade level: 11-12

Credit: 1

Fee: See AP Section for exam information

In this course, advanced, motivated Spanish students will achieve a greater understanding of the Spanish language, Peninsular and Latin American civilizations and cultures through their respective literature. Students will be exposed to the formal study of prose, poetry, and drama and will improve upon the following skill areas: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Students will also achieve a greater capacity to analyze and understand authentic texts in their original form with culture and historical contexts. The focus of this class is intellectual commentary regarding theme and other literary devices, which complement the skills developed in Advanced Placement English Literature. Students will develop a panoramic vision of major literary movements and their idiosyncrasies in Spain and Latin America ranging in time from the Middle Ages to the 20th Century. The Advanced Placement Spanish Literature Exam will be administered at the end of the course. Contingent upon the score on the AP exam and the policies of the individual college, the student may receive college credit. Due to the advanced nature of this course, grades will be weighted.

World Languages Flowchart

Flowchart