COURSE DESCRIPTION
WORLD LANGUAGE I (First year French/German/Spanish)
This is a beginning course that emphasizes the development of communication skills. Awareness and appreciation of the target language and culture are achieved through various activities and materials designed to develop language skills. Students will work towards practical mastery of the skills necessary for understanding, speaking, and writing in the target language. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to use the language naturally and spontaneously in real life situations.
Grade 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites:None
WORLD LANGUAGE II (Second year French/German/Spanish) Grade 9-12
This course is a continuation and expansion of skills mastered in the first year with continued emphasis on all language skills. Additional readings of literature from the target language are provided. It increases the use of the target language for active communication. Students will read short stories and longer dialogues which employ learned grammatical concepts and vocabulary; and study target language geography and culture through lectures, readings, and films. Students who take this course will be prepared for daily interactions in the target language.
Grade level: 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: World Language 1 with grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
SPANISH III
This course will review and further develop skills acquired in Spanish I and II. A wider range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures will be covered. Reading is further developed through short cultural passages and writing is used to produce paragraphs, essays, friendly letters, business letters, text to a speech, etc. Students are given various opportunities to verbally express their opinions on each chapter theme while in class and expected to participate in communicative activities in the target language beyond the classroom.
Grade level: 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: World Language II with grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
SPANISH FOR NATIVE SPEAKERS
SPANISH I-NS: This course is conducted through lectures and conversations. The goal of the instruction is to improve the speaking, reading, and writing skills of Spanish-native-speaking-students. Students will learn to understand Spanish language with an emphasis on grammar, reading, and bilingual communication skills, including listening and speaking. This course studies the fundamental structure of language patterns and vocabulary relevant to the student's immediate environment; career search.
Grade level: 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: None.
SPANISH II-NS:
This course covers literature and composition, understanding and appreciation of Hispanic literature and culture, reading of short stories, writing composition, vocabulary study and sentence structure, introduction to major literary works and career search.
Grade level: 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
SPANISH III NS:
This course is a continuation of Spanish II NS; refinement of literature and composition, understanding and appreciation of Hispanic literature and culture, reading of short stories, writing composition, vocabulary study and sentence structure, introduction to major literary works.
Grade level: 9-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
IB PROGRAM
ICAP: INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM (in pursuit of an IB Diploma or Certificate)
ICAP I: It is an introductory course for students who plan to pursue the International Baccalaureate program. Previous experience in the target language is recommended.
Preparatory International Baccalaureate combines the first two years of study of the modern language into one year and prepares students to fulfill their IB Language B requirement. This course includes practical mastery of skills necessary for understanding, speaking, and writing the language; appreciation of the culture and heritage of the target language.
In this fast paced course students begin the sequential development of the skills needed to understand and speak the foreign language and refine and establish control of the language. Reading and writing are also developed. Students are also introduced to the culture of the countries where the language is spoken. Both written and oral assessments are required.
Grade level: 9
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
ICAP II: Second year of Preparatory International Baccalaureate.
This course is a continuation of ICAP II; refinement of the four basic skills; oral and written composition; additional reading of literature in the target language. ICAP II prepares students to fulfill their IB Language B requirement. The ability to understand and speak the foreign language is further developed through the introduction of additional vocabulary and grammar with emphasis on refining and establishing control of the language. The amount of reading for comprehension is increased. Writing for expression and reinforcement is continued. Students gain additional insights into the culture of the countries where the language is spoken.
Grade level: 10
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
Spanish III ICAP: A continuing course for students who plan to pursue the International Baccalaureate Spanish program. Previous experience in Spanish study required. This course is a continuation of Spanish II; refinement of the four basic skills; oral and written composition; additional reading of Spanish literature.
Prerequites: Minimum grade of C or higher, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test.
ICAP French
French 2/3 ICAP is an accelerated class designed to cover two years of language curriculum in one year for students who plan to pursue a certificate with the International Baccalaureate program. Students must show high motivation, dedication, and success in the first year of French in order to continue on to ICAP.
This course includes practical mastery of skills necessary for understanding, speaking, reading and writing the language; appreciation of the culture and heritage of the target language.
In this fast paced course, students continue the sequential development of the skills needed to understand and speak the foreign language and refine and establish control of the language. Reading and writing are also developed. Students are also introduced to the culture of the countries where the language is spoken. Both written and oral assessments are required.
ICAP German
The German ICAP course is a continuation and expansion of skills mastered in the first year with continued emphasis on the development of communication skills. Additional easy reading of literature from the target language is provided. The goal is to use the target language for active communication. Students read short stories and longer dialogues which employ learned grammatical concepts and vocabulary. They study the geography and the culture through lectures, readings, and films
IB( FROM THE IBO)
Language B is a foreign language learning course designed for students with some previous experience of the language. It may be studied at either higher level or standard level. The main focus of the course is on language acquisition and development in the four primary language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These language skills should be developed through the study and use of a range of written and spoken material. Such material will extend from everyday oral exchanges to literary texts, and should be related to the culture(s) concerned. The material has been chosen to enable students to develop mastery of language skills. It is not being intended solely for the study of specific subject matter or content.
Although the nature of the language B course is the same for both higher level and standard level, the two levels differ in the number of types of texts that students are expected to write and, more generally, in the depth and breadth of the language used. These differences are reflected in the objectives and the assessment criteria.
At both higher level and standard level, a successful language B student is not only learn and assimilate basic language structures but is also be able to use the language in a range of situations and purposes for which and in which the language is used. These situations extend to the domains of work, social relationships and, at higher level, may include the discussion of abstract ideas. The range of texts and material that is used and the specific audiences who are addressed determine the type of language needed for these different situations and purposes. In short, the language B student learns the "rules of the game"-how to communicate effectively in a number of situations and within the culture(s) where the language is spoken.
In the context of language B the successful use of a language consists of demonstrating competence in three distinct but interrelated areas: understanding ideas and how they are organized in order to communicate them appropriately.
• message selecting language appropriate to a particular cultural and social context
• cultural interaction
• language handling the language system accurately (grammar, syntax, etc)
These three areas form the thread that runs through the entire course and that leads students from the "nature of language B", through the description of the language skills to be acquired, to the assessment criteria.
During the course of study, and through the development of all language skills, students are encouraged to develop confidence in the use of the language, sensitivity to the audience and an ability to communicate their ideas clearly.
Grade level: 11-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C or higher, or passing placement test.
LANGUAGE A2.
The language A2 courses, at the upper end of the spectrum, are designed for students with an already high level of competence in the target language (may be native second language speakers or advanced non-native speakers)
Language A2 courses are based firmly on the study of both language and literature. The main focus of these courses is on the reinforcement and refinement of language skills, as distinct from language acquisition. Students will also be given the opportunity to explore the culture(s) of the language, and to make connections between other languages and cultures with which they are familiar. They will be able to use the language for purposes and in situations involving sophisticated discussion, argument and debate. The language A2 courses are available at both higher level and standard level.Offered in 2 languages at Sequoia (German and Spanish)
Gives candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds the opportunity to reach a high level of competency in a second language through the study of a number of prescribed texts (primarily literary)
- Students perform oral and written assessments to demonstrate:
- Their understanding of the culture(s) related to the target language.
- Their ability to express themselves with clarity, coherence, and fluency.
- Their ability to engage in critical examination of a wide range of texts.
Assessment- HL (higher level)
- Two written examination papers externally assessed
- Two essays totaling 1500 words externally assessed
- Two oral activities performed over the duration of the course, internally assessed and externally moderated by the IBO.
Grade level: 11-12
Meets UC/CSU requirements
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C.
IB PSYCHOLOGY
IB Psychology is the study of human behavior from an empirical perspective. The Standard Level IB curriculum will provide students the opportunity to understand optional subject areas in depth.
This course can be used as either an International Baccalaureate Group 3 selection or as an IB elective. Students can take the course in their senior year.
Students learn to replicate an experiment. Content of the course includes a study of psychologists and their theories, and recent research findings related with each perspective (biological, cognitive and learning). A primary emphasis in this course is on utilizing appropriate research to support points made in essays and class discussions. Students will develop an understanding of the historical roots of psychology as well as an appreciation for the diversity of human experience. Through the study of the three major perspectives in psychology - biological, cognitive and learning - students will focus on the skills of critical thinking and the methods of empirical investigation. Students will take the three-hour, standard level IB examination in May.
This course is taught entirely in Spanish.
Grade: 12
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C or higher in Spanish III/IB, recommendation by teacher or passing placement test in Spanish.
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