Vocabulary

VOCABULARY

French	German	Spanish
less difficult	less difficult	more difficult
more words similar to English cognates	more words similar to English cognates	fewer words similar to English due to Arabic influences
more difficult to spell	less difficult to spell, longer words are made up of smaller words	easy to spell, many letters only produce one sound

GRAMMAR

French	German	Spanish
less difficult, especially with past tense and subjunctive	more difficult ,especially due to noun and adjective declensions	more difficult, especially with past tense and subjunctive
		2 verbs for to be

PRONUNCIATION

French	German	Spanish
more difficult	somewhat more difficult	less difficult
more exceptions to the rule, some sounds that don't exist in English	spoken as written, with some sounds that don't exist in English	more phonetic, fewer sounds that don't exist in English

EXPECTED LEVEL OF COMPETENCE

At the completion of the beginning level of language study, students will:

understand isolated words and high frequency statements and questions

produce language for elementary needs and basic courtesies

recognize familiar words and expressions in authentic materials

be able to copy or transcribe familiar words and phrases

begin to identify geographic areas where the target language is spoken

become familiar with some activities and traditions in the target culture

begin to gain ability to use language and behavior appropriate to real-life situations

At the completion of the intermediate level of language study, students will:

be able to understand high-frequency commands, questions and basic information in context

carry out basic communicative exchanges, express some preferences and emotions, and show signs of spontaneity

be able to read authentic materials for the main idea and identify some supporting detail

be able to write simple expressions and sentences and recombine structures and vocabulary learned

show cultural understanding in behaviors and language

At the completion of the advanced level of language study, students will:

be able to understand authentic language in real-life situations and carry out more complex tasks

be able to handle successfully interactive discourse in task-oriented and social situations

be able to read authentic material (including literature) with increased understanding

write effectively for practical needs and be able to create in the language with appropriate accuracy (i.e. in description, narration, and supported opinion)

have a greater recognition of the target culture’s language and behavior, geographical features, historical events and important individuals and achievements

READING

The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.

1.1

use word recognition and word meaning skills to read and comprehend text such as phonics, context clues, picture clues, and word origins; roots, prefixes and suffixes of words.

1.2

build vocabulary through reading

The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes.

3.2

read to perform a task such as using schedules, following directions, filling out job applications and solving problems

3.5

develop interests and share reading experiences

WRITING

1.1

apply writing conventions; know and apply correct spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and capitalization

2.3

write in a variety of forms, including narratives, journals, poems, essays, stories, research reports, and technical writing

COMMUNICATIONS

The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding.

1.1

focus attention

1.2

listen and observe to gain and interpret information

1.3

check for understanding by asking questions and paraphrasing