*IMPORTANT INFORMATION* The following are excerpts from the 2012 Rutherford Public Schools Curriculum Guide from which current students chose their academic courses. The academic and professional merit of a Latin language program is striking: RUTHERFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS World Language Curriculum Guides, Revised and Approved for 2012 Source: rutherfordschools.org/district/curriculum-guides/ PROGRAM INTRODUCTIONS LATIN 4 HONORS Through the study of Latin, students have the opportunity to explore areas of history, philosophy, art, mythology and literature not typically included in other curricula. By studying the culture, daily life and politics of the Romans, students of Latin are studying the foundations of Western literature, law and government. In addition, the Roman Empire spanned a multicultural world and the study of its people and their history equip students to analyze, criticize, understand and respect the similarly diverse cultural threads of the modern world. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Lat4Hon.pdf SPANISH 4 HONORS This course has been designed to reflect the philosophy and goals found in the “New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for World Languages” (2009). The focus of the course is to provide students with the skills they need to create language for communication. The students continue their study of Spanish from the introduction of new material, through reinforcement, evaluation and review, presentations, exercises and activities, all of which are designed to span all four language skills. Culture is integrated throughout the course. This course is designed to meet the needs of students (grades 11-12) who are interested in the advanced study of Spanish grammar, conversation, literature, history, and culture. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Sp4Hon.pdf FRENCH 4 HONORS This course has been designed to reflect the philosophy and goals found in both the national standards, “Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century” (ACTFL, 1999) and the “New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for World Languages” (2009). The focus of the course is to provide students with the skills they need to create language for communication. The students continue their study of French from the introduction of new material, through reinforcement, evaluation and review, presentations, exercises and activities, all of which are designed to span all four language skills. Culture is integrated throughout the course. This course is designed to meet the needs of students (grades 11-12) who are interested in the advanced study of French grammar, conversation, literature, history, and culture. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Fr4Hon.pdf WORKPLACE READINESS LATIN HONORS 4 The benefits of Latin study have long been documented. Barrett in a 1996 paper states that “Students of Latin develop skills and strategies for acquiring new vocabulary and sentence structures, which increase their readiness to acquire other languages as needed. Latin helps cultivate such mental processes as alertness, attention to detail, memory, logic, and critical reasoning.” Latin contributes to the literacy of students and helps them better understand their native language because it teaches them how language works, it introduces them to grammatical structures far different from English, and it helps them focus on and appreciate the uniqueness of English. Through the study of Latin, students have an opportunity to discover their cultural and historical heritage. They can reflect on and analyze the influences of Greco-Roman civilization on the present society and on their own lives. Latin study gives students a sense of continuity and perspective. It allows them to reflect on the past while trying to apply the lessons of the past to future events. As Cicero, the Roman statesman, said, “Whoever is ignorant of the past remains forever a child.” “Furthermore, Latin develops the students’ ability for abstract reasoning. Because it lacks direct applicability in most circumstances (a walk through Rome or attendance at a Latin mass being the exceptions), it must be viewed and manipulated as a system with its own rules, form, and possibilities. In this respect, Latin helps provide many of the essentials of mental discipline while it prepares the mind for the richest kind of intellectual play.” (Basic Education, Vol. 5, No.7, March 1991, pp. 6-7). rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Lat4Hon.pdf SPANISH HONORS 4 As the students progress through the course, their communicative competence will increase. They will be able to use Spanish both within and beyond the school setting. They will also be able to use Spanish as an ancillary skill in the workplace. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Sp4Hon.pdf FRENCH HONORS 4 No section listed. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Lat4Hon.pdf INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS LATIN HONORS 4 The study of Latin provides interdisciplinary experiences for the learner in areas of vocabulary, culture, geography, and history. In addition, students use their knowledge of Latin to acquire new information as they read authentic works which may also relate to other subject areas. (SCLL p. 11) rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Lat4Hon.pdf SPANISH HONORS 4 As the students progress through the levels of the Spanish program so, too, will the interdisciplinary content progress. They will gain an insight that the study of Spanish offers much to their overall education. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Sp4Hon.pdf FRENCH HONORS 4 As the students progress through the levels of the French program so, too, will the interdisciplinary content progress. They will gain an insight that the study of French offers much to their overall education. rutherfordschools.org/boardofed/curriculum/world_lang/WL_Lat4Hon.pdf
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 03:21:52 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015