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World Language Curriculum

Prerequisites: None

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma.

American Sign Language I is a course that introduces students to American Sign Language (ASL) and the deaf community. The course focuses on frequently used signs through a functional-notional approach, and discusses cultural features of the deaf community. Emphasis is placed on development of receptive and expressive language skills. Through this course, students are given the opportunity to develop visual acuity; follow brief verbal instructions; understand short statements, questions, and dialogues; develop short descriptions with guidance; begin to understand the current GLOSSING system used to write ASL; and examine other methods developed to write ASL, including Sign Writing. Students also learn to recognize the difference between the pathological and psychological definitions of deafness, recognize the widespread use of ASL throughout the United States, and develop an understanding of the relationship between languages and cultures as a whole. Opportunities will be given to learn religious signs, do religious signing of songs, prayers, Bible stories, and devoti ties in the Indianapolis community and beyond.

Prerequisite: ASL I

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

American Sign Language II is a course that continues the focus on frequently used signs through a functional-notional approach and the discussion of the cultural features of the deaf community. Emphasis is placed on further development of receptive and expressive communication skills in American Sign Language (ASL). Through this course, students are given the opportunity to watch and understand short stories, dialogues and poetry in ASL; continue to develop visual discrimination skills; begin to understand various dialects of ASL by interacting with ASL users within the deaf community; begin to use classifiers appropriately; continue the mastery of the current GLOSSING system used in texts to write ASL; and begin to write in GLOSS their own simple dialogues, poetry and translations. Students will also learn to examine some of the political issues associated with the deaf community, and will further develop an understanding of the relationship between languages and cultures as a whole. Opportunities will be given to learn religious signs, do religious signing of songs, prayers, Bible stories, and dev y opportunities in the Indianapolis community and beyond.

Prerequisites: ASL I, ASL II

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

American Sign Language III is a course that continues to focus on the students’ non- verbal communication skills at advanced levels of competency. American Sign Language is used exclusively in the class as students communicate using more complex structures of the language on a variety of topics, moving from concrete to more abstract concepts. This course provides opportunities for students to learn to express themselves in advanced situations, using more sophisticated vocabulary and structure; apply advanced grammatical features, such as descriptors, classifier use and various numbering systems; and develop the ability to discuss topics related to historical and contemporary events and issues within the hearing-impaired community. Students will also build on narrative skills and learn to relay information they’ve read or heard through explanation of more complex ideas. This course further emphasizes the development of spontaneous language responsive behaviors through activities designed for this purpose. Opportunities will be given to learn religious signs, do religious signing of songs, prayers, Bible stories, an earn about Deaf ministry opportunities in the Indianapolis community and beyond.

Prerequisite: ASL I, ASL II, and ASL III

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

American Sign Language IV is a course that continues to focus on the students’ non- verbal communication skills at advanced levels of competency. American Sign Language is used exclusively in the class as students communicate using more complex structures of the language on a variety of topics, moving from concrete to more abstract concepts. This course provides opportunities for students to learn to express themselves in advanced situations, using more sophisticated vocabulary and structure; apply advanced grammatical features, such as descriptors, classifier use and various numbering systems; and develop the ability to discuss topics related to historical and contemporary events and issues within the hearing-impaired community. Students will also build on narrative skills and learn to relay information they’ve read or heard through explanation of more complex ideas. This course further emphasizes the development of spontaneous language responsive behaviors through activities designed for this purpose. Some beginning interpreting activities will be done from English to ASL as well as ASL to English. Opportunities will be given to learn religious signs, do religious signing of songs, prayers, Bible stories, and devotions and learn about Deaf ministry opportunities in the Indianapolis community and beyond.

Prerequisite: None

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

Spanish I, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, introduces students to effective strategies for beginning Spanish language learning, and to various aspects of Spanish- speaking culture. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to basic requests and questions, understand and use appropriate greetings and forms of address, participate in brief guided conversations on familiar topics, and write short passages with guidance. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as reading isolated words and phrases in a situational context and comprehending brief written or oral directions.

Additionally, students will examine the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; recognize basic routine practices of the target culture; and recognize and use situation- appropriate non-verbal communication. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom.

Spanish I offers opportunities for students to connect with Christ in Spanish through daily prayer, short bible stories, songs, celebrations of Christian holidays, worship opportunities in Spanish, as well as day-to-day examples of living a Christian life communicated through themed vocabulary.

Prerequisite: C or better in Spanish I. Department Approval.

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

Spanish II, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, builds upon effective strategies for Spanish language learning by encouraging the use of the language and cultural understanding for self-directed purposes. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to requests and questions in expanded contexts, participate independently in brief conversations on familiar topics, and write cohesive passages with greater independence and using appropriate formats. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as using contextual clues to guess meaning and comprehending longer written or oral directions. Students will address thepresentational mode by presenting prepared material on a variety of topics, as well as reading aloud to practice appropriate pronunciation and intonation.

Additionally, students will describe the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; report on basic family and social practices of the target culture; and describe contributions from the target culture. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom.

Spanish II continues to offer opportunities for students to connect with Christ in Spanish through daily prayer, short bible stories, songs, celebrations of Christian holidays, worship opportunities in Spanish, as well as day to day examples of living a Christian life communicated through themed vocabulary.

Prerequisite: C or better in Spanish II. Department Approval.

Credits: 2

Fulfills a World Language requirement for the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma or counts as a Directed Elective or Elective for Core 40 diploma

Spanish III, a course based on Indiana’s Academic Standards for World Languages, builds upon effective strategies for Spanish language learning by encouraging the use of the language and cultural understanding for self-directed purposes. This course encourages interpersonal communication through speaking and writing, providing opportunities to make and respond to requests and questions in expanded contexts, participate independently in brief conversations on familiar topics, and write cohesive passages with greater independence and using appropriate formats. This course also emphasizes the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, such as using contextual clues to guess meaning and comprehending longer written or oral directions. Students will address the presentational mode by presenting prepared material on a variety of topics, as well as reading aloud to practice appropriate pronunciation and intonation.

Additionally, students will describe the practices, products and perspectives of Spanish-speaking culture; report on basic family and social practices of the target culture; and describe contributions from the target culture. This course further emphasizes making connections across content areas and the application of understanding Spanish language and culture outside of the classroom.

Spanish III continues to offer opportunities for students to connect with Christ in Spanish through daily prayer, short bible stories, songs, celebrations of Christian holidays, worship opportunities in Spanish, as well as day to day examples of living a Christian life communicated through themed vocabulary.