Modern Languages

The Modern Language Program at Loyola Blakefield has been designed to meet the needs of students at varying levels of academic ability. Thus, the department offers both standard college preparatory courses and an honors program in modern foreign language. In both programs, however, the general goals and objectives of the department are to provide for an oral comprehension level commensurate with the student’s ability, to instill a basic mastery of the vocabulary and structure of the language and to cultivate in the student an understanding of and appreciation for the cultures of the people who speak the language. In addition, a Spanish A Program is offered to students in grades 9 through 12 who have certain documented language learning differences. The department views communication in an oral and written form in the modern foreign language as its ultimate goal. All Modern Language students regularly utilize the Language Lab, which allows them to engage in interactive communicative exercises in their target language.

Loyola Blakefield requires its students to complete three levels of the same modern foreign language. As Loyola’s middle school students complete level one over the course of the seventh and eighth grades, they are required to complete at least two additional levels in grades nine and ten. All incoming students who have studied a foreign language at other schools are given the opportunity to take a placement test, if the language they studied is offered at Loyola. As a result of their achievement on this placement test, some students may need to begin their study of a foreign language at Loyola’s level one. Others may be admitted into the second level of their language and thus would be required to complete only levels two and three. Students who complete the three level modern language requirement by the end of grade ten or eleven are strongly encouraged to continue studying their language at advanced levels through elective courses. Doing so will remove or reduce the gap between their study of modern language in high school and college, and it may also allow them to place out of certain college levels. Students achieving a grade of “B” or better in one foreign language may, with departmental approval, take a course in a second modern language.

The department also offers several exciting opportunities for students to practice and develop their language skills outside the classroom. Linguistic and cultural immersion trips to Spanish-speaking countries and Italy are periodically offered during the summer months. In addition, during the school year, students from Italy and Spanish-speaking countries attend classes at Loyola and live with Loyola families. Loyola students and their families are invited to consider hosting these international students.

AP Italian Language

AP Italian Language and Culture is equivalent to an Italian Composition and Conversation course typically taken in the fifth semester of collegiate language studies. This course is designed to help students achieve a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, preparing them for the Advanced Placement Examination in Italian Language and for travel throughout the Italian-speaking world. In addition to reviewing and refining advanced grammar points and expanding their vocabulary, students will develop their listening skills through exposure to native speakers. They will narrate stories and discuss complex and sophisticated themes, similar to those found on the AP exam. Students will engage with a variety of literary and cinematic works, including novels, essays, and newspaper articles. They will write frequently on a range of topics to develop their ability to compose cogent, well-structured essays and speak extemporaneously on diverse subjects. This class is conducted entirely in Italian. When available, students at this level have the opportunity to participate in a trip to Italy with their teacher for a fully immersive educational experience.
AP Spanish Language

AP Spanish Language and Culture is the equivalent of a “Spanish Composition and Conversation” class, which is typically taken in the fifth semester of collegiate language studies. The course is designed to help students achieve a high level of proficiency in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, which will prepares them for the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Language and for travel throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In addition to reviewing and refining subtle grammar points and increasing their vocabulary, students will practice their listening skills by exposure to the speech of native speakers. They will narrate stories and speak about complex and advanced themes such as those found on the examination. They will be exposed to various types of literature and film, including novels, plays, poems, essays, song lyrics, and newspaper articles.
AP Spanish Literature

AP Spanish Literature and Culture is the equivalent of a
“Survey of Hispanic Literature” class, which is typically taken in the sixth semester of collegiate language studies. The course is designed to expose students to prominent literary works from Spain and Latin America, thereby preparing them for the Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Literature. Literature encompassing various genres and authors from the Middle Ages to the present day will be covered in accordance with the reading list from the College Board. History, art, philosophy, geography, and other cultural topics will also be studied as they pertain to the reading list. Students will improve upon their written skills as they analyze literary works and write critically about them, and they will improve upon their oral/aural skills by analyzing and discussing the works in class. This class is conducted entirely in Spanish.
Film & Music in Spanish Culture Honors

The course is designed to familiarize our students with Spanish film, literature, and music. In this course, students will develop their listening, critical reading, writing, and argumentation skills through engagement with a rich corpus of Spain and Latin American cultural production. The main goal of the class will be to develop conversational and writing fluency through movies, literature, and music of the Hispanic world. The result will be a student who has a broader vision of the world, better understands and respects diversity and has improved his Spanish language conversational skills.
Italian 7

In Italian 7, students are introduced to the four basic skills of language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students are introduced to basic vocabulary and grammatical structures and are able, in a limited way, to express themselves orally and in writing up to the present tense. But it’s not just about language—it’s an adventure! Students sing catchy Italian songs, watch fun cultural videos, and explore the amazing world of Italy—its art, geography, history, and traditions. From famous landmarks to delicious food, students gets a taste of what makes Italy so special.
Italian I

ITALIAN I. In this course, students begin developing the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They build a strong foundation in vocabulary and grammar, allowing them to communicate in Italian using the Present Tense of regular and irregular verbs in both spoken and written forms. Beyond language, students explore Italy’s rich culture, art, geography, history, and traditions through engaging activities, music, and videos. With interactive, performance-based projects and assessments, they gain the confidence to use Italian in real-world situations. This course provides an exciting and immersive introduction to Italian, preparing students for further language study and cultural exploration.
Italian I Honors

ITALIAN I HONORS. In this course, students begin developing the four key language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They build a strong foundation in vocabulary and grammar, allowing them to communicate in Italian using the Present Tense of regular and irregular verbs in both spoken and written forms. Beyond language, students explore Italy’s rich culture, art, geography, history, and traditions through engaging activities, music, and videos. With interactive, performance-based projects and assessments, they gain the confidence to use Italian in real-world situations. This course provides an exciting and immersive introduction to Italian, preparing students for further language study and cultural exploration.
Italian II

After a thorough review of Italian I that reinforces the students’ ability to speak in the present, student learn to express themselves in the past. Students enjoy creating more elaborate sentence both in writing and speaking. Students are also able to use a broader range of pronouns. Their vocabulary expands to address a wide variety of topics such as food, descriptive expressions, parts of the body, parts of the city, numbers up to a million, clothes, sports, animals, and more. The use of CDs and videos with songs, or scenes from Italian contemporary life, give students the opportunity to listen to the speech of native speakers. Students are given increased opportunities to practice their writing and speaking skills using performance-based and communicative-based activities and assessments, and they continue to learn more about Italian culture.
Italian II Honors

After a thorough review of Italian I Honors that reinforces the students’ ability to speak in the present, student learn to express themselves in the past. Students enjoy creating more elaborate sentence both in writing and speaking. Students are also able to use a broader range of pronouns. Their vocabulary expands to address a wide variety of topics such as food, descriptive expressions, parts of the body, parts of the city, numbers up to a million, clothes, sports, animals, and more. The use of CDs and videos with songs, or scenes from Italian contemporary life, give students the opportunity to listen to the speech of native speakers. Students are given increased opportunities to practice their writing and speaking skills using performance-based and communicative-based activities and assessments, and they continue to learn more about Italian culture.
Italian III

Italian III offers students the opportunity to expand grammatical and lexical concepts, strengthening their ability to communicate in both written and spoken forms. Emphasis is placed on new verb forms, including the Imperative to give commands, the Future and Conditional to express plans and wishes, and the Imperfect to describe habitual actions or past events. Students also learn to make comparisons, express superlative evaluations, and describe daily routines using reflexive verbs. The study of Italian history and culture continues, incorporating reading and analysis of prose, film discussions, and research projects. Among the subject topics and vocabulary are the rooms of the house, table and table settings, technology, pastimes, traveling, and music. As students advance, the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—assume greater importance. Students at this level are offered normally the possibility to travel to Italy in the Spring with their teacher and have an immersive educational experience.
Italian III Honors

Italian III Honors offers students the opportunity to expand grammatical and lexical concepts, strengthening their ability to communicate in both written and spoken forms. Emphasis is placed on new verb forms, including the Imperative to give commands, the Future and Conditional to express plans and wishes, and the Imperfect to describe habitual actions or past events. Students also learn to make comparisons, express superlative evaluations, and describe daily routines using reflexive verbs. The study of Italian history and culture continues, incorporating reading and analysis of prose, film discussions, and research projects. Among the subject topics and vocabulary are the rooms of the house, table and table settings, technology, pastimes, traveling, and music. As students advance, the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—assume greater importance. This course is conducted almost entirely in Italian, fostering a fully immersive language experience. Students at this level are offered normally the possibility to travel to Italy in the Spring and have an immersive educational experience.
Italian IV

Italian IV is a continuation of Italian III, designed to further develop students' proficiency in the language. After a comprehensive grammatical review, more advanced topics and structures are introduced or explored in greater depth. As students delve deeper into Italian culture, they continue to refine their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to enhance their ability to communicate effectively. They engage with a variety of reading, writing, and speaking assignments, including dialogues, cultural essays, newspaper articles, films, songs, and videos on Italian traditions. Through projects and discussions, they expand their understanding of Italy’s social and historical landscape. Listening skills are strengthened through the frequent use of multimedia resources, ensuring a well-rounded linguistic experience. This course is conducted entirely in Italian, fostering full immersion in the language. Students at this level are offered to participate in a trip to Italy, with their teacher, when available, for a full immersive educational experience.
Italian IV Honors

Italian IV is a continuation of Italian III, designed to further develop students' proficiency in the language. After a comprehensive grammatical review, more advanced topics and structures are introduced or explored in greater depth. As students delve deeper into Italian culture, they continue to refine their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to enhance their ability to communicate effectively. They engage with a variety of reading, writing, and speaking assignments, including dialogues, cultural essays, newspaper articles, films, songs, and videos on Italian traditions. Through projects and discussions, they expand their understanding of Italy’s social and historical landscape. Listening skills are strengthened through the frequent use of multimedia resources, ensuring a well-rounded linguistic experience. This course is conducted entirely in Italian, fostering full immersion in the language. Students at this level are offered to participate in a trip to Italy, with their teacher, when available, for a full immersive educational experience.
Spanish 7

Seventh grade Spanish is an introduction to the Spanish language and elements of Hispanic culture. Students learn how to have basic conversations in Spanish through class discussions, workbook activities, songs, short stories, and other communicative activities. They begin to develop an understanding of basic grammatical structures such as noun-adjective agreement and conjugation of verbs in the preset tense. They also practice pronunciation of the Spanish language through listening and speaking activities.
Spanish I

SPANISH I. In this course, students begin to develop the four basic skills of language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are introduced to basic vocabulary and grammatical structures and are able, in a limited way, to express themselves orally and in writing. Aspects of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world will be presented. Performance-based activities and assessments are integrated into the program, which has as its goal the development of communicative competence.
Spanish I A

This course provides a supportive and relaxed learning environment, allowing students to develop the four key language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—at a comfortable pace, with an emphasis on listening and speaking. Students are introduced to basic vocabulary and grammatical structures in context and gradually build the ability to express themselves orally and in writing using a variety of tenses and moods. Through engaging activities, students explore the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world while developing their communicative competence. Performance-based activities and assessments are integrated to reinforce learning in a way that builds confidence and success.
Spanish I Honors

SPANISH I HONORS. In this course, students begin to develop the four basic skills of language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are introduced to basic vocabulary and grammatical structures and are able, in a limited way, to express themselves orally and in writing. Aspects of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world will be presented. Performance-based activities and assessments are integrated into the program, which has as its goal the development of communicative competence.
Spanish II

SPANISH II. After a thorough review of Spanish I, students will learn to express themselves in a variety of moods and tenses. They also begin to use more complex grammatical structures that include adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions. Their vocabulary expands to address a wider variety of topics. The use of audio-visual materials gives students the opportunity to listen to the speech of native speakers. Students are given increased opportunities to practice their writing and speaking skills using performance-based and communicative-based activities and assessments, and they continue to learn more about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish II A

This course begins with a thorough review of Spanish I A. Students use more elaborated grammatical structures at an easy pace, and discover new idiomatic expressions. They develop a larger vocabulary to address familiar topics. The use of audio-visual materials gives students the opportunity to listen to the speech of native speakers. Students are given increased opportunities to practice their writing and speaking skills using performance-based and communicative-based activities and assessments, and they continue to learn more about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish II Honors

SPANISH II HONORS. After a thorough review of Spanish I, students will learn to express themselves in a variety of moods and tenses. They also begin to use more complex grammatical structures that include adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions. Their vocabulary expands to address a wider variety of topics. The use of audio-visual materials gives students the opportunity to listen to the speech of native speakers. Students are given increased opportunities to practice their writing and speaking skills using performance-based and communicative-based activities and assessments, and they continue to learn more about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish III

Spanish III is a continuation and refinement of Spanish II. After a thorough review of previous material, students learn to express themselves using a greater variety of tenses and moods, along with more complex grammatical structures. Their vocabulary continues to expand, allowing for increased proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students engage in various conversations to enhance their verbal skills and continue exploring the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, including music from well-known artists. Topics covered throughout the year include health and medical terms, technology, household chores and living spaces, nature and the environment, professions, and discussing the future.
Spanish III A

This course is a continuation and refinement of Spanish II A. Students learn to express themselves in a variety of tenses and moods and by using more complex grammatical structures. Their vocabulary continues to expand to permit increased mastery of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) with more emphasis placed on their listening and speaking skills. They continue their study of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanish III Honors

Spanish III Honors builds upon the concepts taught in Spanish II Honors, offering students the opportunity to synthesize and expand their grammatical and lexical knowledge. After a thorough review of previous material, students refine their ability to express themselves using a greater variety of tenses, moods, and complex grammatical structures. Increased emphasis is placed on developing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with grammar instruction focusing on the subtleties of the language. Students engage in meaningful conversations to enhance their verbal skills and continue exploring the history and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, incorporating music, literature, and the analysis of prose and poetry. Topics covered throughout the year include health and medical terms, technology, household chores and living spaces, nature and the environment, professions, and discussing the future. This course is conducted almost entirely in Spanish to promote fluency and immersion.
Spanish IV

Spanish IV is the continuation of Spanish III. After a thorough grammatical review, more advanced topics are included. While exploring greater detail the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, students continue to develop each of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) necessary for increased ability to communicate. Students are exposed to a variety of reading assignments which include dialogues, cultural essays, and newspaper articles. They will continue to develop listening skills by frequent use of multimedia. This class is conducted entirely in Spanish.
Spanish IV Honors

This course is designed to apply all the skills learned during the first three years. Students will review the grammar with particular emphasis on nuances. A greater emphasis will be placed on reading, as students will read a novel, poetry, short stories, excerpts from plays, and newspaper articles. They will use the Internet to keep informed about current events in the Spanish-speaking world. They will continue to develop their ability to express themselves in speech and in writing and will develop greater ability to understand the speech of native speakers. This class is conducted entirely in Spanish.