World Languages

This is the first course in a two-course sequence and focuses on everyday communication in American Sign Language for the Deaf. It introduces students to the basic signs, techniques, and cultural knowledge, which will support the students to start signing beginning level conversational ASL. Each lesson is built upon a familiar topic such as family, self and friends so that students will find meaningful connection to the lessons. Students will be asked to use various media tools including online resources, online dictionaries, a web cam, and the web based audio-visual tool VoiceThread to master the content presented in the course. Students will be producing their own signing videos to demonstrate their learning. The goal of this course is to help develop fundamental ASL skills, and to understand Deafness, knowledge, and interest that students will need to advance to the higher levels of ASL courses.

This course is the second in a two-course sequence. Topics addressed in the course include information about the Deaf culture, communication problems associated with deaf individuals, and the linguistic heritage of the Deaf community and its influence on our own culture. The online text includes many videos that include role-playing conversations as well as vocabulary. There will be live sessions using a web cam during which time students will demonstrate a mastery of general sign vocabulary along with producing their own conversations.

This is the first course of the second year ASL courses and must be taken after the successful completion of the first year ASL courses. This course continues to focus on everyday communication in ASL by introducing students to the basic signs, techniques and culture. To help develop receptive skills without relying on lip movements of the signers, the signing videos will be all “voice off.” To develop expressive skills, students will continue to express their thoughts in signs within the given context in the lessons. Through the introduction to some of the higher ASL techniques such as classifiers and indexing, this second year courses is designed to helps students to develop an understanding that ASL is a visual language that delivers one’s ideas and thoughts using more than the individual signs. Students will continue to use various media tools including online resources, online dictionaries, a web cam and the web based audio-visual tool VoiceThread to master the content presented in the course.

This is the second course of the second year of ASL courses. The course continues to focus on useful communication that students should be able to carry out in ASL. Students study the basic signs and phrases, techniques, and cultural nature of the language. This course introduces the students to the new concept of conceptually accurate signing that places emphasis on awareness of differences between ASL and English. Lesson topics shift from the everyday interaction in one’s immediate environment to interactions in the community to help students to build signing skills for obtaining and providing information rather than simply exchanging information. To support students build the conceptual accuracy, the lessons stress ASL classifiers; students will be challenged to receptively identify some of the most common classifiers in contexts, and to apply them in their own signing. As a part of culture learning, students will continue to learn more facts about the Deaf culture as well as current and past challenging social issues. The signing videos will be all “voice off” to help develop students’ receptive skills without reading lips. Students will continue to produce their own signing videos to demonstrate their learning. The goal of this course is to help utilize the fundamental ASL skills and knowledge into simple interpersonal and social interactions, and to build confidence needed to advance to the higher levels of ASL courses.

In French 1A, students will begin their language-learning journey by gaining the skills needed to talk about themselves and the world around them. The theme for the course is Ma vie (My Life). Students will learn to introduce themselves, share some basic personal information, talk about their family and friends, discuss what they like to do for fun, and describe their daily routine at home and school. Throughout the course, students will follow along on the fictional journey of three students learning French, seeing them in school, at home, and in other parts of their daily lives. French 1A is the first semester of a two-semester course. The class takes a proficiency-based approach, which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is placed on meaningful language use, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities.

In French 1B, students will continue their language learning journey by exploring the French-speaking world. Students will use the language to learn about the cultural practices and products of France while independently conducting research on another French-speaking location of their choice. Throughout the course, students will follow the fictional journey of three students and their teacher, as they themselves explore and share they’ve learned about French-speaking cultures. French 1B is the second semester of a two-semester course. The class takes a proficiency-based approach which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is placed on meaningful language use, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities.

French 2A is the first semester of a two-semester course, which builds on the foundation of language skills acquired in French 1A and 1B. The class takes a proficiency-based approach which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is placed on meaningful language use, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities.

French 2B is the second semester of a two-semester course, which builds on the foundation of language skills acquired in French 1A – 2A. The class takes a proficiency-based approach which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is placed on meaningful language use, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities.

German 1A is the first semester of a two-semester course. In German 1A, students will begin their language-learning journey by gaining the skills needed to talk about themselves and their immediate environment. Students will learn to introduce themselves, share some basic personal information, talk about their family and friends, discuss what they like to do for fun, and describe their daily routine at home and school. The class takes a proficiency-based approach, which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is put on German-speaking cultures around the world, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities. Throughout the 4 Modules, each containing 3 units, students’ language learning is guided by Can Do statements which focus on specific language abilities, such as “I can greet others and introduce myself.”

German 1B is the second semester of a two-semester course. In German 1B, students will continue their language-learning journey by gaining the skills needed to talk about themselves, their immediate environment, and German-speaking communities. Students will learn to share some basic personal information about topics including healthy eating habits, family traditions, and pop culture preferences. In addition, students will gather information about a German-speaking community and use this information for a presentation. To prepare for this students will gain the skills necessary to discuss culture, geography, and governments. The class takes a proficiency-based approach, which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is put on German-speaking cultures around the world, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities. Throughout the 4 Modules, each containing 3 units, students’ language learning is guided by Can Do statements which focus on specific language abilities, such as “I can greet others and introduce myself.”

German 2A is the first semester of a two-semester course, which builds on the foundation of language skills acquired in German 1A and 1B. The class takes a proficiency-based approach which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners. A heavy focus is placed on meaningful language use, with grammar being learned implicitly through input and meaning-based activities.

German 2B is the second semester of a two-semester course. In German 2B, students will continue their language-learning journey by gaining the skills needed to talk about themselves, their immediate environment, and German-speaking communities. Students will learn to share some basic personal information about topics including their communities, culture, spending habits, and future career plans. This course culminates with students presenting information about themselves. To prepare for this, students will write short texts about themselves and work toward their final presentation throughout the course. The class takes a proficiency-based approach, which is informed by current language acquisition research and the ACTFL performance descriptors for novice language learners.

This is the first course in a two-course sequence and focuses on the most widely used Japanese syllabic writing system (Hiragana) and greetings and phrases used in everyday communication and contemporary Japanese cultures. Lessons are built upon familiar topics such as self, family, school, and friends to provide meaningful contexts to develop everyday conversation skills. Each lesson is designed to help students learn Hiragana gradually through decoding words and reading to speak conversational expressions. The course includes audio and video learning objects to demonstrate native Japanese speaker’s pronunciation, which supports students in building their interpersonal and interpretive fluency in Japanese. This course targets the Novice Level of MI World Language Standards and Benchmarks.

This is the second course in a two-course sequence. While it continues focusing on practical everyday communication skills and contemporary Japanese cultures, the course introduces the second widely used Japanese syllabic writing system, katakana. Lessons are built upon familiar topics such as self, family, school, and friends to provide meaningful contexts to develop everyday conversation skills. Each lesson is designed to help students learn katakana gradually as students work to master the first syllabic system hiragana through decoding words and reading to speak conversational expressions. The course includes audio and video learning objects to demonstrate native Japanese speaker’s pronunciation, which supports students in building their interpersonal and interpretive fluency in Japanese. It is also designed for students to experience and appreciate the third writing system, kanji. This course targets the Novice Level of the Michigan World Language Standards and Benchmarks.

This is the first course in a two-course sequence of the second year Japanese. Lessons focus on language skills in everyday social interactions such as shopping, ordering food, and asking about the weather to communicate one’s need. Lessons also focus on contemporary Japanese cultures and practices to support culturally relevant communications. The introduction to the semantic writing system, Kanji, widely known as “Chinese Characters,” begins in this course. All course materials use Hiragana and Katakana without the Romaji guides. Therefore students are encouraged to shift away from the Romaji use. All lessons are equipped with audio and video learning objects to demonstrate native Japanese speaker’s pronunciation, which supports interpersonal and interpretive fluency in Japanese. This course targets the Novice Level of MI World Language Standards and Benchmarks.

This is the second course in a two-course sequence of the second year Japanese. Lessons focus on language skills in everyday social interactions such as talking about past experiences, getting around the town, and writing emails to communicate one’s need. Lessons also focus on contemporary Japanese cultures and practices to support culturally relevant communications. The introduction to the semantic writing system, Kanji, widely known as “Chinese Characters,” continues in this course. All course materials use Hiragana and Katakana without the Romaji guides. Therefore students are encouraged to shift away from the Romaji use. All lessons are equipped with audio and video learning objects to demonstrate native Japanese speaker’s pronunciation, which supports interpersonal and interpretive fluency in Japanese. This course targets the Novice Level of MI World Language Standards and Benchmarks.