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Modern Language Home / Course Descriptions

Culver City High School is an engaged and caring academic community where diversity is valued and respected. We are committed to educating and inspiring all students to become life-long learners and contributing members of our global society.



MODERN LANGUAGES
 
Please carefully read the course descriptions to make a more informed and appropriate choice.
 
If you want to understand a person, his culture, his arts, his history, you should understand his language. If you want to know how a person feels, you should speak to him in his language.
 
All language courses fulfill university admission requirements unless otherwise stated.
 
SPANISH
 
 
PLACEMENT INTO SPANISH CLASSES
 
In a concerted effort to offer a well-rounded, educationally inclusive program at Culver City High School, the Department of Modern Languages has created the following guidelines for placement into courses. All students and courses will be held to the same standards set forth here and will be governed by the same guidelines. We hope this will simplify and expedite the process of which courses students should enroll.
Standard Progression of Spanish Classes:
  • Spanish Language Classes Spanish Immersion Program/Native Speakers
  • Spanish I
  • Spanish II Spanish II / Immersion / Native Speakers
  • Spanish III Spanish III / Immersion / Native Speakers
  • Spanish IV – AP (AP Language)
  • Spanish V – AP (AP Literature)
Who should enroll in Spanish Language Classes?
  1. Non-Spanish speaking students, (non-native speaker).
  2. Students previously enrolled in Spanish Language classes at Middle School or High School level (non-native speaker).
 
Who should enroll in the Spanish Immersion/Native Speakers program?
  1. Students previously enrolled in CCUSD Spanish Immersion Program. For the student who participated in the Immersion Program K-8, the Immersion/Native Speaker, Level II, would be the best placement for him/her. If the student participated in the Immersion Program only through the fifth (5th) grade, the best placement would be in a Spanish II Language Class.
  2. Fluent Spanish Speakers who speak Spanish at home.
 
REQUIREMENTS
  • To be promoted to the next level class (non immersion and non honors/AP) at the end of the year, one must earn a passing grade.
  • To be promoted from Spanish III to Spanish IV-AP Language, the student needs a “B” or better.
  • To enter Spanish V-AP Literature, a student must earn a “B” or better.
PLACEMENT SPECIFICS FOR SPANISH
 
If the student is:
  1. Non-Spanish Speaking
  2. Native Spanish Speaker
  3. From the Immersion Program (K-8)
  4. From the Immersion Program (K-5)
  5. Completed Spanish at the Middle School (Both 7th and 8th Grades) with a “C” or Better.
 
Then the appropriate placement would be:
  1. Spanish I Language Class
  2. Spanish II Immersion/Native Speakers
  3. Spanish II Immersion/Native Speakers
  4. Spanish II Immersion/Native Speakers or Spanish II Language Class.
  5. Spanish II Language Class
 
SPANISH I (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Note: The department of Modern Languages does not recommend this course for students with Spanish language background or for those previously in the Immersion Program.
 
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the Spanish language and culture. Communicative proficiency is developed in real-life situations through the practical use of the language. The essentials of grammar will be taught to reinforce the inter-related skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
 
SPANISH II (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade to go on to the next level.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Note: This course is not recommended by the department of modern languages for students with Spanish language background or for those previously in the Immersion Program.
 
Course Description: This course is designed to supplement and reinforce the first level. The student begins a more intensive study of the grammar and culture of Spanish-speaking people. Communicative proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing is the goal for all students.
 
SPANISH III (10, 11, 12) One Year Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade to go on to the next level.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Note: This course is not recommended by the Department of Modern Languages for students with Spanish language background or those previously in the Immersion Program.
 
Course Description: Spanish III initiates an in-depth study of the Spanish language and culture. The three language aims of reading, writing and speaking are interrelated and intensified. The student is required to express his own thoughts in greater detail and with more abstract conceptions. The study of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions are emphasized. Some literature will be introduced.
 
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) SPANISH IV LANGUAGE (11, 12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a grade of B or better in Spanish III
UC/CSU Subject Area – E
 
Course Description: This course is designed to prepare students for the Spanish Language Advanced Placement Exam by developing fluency in reading, listening, writing and speaking; supported by understanding of vocabulary, rules of grammar and pronunciation, as well as a general knowledge of historical and geographical factors leading to and affecting contemporary cultures of Latino people of North, Central and South America. In May, students in this class are expected to take the AP examination.
 
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) SPANISH V LITERATURE (11, 12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a grade of B or better in AP Spanish IV.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
 
Course Description: This course offers advanced students of Spanish the opportunity to read both Latin American and Spanish works of literature. Students will participate in class discussions, group research projects, and will write essays based on a variety of topics. This course prepares students for the AP exam in Spanish Literature. In May, students in this class are expected to take the AP examination.
 
SPANISH II IMMERSION PROGRAM/ NATIVE SPEAKERS (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Prerequisite: Students who speak Spanish at home or those students who were part of the Spanish Immersion Program in elementary and/or Middle School. Students must earn a grade of C or better in previous level.
 
Course Description: This is a one-year course designed to meet the special academic needs of the student who has accomplished a high level of oral fluency. It is a literature-based program with a very strong focus on the reading and writing process. Vocabulary, grammar, and literary concepts are emphasized. The student is introduced to the genre of the short story, poetry, novel, Theatre Arts and the essay. The student will learn to read, write and speak, as well as participate in a continuous study of the most important aspects of the impressive Latino culture.
 
SPANISH III IMMERSION PROGRAM/NATIVE SPEAKERS (10, 11, 12) One Year
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Prerequisite: Students must earn a grade of C or better in Spanish II Immersion Program/Native Speakers.
 
Course Description: This is a one-year course designed as a natural progression of the level II course. This course further develops the student’s skills in speaking, reading and writing. Literature-based, the emphasis is on higher level cognitive skills: the application of complex grammatical structures, in-depth class discussions, advanced analytical compositions and challenging reading selections. The student continues studying various literary genres and grows in the appreciation of the very colorful Latino culture.
 
FRENCH
 
 
PLACEMENT SPECIFICS FOR FRENCH
 
If the student is:
  1. Has not studied French or has completed only French A or B in Middle School
  2. Has completed both French A and B and is recommended by Middle School teacher or has completed French I with passing grade
  3. Has completed French II with passing grade
  4. Has completed French III with grade of B or better
Then the appropriate placement would be:
  1. French I
  2. French II
  3. French III
  4. French IV AP
FRENCH I (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
 
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the French language and culture. Communicative proficiency is developed in real-life situations through the practical use of the language. The essentials of grammar will be taught to reinforce the inter-related skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
 
FRENCH II (10, 11, 12) One Year
(Grade 9 with teacher permission)
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade in French I.
 
Course Description: This course is designed to supplement and reinforce the first level. The student begins a more intensive study of the grammar and culture of French-speaking people. Communicative proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing is the goal for all students.
 
FRENCH III (10,11,12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade in French II.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
 
Course Description: This course initiates an in-depth study of the French Language and culture. The three language aims of reading, writing and speaking are interrelated and intensified. The student is required to express his own thoughts in greater detail and with more abstract conceptions. The study of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions is emphasized. Some literature will be introduced.
 
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) FRENCH IV LANGUAGE (11, 12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a grade of B or better in French III.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
 
Course Description: This course is designed to prepare students for the French Language Advanced Placement Exam by developing fluency in reading, listening, writing, grammar and pronunciation, as well as general knowledge of historical and geographical factors leading to and affecting contemporary cultures of French-speaking countries. In May, students in this class are expected to take the AP examination.
 
JAPANESE
 
 
PLACEMENT SPECIFICS FOR JAPANESE
 
If the student is:
  1. Has not studied Japanese and Is not fluent in Japanese
  2. Participated in Japanese immersion program @ El Marino, or completed Japanese A and B at Middle School, or completed Japanese I with a passing grade
  3. Completed Japanese II with passing grade
  4. Completed Japanese III with passing grade
  5. Completed Japanese IV with a grade of B or better
Then the appropriate placement would be:
  1. Japanese I
  2. Japanese II
  3. Japanese III
  4. Japanese IV
  5. Japanese V AP
JAPANESE I (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year
UC/CSU Subject Area – E
 
Course Description: Provides practice in listening and speaking through imitation and repetition exercises and by reciting brief dialogues related to activities in school, home and community. Provides practice in variation and personalization of learned materials; stresses correct intonation and pronunciation of all phonemes of Japanese. Provides practice in the correct use of elementary basic language structures and in reading and writing of familiar material, using the native syllabaries hiragana, katakana, and simple kanji. Provides opportunities to appreciate traditions and customs of Japan through videos, crafts and arts as related to family life, festivals, and school.
 
JAPANESE II (9, 10, 11, 12) One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade in Japanese I.
UC/CSU Subject Area – E
Note: This course is the entry point in our Japanese program for those students who were previously in the Japanese Immersion Program at elementary and Middle schools.
 
Course Description: This class is designed to supplement and reinforce the first level. Students will be involved in a more intensive study of the grammar and culture of Japanese-speaking people. Communicative proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing is the goal for all students. More kanjis will be introduced.
 
JAPANESE III One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a passing grade in Japanese II.
UC/CSU Subject Area – E
 
Course Description: This course builds upon skills learned during previous Japanese courses in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students continue to expand their everyday vocabulary as well as academic and social vocabulary. Students will learn advanced grammatical structures such as relative clauses, present progressive tense, nominalizers, abilities, expressing experience, desire, opinion, intention, simultaneous action, temporal clauses, conditional clauses, purpose, hearsay, and giving reasons. As a result, students have opportunities to communicate using a variety of structures and vocabulary in oral presentations, skits, and speeches. Students will also expand their kanji characters as an integral part of written communication as they write diaries and essays. Reading longer paragraphs and developing comprehension skills will also take place. Cultural activities that enhance a deeper understanding of the Japanese people and culture will continue to be included in this course.
 
JAPANESE IV One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a grade of B or better in Japanese III.
UC/CSU Subject Area – E
Note: This course includes those who were previously in the Immersion Program.
 
Course Description: This course builds upon skills learned at previous Japanese courses in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will learn more in-depth every day, academic, and social vocabulary. Students will learn advanced grammatical structures such as making a suggestion, conditionals, prohibition, adverbial use of adjectives, obligation/duty, expressing purpose, advice, results and states of being, expectation, transitive and intransitive verbs, appearance, and causatives. As a result, students have opportunities to communicate using a variety of structures and vocabulary in different contexts: meeting Japanese people within the United States and abroad, reading Japanese newspapers and documents, watching Japanese programs, and other situations. Students will also acquire more advanced kanji characters as an integral part of written communication as they read Japanese books and write compositions. The class will primarily be conducted in Japanese developing comprehension skills. Cultural activities that enhance a deeper understanding of the Japanese people and culture will continue to be included in this course.
 
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) JAPANESE V * One Year
Prerequisite: Students need a grade of B or better in Japanese IV.
UC/CSU Subject Area - E
For all APs and Honors classes with Summer Assignment: Students failing to turn in the Summer Assignment on the first day of the school year will be dropped from the course and placed in the general education equivalent.
 
Course Description: This advanced course is the culmination of all the skills acquired previously: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will continue to build every day, academic, and social vocabulary while learning idiomatic usage of the language. Vocabulary pertaining to current events used in newspapers and magazines will also be included. Students will learn advanced grammatical structures such as describing a change in state and effort, expressing respect (honorific/humble forms), concession, conviction, and a speaker’s emotional involvement, coming to a conclusion, talking about occasional happenings, causative-passives, wanting to have something done, “ba” conditionals, and passives.
 
As a result, students will gain opportunities, motivation, and confidence to communicate in the target language utilizing sophisticated sentence structures and vocabulary in different contexts: engaging in in-depth conversation with native Japanese speakers within the United States and abroad; comprehending Japanese newspapers, books, and magazines as well as Japanese CDs, videos, T.V. programs, and movies. Students will also acquire advanced kanji characters as an integral part of written communication as they read Japanese books and write compositions. The class will be conducted in the target language developing comprehension skills. Cultural activities that enhance a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Japanese people and culture such as Japanese geography, history, art, and music will also be included in this course. There are summer assignments for this course. *This course requires instructor’s pre-approval. Students will prepare for the Advanced Placement Exam at the end of the semester. In May, students in this class are expected to take the AP examination.