World Language Courses

Please refer to your students Course Option form for the current year for the most accurate listing of courses. Incoming families will receive an email which will include this information in Late April/Early May.

Spanish Language Arts or Japanese Language Arts 1 A/B, 2 A/B, & 3 A/B 

(Dual Language and Heritage speakers) (all grades) 

This course series is for students currently enrolled in JSIS or McDonald and as 5th graders participated in the Immersion Language program or are Heritage learners of Spanish or Japanese who have been exposed to Spanish or Japanese in their homes or communities from a young age. As a result of that early exposure, they can understand and speak the language and have a personal connection to it.  Spanish or Japanese Language Arts students will expand on the breadth and depth of language skills by using Spanish or Japanese to acquire new knowledge, interpret, interact in multilingual communities, express self, make connections & create to publish and share.  This class is taught in Spanish or Japanese.  

Students take a language proficiency (STAMP) test at the end of their 8th grade year, proctored at HIMS, to demonstrate working knowledge of the target language at the ACTFL Intermediate levels or higher, and to earn up to 4 credits (1 credit = 1 year) toward high school graduation and the Seal of Biliteracy distinction on their transcript.  

*Beginning in Fall 2024, 1 high school credit will be assigned for successful completion of both 3A/B. Grades will transfer to high school transcript. Students may request to have both 1A/B and 2A/B added to High School (HS) transcript by reporting to their High School Counselor and request the “add course” form.

Please note that students have the option to request that their Middle School grade be changed to a “P” by completing the “grade change” form in High school. This allows the student to receive full credit without any negative impact on HS GPA.

Spanish 7th and 8th grade students only

Spanish 1 A/B

• 1 High School Credit for successful completion of both semesters 
• Prerequisite: None 

This course allows students to develop basic proficiency in the four skills of communication: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Content includes vocabulary common to daily needs, knowledge and use of formal and informal register, basic grammatical structures, comprehension of familiar topics, development of, sensitivity to, and an acceptance of cultural differences. Students are expected to actively participate in class, memorize vocabulary, and practice grammar outside of class. *Grades transfer to high school transcript. 

Spanish 2 A/B

• 1 High School Credit for successful completion of both semesters 
• Prerequisite: Successful Completion of Spanish 1 A/B 

This class allows further development and reinforcement of basic proficiency in the four skills of communication mentioned in Level 1 as they relate to expansion of vocabulary, grammatical structures, guided composition and conversation, and culture studies in the language. Two years toward the two-year college/university admission requirement met upon successful course completion. *Grades transfer to high school transcript. Please note that students have the option to request that their Middle School grade be changed to a “P” by completing the “grade change” form in High school. This allows the student to receive full credit without any negative impact on GPA.