As nations become increasingly interdependent, the need for effective communication and sensitivity to other cultures becomes more important. Today’s youth must be culturally and linguistically prepared to participate in a global society.
Based on the idea that our students will use Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese in their future lives and careers, and that language is for communication, we believe that the more opportunities for modeling and practicing the language that the class offers, the more proficient the students become in communicating in the language.
Learning a second language proves to be an intellectually stimulating experience. A student who studies another language opens a door to another realm of the real world. Students can make connections between other cultures and historical events. Multiple language intelligence permits an individual to acquire additional primary sources in their intended environment. Furthermore, learning a second language provides the learner with the opportunity to connect themes, concepts, topics, structures, vocabulary, grammar, and cultures between the two languages. This is a completely novel study that is simply impossible to undertake with only an understanding of one language. Just as a magnet cannot attract itself, so too one language cannot connect between itself either.
World Language Course Offerings
The School District of New Berlin offers six levels of Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese. Please see the Academic and Career Planning Guide for more detailed course descriptions.
Why Study a Language?
1. The United States faces a highly competitive international market in which knowledge of other languages and cultures is vital to our economic survival.
2. Languages provide a significant experience in international awareness.
3. Today we are more aware of our cultural diversity as a multiethnic society and we are identifying more with our ancestral roots.
4. Languages are particularly well suited for providing practice in learning-to-learn skills such as reasoning, conceptualizing, analyzing, and problem solving.
5. Studying a language in high school and developing reasonable proficiency in it can lead to the earning of university credits and/or fulfilling a requirement for college entrance or graduation.
6. Learning a second language can provide insight and understanding of one’s native language that had never before been realized.
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