Andover’s requirement of at least three high school years of an ancient or modern language rests on the firm belief that direct acquaintance, through language, with the spirit and people of other lands is a psychological and intellectual resource of inestimable value for each individual, for every country, and for our common world.

The diploma requirement is normally satisfied by successful completion, in one language, of three trimesters at the 300 level reached through the regular or intensive sequences (100, 200, 300, or 100, 150, 250, 300), or of one trimester of 400 level reached through the accelerated sequence (120, 220, 4XX). In order to encourage students to consider studying a language that may not have been available to them prior to coming to Andover, the World Language Division also will allow students, by petition, to fulfill the requirement by successfully completing a total of three levels in two different languages. This must be done by successfully completing the first or second level of a language offered by relatively few schools (Chinese, German, Greek, Japanese, or Russian), with the balance done in another language (typically French, Latin, or Spanish).

Placement of new students is based on their previous school record, on the placement test, on the questionnaire sent to them and their current language teachers in the spring, and, when appropriate, on a personal interview with the language chair at Andover. Details regarding various options and the diploma requirement as it is applicable to incoming Uppers and Seniors who begin a new language at Andover are available from the Registrar’s Office. Further information may be found in the pamphlet titled World Languages at Andover.

Each of our languages, ancient and modern, may be started appropriately by students of any grade, Juniors through Seniors. Most Andover students continue their language study beyond the third year. Some study a second language in addition.

Small classes, flexible placement, and opportunities for acceleration assure that each student is in the optimal learning situation. In the case of modern languages, the world language is the language of the classroom. In conversation, in reading, and in writing, the goal is direct communication in the world language rather than communication through translation. The classroom experience is expanded by the Language Learning Center, media resources (e.g., periodicals, radio broadcasts, videotapes, movies, computers), the staging of plays, club activities, language events, service learning programs, and programs at Andover or nearby schools. At all levels of instruction, attention is focused both on basic language skills and, increasingly, on the literature, history, and various art forms that reveal the people whose languages are being studied. Students are advised to take the College Board SAT II Subject Test in a world language as late as possible in their course of study, and in no case earlier than the second trimester of the third level.

For information on School Year Abroad, students should consult the SYA program coordinator.

Standard Chinese (a.k.a. Mandarin) boasts the largest number of native speakers of any language in the world and is learned in school by all Chinese people regardless of local dialect. In addition to its burgeoning economy, China is also known for its rich history and culture, and the knowledge of Chinese can open doors to a wide variety of opportunities. Because Chinese words are tonal (varied in pitch) and uninflected (unmodified due to person, tense, number, gender, etc.), and because the script consists of characters rather than an alphabet, the study of Chinese offers a very unique learning experience.

All Chinese courses develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills (using the simplified script). Intermediate and advanced levels introduce and develop the reading and writing of Chinese using computers. Opportunities are available for students to participate in the fiveweek study/travel program in China and an academic year program, both run by School Year Abroad (SYA) in Beijing, China.

CHIN-100/0 Beginning Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. This course provides an introduction to spoken and written Chinese, with an emphasis on pronunciation, the pinyin Romanization system, and the building blocks (radicals) of Chinese characters.

CHIN-120/5 Accelerated Beginning Chinese
(T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods.Distinguished students will be recommended by the department for this accelerated course at the conclusion of the first trimester of Chinese 100. Upon successful completion of this course, students move on to Chinese 220/0.

CHIN-130 Introduction to Chinese
Language and Culture
(not offered in 2007–2008)
Five class periods. This is a term-contained introductory course. Students are expected to learn practical dialogue in Chinese, as well as become familiar with Chinese culture, including cooking, festivals, and social customs.

CHIN-200/0 Second Level Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. This course continues to emphasize proficiency in everyday situations. Students enlarge their inventory of words and phrases while also developing a deeper understanding of the essential features of Chinese grammar. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 100.

CHIN-220/0 Accelerated Second Level Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Upon successful completion of this course, students move directly to Chinese 400 by permission of the department. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 120 or permission of the department.

CHIN-300/0 Third Level Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. This course provides more emphasis on reading and writing. Students are introduced to longer texts, covering such topics as family life, social issues, and aspects of Chinese culture. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 200.

CHIN-400/0 Fourth Level Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. Increased use of authentic materials is employed as more sophisticated aspects of language and culture are explored. In particular, students are exposed to the more formal written style of Chinese, which is prevalent in newspapers, on street signs, etc. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 300 or Chinese 220.

CHIN-420/0 Advanced Placement Chinese
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. This intensive course was designed in accordance with the College Board guidelines to prepare students for the AP exam in Chinese, first offered in 2007. Students refine their interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communicative abilities while deepening their understanding of Chinese history and contemporary society. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 400 or permission of the department.

CHIN-500 Stories in Modern Chinese
(not offered in 2007–2008)
Four class periods. Extensive Chinese folk stories are used as basic texts. The course focuses upon the study of rhetorical devices and idiomatic usage. The course develops high proficiency in speaking and reading. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 400 or permission of the department.

CHIN-520/1 Communication in Modern China
CHIN-520/2
CHIN-520/3
Four class periods. Topics in recent Chinese history and current events are explored through readings, news broadcasts, and films. Emphasis is placed on students’ listening comprehension of and written reflections upon Chinese in real-life communication. Class is conducted exclusively in Chinese. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Chinese 400 or permission of the department.

FREN-100/1 First Level French
Five class periods. This course is designed for those students who have had little or no previous world language experience. The course emphasizes listening comprehension and the use of basic conversational patterns of French speech. Elementary grammatical and idiomatic structures are introduced, as well as appropriate reading material. Students make extensive use of video materials both in and out of class. Assignments are regularly required in the Language Learning Center.

FREN-110/1 First Level French
Five class periods. This course is designed for those students who have had previous experience in French, but who are not sufficiently prepared for the second-level course. The course emphasizes listening comprehension and the use of basic conversational patterns of French speech. Elementary grammatical and idiomatic structures are introduced, as well as appropriate reading material. Students make extensive use of video materials both in and out of class. Assignments are regularly required in the Language Learning Center.

FREN-110/5 First Level French (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. This course is a continuation of the First Level French course for students from both French 100 and French 110 in preparation for French 200 the following year.

FREN-120/5 Accelerated First Level French
(T2)
(a two-term commitment) Five class periods. Students will be recommended by the teacher for this accelerated course at the conclusion of the first trimester of French 100 or French 110. Successful completion of French 120 allows students to advance to French 220. The French100/110–120–220 sequence covers three years of French in two years.

FREN-200/0 Second Level French
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. For students who have completed French 110, or for new students who qualify through a placement test.While continuing to develop aural-oral skills, this course involves reading nontechnical French prose and writing simple compositions.

FREN-220/0 Accelerated Second Level French
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Upon successful completion of this course, students continue their study in fourth-year courses. Because of the rapid pace, each student’s progress will be evaluated closely in November to determine whether it is in his or her best interest to move to French 200. (Possible texts: Le Petit Nicolas, Sempé and Goscinny; Le Comte de Monte Cristo, Dumas; Les Jeux Sonts Faits, Sartre; Une Fois Pour Toutes, Sturges, Nielsen, Herbst)

FREN-300/0 Third Level French
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. This yearlong course develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through a review of grammar and the study of original films, such as Au Revoir Les Enfants, Les Choristes, and L’Homme Qui Plantait Des Arbres. Articles from magazines and newspapers, online resources, and occasional literary texts complement this core program. In the fall and spring terms, as a final project, students make a presentation on a topic of their choice. Preparation for this exercise requires considerable writing, while the presentation itself emphasizes speaking. (Text: Une Fois Pour Toutes, Sturges, Nielsen, Herbst)

FREN-400/1 Advanced Conversation
(F)
Four class periods. Intended for students who understand, read, and write French well and who already speak at a competent level, but who desire to develop further conversational skills and acquire the vocabulary and idiomatic expression necessary to be able to discuss major cultural and social issues. The course is based on current articles taken directly from the French and Francophone press. The students also read further, develop their own points of view, and keep a journal about current social trends and problems. Diction, elocution, and intonation also are stressed through debates and role-playing.

FREN-400/2 The FrancophoneWorld
(W)
Four class periods. Students continue the study of French through a focus on the Frenchspeaking areas outside of France. The course studies the civilizations of North, West and Sub-Saharan Africa and of the Antilles, and includes a study of the geographical, social, and historical aspects of these regions of the world.

FREN-400/3 The Francophone Presence
(S) in the U.S.A.
Four class periods. A study of the immigration patterns and the cultures of Haitians and Francophone Asians in the United States, with special attention to the Francophone communities in Lawrence and Lowell, Mass. This servicelearning course will consist of two classes on campus and one double-period class per week working with the Francophone communities in our neighboring cities. In addition to writing daily in a journal, students will be expected to present a final project documenting a case study or a particular topic of the course. Prerequisite: Enrollment in French 400 for the winter term.

FREN-420/0 French Literature
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. A transition from the use of reading as a means of learning the language to the use of language as a means of understanding literature. Vocabulary expansion, increased oral fluency, and written accuracy are developed within the context of literary analysis. Readings have recently included L’Etranger, Camus; Le Colonel Chabert, Balzac; Rhinocéros, Ionesco; La Femme Cachée, Colette; Nouvelles Orientales, Yourcenar; Boule de Suif, de Maupassant; and the introduction to Le Deuxième Sexe, de Beauvoir. Students also see French movies that relate to the themes of the course. Students successfully completing this course are encouraged to take French 520.

FREN-450/1 History of France: 1610–1815
(F)
Four class periods. This course will explore the creation of unified France from the beginning of the reign of Louis XIII through the end of the First Empire. Emphasis will be on the final consolidation of power under Louis XIV, the succeeding years, the tumultuous years of the French Revolution, and the First Empire under Napoleon I. Emphasis will be placed not only on historical events, but on their influence on the French art, music, and architecture of the time.

FREN-460/2 History of France: 1815–1945
(W)
Four class periods. This course will focus on the history and culture of France from the defeat of Napoleon I until the end of World War I, with emphasis on the prolonged struggle to institute democracy, the development as an industrialized nation with pressures for social reform, and France’s grandeur as a colonial power and as a center for the arts. Particular attention will be paid to the study of French impressionism and the other dominant schools of art, literature, and music.

FREN-470/3 Contemporary French Civilization
(S)
Four class periods.This course deals with aspects of contemporary French civilization such as the family, the school system, politics, gender roles, art, and popular culture. The emphasis is on learning about culture comparatively through the discussion of articles, films, and comic strips. The course includes research on the Web and e-mail with French students.

FREN-500/1 Advanced Placement Language
FREN-500/2
FREN-500/3
Five class periods. Designed to meet the requirements of the Advanced Placement examination in French Language, this course is open to students who have completed three terms of fourth-level French and to qualified new students. Emphasis is placed on vocabulary, grammar, conversation, composition, and reading, not only in literature, but also in current newspapers and periodicals.The choice of texts is generally determined by the class and the instructor.

FREN-520/0 Advanced Placement Literature
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Open with departmental permission to students who have completed three terms of fourth-level French and to others who are properly qualified. Primarily a seminar in which students share their interpretations of works studied in class discussions and oral exposés, the course also includes lectures and instruction in explication de textes. Preparation for the Advanced Placement Examination in French Literature includes the close reading of texts such as Fables, La Fontaine; L’Ecole des Femmes, Molière; Candide, Voltaire; Pierre et Jean, de Maupassant; La Guerre de Troie n’aura pas lieu, Giraudoux; L’Enfant Noir, Camara Laye; and the poetry of Labé, Ronsard, Baudelaire, Apollinaire, and Hébert.This course may require more than the standard four to five hours per week of homework.

FREN-600/1 Modern Literature
FREN-600/2
FREN-600/3
Two two-hour class periods. A seminar course open to students who have completed 500-level French or the equivalent. The course studies modern novels, plays, poetry, and films. The student may write and/or perform a play. The books studied may include La Peste, Camus; Un Amour de Swann, Proust; La Vie devant soi, Ajar; La P…respectueuse, Sartre; Coq de Bruyère, Tournier; and La Civilisation, maMère, Chraïbi. Films recently studied include Diabolo Menthe, Kurys; Rouge, Kieslowski; and Manon des Sources, Pagnol.

German is spoken in four countries with diverse cultural, political, and economic traditions: Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. It is also the mother tongue of significant minorities in neighboring countries. Among Europeans, in fact, the approximately 98 million native speakers of German greatly outnumber those of English, French, Italian (58–60million each), or Spanish (36 million). In business, diplomacy, and tourism, German stands second only to English in Western Europe, and in Eastern Europe it holds first place. It is the language of many of modern history’s most notable writers, scientists, musicians, and philosophers, among them Nietzsche, Beethoven, Bach, Einstein, Freud, Goethe, and Mozart. As English is a Germanic language, the study of German is quite accessible for English speakers. No prior world language experience is necessary to begin the study of German. Many students find the study of German enhances their comprehension of English grammar and gives them a unique insight into the English language.

The department offers a five-year course of study in reading, writing, and speaking German. Digital lab materials, most of which are available to students over the Web, and contemporary films supplement language immersion in the classroom. Successful completion of German 300 prepares students for the College Board SAT II subject test while completion of German 420 with an honors grade prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam. Students at the second, third, and fourth levels also have the opportunity to participate in the National German Exam as well as the American Association of Teachers of German three-week summer study–home stay program in Germany.

GERM-100/0 Beginning German
(a yearlong commitment)
Five-hour course. A yearlong elementary course in speaking, listening comprehension, reading, writing, and culture. Current text: Deutsch Aktuell 1, by Kraft, supplemented by digital lab exercises, contemporary films, songs, and adapted short stories.

GERM-150/5 Accelerated First Year (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. Open to students who have completed the fall term of German 100 with distinction and who have been recommended by their instructor. Superior work in this course enables students to enter German 250 the following fall, followed by German 300 in the winter and spring terms, thereby completing three years of the study of German in two years. An accelerated course in grammar, speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and culture, this coursemay require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Current texts: Deutsch Aktuell 1 and 2, by Kraft, supplemented by video, digital lab exercises, contemporary films, poems, songs, and adapted short stories.

GERM-200/0 Second Year German
(a yearlong commitment)
Open to students who have successfully completed German 100 or its equivalent. The study of basic grammar, conversation, and reading skills is continued along with the introduction of theme writing. Current texts: Deutsch Aktuell 2, Kraft; Emil und die Detektive, Kästner; supplemented by digital lab exercises, contemporary films, songs, and adapted short stories

GERM-250/1 Accelerated Second Year
Five class periods. Open to students with strong learning skills who have completed German 150 or its equivalent with distinction. This accelerated course covers the spring term German 200 syllabus with the addition of intensive grammar review and writing. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Successful completion of this course qualifies students to enter German 300 in the winter term. Current text: Emil und die Detektive, by Eric Kästner, supplemented by movies and digital lab exercises.

GERM-300/0 Third Year German
(a yearlong commitment)
Four-hour course. Open to students who have successfully completed German 200 or German 250 or its equivalent. This course develops the language skills in speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing through the introduction of German texts in the original. Greater emphasis on classroom discussion as well as short essay writing is introduced. Students are introduced to a wide variety of authors and genres, including Biedermann und die Brandstifter, Frisch; Das fliegende Klassenzimmer, Kästner; and a selection of short stories and poems. A short theatrical presentation in German complements other classroom work. Digital lab exercises, contemporary films, and songs supplement the reading. Successful completion of this course prepares students for either of the college board SAT II subject tests in German.

GERM-400/1 Advanced German
GERM-400/2
GERM-400/3
Four-hour course. Open to students who have successfully completed German 300 or its equivalent. Students are exposed to a variety of German works across different time periods, including poems, plays, short stories, and novels. Classroom discussion and essay writing continue to be central to the course, while there is an added emphasis on current events in theGerman-speaking world. Vocabulary expansion, increased oral fluency, and written accuracy are developed within the context of literary analysis. Selective review of advanced grammar topics is incorporated. Authors currently read: Brecht, Funke, Dürrenmatt, Kafka, Rilke, and Zweig.

GERM-420/0 Advanced Placement German
(a yearlong commitment)
Five-hour course. The content of this course is identical to that of German 400, with one additional hour of AP preparation per week. Students completing the course with an honors grade are well prepared to take the AP exam in May. This course may require more than the usual four to five hours per week of homework.

GERM-500/1 Fifth Year German
GERM-500/2
GERM-500/3
Four class periods. Open to students who have successfully completed three terms of fourthlevel German or its equivalent, this course varies with the needs of the class. It is usually a seminar in the analytical reading and discussion of German classics. Frequent writing of greater length is expected. A term paper or studentdesigned independent project replaces the final exam. Authors currently read: Brecht, Goethe, Kafka, Dürrenmatt, Richter, Lenz, and Zweig.

GREK-100/0 Greek, First Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods.The course introduces the student directly to the classical Greek of Periclean Athens through a series of readings that present not only the vocabulary, forms, and syntax of the language, but also the thoughts, feelings, and actions that characterize Greek culture. Though preliminary selections are necessarily simplified, within the first year students are reading excerpts in their original form from various Greek authors.

GREK-130 Introduction to Greek
(F)
Four class periods. This course is for students whose curiosity for the Greek language and literature has been aroused by their studies in other areas. For students who plan some day to study Russian or German, this course provides an excellent introduction into the intricacies of a highly inflected language. The student is also treated to an inside preview of a literature that, over the centuries, has provided inspiration and models for the literature of theWesternWorld. It is a term-contained course, but students wishing to continue with Greek will have the opportunity to do so.

GREK-195/0 Greek, First and Second Level, Intensive
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. The course is open to Seniors, Uppers, and others, with the permission of the department. It covers in one year the essential material of Greek 100 and Greek 200, and basic forms and structure, along with ample selected readings from various Greek authors.

GREK-200/0 Greek, Second Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. This course continues the format of Greek 100, with further systematic development of reading skills and control of vocabulary, forms, and syntax through the medium of more advanced selections from the Greek masterpieces, always with the purpose of understanding the spirit of the people who produced them.

GREK-300/0 Greek, Third Level: Iliad and Odyssey
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. Students will study selected works of Homer, Herodotus, and Plato.

GREK-400/1 Greek, Fourth Level:
GREK-400/2 Philosophy and History,
GREK-400/3 Tragedy, Lyric
Four class periods. Ancient concepts of justice and morality are examined through the works of Plato and Thucydides. Human tragedy is explored in a play of Sophocles or Euripides. One term is devoted to the study of emotion and self-expression in the Greek lyric poets.

JAPA-100/0 Japanese, First Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Open to all students. Seniors may take the course, but in situations of high enrollment, priority will be given to younger students to fulfill language requirement. Students will learn to express themselves in a variety of conversational situations and to read and write hiragana, katakana, and about 15 kanji, or Chinese characters. Classroom instruction will be based on Adventures in Japanese, Book 1, and its corresponding workbook. Students will learn not only the basic grammatical structures but also important elements of Japanese culture.

JAPA-130 Introduction to Japanese
(S)
Four class periods. This course is designed for students who are thinking of traveling to Japan and/or studying Japanese as a second language at Andover or in college. In addition to developing survival-level speaking skills, students will learn to read and write using katakana, hiragana and 50 to 75 kanji, or Chinese characters. Students also will sing and perform short skits, and will follow at least one popular animated film in Japanese. Selections from the textbook Minna No Nihongo I, karaoke songs, audio and video tapes, visits by Japanese-speaking guests, and materials developed by the instructor will support classroom instruction. In the last weeks of the course, students will research a social, cultural, or historical topic in which they are personally interested and then present it to their classmates.

JAPA-200/0 Japanese, Second Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Open to students who have successfully completed first-level Japanese or its equivalent. A continuation of Japanese 100, the instruction will be based on Adventures in Japanese, Book 2, and its workbook. In this course there is an increased emphasis on grammar and an additional 150 kanji.

JAPA-300/0 Japanese, Third Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. Open to students who have successfully completed second-level Japanese or its equivalent. Instruction is given based on Adventures in Japanese, Book 3, and its workbook. Emphasis is placed on more conversational practice using the previously learned grammar and more advanced new grammar. Additional emphasis is placed on a significant increase in kanji characters. Students are expected to learn an additional 150 kanji by the end of the course.

JAPA-400/0 Japanese, Fourth Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. Open to students who have successfully completed third-level Japanese or its equivalent. Using the advanced textbook of Adventures in Japanese, Book 4, and its workbook, students will learn to express themselves more creatively and to communicate with status- appropriate word usage. Students will learn an additional 150 kanji by the end of the course. Emphasis is placed on more advanced Japanese culture and understanding Japanese history and values. Projects include interviews, research, and the final papers.

JAPA-500/1 Japanese 500
JAPA-500/2
JAPA-500/3
Four class periods. This course focuses on the development of additional kanji, and on vocabulary expansion through the study of Japanese newspapers, short stories, and a feature-length film. Emphasis is placed on students’ listening comprehension and speaking proficiency. Prerequisite: A successful completion of Japanese 400 and/or the approval of the instructor.

JAPA-520/0 AP Japanese Language and Culture
(a yearlong commitment)
This course is modeled on the AP syllabus, and is designed to be comparable to college/university Japanese courses where students complete approximately 300 hours of college-level classroom instruction. Like the corresponding college courses, the AP course supports students as they develop the productive, receptive, and cultural skills necessary to communicate with native speakers of Japanese. Students’ proficiency levels at the end of the course are expected to reach the intermediate-low to intermediate-mid range, as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines.

LATN-100/0 Latin, First Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. The purpose of the course is to teach students the basic features of the Latin language and of Roman culture in relation to other cultures, e.g., family life and societal relationships, slavery, travel, sports, life in the big city, entertainment, and education. Students learn the traditional forms and syntax. All six tenses, indicative and passive, are covered, as well as all five declensions of nouns, three declensions of adjectives, and the standard pronouns. There is extensive practice in recognizing endings of nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs, as well as case uses and normal Latin sentence structures, with the goal of mastering basic techniques of accurate translation and comprehension of Latin sentences and stories. Students complete the textbook, Jenney’s First Year Latin, then study Jenney’s Second Year Latin up through the ablative absolute.

LATN-130 Introduction to Latin
(F-S)
Five class periods. Comparable to the first term of Latin 195, but with less depth of coverage, this one-term course is for students seeking an introduction to the Latin language or those whose studies in other languages (including English) have aroused their curiosity about the workings of languages (grammar, syntax, and vocabulary). It offers special profit and fascination to students of French, Spanish, and Italian, since it gives a wider perspective on much of what they already know. For students who plan some day to study Russian or German, it serves as an introduction to the workings of highly inflected languages. It is a term-contained course, but students wishing to continue with Latin will have the opportunity to do so.

LATN-195/0 Latin, First and Second Level, Intensive
(a yearlong commitment)
Five prepared class periods.This course covers in one year the essential elements of Latin 100 and Latin 200.

LATN-200/0 Latin, Second Level
(a yearlong commitment)
Five prepared class periods. During the fall, the linguistic and cultural approach of Latin 100 is continued as the class reviews and completes the basic grammar (including participles, subjunctives, and indirect statements) and reads about other aspects of Roman life. In the winter and spring, students read selections from Caesar, Livy, Ovid, and Apuleius’ tale of Cupid and Psyche.

LATN-300/0 Latin, Third Level: Livy,
Catullus, Cicero, Vergil
(a yearlong commitment)
Four prepared classes, all single periods. Students begin the fall with a thorough review of the Latin language in conjunction with correlated reading passages. In the latter half of the fall, students read selections from Livy or Cicero. In the winter, students read the lyric love poetry of Catullus and selections from Cicero’s speech, Pro Caelio, defending one of Catullus’ former friends against charges brought by the woman to whom Catullus wrote his most famous poems. In the spring, students read selections from Book II of Vergil’s Aeneid, the story of the Trojan Horse and the destruction of Troy, a heroic backdrop for very human struggles of duty and loyalty among women andmen, parents and children, leaders and followers, humans and their gods.

LATN-520V/0 Advanced Placement Latin: Vergil
(a yearlong commitment)
Five prepared class periods. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in Vergil. Students read the entire Aeneid in English and substantial selections of Books I, IV, and VI in Latin, examining Vergil’s literary form and technique, as well as the philosophical and political dimensions of his age. Book II, which students will have read in the spring of Latin 300, is reviewed quickly. Book I frames Rome’s 1,000- year ascendancy in the rivalries of divine wills. Book IV tells the story of the tragic conflict between Aeneas’ love for Queen Dido and his obligation to imperial Roman destiny. Book VI features Aeneas’ descent into the underworld to gain prophetic visions of Rome’s future greatness. Brief selections from Books VII–XII, the “Roman Iliad,” round out the readings for the year. Prerequisite: A grade of “5” or higher in Latin 300 or permission of the department.

LATN-520L/1 Advanced Placement Latin:
LATN-520L/2 Horace, Catullus
LATN-520L/3
Four prepared class periods. This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam in Horace and Catullus, the logical sequel to the Vergil AP course. In the fall, students come face to face with the brilliance, passion, and candor of Catullus’ lyric genius. In the winter term, they study the lyric poetry of Horace, experiencing firsthand his curiosa felicitas, admired and celebrated by other poets for 2,000 years. In the spring, students learn to compare and contrast these two monumental literary figures, at the same time reviewing for the Advanced Placement exam. Prerequisite: A grade of “5” or higher in Latin 300 or permission of the department.

With the demise of the Soviet Union and resulting rapid expansion in East-West activity, the ability to communicate in Russian and knowledge of Russian culture have lost none of their importance. At the beginning of the 21st century, there are more contacts now with Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union than ever before. Not only are American business, science, and technology clamoring for Russian speakers to work in and with the new Russia, but Russian remains the lingua franca in all the former Soviet republics, making it extremely important now for national security reasons as well.

No prior world language experience is necessary to begin the study of Russian. Before studying Russian, many consider it strange and difficult, but its alphabet and vocabulary have the same sources as English, and it follows many of the same principles of grammar. Continuous oral, visual, and instructional use quickly make Russian familiar and enjoyable.

The Russian department offers a five-year course of study. This well-established program ensures confident progress in speaking, aural comprehension, reading, and writing. Elementary courses use a unique digital textbook to strengthen grammar skills and improve vocabulary learning. At the upper levels, students use Russian word processors for their compositions and theWeb for research and course work. Video is used throughout to improve understanding of culture as well as language. Students who have had success in another world language or who have some prior experience with Russian are encouraged to consider taking Russian 150 after the fall term introduction. It is the policy of the World Language Division to use the target language exclusively in the classroom.

RUSS-100/0 Introduction to Contemporary Russian
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. A yearlong elementary course in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Texts: all-digital textbook developed by the department for exclusive use at Phillips Academy; reference materials.

RUSS-130 A Short Course in Beginning Russian
(S)
Four class periods. A term-contained introduction to speaking, reading, and writing Russian, using conversational text materials, this course enables students to feel comfortable with the somewhat different features of a Slavic language. It also gives a sound foundation for continuing courses in Russian language, history, and literature, whether at Andover or in college.

RUSS-150/5 Accelerated First Year (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. Open to students who have completed the fall term of Russian 100 with distinction and who have been recommended by their instructor. Superior work in this course enables students to enter Russian 250 in the fall, followed by Russian 300 in the winter and spring terms, thereby completing three years of Russian language in two years. An accelerated course in grammar, speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and culture, this course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Texts: the same as those of Russian 100 and Russian 200.

RUSS-200/0 Intermediate Contemporary Russian
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Completion of the elementary course with continued emphasis on active use. Texts: all-digital textbook developed by the department for exclusive use at Phillips Academy; reference materials. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 100.

RUSS-250/1 Accelerated Second Year
Five class periods. Open to students with strong learning skills who have completed Russian 150 or its equivalent with distinction. This accelerated course completes the work of Russian 200 with the addition of intensive grammar review and writing. Successful completion of this course qualifies students to enter Russian 300 in the winter term. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Texts: the same as those of Russian 200 and fall term of Russian 300.

RUSS-300/0 Third Level Russian
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. Students will improve conversation and composition skills through work with selected 19th- and 20th-century short stories and with video materials. A review of problematic areas of grammar is integrated into the course. Work with video and audio materials in the Language Learning Center constitutes an important component of the course. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 200 or Russian 250.

RUSS-400/1 Fourth Level Russian
RUSS-400/2
RUSS-400/3
Four class periods. Further work in conversation and composition. Over the course of the year, there is a transition from texts that are lightly adapted to texts in the original. The focus of materials in the winter and spring terms is the 20th century. The winter term is devoted to a single text; fall and spring terms examine shorter texts and video materials. Work with video and audio materials in the Language Learning Center constitutes an important component of the course. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 300.

RUSS-420/0 Pilot AP Russian
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. The core materials of the course are identical to those used in Fourth Level Russian. In addition, however, one of the five weekly meetings will be devoted to preparation for the newly announced Advanced Placement Russian test. The additional material will be selected to reflect the structure of the AP exam. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 300 or permission of the department chair.

RUSS-500/1 Fifth Level Russian
RUSS-500/2
RUSS-500/3
Four class periods. A central goal of this course is to provide students with an overview of the major themes and developments in the last two centuries of Russian literature and history. Students will be expected to integrate this knowledge into the base they have acquired in their previous Russian study. At the same time, students will work to improve their ability to diagnose their own language-learning strengths and weaknesses, and, where relevant, to plan their approach to the continued study of Russian at the college level. Current events are a major component of the spring term. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Russian 400/3 or Russian 420.

SPAN-100/1 First Level Spanish
Five class periods. This course is designed for those students who have had no previous world language experience. The course emphasizes listening comprehension and the use of basic conversational patterns of Spanish speech. Elementary grammatical and idiomatic structures are introduced, as well as appropriate reading material. Students make extensive use of video materials both in and out of class. Assignments are regularly required in the Language Learning Center. All classwork is conducted in Spanish. (Text: Destinos, Van Patten et al.)

SPAN-110/1 First Level Spanish
Five class periods. This course is designed for those students who have had previous experience in Spanish but who are not sufficiently prepared for the second-level course. The course emphasizes listening comprehension and the use of basic conversational patterns of Spanish speech. Elementary grammatical and idiomatic structures are introduced, as well as appropriate reading material. Students make extensive use of video materials both in and out of class. Assignments are regularly required in the Language Learning Center. All classwork is conducted in Spanish. (Text: Destinos, Van Patten et al.)

SPAN-110/5 First Level Spanish (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. This course is a continuation of the first-level Spanish course for those students not enrolled in Spanish 120 (Accelerated First Level Spanish). (Text: Destinos, Van Patten et al.)

SPAN-120/5 Accelerated First Level Spanish (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. Especially competent students will be recommended for this accelerated course at the conclusion of Spanish 100/1 or Spanish 110/1. Superior work in Spanish 120 enables recommended students to enter Spanish 220. Destinos, a video-based program, serves as the primary text (see above) and is supplemented with reading selections and proficiency-oriented exercises.

SPAN-200/0 Second Level Spanish
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. After a review of the Destinos material covered in the first level (lessons 1–26), students complete the program (lessons 27–52). Emphasis is placed on oral practice and control of essential grammar. Writing and reading skills are further developed. Extensive study of Mexico.

SPAN-220/0 Accelerated Second Level Spanish
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. This is an accelerated secondyear course that develops communicative competence, and provides intensive reading and writing practice.The Destinos program is used as a video supplement to written course materials. Students normally must maintain an honors grade to remain in this course. It enables honors students, upon departmental recommendation, to enroll in a fourth-level course. Open to students who have completed Spanish 120 with distinction and to other qualified students with departmental permission.

SPAN-250 Spanish for the Bilingual
(F)
Five class periods. Designed for students with strong oral skills (native or near-native) who have not had any formal training in Spanish grammar. A strong emphasis on writing skills (spelling, grammar, and composition) is supplemented by reading selections from periodicals, newspapers, and works by Spanish and Latin American writers. This course enables students to enroll in Spanish 220 or Spanish 300, at the discretion of the department. Prerequisite: Interview with the department chair.

SPAN-300/0 Third Level Spanish
(a yearlong commitment)
Three class periods. During the fall term, students read short stories, testimonies, and poems of diverse Hispanic traditions that explore notions of family, individual and collective identities, and personal and social relationships. These texts also serve as structural and thematic models to various written exercises (a short autobiographical essay, a fictional personal letter, and a significant anecdote) and other class activities. The primary objective of the winter term is to expose students to a challenging and sophisticated literary text, Crónica de unaMuerte Anunciada (Chronicle of a Death Foretold), by G. García Márquez, while enforcing their structural skills and communicative competence through a series of grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension exercises based on the novel. In the spring, students read Las Bicicletas Son Para el Verano (Bicycles Are for Summer) and a play about the Spanish Civil War by a contemporary Spanish playwright, and then perform selected scenes from this work.

SPAN-400/1 Current Events and Multimedia Approaches
SPAN-400/2 to the HispanicWorld
Four class periods.
FALL TERM (Current Events)—This term students will expand and refine speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish through a focus on current and controversial topics. The class is divided into small groups, each of which has a “director/a” whose role is to stimulate an interesting debate; another student in the group, the “secretario/a,” is responsible for taking notes and for presenting an oral summary in the next class meeting. Written skills are practiced and developed through summaries and analyses of current newspaper articles (“Resumenes de noticias”). Grammar structures and new vocabulary related to the topics under discussion also are reviewed on a regular basis and evaluated through short written tests.

WINTER TERM (Spanish and Latin American Film)—Through the study and analysis of various films from Spanish-speaking countries, students further develop oral and written proficiency in the language. Representative works from Cuban, Spanish, Dominican, and Mexican cinema serve as instruments to enhance students’ knowledge of the complexity and richness of Hispanic cultures. In addition to weekly tests on vocabulary and general comprehension of the films, students will produce an original script and a short video at the end of the term.

SPAN-420/1 Readings in Contemporary
SPAN-420/2 Spanish and Spanish-
SPAN-420/3 American Literature
Four class periods. Each trimester, the class aims to develop all language skills through reading, discussion, oral presentations, and regular writing assignments.

FALL TERM—In the fall, a modern version of the novel Don Quijote de la Mancha (1605) is closely examined.

WINTER TERM—In the winter, the focus is on Spanish and Spanish American drama and the traditional Spanish ballad (“romance”).

SPRING TERM—Short stories by contemporary Latin American authors such as Carlos Fuentes, J.L. Borges, Julio Cortázar, G.G. Márquez, Isabel Allende, and others.

SPAN-430 Hispanics in the United States
(S)
This term students will study the historical, social, and cultural development of Hispanics in the United States, paying special attention to the three predominant groups: Chicanos or Mexican Americans, Puertoricans or Neoricans, and Cuban Americans. We will explore key issues affecting Hispanic communities, such as cultural stereotypes, individual and collective identity, bilingualism, and political and social struggles, through the analysis of literacy texts and other cultural productions (film, art, music, theater).

SPAN-500/1 Current Issues in the
Spanish-Speaking World
Three class periods. Current articles from periodicals of the Hispanic world—similar in content and format to Time magazine—provide the context for the review and practice of the more complex structures of the language and for vocabulary expansion. In addition to writing assignments based on the articles, students are evaluated on their aural comprehension and oral proficiency once a week in the Language Learning Center. In the last two weeks of the term, the focus shifts to a contemporary film from Spain or Latin America as a basis for (a) the mastery of colloquial speech patterns and current idiomatic expressions, and (b) the analysis of social and/or political issues in the Spanish-speaking world.

SPAN-500/2 Film and Narrative
Three class periods. Through a series of short stories, films, videotaped scenes, and a novel, this course focuses on childhood perceptions of the adult world in different areas of theHispanic world. The universal aspects of childhood— those that transcend cultural or geographical boundaries—and those experiences that stem from specific child-raising practices or societal attitudes toward the child are explored through a series of analytical and creative writing assignments. Role playing and oral/aural exercises in the Language Learning Center complement these assignments. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the fall trimester of Spanish 500, or permission of the chair of the Spanish department.

SPAN-520/0 Advanced Course in Literature
(a yearlong commitment)
Four class periods. This course emphasizes discussion and analysis of literary works in the classroom and frequent written assignments. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours per week of homework. Traditionally, students who choose to take the AP exam have been successful.

SPAN-530 Advanced Spanish Language in the Lawrence Community
(S)
In partnership with the schools of neighboring Lawrence, this course focuses on the reading and writing skills of younger students living in a bilingual, bicultural world. Phillips Academy students meet three times per week—once in Lawrence for one-hour mentoring sessions, and twice on campus to prepare their lesson plans and review the progress of their mentees. A research paper is required. Limited enrollment. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a fifth-level Spanish course in the previous two trimesters, or permission of the department chair.

See also Latin American Studies (HIST-SS535), listed under History and Social Sciences.