French & Spanish
At the outset of the Lower School years, students are given the option of beginning the study of French or Spanish. Instruction begins in kindergarten and continues through 5th grade. The main goal of the instruction is to help students learn to express themselves with ease and confidence, orally and in writing.
In the younger grades, the emphasis is on the development of oral communication skills. As students become more capable, reading and writing are introduced. Due to the cross-curricular nature of our program, with students learning language through a content-based rather than a thematic approach, positive transfer of skills occurs naturally through storytelling, theater, singing, and dance. The teaching approach ensures the review of vocabulary and structures introduced in previous units in order to be able to consolidate new skills.