Languages

In UPrep's Chinese language courses, I learned not only how to speak and sound authentic, but also how to understand the Chinese culture. Being able to put a smile on my grandparents’ faces as I converse with them in their native language is one of the greatest gifts UPrep has given me." –Joseph Yeung '21

UPrep’s Middle School language program offers a broad introduction to language learning and culture. The courses develop students’ speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills; introduce basic grammar concepts; and begin to lay the foundation toward proficiency in the target language.

As preparation for communication in real-life situations is stressed, teachers design tasks and activities to give students opportunities to use the language in a variety of meaningful ways.

Middle School students complete a three-part series (Levels A, B, and C) in grades 6-8. The pace of the Middle School sequence allows for greater exploration of topics and cultural themes, as well as development of general study skills and good practices for language learning. Upon completion of the Level C course in Middle School, students will be placed into an Upper School course appropriate for their level of preparation.

It's not just about learning a language. Our students discover cultures, too, while singing songs, making food, and seeing how Spanish-speaking people view the world." –Spanish Teacher Alexis Araiza

6th Grade Language Ignition

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Language Ignition (6th grade)

All sixth grade students begin their language study with an immersive experience during the first intensive term.

Language Ignition introduces students to the language fundamentals and culture of Mandarin Chinese, French, or Spanish. Students select the language they will study during course registration the prior spring and do not take a language class during the first semester of sixth grade.

CHINESE A Intensive

6th grade
Intensive

The three-week winter intensive offers students a comprehensive introduction to the basics of spoken and written Chinese language, covering strokes, radicals, and Pinyin pronunciation, which sets the groundwork of Chinese language acquisition. Basic greetings and language phrases are introduced. Students also have the opportunity to explore diverse Chinese cultures, people, and land of greater Chinese communities. By attending several field trips and cultural events, such as the International District tours, Chinese food dining-out trips, and a martial arts class, students will have a fun and dynamic experience. They not only acquire a new language and culture, but also build connections with teachers and peers. The intensive also celebrates the Lunar New Year on campus, where student use their calligraphy and Chinese painting skills to showcase the richness of Chinese traditions with the UPrep community.

French A Intensive: LE PETIT ATELIER

6th grade
Intensive

Le Petit Atelier Français offers students an immersive cultural experience in which they develop communication skills in the target language. During the class, students speak French, sing songs, and do communicative activities. In addition to building vocabulary and practicing foundational grammar skills, students complete various projects, including a final vision map depicting their experience in the French Petit Atelier. Students visit local Francophone businesses. Guest speakers also bring their expertise and enthusiasm to share with students and create artifacts that allow exploration of the global Francophone world.

Spanish A Intensive

6th grade
Intensive

This course focuses on creative and immersive experiences both in our vibrant city of Seattle and throughout Washington state. Field trips may include a Spanish-language radio station, sports stadiums, nonprofit organizations, art centers, and more. Students may attend the Latin American Film Festival, explore storytelling at Casa Latina, visit Spanish immersion schools, and learn about traditional Latin American music and dances. Students see how Spanish is used and experienced in the world outside the classroom.

Courses

Chinese A

Middle School
One semester

This introductory course lays a solid foundation for student’s future language study by focusing on developing communication skills on topics relating to individual, family, personal preferences, leisure activities, and time phrases. Students learn essential greetings, engage in brief conversations, and delve into cultural differences. Students can continue to learn and advance their understanding of Chinese characters and Pinyin. Students are encouraged to write basic characters by following the correct stroke order and use Pinyin to support their listening comprehension and speaking skills. The emphasis on building vocabulary and forming learning strategies enhance the overall Chinese language experience throughout the semester.

Chinese B

Middle School
Yearlong

This course builds upon the foundation established in Chinese A. Students continue to learn and practice the basics of spoken and written Chinese and are encouraged to develop longer sentence structures in Chinese characters. Students start the course by learning and celebrating Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, fostering deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture, which also allows them to share Chinese language and culture in the larger community. The course later extends into topics involving everyday life and living functions, including units relating to occupations, clothing, descriptions, daily routine, and buying and selling. Students gain language skills to communication in real-life situations and continuously study written text in Chinese characters.

Chinese C

Middle School

This beginner-intermediate course builds upon the foundation established in Chinese B. Chinese C class systematically progresses students from basic listening, speaking, and writing simple sentences to the more advanced skills of presenting, reading, and writing basic paragraphs in Chinese characters. The course introduces complex unit topics set in real-world situations, covering giving directions, travel around China, Chinese food culture, feelings, and the formations of Chinese characters (the magic characters). Assignments involve more challenging projects to explore those topics and to apply students’ acquired language skills. The primary goal of the course is to foster proficiency in everyday Chinese, comprehend real-life contexts, and enable students to showcase their Chinese language skills to an authentic language audience. Abundant exercises and activities covering listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into daily lessons and assignments.

FRENCH A: MON EXPLORATION (MY EXPLORATION)

Middle School
One semester

In French A, students learn basic conversational skills, fundamental grammar and vocabulary, and undertake level-appropriate reading and writing activities. In addition to incorporating general study skills, supplemental materials introduce students to how the language varies in different parts of the world. Students learn songs, write and perform short skits, play games, cook traditional dishes, complete a variety of cultural and linguistic projects, and celebrate holidays and customs of the Francophone world. Students study a variety of terms, such as greetings, numbers, weather, telling time, school supplies, and colors.

FRENCH B: MA DÉCOUVERTE (MY DISCOVERY)

Middle School
Yearlong

Middle School French B deepens the practice begun in French A, further preparing students to use the target language in class and participate in interpersonal activities and projects. Students improve conversational skills, master more complex grammar, and broaden their vocabulary to discuss an array of everyday objects and situations. Students study a variety of themes, such as foods, restaurants, clothing, getting around town, describing one’s home, and chores. Throughout the course, students will practice all major skills: oral and written expression (speaking and writing), as well as oral and written comprehension (listening and reading), in French. In addition, they will develop cultural awareness of various regions of France.

FRENCH C: MON BIEN-ÊTRE (MY WELL-BEING)

Middle School
Yearlong

In this course, students are introduced to the past tense while reincorporating use of the present tense in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. This will include regular, irregular, and reflexive verb formations. The class is highly interactive and will incorporate a variety of digital tools and hands-on learning experiences. Students will collaborate on projects in the target language and begin to move beyond simple structures in oral and written communication. Vocabulary studies will include talking about your daily routine, favorite activities, travel, family, and pets. Culturally, students delve into Francophone North America, examining Québec, Louisiana, and other places with French heritage, and may incorporate regional recipes and stories into projects for class.

Spanish A

Middle School
One semester

In Spanish A, students are introduced to the language and culture of the different Spanish-speaking countries. They become familiar and comfortable with the language. Students will have a basic understanding of the grammar and vocabulary at this level; particularly, they will learn about parts of the speech with a special focus on verb conjugations. They will build their confidence within the three modes of communication, interpretive, interpersonal and presentational, in the target language.

Spanish B

Middle School
Yearlong

In Spanish B, students continue discovering the basic components of sentence structure, focusing on regular verb conjugations in the present tense, and are also introduced to more stem-changing verbs. Students delve deeply into the grammar covered in level A. They produce more writing and gain more confidence in their speaking skills. Finally, they are introduced to the preterit tense. They deepen their abilities in the three modes of communication, interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational, in the target language.

Spanish C

Middle School
Yearlong

Students continue to widen their vocabulary and create more complex constructions. They are expected to be able to conjugate verbs in the present and preterit tense and dive into the many regular and irregular conjugations, with a focus on using them for a communicative purpose. They deepen their knowledge of stem-changing verbs and are introduced to the imperfect tense. Students are expected to communicate mostly in Spanish at this level. Their writing, reading, and speaking skills continue to improve. Through multimodal and cultural activities, students further develop their abilities in the three modes of communication, interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational, in the target language.

A UPrep French teacher works with a student at the whiteboard.

A UPrep Spanish language student runs their booth at the "Mercadito."