Browse Curriculum

Department

World Languages

Our goal is for students to reach the proficiency level of Intermediate High during their language studies at Millbrook. Students must continue their language studies through their Vth form year in order to attempt to reach the proficiency goal set by the department. Students who achieve the Intermediate High level of proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking will graduate with the skills needed to become a 21st century learner and a global citizen.

The department endorses the Advanced Placement program in French, Spanish, and Mandarin, and we encourage students to reach the Advanced Low proficiency level in order to join the AP class. We also encourage students to spend time in Spanish, French, and Chinese speaking countries and communities or in approved language immersion programs.

Millbrook promotes student language proficiency through a curriculum that emphasizes authentic languages starting at the novice level. We have state-of-the-art technology in the Harris Kenan Language Center. Students enter the building through one of two lounges with flat screen televisions tuned to current news and programming in Mandarin, Spanish, and French. We dedicate time to teaching and learning languages and culture through authentic audio and video materials delivered to our students through the latest technology.

Course descriptions for the World Language Department are based on ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) guidelines, with the exception of Latin. Each description is a representative, not an exhaustive, sample of a particular range of ability, and each level subsumes all previous levels moving from simple to complex in an ‘all-before-and-more’ fashion.

AP French

(Advanced Low – Advanced Mid)
This course combines language development with critical thinking. Students will concentrate on interpersonal and presentational spoken and written communication based upon their ability to analyze and interpret information heard and read. Students will be able to identify and summarize main points and important details and make appropriate inferences and predictions from advanced and authentic texts and auditory stimuli. Students will be able to participate actively in both formal and informal conversations on a variety of topics that range from personal interests to public interests while maintaining appropriate cultural register. Their vocabulary will be very good but might contain occasional interference from their native language. They will be able to circumlocute and to rephrase both in writing and speaking. They will have control of both simple and complex structures with few errors. They will be readily understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. They may have trouble providing a structured argument in extended discourse although will likely be successful in stating opinions or citing conditions.
AP Spanish

(Advanced Low - Advanced Mid)
This course combines language development with critical thinking. Students will concentrate on interpersonal and presentational spoken and written communication based upon their ability to analyze and interpret information heard and read. Students will be able to identify and summarize main points and important details and make appropriate inferences and predictions from advanced and authentic texts and auditory stimuli. Students will be able to participate actively in both formal and informal conversations on a variety of topics that range from personal interests to public interests while maintaining appropriate cultural register. Their vocabulary will be very good but might contain occasional interference from their native language. They will be able to circumlocute and to rephrase both in writing and speaking. They will have control of both simple and complex structures with few errors. They will be readily understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers. They may have trouble providing a structured argument in extended discourse although will likely be successful in stating opinions or citing conditions.
French I

(Novice High)
By the end of this course, students will be able to respond to simple questions and to communicate basic information in both speech and writing. They will be able to recombine familiar words and expressions to describe self, family, daily activities, personal preferences and basic cultural information. They will be able to navigate with some success in day-to-day survival situations and will be able to read for instructional and directional purposes.
French II

(Intermediate Low)
In this course, students will begin to handle interactive, task-oriented social situations in both speech and writing. They will create sentences and questions with the language in order to handle such basic survival situations as ordering food and making simple purchases. Students will also participate in direct conversations about themselves their daily activities, and their language’s culture. Additionally, they will practice their listening skills and begin to transcribe and take notes from auditory sources. They will write short paragraphs, electronic messages, and postcards with good control of basic structures. Students will be able to read and understand passages based on personal and social needs, i.e., public service announcements. Students will generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
French III

(Intermediate Mid)
Students in this course continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They will respond with partial control to direct questions or requests for information; however, their speech may contain pauses, inaccuracies, and misunderstandings. They will begin to self-correct with some success. Students will also explore the world through news and cultural sources; however, they may have difficulty with authentic sources, especially auditory. Students will be able to read basic cultural texts and be able to summarize information from these sources. Students will be able to write in a variety of practical forms such as formal and informal letters and emails although most topics will be based on personal experience. Students will be understood by a sympathetic native speaker used to dealing with non-native speakers.
French IV

(Intermediate Mid- High)
Students in this course will be able to converse successfully in the majority of basic situations and in some advanced topics. Hesitation and errors may be present in the delivery of advanced discourse as students depart the world that revolves around them and take on a more global perspective. They will be able to initiate, sustain and conclude a conversation even though there may be errors. They will connect ideas in order to narrate and describe. Students will be able to understand and determine main ideas in advanced narrative and descriptive texts, both cultural and literary, although they may need to read these texts multiple times. There may be occasional hesitation in their delivery. In general, native speakers will be able to understand students without the need for repetition.
French Lit. & Art of the 20th Century

Advanced Literature Course
This class if for students who want to improve their language skills and who want to continue to practice speaking, writing, listening and critical thinking in the target language of French or Spanish. Admission into this class is by permission of the instructor and Chair of the World Language Department.
French V

(Intermediate High - Advanced Low Language) Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context, students will be able to understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students will be able to read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, and technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they will be able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students will also have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level will be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
Hispanic Film and Culture

In this course students will learn about the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries through the medium of film. Students will view films set in North America, Latin America, and Spain. Together with readings and other cultural materials, students will study the social, political, and cultural context of the films presented. The course will explore various issues, such as women’s roles in contemporary society, immigration, globalization, and experiences of war and violence, among other themes.
Mandarin I

Beginning Chinese I is designed for students with little or no experience in learning Chinese. Students develop the basic
language skills in a cultural context by understanding and responding to structured social conversations. Starting with the
introduction of the Chinese language system including Pinyin, tones, radicals and characters, this course focuses on students'
performance of producing simple sentences and brief paragraphs related to the topics of greeting, sharing personal
information and preferences, introducing others, making plans about and discussing school life. The corresponding cultural
knowledge is introduced at appropriate intervals to enrich students' understanding of Chinese culture. Care is taken to create
an authentic learning experience in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the online environment. Students improve their
overall language proficiency through weekly interactions with their teacher and classmates, a variety of internet resources,
audio and video materials, and engaging activities of playing games, performing songs and tongue twisters, writing stories,
collaborating for projects, taking virtual field trips and acting out roles in movies – we really do have a lot of fun! This course
aligns with Cheng and Tsui Integrated Chinese Level I lessons zero through six. By the end of Beginning Chinese I, students will be ableto handle the basic functions with structured grammatical patterns in daily communication and gain a solid foundation for
future learning.
Mandarin II

Mandarin II students continue to improve their Chinese skills by using both structured and created language. Cultural connections are made at appropriate intervals to familiarize students with the Chinese speaking world. Students learn to initiate and participate in daily communication, apply new vocabulary and more complex sentence patterns tofulfill the functions of expressing individual needs, describe circumstances, compare the similarities and differences ofphenomenon, and demonstrate culturally contextualized understanding. Students improve character literacy, authentic language production and cultural competency. A variety of audio, visual, and textual materials are carefully selected based on the interests and preferences of the students, which optimizes the effectiveness of the online personalized experience. This course aligns with Cheng and Tsui Integrated Chinese Level I lessons six through 12. By the end of Beginning Chinese II, students will be able to write journals, compose short Chinese songs and rhymes, share about topics related to their school life, and produce refined language freely at the paragraph level on essential social communication.
Mandarin III

Mandarin III students develop their essential Chinese language skills while gaining a deeper understanding of
Chinese culture through engaging with various audio, visual, textual materials and increasing authentic language application
experience. The course is designed for students who have had at least two years of Chinese study, and takes them into
structured communication through comprehensive skill-enhancement with abundant task-based practical grammatical
structures and sentence patterns. Students engage in group work, online seminars, real-time speaking practice and
personalized learning packets to improve constructive conversation skills in Chinese. Students are highly encouraged to enjoy
applying Mandarin and to make productive mistakes within the course. This course aligns with Cheng and Tsui Integrated Chinese
Level I lessons 11 through 20. By the end of this course, students will acquire substantive vocabulary and structures to creating
essays, compose songs and rhymes, discuss written and audio primary sources, and present speeches that are related to a wide
variety of popular topics. The goal is to be able to function successfully in daily life in a Chinese-speaking world.
Mandarin IV

Mandarin IV is a rigorous class that prepares students for the AP® Chinese Language and Culture or Advanced
Chinese course the following year. Students develop language competencies, while building proficiency in applying Mandarin
in a variety of real-life situations. The course builds through unrehearsed listening and reading texts, engaging essays, authentic
projects and virtual field trips. Classroom discussions and debates are added sequentially so that students develop both
communication and language learning strategies. A variety of audio, visual, and textual materials are carefully selected based on
the interests and preferences of the students, to reflect the diversity of students' lives, school experience, and personal/social
issues. Students should be prepared for a range of collaborative and individual activities each week, including speaking in real
time with each other and the instructor. Literature learning is embedded in each unit at this level, through which students gain
a deeper understand of the important role what idioms plays in Chinese language, and how to apply those idioms in
communication. This course aligns with Cheng and Tsui Integrated Chinese Level II lessons 21 through 30. By the end of this course,
students will able to relate past, present, and future experiences to conduct complicated daily activities in Mandarin.
Mandarin V
Social Lit. of Spanish Speaking World

This class is for students who want to improve their language skills and who want to continue to practice speaking, writing, listening and critical thinking in the target language of Spanish. Admission into this class is by permission of the instructor and Chair of the World Language Department.
Spanish I

(Novice High)
By the end of this course, students will be able to respond to simple questions and to communicate basic information in both speech and writing. They will be able to recombine familiar words and expressions to describe self, family, daily activities, personal preferences and basic cultural information. They will be able to navigate with some success in day-to-day survival situations and will be able to read for instructional and directional purposes.
Spanish II

(Intermediate Low)
In this course, students will begin to handle interactive, task-oriented social situations in both speech and writing. They will create sentences and questions with the language in order to handle such basic survival situations as ordering food and making simple purchases. Students will also participate in direct conversations about themselves their daily activities, and their language’s culture. Additionally, they will practice their listening skills and will begin to transcribe and take notes from auditory sources. They will write short paragraphs, electronic messages, and postcards with good control of basic structures. Students will be able to read and understand passages based on personal and social needs, i.e., public service announcements. Students will generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
Spanish III

(Intermediate Mid)
Students in this course continue to focus on personal interests in their speaking, writing, reading, and listening. They will respond with partial control to direct questions or requests for information; however, their speech may contain pauses, inaccuracies, and misunderstandings. They will begin to self-correct with some success. Students will also explore the world through news and cultural sources; however, they may have difficulty with authentic sources, especially auditory. Students will be able to read basic cultural texts and be able to summarize information from these sources. Students will be able to write in a variety of practical forms such as formal and informal letters and emails although most topics will be based on personal experience. Students will be understood by a sympathetic native speaker used to dealing with non-native speakers.
Spanish IV

(Intermediate Mid-High)
Students in this course will be able to converse successfully in the majority of basic situations and in some advanced topics. Hesitation and errors may be present in the delivery of advanced discourse as students depart the world that revolves around them and take on a more global perspective. They will be able to initiate, sustain and conclude a conversation even though there may be errors. They will connect ideas in order to narrate and describe. Students will be able to understand and determine main ideas in advanced narrative and descriptive texts, both cultural and literary, although they may need to read these texts multiple times. There may be occasional hesitation in their delivery. In general, native speakers will be able to understand students without the need for repetition.
Spanish V

(Intermediate High - Advanced Low)
Students continue to explore global themes and challenges. In this context, students will be able to understand the main ideas and implications on a variety of topics that cover various time frames. Students will be able to read and understand the main idea and the majority of details in news articles, commercial prose, authentic auditory sources, and technical material meant for the general reader, short stories, and abridged or brief works of literature. Students may have some hesitation when tackling a topic for the first time; however, they will be able to both decipher and create meaning by using diverse linguistic strategies. Students will also have sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision in both written and oral work. They may need to repeat and restate their thoughts to be clear; however, students at this level will be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.

Faculty

Zhaohong Wen

World Language Department Chair, Mandarin Instructor, International Student Program Coordinator

Capitol Normal University, Beijing China - B.A.
Simmons College - M.A.

zwen@millbrook.org
Erica (Shapey) Freymann

Spanish Instructor

845-677-8261 Ext. 141

SUNY Oswego - B.S.

eshapey@millbrook.org
Matthew Amos

French Instructor

845-677-8261

New York University - Ph.D.
New York University - B.A.

mamos@millbrook.org
Florent Lacroix

French instructor

845-677-8261

Lycée St Martin, Rennes, France
Université de Haute Bretagne, Rennes II, Rennes, France
Universite Rennes II - M.A.
IUFM Versailles

flacroix@millbrook.org
Lucia Philipp

Spanish Instructor

Teachers College, Columbia University - M.A.
University of Richmond - B.A.

lphilipp@millbrook.org
Tatiana Quintanilla

Spanish Instructor

845-677-8261

SUNY Brockport - B.S.

tquintanilla@millbrook.org
Annabella Vizcardo Goshen

Spanish Instructor

845-677-8261

Nova Southeastern University - M.B.A.
Florida Atlantic University - B.A.

agoshen@millbrook.org
Eve Whitehouse

Academic Dean, French Instructor

845-677-8261 Ext. 205

Middlebury College - M.A.
Smith College - B.A.

ewhitehouse@millbrook.org

131 Millbrook School Road, Millbrook, NY 12545
T. (845) 677.8261 | F. (845) 677.8598