Foreign Language

St. Scholastica Academy students begin foreign language classes in their freshmen year. Students taking one or more honors courses are required to take Latin I.  Honors students may opt to satisfy their foreign language requirements by taking Latin II in their sophomore year or they may opt to pursue Spanish I and II.  Honors students are strongly encouraged to take a third consecutive level of a foreign language as many out-of-state colleges strongly recommend a third level.

The main purpose of the Foreign Language Program is to develop competency in the chosen language. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills are stressed. 

Students must learn to perform a variety of language functions: to listen, to ask questions, to describe, to give and follow directions, to narrate, to express and defend opinions, and to hypothesize. Foreign language courses are designed to give students an exposure to a language and culture different from their own.

First level courses of the chosen language introduce the students to the language through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Second level courses introduce more complicated concepts and structures as well as vocabulary. Speaking in the language is stressed. The cultures of the native countries are studied.

Third level courses include extensive reading and writing in the language, and as much conversation as possible.  Students are introduced to famous literature and cinema from native countries.

REQUIRED COURSEWORK:

LATIN I (HONORS) - Freshmen Honors Only - 1 credit
Latin I students learn the basic structure and vocabulary of the Latin language. The course is designed not only with basic Latin as its objective, but also with the goal of bolstering students’ ability to learn other foreign languages, to acquire English vocabulary with greater ease and retention, and to understand syntax and verbal logic more readily. Latin I also presents students with cultural units, glimpses into the daily life of the ancient Romans, which invite comparison with and greater understanding of many of the customs and processes that are our modern heritage from ancient Rome.

LATIN II (HONORS) - Sophomore Honors Only - 1 credit
Building on the basics of Latin I, students in Latin II advance to the more complex structures of the Latin language and continue to accumulate Latin vocabulary. As in Latin I, a primary objective of this course is to enable students to use Latin as a foundation for acquiring modern foreign languages, English vocabulary, and the linguistic concepts. Latin II also includes a series of cultural units which give the students greater familiarity with the Romans and their contribution to Western life.

SPANISH I (CP) -  Freshmen - 1 credit
The first level course introduces students to the target language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students learn basic grammatical structures and vocabulary of the language in a highly interactive settings.

SPANISH II (CP) -  Sophomores - 1 credit
The second level course reviews material learned in the first course and introduces more advanced concepts and structures. Students continue to acquire new vocabulary and to appreciate the differences inherent in the language and culture. Speaking and writing skills are emphasized.


ELECTIVE COURSEWORK:

LATIN III (HONORS) - Juniors -  Elective - 1 credit
Following a thorough review of Latin II, Latin III gives students an in-depth look at Western Civilization and its literary origins through reading Roman prose and poetry. Selections from Rufus, Horace, and Petronius will be used to give students a look into the lives of these authors and their culture.

LATIN IV (HONORS) - Seniors -  Elective - 1 credit
Latin IV serves as a continuation of the topics Latin III with more of a focus on works of Roman poetry. Through the study of works such as Ovid’s Ars Armatoria and Virgil’s Aeneid, students enrolled in Latin IV will be introduced to the poetry of Ancient Rome, the history that surrounds it, and its impact on modern literature.  

SPANISH III (HONORS) -  Juniors -  Elective - 1 credit
Spanish III is conducted for the most part in the target language. Speaking and understanding oral communication are emphasized using relevant situational conversations, dialogues, and vocabulary building activities. The reading focus involves contemporary pieces in the target language.
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St. Scholastica Academy is a Catholic, all-girls, college-preparatory high school located in Covington, Louisiana. Founded in 1903, SSA perpetuates the Benedictine tradition of balancing prayer, work, study, and community in developing adolescent girls into Christian women grounded in the Gospel values of the Catholic faith. St. Scholastica Academy is a Catholic girls high school of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As such it admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities available to students at its schools. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.