The Classics
In
the Upper School we offer Latin 1 through Latin 5, with honors-level courses
beginning in Latin 2. We also
offer Ancient Greek 1 and 2 as an optional second language for students who
have already completed their required coursework in a classical or modern
language.
Below are some of the
highlights of our program:
- Latin and Greek offer the ultimate language experiences for students of Western culture;
- Learning Latin and Greek facilitates understanding English grammar and vocabulary because we teach the languages in English;
- The Classics department accommodates students who have difficulty with hearing and speaking a modern language;
- Classics offerings cover the gamut of subjects very naturally adjunct to the study of languages (such as culture, history and politics) in general and are tailored yearly to our population;
- The Classics program and its teachers span both middle and upper school; teachers are expected to teach at all levels, resulting in a greater degree of consistency and pertinence in the curriculum;
- We are both a skills- and content-driven department.
Modern Languages
GA's mission statement
promises that our students will learn the skills necessary to become good
citizens and productive leaders in a global society. In a world of
diminishing distances and increasing contact with people from other cultures,
proficiency in a modern language is important in the development of leadership
skills and appreciation for cultural differences. Through the study of
another language, students not only enjoy the experience of being able to
communicate with others but also gain insights into cultural similarities and
differences. We want our students to understand and communicate ideas in a
language other than their own, because world languages are a bridge to
communication, understanding, and opportunity. Our program encourages the use
of contemporary, authentic multimedia sources for instruction and real-life
interaction with speakers of the target language.
Our students are currently able to study French and
Spanish throughout their Middle and Upper School years at Germantown Academy.
We will offer Advanced Beginning German as a one-year elective in
2010-2011. (Elective courses do
not fulfill our three-year language requirement.) Beginning in the sixth grade, with the opportunity to
complete a well articulated seven-year sequence through the AP level French and
Spanish, our students engage in an enriching and challenging curriculum which
allows time to establish a firm foundation in the target language, complemented
by cultural units, film studies, gastronomical feasts, music, interdisciplinary
units, holiday celebrations, and in-depth literary and authentic readings. We
encourage our students to develop relationships with speakers of the target
language through visits by native speakers, pen pals and e-pals. Optional
bi-annual trips to experience the richness of regions where the target language
is spoken (Quebec in Middle School and France and Spain in Upper School)
complement the classroom experience and provide excellent opportunities for
students to use the language and explore the culture. Students also participate
in language-related activities, such as helping teach in the Lower School
language program, and writing and publishing The Voyager (the modern language magazine.) Our students routinely
excel in local and national language competitions and are also inducted into
the national honorary societies.
Our modern language program, guided by leaders in the profession, has
been recognized as among the best in Pennsylvania with the Gold Globe
Pennsylvania Exemplary Program Award.