Spanish Program Overview: Learning a second language allows students to understand different cultures. There is a direct connection between the culture that is lived and the language that is spoken. The study of culture allows students to develop awareness of the different views around the world and unique lifestyles.

Program Guidelines:  Language acquisition is a lifelong process and should begin in the elementary school. Students should be able to speak, read, write, and understand the foreign language they study (Spanish). We integrate the study of language with the study of culture, which includes daily life, history, literature, visual and performing arts, mathematics, and science.  Foreign language programs should link to all other disciplines. The primary goal of second language study is to enable students to communicate face-to-face with native speakers of a language other than English.  It is important to incorporate all four components for foreign language acquisition (speaking, listening, reading and writing) into the Spanish classroom, together with all aspects of culture.

New York State Standards:   In New York State, there are two main standards for LOTE (Language Other than  English). The St. Peter Roman Catholic School Foreign Language Curriculum complies with the New York State and Diocesan standards and curriculum.      

Standard 1: Communication.   Listening and Speaking are the primary communicative goals.  These skills are used for socializing, provident and acquiring information, expressing personal feelings and opinion, and getting others to adopt a course of action.  

Standard 2: Cross-cultural skills and understanding.  This involves the understanding of perceptions, gestures, folklore, family and community dynamics.

Sample of Topics by Grade Level:   Learning a language is a cumulative, spiraling process, and any communicative function can apply to a variety of situations and topics.  Once the functions, situations and topics are identified, they can be combined in innumerable ways to provide the focus of a unit of instruction.  The table below can be interrelated and contribute to the progressive accumulation of knowledge and skills if each unit reinforces previous units.

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