Languages Other Than English
The Warren High School Languages Other than English (LOTE) Department develops students’ interpersonal, communicative and interpretive skills in a second language. Students may choose from American Sign Language, German and Spanish. There are two Spanish options, one for non-native speakers and one for Spanish heritage speakers.
All language courses focus on building students’ vocabularies and comprehension, while also understanding the culture behind the language. AP Courses are available for German and Spanish pathways.
American Sign Language
Courses: ASL 1, 2, 3
In ASL, students will focus on:
- Introducing vocabulary and key grammar structures in the context of key dialogues
- Introducing numbers, fingerspelling, spatial elements, and other supporting skills
- Cultural lessons that focus on behaviors that enable students to act in linguistically and socially acceptable ways
- Comprehension lessons and stories to expand students’ skills to process and figure meanings from larger chunks of signed information
- Strategies such as controlling the pace of conversation and resuming conversations after an interruption
- How to interpret visual language cues
Storytelling performance techniques to express themselves visually in person and on new video technologies
German
Courses: German 1, 2, 3, AP German Language and Culture
In German, students will focus on:
- Building vocabulary while supported by English
- Learning basic grammar and conversational skills
- Learning in academic and thematic context about the culture
Spanish
Our Spanish Program is divided into two tracks: Spanish for English primary speakers and Spanish for Heritage speakers. Students are given an assessment in middle school and, based on their score, are placed on the appropriate track.
English Speakers Track
Courses: Spanish 1, 2, 3 AP Spanish Language and Culture
In this track students will focus on:
- Building vocabulary while supported by English
- Learning basic grammar and conversational skills
- Learning in academic and thematic context about the culture
Heritage Speakers Track
Courses: Spanish 2H, 3H, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Spanish Literature
In the Heritage track, students will focus on:
- Developing their language abilities in the target language
- Communicating through written and spoken forms
- Acquiring formal knowledge of grammatical structures and vocabulary
- The literature and culture of Spanish-speaking worlds to help them develop their skills as readers and critical thinkers and make significant progress in their ability to write coherent, intellectually forceful expository prose
Spanish Language Pathways
