Thornton Academy Program of Studies 2-24- 25 | Page 39

ARABIC

Arabic Honors I

1 Credit

In this beginning course , students will gain the basic skills needed to communicate in classic Arabic / Fusha . Although the main goal will be to develop listening and speaking skills , students will also learn the Arabic alphabet . Through activities and practical conversations , students will understand basic language patterns as well as pronunciation and vocabulary . The course will cover essential grammar , vocabulary , and expressions that are used in daily conversation and travel . Middle Eastern culture , with an emphasis on Lebanon , will be integrated with direct language instruction .

Arabic Honors II

1 Credit

Prerequisite : Arabic I and teacher recommendation Students will continue to expand their grammar , vocabulary , and writing skills along with their knowledge of Middle Eastern cultures . More reading and writing will be included in the class schedule . Students will become more comfortable conversing and expressing themselves .

Arabic Honors III

1 Credit Prerequisite : Arabic II and teacher recommendation

In this course , students will continue to develop listening , speaking , reading , and writing skills . The objective is to equip students with the basic skills to enable them to engage in a conversation . Students will be required to read short stories and watch Arabic movies to learn a broader range of vocabulary . They will be exposed to authentic reading and listening materials , as well as discussions of political , social , and cultural topics . In addition , students will read , write , and translate both long and simple texts . Assessments will include written and oral evaluation . This class is fast-paced and a significant portion of each class session will be conducted in Arabic .

CHINESE

Chinese Honors I

1 Credit Prerequisite : Recommended for students enrolled in a concurrent honors level English course

This beginner-level Chinese course offers an introduction to Chinese language and culture . It focuses on listening and speaking basic Mandarin Chinese , as well as reading and writing simplified Chinese characters , and understanding the pronunciation system , Pinyin . Both traditional and current Chinese customs and culture in China and Taiwan will be discussed in class . Regular quizzes in listening , reading , and writing will be included in the class schedule .

Chinese Honors II

1 Credit Prerequisite : Honors Chinese I and teacher recommendation

This course builds upon the foundation established in Chinese I . It expands and develops the number of characters , vocabulary , and sentence structures on topics of food , weather , season , clothing , and shopping . Regular quizzes in listening , speaking , reading , and writing will be included in the class schedule , as will regular Chinese reading and writing assignments . Part of the class is conducted in Mandarin Chinese .

Chinese Honors III

1 Credit Prerequisite : Honors Chinese II and teacher recommendation

This course meets with Honors Chinese IV ( see description below ) to build upon the foundation established in Chinese I and II . Students will increase their numbers of characters and vocabulary , as well as complexity of grammar , while further studying Chinese culture . This course is partially conducted in Mandarin Chinese .

Chinese Honors IV

1 Credit Prerequisite : Honors Chinese III and teacher recommendation

This intermediate-level Chinese course meets with Honors Chinese III ( see description above ). Students continue to develop and improve their language skills through reading , discussion , and writing in Chinese . Topics include half of the following : health , daily life , giving and taking directions , cooking , and planning ; the other half is covered in Honors Chinese III . This course is partially conducted in Mandarin Chinese .

Chinese Honors V

1 Credit Prerequisite : Honors Chinese IV and teacher recommendation

This course builds upon prior years of Chinese language and cultural foundation . Students continue to develop and improve their language skills through reading , discussion , and different formats of writing in Chinese . Topics include house chores , the college application and careers , travel , Chinese and American literature , environmental protection , and modern China . This course is mostly conducted in Mandarin Chinese .

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