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Vestavia Hills High School

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  3. World Languages
  4. World Language Classes

World Language Classes

French is spoken on five continents and 51 countries! French is the official language of Canada, an important US trading partner. More than 40 percent of the English language has its origins in French. French students will not only learn a language rich in history and culture, but can also apply that knowledge to careers and fields such as fashion, fine art, literature, gourmet food, government, business, science and technology.

Click here to visit the VHHS French site.

Spanish is the second most spoken language of the United States and Alabama with more than 30 million speakers nationwide. Spanish is spoken in 21 countries by more than 400 million people. American companies are always looking for competent individuals who both understand American business practices and are fluent in Spanish.

Click here to visit the VHHS ESPAÑOL website.

Click here to visit the VHHS Deutsch website!

Click here to visit the VHHS Deutsch Freshman Campus website!

Students learning the German language and culture will find it fun and interesting, and will also gain relevant skills for local and international careers and several fields such as engineering, science, technology, medicine, communications, and theology. Germany is the world's third largest exporter and fourth largest economy, with hundreds of companies located in the southeast. German is the third most spoken language in Alabama and the most common first language of the European Union, with more than 110 million speakers worldwide!

The Classical world in the foundation of our modern Western civilization. Latin is the ancestor of many modern-day languages and facilitates the study of other languages. Latin students will not only learn the language but will also explore the mythology, art, engineering, and history of the Roman people and their influence in today's world. Latin knowledge is essential when learning the advanced vocabulary of medicine, law, science, and economics.

Course Description: Students will develop beginning level ASL receptive and expressive communication skills using the appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Deaf culture, history, and poetry will be integrated into the instruction.  Classifiers and non-manual grammatical markers, which are specifically found in American Sign Language, will be taught.  The course instruction and activities are primarily in ASL.

Level 1

Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication.

  1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
  2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
  3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

Prerequisite - Students must have had a 75% or higher yearly average in the previous year's English class.

 

Level 2

Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication. Additional grammatical aspects are added.

  1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
  2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
  3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

Prerequisite - Students must have had a 75% or higher yearly average in Level 1 and pass an end-of-year conversational assessment with a 75% or higher score.

 

Level 3

Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication. Additional grammatical aspects are added along with independent conversational skills.  

  1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
  2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
  3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

Prerequisite - Students must have a 75% or higher yearly average in Level 2 and pass an end-of-year conversational assessment with a 75% or higher score. 

  • French is spoken on five continents and 51 countries! French is the official language of Canada, an important US trading partner. More than 40 percent of the English language has its origins in French. French students will not only learn a language rich in history and culture, but can also apply that knowledge to careers and fields such as fashion, fine art, literature, gourmet food, government, business, science and technology.

    Click here to visit the VHHS French site.

  • Spanish is the second most spoken language of the United States and Alabama with more than 30 million speakers nationwide. Spanish is spoken in 21 countries by more than 400 million people. American companies are always looking for competent individuals who both understand American business practices and are fluent in Spanish.

    Click here to visit the VHHS ESPAÑOL website.

  • Click here to visit the VHHS Deutsch website!

    Click here to visit the VHHS Deutsch Freshman Campus website!

    Students learning the German language and culture will find it fun and interesting, and will also gain relevant skills for local and international careers and several fields such as engineering, science, technology, medicine, communications, and theology. Germany is the world's third largest exporter and fourth largest economy, with hundreds of companies located in the southeast. German is the third most spoken language in Alabama and the most common first language of the European Union, with more than 110 million speakers worldwide!

  • The Classical world in the foundation of our modern Western civilization. Latin is the ancestor of many modern-day languages and facilitates the study of other languages. Latin students will not only learn the language but will also explore the mythology, art, engineering, and history of the Roman people and their influence in today's world. Latin knowledge is essential when learning the advanced vocabulary of medicine, law, science, and economics.

  • Course Description: Students will develop beginning level ASL receptive and expressive communication skills using the appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Deaf culture, history, and poetry will be integrated into the instruction.  Classifiers and non-manual grammatical markers, which are specifically found in American Sign Language, will be taught.  The course instruction and activities are primarily in ASL.

    Level 1

    Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication.

    1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
    2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
    3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

    Prerequisite - Students must have had a 75% or higher yearly average in the previous year's English class.

     

    Level 2

    Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication. Additional grammatical aspects are added.

    1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
    2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
    3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

    Prerequisite - Students must have had a 75% or higher yearly average in Level 1 and pass an end-of-year conversational assessment with a 75% or higher score.

     

    Level 3

    Focuses on developing language proficiency, cultural competency, and the use of language skills within the three modes of communication. Additional grammatical aspects are added along with independent conversational skills.  

    1. Interpersonal Communication - Engaging in conversations, expressing ideas, and exchanging opinions using both expressive and receptive communication.
    2. Interpretive Communication - Understanding and interpreting recorded and live language.
    3. Presentational Communication - Presenting information and ideas to an audience with a variety of words, phrases, and sentences

    Prerequisite - Students must have a 75% or higher yearly average in Level 2 and pass an end-of-year conversational assessment with a 75% or higher score.