The Connetquot Central School District follows the New York State World Language Standards in order to provide our students with outstanding instruction in world language courses. In an increasingly global world, our teachers and school administrators cooperate in preparing our students to be competitive global citizens.
The Connetquot Central School District World Language program offers courses in three languages—Spanish, French and Italian—starting in the seventh (7th) grade. Students take the FLACS Checkpoint A Proficiency Examination at the end of the eighth grade. Students enrolled at Connetquot High School take the FLACS Checkpoint B Proficiency Examination at the end of level IV Honors or level V instruction. Students have the opportunity to earn college credits through St. John's University College Advantage Program (Spanish, French and Italian) or the Syracuse University Project Advance program (Spanish only). Students who accelerate in World Language courses also have the opportunity to become members of the Foreign Language Honor Society. This requires students to maintain a 90% or better for eight consecutive quarters, an overall average of 85% or better and have no failures.
Why Learn a World Language? The world today is ever-changing and learning another language opens up new opportunities, giving students a critical skill necessary to succeed in the world today. Personal, professional, social, and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages. From venturing into overseas markets for work and business, to discovering and experiencing new cultures when traveling, learning a new language can increase success in school and career. Why learn another language? Here are some reasons why… • Learning about other cultures will help expand personal horizons and will allow students to become responsible citizens. The ability to talk to others and gain knowledge beyond the world of English can contribute to community and country. • Research has shown that math and verbal SAT scores climb higher with each additional year of foreign language study, which means that the longer a foreign language is studied, the stronger one’s academic skills will become to succeed in school. • More and more businesses work closely with companies in other countries. They need many different kinds of workers who can communicate in different languages and understand other cultures. Three or more years of language study on an academic record will catch the eye of anyone reading a job application. World Language Department Course Offerings The Department of World Languages offers study in French, Italian and Spanish. Students progress from levels I through V, taking the FLACS Checkpoint B foreign language proficiency exam when they reach Level IV Honors or V. The FLACS-B exam is required for those students seeking an Advanced Regents diploma. They can then continue their study, completing their senior year with advanced level courses or courses that receive college credit. We offer college level courses through St. John’s University College Advantage program (Spanish, French and Italian), and Syracuse University’s Project Advance program (Spanish only). Taking additional languages is highly encouraged and can begin at any time, from 9th through 12th grade.
College Level Courses St. John’s University’s College Advantage program provides qualifying high school juniors and seniors with the opportunity to enroll concurrently in high school and credit bearing St. John’s courses. Spanish, Italian and French curriculum is approved concurrently with St. John’s faculty and high school teachers. Courses are offered for Fall and Spring terms, with students potentially earning 3 to 6 credits, and credit earned is often transferrable to other institutions. These classes are taught in the target language. Syracuse University Project Advance is designed for the student who has demonstrated excellence in all previous course work in their Spanish classes. Project Advance is a partnership recognized by the NACEP (National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships) linking Syracuse University with secondary schools nation-wide. This proficiency-based course focuses on reviewing formal structures of language, expanding upon previously acquired linguistic skills and building awareness of Hispanic cultures. Authentic auditory and literary texts are studied and various media are used to further develop the four areas of language acquisition. The class is conducted in Spanish and corresponds with SPN 201 held at the University. It is expected that all students enrolled in this course will be simultaneously enrolled through Syracuse University.
World Languages Course Sequence