Middle School
Buenos Amigos
Sharing the human experience is at the core of communication, and being able to communicate in more than one language widens our world. We want your child to find joy in embracing new cultures and making connections between their own lives and the lives of others. Your child will learn to ask questions about events, places, celebrations, and beliefs. Little by little as students start to unfurl Spanish, they see the intricacy and power of language.
As they learn about Spanish, they learn about English. As they learn about other cultures, they learn about themselves. With a curriculum that incorporates high-engagement games and activities, your child will study Spanish in the way children learn best. In seventh grade, students may take Spanish Pre-1A, Spanish 1A, or Spanish 1B. Wherever your child may be on his Spanish language journey, we hope he will embrace some of the many spontaneous opportunities in Houston to practice his growing skills.
Spanish Pre-1A targets new ROBS students who have had little or no prior exposure to Spanish, as well as students who are not yet ready for the rigor of Spanish 1A. The goal of this course is to increase students’ comfort and confidence in learning foundational skills and concepts that will ease the transition to later coursework.
Spanish 1A covers about half the material in a high-school level Spanish 1 class. This pace allows students to establish a solid base of knowledge from which to grow as language learners. The goal is for students to achieve novice speaking and writing skills in Spanish. The course emphasizes simultaneous progress in the four basic language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. We cover the topics you might expect such as offering greetings, sharing personal information, describing family members, reciting numbers, telling time, discussing school life, asking questions, and talking about hobbies—and we do so in inventive ways. Your child will write a web profile and blog in Spanish; create a family tree and introduce family members to the class; make a video teaching someone how to tell time; and present a favorite topic to the class through an original work of art such as a song, comic book, or puppet show.
Spanish 1B covers the second half of the material in a high-school level Spanish 1 class. The goal is for students to achieve comfortable conversational skills and intermediate writing competence. By the time students have completed Spanish 1B, they should be able to communicate about how they feel; talk and write about the seasons and other weather; describe clothing; express preferences in a store; negotiate and pay for items; describe their daily routine; order and discuss food in a restaurant; and discuss and plan a vacation. Students in 1B prepare oral presentations in which they talk about their daily their lives. They are encouraged to speak spontaneously as well as prepare scripted remarks. Filming their work product, sharing their videos with each another, and offering and receiving feedback adds creativity and fun while accelerating the learning process.
