Foreign Language
Burke's offers three foreign languages, French, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese, beginning in fifth grade. The study of a foreign language at the fifth grade level is enhanced by the students’ base of English language skills. Our simultaneous emphasis on speaking, listening, reading, writing and the structure of language delivered by native speakers in each tongue results in high levels of fluency and life-long appreciation and use of the student’s chosen language.
French
Fifth Grade
French at the fifth-grade level is a beginning course. Students first become comfortable with French sounds and then begin to acquire basic vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students develop their listening and speaking skills as they learn through classroom conversation and classroom games and songs. Dictations, listening comprehension, and classroom interaction are used to develop effective communication in French. Reading and writing are taught after the new structures are introduced orally. Assessment is based on homework, written class work, quizzes, classroom participation, and accent.
Sixth Grade
In the sixth grade, the primary emphasis of the French curriculum is on making the transition from speaking to writing the language. Students use a textbook and a workbook. They are presented with the fundamentals of French grammar and their vocabulary becomes more complex. Students continue to cultivate their listening and speaking skills. Dictations, listening comprehension, oral compositions, and classroom conversation are used to develop effective communication in French. After new structures are introduced orally, reading and writing are taught and serve as reinforcement. Assessment is based on homework, written class work, quizzes, classroom participation, and accent.
Seventh Grade
The seventh grade French curriculum introduces students to more sophisticated grammar and vocabulary. In this class, conducted primarily in French, the girls master the present tense of all regular and many irregular verbs, and they begin using the past tense. Although all four language skills--listening, speaking, reading and writing--are emphasized, particular attention is paid to communication. In addition to daily conversations, activities such as dictation, listening comprehension exercises and class presentations enhance effective communication in French. Reading and writing projects reinforce the language learned orally.
Grading is based on accumulated points from tests and quizzes, which account for 80% of the grade. Classroom focus, participation, and behavior account for the other 20%.
Eighth Grade
The French curriculum at the eighth grade level prepares students to enter the more intense courses of high school and aims to strengthen all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. To achieve that goal, this course, conducted in French, covers more advanced structures such as the passé compose and the imperfect, future and conditional tenses. Daily conversations and original skits and dialogues give students the opportunity to use French discussing real life situations. Frequent and lengthier writing assignments help develop effective writing skills. In addition, students create various projects that they present to the class in French, including poetry and film analysis. Grading is based on accumulated points from tests and quizzes, which account for 80% of the grade. Classroom focus, participation, and behavior account for the other 20%.
Mandarin Chinese
Fifth Grade
This beginning level Mandarin course devotes time to all four of the basic language learning skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Building on foundation work on pronunciation, the girls engage in basic conversation, beginning with greetings and then learning vocabulary and sentence patterns to discuss family life, time, dates, hobbies, and other daily activities. Expected preparation for class includes learning three to five characters a day. Grading is based on participation and performance in class, effort, homework assignments, tests and quizzes, projects, and oral presentations.
Sixth Grade
In this intermediate-beginning Mandarin course, we continue to work on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The girls will build their vocabulary and strengthen their command of communication in Chinese using various sentence patterns. Subjects of discussion include animals, sports, food, shopping, weather, and other topics related to daily life and activities. We also study more thoroughly the phonetic system of pinyin to lay the foundation for the application of Chinese word processing in the seventh and eighth grades. Grading is based on participation and performance in class, effort, homework assignments, tests and quizzes, projects, and oral presentations.
Seventh Grade
In this advanced-beginning Mandarin course, we first review the vocabulary and the sentence patterns that we have learned in the past two years. The students then study complex structures such as conditional and dependent clauses, idiomatic expressions (chengyu), and various tenses and apply them to situations in the home, school, and other social settings. The girls will also hone their writing and pronunciation skills with NJStar, a word-processing program that helps reinforce character recognition as well as the accurate use of pinyin. Every attempt is made to make the students feel at home in the Chinese language and able to express themselves naturally and effortlessly on topics of interest to them. Grading is based on participation and performance in class, effort, homework assignments, tests and quizzes, projects, and oral presentations.
Eighth Grade
The fourth year of Burke's Mandarin program uses the textbook Ni Hao 4, the last in a series of four volumes that cover basic- to intermediate-level Chinese. Students are introduced to intermediate-level sentence patterns, vocabulary, and characters through various reading passages, exercises, and oral drills from the textbook. Students’ knowledge of the written characters is reinforced through regular use of the Chinese language word-processing program NJStar, first introduced in the seventh grade. In addition to both expanding and improving the students’ language skills and fluency, we also devote substantial time to review of materials learned in previous years. Classroom activities also include discussions of cultural topics such as traditional Chinese festivals, Chinese children’s interests and games, and general knowledge of the country’s customs, history, and values. Students are encouraged to use the target language in class, and outside the class when occasions arise. Grading is based on participation and performance in class, effort, homework assignments, tests and quizzes, projects, and oral presentations.
Spanish
Fifth Grade
In fifth grade Spanish, students learn basic vocabulary (around 200 words) and some basic grammar structures. The KDBS Spanish teachers have created a textbook and activity book especially designed for young students which provides grammar, vocabulary, songs and games to be used in class. At the end of the school year the students are able to introduce themselves and talk in a basic, descriptive way about clothes, family and friends, professions, animals, body parts and time. We use Spanish in class for commands and short conversations, but some explanation is provided in English. We integrate cultural activities into our curriculum and use video and computers for some projects.
Sixth Grade
Work on conversational skills continues, but a stronger emphasis is placed on writing, reading and accurate pronunciation. Students use a textbook, En Español, and supplemental materials to guide their studies; homework is assigned daily to ensure that students practice new skills. Students are expected to have fully mastered the conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the present tense by the end of the year. Vocabulary acquisition continues to be guided by units focusing on daily life. Cultural studies focus on traditions from Mexico, Puerto Rico and U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations.
Seventh Grade
We use the book En Español as a base, introducing activities and projects appropriate to each thematic unit. We begin with a bridge unit designed to help students review and consolidate what they already know. We study regular and irregular present tenses, the imperative and the preterit. We also learn how to express possession and to use object and reflexive pronouns. We start building a solid vocabulary of around 600 words, using short stories and fairy tales adapted to the students' level. This year we will also read a short novel especially written for students of Spanish as a second language. Students use their knowledge of Spanish in class in conversation about different topics, paired activities for communication, and story telling. Class is conducted mainly in Spanish, with clarification in English when needed. The class also has a cultural component: we begin to explore the geography, traditions, music, food, art, and culture in general of the various Spanish-speaking countries. The librarian and teachers of art and technology work with us on collaborative units. Tests and projects account for 80% of the trimester grade, with the remainder based on homework, proficiency in listening and reading comprehension and oral and written expression, and participation in class.
Eighth Grade
The most important goal of this course is development of vocabulary and grammar. We review everything previously studied to clarify understanding and then begin studying advanced verb tenses, focusing on present subjunctive, future and conditional and the contrast between the preterit and the imperfect. In place of a conventional textbook, we use a teacher-created text with grammar charts, vocabulary, and a list of 300 common verbs translated and marked with their irregularities. We read two short novels as well as texts on the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries in order to improve reading comprehension and to provide a basis for conversation, discussion and reinforcement of grammar. The class is mainly focused on oral and written skills and is conducted entirely in Spanish. At the end of the school year, students should know between 800 and 1000 words. The cultural component that we began in seventh grade is reinforced in collaborative units designed to explore the culture of Spanish-speaking countries with hands-on projects. The librarian and history, art, and technology teachers will help us with some of the projects planned for the year. At the end of the year, students will have a wide exposure to the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. Tests and projects account for 80% of the trimester grade, with the remainder based on homework, proficiency in listening and reading comprehension and oral and written expression, and participation in class.
