40 NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON
WORLD LANGUAGES The goal of the world languages program is to help you develop strong language skills in all areas. You should be able to communicate in the target language and use the language to discuss and read and write about current events and a wide array of meaningful and relevant topics. Classes are engaging, highly interactive, and student-centered. You will also explore the social patterns, value systems, traditions, and cultures of the people whose language you are learning. In the world languages classrooms, culture comes alive with the use of various media literacies. This means you will create and participate with messages from print to video to the internet through self-expression and communicating with others. At all levels, the target language is used extensively in the classroom. Oral proficiency is developed through the use of various communicative activities. Reading is done not only for content and meaning but also as a basis for oral discussion and writing. The courses incorporate handson task and project-based approaches to enhance language acquisition in the modern era. You are encouraged to acquire more knowledge of the language in group and self-guided projects. Study through the advanced level is offered in Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. Advanced courses further develop linguistic skills while also focusing on the culture and literature of the countries where the language is spoken. Within the French and Spanish programs, there are also service-learning opportunities. In the fourth level of these programs, you have the opportunity to teach French and Spanish to local elementary school students once a week throughout each semester. In addition to choosing from the world languages offerings at NMH, there are various opportunities to study abroad in an immersion setting. These programs are administered by the Global Engagement Office and led by NMH teachers.
CHINESE CHI 111 Chinese I One credit. Prerequisite: None. Chinese I is a beginning course in which you do not need any significant background in the language. The goal of this course is to help you develop functional communication in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese. The curriculum is designed to assist you in gaining linguistic, social, and cultural background knowledge of the Chinese language, and help you develop various strategies and study habits to strengthen your skills in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. The study of Chinese culture is also introduced. Pinyin (Mandarin Romanization) and Chinese characters are taught. You will learn to communicate about daily life and other topics of interest. CHI 211 Chinese II One credit. Prerequisite: CHI 111 or equivalent. Placement based on screening process. This course builds upon the foundation of Chinese I. The goal is to help you increase your vocabulary, broaden your knowledge of grammar, and be better able to use your Chinese in everyday situations. The curriculum is designed to enhance the accuracy of your pronunciation, to develop understanding of the etymology and basic structures of Chinese characters, and to foster effective study habits for developing skills in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication. Besides developing functional language skills, you will learn how to use different online tools to assist your language learning. CHI 221 Honors Chinese II One credit. Prerequisite: CHI 111 or equivalent. Placement based on screening process. If you have demonstrated a higher level of language skill and greater interest in the study of Chinese, this course is appropriate for you. The content is similar to Chinese II by using the same themes as Chinese II, but you will learn more vocabulary and you will be able to communicate to a further extent. You will sharpen your pronunciation accuracy, develop character-writing skills, understand the etymology of characters, expand vocabulary, and learn more grammar. Your skills in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication will be equally emphasized. CHI 311 Chinese III One credit. Prerequisite: CHI 211 or equivalent. Placement based on screening process. Building upon the foundation of Chinese II, the goal of the course is to enhance your use of Mandarin in more complex situations. Your listening and speaking opportunities will be increased through the use of a broader range of materials beyond that of the textbook. You will work on two mini-