Middle School Curriculum

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World Languages

The study of a second language is no longer simply an academic curricular imperative.  In the twenty-first century, it is essential that students be conversant in languages and cultures beyond their own.  Communication is vital in a global society, regardless of the form it takes, and The Benjamin School recognizes the importance of introducing a new language to students at the earliest possible age. Language instruction recognizes the need for formalized skills honed in a classroom as well as the need for knowledge of a country’s vernacular, its culture, and traditions.

Generally speaking, world language courses are sequential in nature. Once students have established a language path, they follow it to the next course. The level of achievement attained in the prerequisite course and the teacher’s recommendation determines the enrollment once the student has moved on to the Upper School. The School requires that students already fluent in a language other than English study yet another in order to truly broaden their cultural worldview.

Students enter The Benjamin Middle School with varying levels of experience in world language study.  It is the department’s goal to take the students from the level at which they arrive and challenge them to their highest possible level of proficiency.  Thus, students enroll in courses in the World Language Department not on the basis of grade level, but on their proficiency in the target language.

  • Chinese A

    This course, designed for students new to the Middle School, introduces the building blocks of communication  in Mandarin Chinese as presented in Discovering Chinese Pro. The course is divided into units that focus on topics learners would encounter when meeting Chinese people including greetings, names, nationality, numbers and age, school, the family, dates and addresses. Once those topics are covered, the course moves to the more complex grammar patterns required for talking about the positions of classroom objects and food. Each unit covered begins with speaking and listening and expands to cover Chinese characters including their component parts and development through history. Once the basic elements of each topic are mastered, students move on to compose and perform original dialogues and to employ grammatical elements in translation exercises. Students will also be exposed to colloquial Chinese and culture through films that highlight the disparity between urban and rural Chinese life and Chinese family relationships. During this first year of Chinese, students can expect to learn approximately one hundred fifty Chinese characters with their radicals and phonetic parts and around ten measure words.

  • Chinese B

    This course is designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese A or its equivalent, or who have a working knowledge of elementary Chinese and receive teacher approval. It will continue the study track begun in Mandarin Chinese A. The course is divided into units covering topics that build on those covered previously, including Western and Chinese cuisine. Then as students move from volume one of Discovery Chinese Pro, they will learn to describe physical attributes, including colors, clothing and facial features and the body. Then they will tackle topics concerning preferences and abilities such as sports, animals and languages. As they explore each topic, students will master speaking and listening skills first. Then they will study the characters, including their etymology and the radicals, and will master writing them from memory. Once the basic elements of each topic are mastered, students move on to compose and perform original dialogues and to employ grammatical elements in translation exercises. Students will be exposed to colloquial Chinese and culture through films that highlight gender roles, changing mask opera, and Chinese student life. During this second year of middle school Chinese, students can expect to learn an additional two hundred characters with their radicals and phonetic parts and six new measure words.

  • Chinese C

    This course is designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese B or its equivalent, or who have a working knowledge of elementary Chinese and receive teacher approval. It will continue the study track pursued in Mandarin Chinese A and B. Students will begin the year covering topics connected to activities including shopping and counting money, daily activities and telling time and leisure activities. These lessons will be followed by units about weather and transportation including asking and following directions and China tourism. Finally, the students will cover topics about school including courses and class schedules. As they explore each topic, students will master speaking and listening skills first. Then they will study the characters, including their etymology and the radicals, and will master writing them from memory. Once the basic elements of each topic are mastered, students move on to compose and perform original dialogues and to employ grammatical elements in translation exercises. Students will be exposed to colloquial Chinese and culture through films that highlight family life during the Communist revolution and more modern life in the traditional hutong neighborhoods of Beijing. During this third year of middle school Chinese, students can expect to learn an additional two hundred characters with their radicals and phonetic parts and a few more measure words.
     

  • Chinese D

    This course is designed for MS students who have completed Mandarin Chinese C or its equivalent, or who have a working knowledge of elementary Chinese and receive teacher approval. It will continue the study track pursued in Mandarin Chinese C. Students will begin the year covering topics related to professions, hobbies, and sports. Through these subjects they will delve into more complex grammar structures and learn more about modern Chinese culture. Students will continue to explore by covering topics that include the home and surroundings, their community and social events. At this level, in addition to their regular studies in Discovering Chinese Pro, students will also begin reading the Chinese Breeze graded readers. This will expose the students to more conversations and grammar structures regularly used in novels. Finally the students will study a popular Chinese cartoon introducing them to more speaking and listening activities. During this fourth year of middle school Chinese, students can expect to learn an additional two hundred characters with their radicals and phonetic parts and several more measure words.

  • Chinese En

    Chinese Enrichment I

  • French A

    This course is for all students who are new to Benjamin and who have never had French before, or students who have completed some portions of the LS program and need reinforcement of structure and vocabulary.  Some topics of study include salutations and common courtesy formulas, school, family and friends, parts of the body, things around home, clothing, and animals. The primary resource for this course is the Discovering French Bleu Nouveau textbook and workbook series.  The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills. 

  • French B

    This course is for the language student who has completed Lower School French or its equivalent, French A. Students continue building basic vocabulary related to people, places and activities that are familiar in their own lives, basic grammar, and simple sentence structure. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in developing their reading and writing skills. Topics of study include but are not limited to friends, school, families, after-school activities, the home, restaurants and cafés, and shopping. 

    Prerequisite: LS French or French A

  • French B (6)

    This course is for all students who are new to Benjamin and who have never had French before, or students who have completed the LS program but are weak in structure and vocabulary.  Some topics of study include family, friends, the home, clothing, and animals. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills. 
     

  • French C

    This course is a continuation of French B. A complete review of the material in B reinforces the skills previously taught. The focus is on continuing to build a strong vocabulary through a variety of themes, additional verb tenses and their uses, and more complex grammatical structures. The course concentrates on developing aural/oral comprehension, reading comprehension and skills in speaking and writing.  It also assists the student in attaining an early intermediate level of proficiency.  Topics of vocabulary study and use include but are not limited to, sports and summer activities, shopping, daily life, and staying in shape. 
     
    Prerequisite: French B or its equivalent

  • French D

    This course is a continuation of French C with the emphasis on application of the concepts and grammar learned in previous levels. The primary goals are to strengthen the skills already learned and to provide the student with a better ability to use those skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing.  Much emphasis is given to forming and using the past tenses. The class members speak primarily in French, as aural/oral comprehension is an integral part of world language learning. Topics of study include but are not limited to summer and winter sports, health, leisure activities, tourism, and finance. 
     
    Prerequisite: French C or its equivalent
     

  • Spanish A

    This course is for all incoming students who are new to Benjamin and who have never had Spanish before or students who have completed the LS program and need reinforcement of structure and vocabulary.  Students successfully finishing this course are placed into Spanish B for the next academic year. The materials used encourage aural/oral comprehension and assist students in attaining a beginning level of reading and writing skills. 
     

  • Spanish B

    This course emphasizes vocabulary building through a variety of themes and teaches basic grammar concepts. Students review and build on material presented in the previous years, enhancing speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills through a variety of methods. In addition to the Descubre Level 1 primary resources, the course uses supplementary materials to present cultural topics.

    Prerequisite: LS Spanish or Spanish A
     

  • Spanish C

    This course is for the Middle School Spanish student who has satisfied the requirements of Spanish B.  The course also introduces more complex grammar concepts.   Students enhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through a variety of methods. The Descubre 1 text and workbook serve as primary resources. Supplementary materials present cultural topics.
     
    Prerequisite: Spanish B or its equivalent

  • Spanish D

    This course is a continuation of Spanish C. Students review and build on material learned in Spanish C. The primary goals are to strengthen the skills already learned and to provide the student with a better ability to use those skills while balancing the four major proficiencies of world language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading and writing. This course covers a myriad of practical topics that prepare the student for Upper School Spanish and “real life” situations. Descubre textbooks and workbooks serve as the primary resources.
     
    Prerequisite: Spanish C or its equivalent

Department Faculty

Main Address & Lower/Middle School

11000 Ellison Wilson Road
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Ph: 561.626.3747

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4875 Grandiflora Road 
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 
Ph: 561.472.5998
A premier PK3 - Grade 12 independent, coeducational day school with campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. Since 1960, The Benjamin School has provided a challenging college preparatory education to a diverse student body in a structured, nurturing community environment.
 
After hours emergency contact:
Leslie Downs/Chief Operating Officer
Ph:  561.657.0075 or 561.747.0585