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Languages
Mr. Jason Doroga
The Foreign Language program in the Middle School complements the Language Arts by introducing the students to a system of verbal communication very different from that of their native English. Latin has been chosen as the required foreign language throughout the Middle School for several reasons. First, the study of Latin helps the students see how the meaning of a text is reached through an understanding of its grammatical structures. The study of Latin also expands, deepens, and reinforces their English vocabulary. Furthermore, it serves as an effective introduction to the study of any inflected language, particularly the modern European languages offered in the Upper School. Finally, the study of Latin opens up to the students the cultural wealth of Western civilization from ancient Rome through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Based on four years of Latin in the Middle School, the Foreign Language program in the Upper School provides the opportunity for the students to learn one of the major modern languages of the West—Spanish or French. As the most common language of the Western hemisphere, Spanish introduces the students to the language and culture of our closest non-English speaking neighbors as well as to the Hispanic heritage present in this country. French is recommended not only for its important contribution to Western civilization but also as a recognized tool of research in all areas of the arts and sciences on the college level. In the foreign language courses, along with work in grammar and vocabulary, there is regular practice in oral and written expression. In the first two years basic vocabulary and grammatical categories are assimilated. In Forms VII and VIII the study of culture, history, and literature enriches the students' continued practice in translation and conversation.
For more information, please see the CPS curriculum guide
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