High School
Foreign Languages
The Ribét Foreign Language Department encompasses three programs: Spanish, French and Armenian. Each program has its own curriculum, as described in greater detail below. Our overall philosophy is that the study of foreign languages can open the eyes of our students to new worlds and promote tolerance and understanding of our diverse and fascinating cultures. Students will acquire cultural competency as they improve their listening, reading, writing and speaking skills, but most of all they will learn to communicate in a practical way. We also want our students to develop a general understanding of the history, issues and challenges of the countries and peoples where these three languages are spoken.
Students are required to take at least two years of a foreign language. Ribét students are regularly evaluated to measure their progress and to suggest specific areas requiring improvement. A variety of instructional techniques and materials are utilized to make the learning process more active and enjoyable. Materials used include listening centers, compact discs, audio and videotapes, movies, music DVDs, textbooks, workbooks and films. We like to keep fun activities in mind, to wit: several local field trips are taken, and one international trip takes place each year during spring travel week.
Armenian Language Overview
Ribét Academy offers Armenian as a foreign language class to High School students for first through second year. The program is UC approved and accommodates both eastern and western dialects. The courses have the following goals:
- Enable students to read, write and understand basic sentences in Eastern Armenian Eastern.
- Enhance students' abilities in responding to questions on short reading assignments in both oral and written formats.
- Improve students' abilities to read and analyze stories, write short paragraphs and proper grammar usage.
- Introduce students to Armenian literature. Writing, analyzing poetry, improving vocabulary, spelling and translations.
In addition to language acquisition, students will gain awareness and appreciation of Armenian history, culture, tradition, literature and other national values. Innovative teaching methods will play an important role in enhancing the learning environment. In addition to teaching the basics of the Eastern Armenian language, students will work on projects highlighting different aspects of Armenian studies.
French Language Overview
Ribét's French curriculum meets the California Foreign Language standards and allows our High School students the opportunity to take French classes for three consecutive years.
Our goal is to give students the tools to communicate in French with everyday learned vocabulary and often-used expressions. Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions as well as opinions in the French language.
Listening, reading and writing skills are reinforced with technology-based ancillaries, teacher-assisted read-aloud books, and various materials to develop the language and the proper pronunciation. Listening to francophone teenagers challenges our students to focus on fluent verbal communication. Curriculum-based CDs, videocassettes and short story times are used often in class as enrichment. A great emphasis is also placed on proper grammar usage.
Students are exposed to cultural information and experiences through various field trips, movies and literature. We use role-playing and conversation time during class to make the learning experience fun and to demonstrate the building blocks of knowledge, week after week.
Spanish Language Overview
Spanish as a foreign language is offered at Ribét Academy. The program has four complete levels, and for those students who want to earn college credit, Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Literature are also offered. Our fundamental goal is to teach students to read and write Spanish and to converse efficiently. At each successive level, students are guided and motivated to progress to higher levels of grammar, vocabulary and comprehension. We also believe that students who attain a respectable ability to read and write should be able to communicate orally in Spanish, and emphasis is placed on this oral communication. We want students to know how to order food, express their feelings or make plans for the weekend. This is practical Spanish, to be used in everyday life, and it is the most difficult thing to grasp for students learning Spanish as a second language. In the process, students will also develop a broad knowledge of the history and culture of the countries where Spanish is spoken as a first language. Students who reach Spanish IV and AP Spanish will proudly discover that they can write essays in Spanish and make oral presentations on a variety of topics.