All Middle School students study Spanish four or five days a week. The goal of the Spanish program is communicative competence in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Spanish students are divided into two groups: beginning-to-intermediate and intermediate-to-advanced.  The content of other subjects is incorporated into the Spanish curriculum, creating a highly effective environment for language education at Madison Country Day School.  This facilitates comprehension, fluency and enjoyment.

Foreign language instructors at Madison Country Day School are native speakers who grew up in the foreign cultures that they are teaching.

Program Goals

• To introduce students to the discipline and joys of learning foreign languages
• To develop grade-appropriate proficiency in listening, speaking, and writing foreign languages
• To promote the relationship of language to "everyday life" and thus motivate students to use the languages in real life situations
• To increase knowledge and awareness of the richness and variety of foreign cultures

Program Organization

• Songs: reinforces vocabulary through repetition and memorization
• Tapes: reinforces in-class learning at home
• Notebooks: vocabulary development through "word banks" and building understanding of the grammatical structure of the foreign language; in Japanese, this also includes calligraphy practice
• Dialogue: reinforces the rhythm and accent of natural conversations
• Textbooks: lesson introduction and basic instruction
• Workbook: lesson practice, repetition, and homework
• Short stories: promotes understanding and appreciation of Spanish and Japanese literature and culture
• Country Project: in-depth study of the country and its culture

Grade 5
Students of Spanish at the beginning-to-intermediate level focus on speaking and listening and basic reading and writing. Emphasis is placed on building vocabulary using children's poetry, songs, role playing and puppetry. Topics include greetings, discussing people and things in the classroom, numbers from one to 100, colors and shapes, animals, days of the week, months of the year, seasons and weather, places in the community, classes and school, likes and dislikes, time, and the family.

The intermediate-to-advanced class continues to build vocabulary and pay special attention to grammatical accuracy and verb usage. Topics include parts of the body, clothing, descriptions of people, making comparisons, rooms and objects in them, eating in a restaurant, and daily routines. Throughout the year, students are introduced to the various cultures and regions of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition, all grades participate in a special unit of cultural study that culminates in a school-wide event.

Grade 6
The focus of the beginning-to-intermediate class is on speaking and listening and reading and writing. Topics include greetings, discussing people and things in a classroom, numbers from one to 100, colors and shapes, animals, days of the week, months of the year, seasons and weather, places in the community, classes and school, likes and dislikes, time, and the family.

In the intermediate-to-advanced class, grammar advances to a more systematic approach in both speaking and writing. Topics include what and when we eat, activities and pastimes, sports, professions, getting to know people, giving and receiving directions, countries and nationalities, taking a trip, and traveling by airplane. Throughout the year, students are introduced to the various cultures and regions of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition, all grades participate in a special unit of cultural study that culminates in a school-wide event.

Grade 7
The focus of the beginning class is on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Topics include greetings, people and things in a classroom, numbers from one to 100, colors and shapes, animals, days of the week, months of the year, seasons and weather, the community, school, likes and dislikes, time, and the family.

The intermediate class reviews previously learned vocabulary and grammar and proceeds to study new basic grammar concepts. More emphasis is placed on grammatical accuracy in both speaking and writing. Vocabulary topics continue to be directly related to the lives of middle-schoolers, but will also include more hypothetical and less concrete topics. The advanced class reviews basic grammar concepts and proceeds to study more complicated grammar, such as grammatical exceptions. Emphasis continues to be placed on grammatical accuracy in all forms of communication. The advanced class also dedicates more time to reading literature.

Grade 8
The goal of the Spanish program is communicative competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In Middle School, Spanish is divided into four levels: beginning, intermediate I, intermediate II, and advanced. Throughout the year, students are
introduced to the various cultures and regions of the Spanish-speaking world. In addition, all grades participate in a special unit of cultural study that culminates in a school-wide event.

Study topics for beginners include greetings, people and things in a classroom, numbers from one to 100, colors and shapes, animals, days of the week, months of the year, seasons and weather, places in the community, classes and school, likes and dislikes, time, and the family.

The intermediate I class reviews previously learned vocabulary and grammar and proceeds to new basic grammar concepts. More emphasis is placed on grammatical accuracy in both speaking and writing. Vocabulary topics include more hypothetical and less concrete topics, such as persuading others and negotiating responsibilities.

The intermediate II class reviews vocabulary and advances to a more profound study of grammar in both speaking and writing. Special focus is placed on reading strategies for introduction to literature.

The advanced class reviews basic grammar concepts and proceeds to more complicated grammar. Topics include the subjunctive, the imperfect, future and past tense, and the sequence of tenses. Emphasis continues to be placed on grammatical accuracy in all forms of communication. The advanced class also dedicates more time to reading literature, culminating in the reading and discussion of J.M. Vasconelos's novel Mi Planta de Naranja-Lima.