The Spanish/English Bilingual Program at Casey is based on the belief that bilingualism and biliteracy are skills that prepare students for the 21st century. This program is a continuation of the dual language program at University Hill. Participating students develop a second language, not in the isolation of a foreign language class but in an academic context. Special attention is given to making curricular material meaningful and comprehensible. The program features rigorous academic curriculum delivered in integrated thematic units that are strengthened by many hands-on activities and opportunities for active involvement. In 6th grade, students receive instruction in Spanish Language Arts as well as Reading in Spanish as part of their academic content block for the full year. In 7th and 8th grades, Spanish Language Arts is offered at the appropriate level for native and non-native speakers as a full year course. Students in 7th grade also take World Geography in Spanish as a full-year course. At every grade level, students in the Bilingual Program attend math and science classes with students at their grade level and, where appropriate, at higher levels.
F7C Spanish Language Arts 1
Level: Grade 6
Course Length: Year
Prerequisite: Previous literacy instruction in Spanish or teacher recommendation
Spanish Language Arts at the middle level focuses on the standards and benchmarks as outlined in the Middle School Language Arts Curriculum and the Boulder Valley Content Standards for Language Arts. Instruction in 6th grade builds on skills gained in previous grades and demands increased application of those skills, academic sophistication and intellectual reasoning. Students acquire language arts skills in a variety of instruction settings, with particular emphasis on reading and writing improvement. This course is taught in Spanish.
F7D Spanish Language Arts 2
Level: Grade 7
Course Length: Year
Prerequisite: F7C Spanish Language Arts 1 or teacher recommendation
Middle Level Spanish Language Arts 2 focuses on five major objectives: (1) improve student ability in the writing process; (2) improve student knowledge and use of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and spelling; (3) expose students to different kinds of literature within the literature’s cultural content;
(4) develop oral communication skills; and (5) enhance overall appreciation of literature in Spanish. This course is taught in Spanish.
F7E Spanish Language Arts 3
Level: Grade 8
Course Length: Year
Prerequisite: F7D Spanish Language Arts 2 or teacher recommendation
Middle Level Spanish Language Arts 3 includes extensive review of material presented at previous levels and presents additional literacy skills and more advanced grammar concepts. More sophisticated writing style and critical thinking skills are emphasized. This course continues to focus on improving the student’s ability in the writing process; improving the student’s knowledge and use of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and spelling; developing oral communication skills; and presenting different kinds of literature within the literature’s cultural content, to enhance the overall appreciation of literature in Spanish. This course is taught entirely in Spanish.