Upper School Modern and Classical Languages
The Modern and Classical Languages Department prepares boys to be leaders and citizens in their local, national, and global communities, where a command of multiple languages is not simply beneficial, but necessary.
Our faculty engages students using traditional and modern methodologies rooted in the following interconnected principles:
- Cross-cultural engagement and empathy: Learning a new language affords students the unique opportunity to gain perspective on cultures that differ in place and time. Simultaneously, understanding another language and culture encourages them to reflect on and better appreciate their own. Our collaborative program motivates boys to be open, inclusive, and empathetic.
- Language acquisition: We work alongside the boys, helping them to achieve proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in their respective languages while reaching the rigorous linguistic standards that we uphold. Our faculty fosters cross-cultural communication, inspires intellectual risk-taking, and instills confidence in students to navigate unfamiliar discourse.
- Authentic experience: Our classes contextualize language study by incorporating meaningful and authentic resources. We value and intentionally provide immersive experiences that align with our curriculum and partner with the Global Studies program for students to connect with communities locally and abroad and have various Travel-Study Programs.
Students begin their language studies in Sixth grade with a trimester introduction to Chinese, Latin, and Spanish. They choose one of those languages to study in Form I and II before transitioning into the Upper School where they either continue studying the same language, switch to learning a new language, or add a second language. Almost all Haverford students study their language(s) through graduation.
Programs
Chinese Program:
Communicative language skills are the foundation of our Chinese program. By emphasizing listening and speaking, followed by reading and writing, students accumulate common words and phrases quickly at the introductory level. Thematic units that emphasize real-time situations, such as ordering food, traveling, or making plans with friends, help students develop skills they can use immediately, as well as build a foundation to continue their studies in college and beyond.
Latin Program:
The study of Latin centers on the literature, history, and culture of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. After learning the key vocabulary and grammatical structures of Latin, students move on to experience a set of classical texts that have shaped Western culture, and continue to shape our world today.
Spanish Program:
The humanity of past and present Spain and the Americas and the study of those cultures supports our Spanish program. The students' acquisition of linguistic structures and new vocabulary builds the foundation for future immersion in the target language and growth into level-appropriate literature study, story creation, text analysis, and authentic oral dialogue.
Highlights and Accolades
Awards earned at the following competitions:
- The Montgomery County Association of Teachers of Foreign Language's annual Oral Proficiency Contest
- National Latin Exam
- Philadelphia Classical Society Competitions
- National Mythology Exam Awards
- The American Association of the Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Oral Proficiency Expo Awards