World Languages

The courses described in this section are designed to help students learn to communicate effectively in a world language. Major emphasis is placed on developing students' ability to comprehend what they hear and read and to express their thoughts orally and in writing. In addition to developing their communication skills, students will develop an awareness of and appreciation for other cultures.

The world languages instructional program is designed to help students:

  • Understand an educated fluent speaker conversing about topics of general interest and speaking in such media as news broadcasts, plays, movies, and telecasts.
  • Speak fluently and comprehensibly on a range of topics.
  • Understand directly, without translating, the content of nontechnical writing, selected works of literature, and articles of general interest from periodicals.
  • Write comprehensibly for formal and informal purposes.
  • Develop awareness of the cultures of people speaking the world languages.

At the elementary level, world languages instruction is given in magnet schools in the Spanish Language Immersion Magnets (SLIM) and the French Language Immersion Magnet (FLIM).

At the secondary level, the modern world languages offered are French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese (including AP Chinese Language and Culture), Portuguese (pilot), and Spanish. Latin is offered to students interested in the study of a classical language. American Sign Language also meets the high school graduation requirement for world languages, and introduces the basic structure of the language and development of its use within the deaf culture.

World Languages offerings vary from school to school in response to student interest, staff resources, and other factors. In all cases, however, curriculum and instruction are aligned with the foreign language standards adopted by the California Department of Education in January 2019, found in this PDF document, as well as the 2020 Foreign Language Framework for California Public Schools found on this webpage.

Independent World Language Schools

Graduation credit may be granted for district-approved coursework taken at an independent world language school (IWLS) outside the regular school day (e.g., Saturday school) or school year (i.e., summer school), even if the school is not WASC accredited, provided that the student notifies the principal in advance (see Administrative Procedure 4770, section C.12.a(3)). A current list of independent world language schools and approved courses may be found here.