Spanish Program
The Spanish program at PFS follows the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards, emphasizing Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. This dynamic, project-based program provides students with a broad cultural and linguistic foundation, exploring the diverse Spanish-speaking regions of the world.
Students learn about the 21 Spanish-speaking countries, their capitals, and geographic locations, with a special focus on the Caribbean and Spain. Through songs, games, crafts, role-playing, and presentations, students actively engage with the language in meaningful and creative ways.
Each unit of study immerses students in the history, geography, arts, and traditions of a Spanish-speaking country. Students read and analyze short novels set in countries like Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, and Argentina, delivering presentations on characters, food, geography, and cultural traditions.
The program also fosters a global and intercultural perspective. Recent projects have included:
- Food migration studies, where sixth-graders created a bulletin board illustrating the food exchange between the Americas and Europe.
- The history and ethics of chocolate were explored by eighth-grade students, who researched its origins, commerce, and justice issues before presenting their findings to other grades.
Throughout the year, students interact with authentic cultural materials, such as videos, infographics, current events, and traditional artifacts. Special events enrich the experience, including:
- Día de los Muertos Presentations: Middle school students research and share the meaning and symbolism of the holiday through altar decorations and community presentations.
- Storytelling Week: Students read, memorize, and perform stories in Spanish, bringing language learning to life.
- Poetry Season: A celebration of Latin American poetry, where students engage in wordplay, explore poetic traditions, and memorize short poems.
Lower Grades Spanish Program at PFS
At PFS, the Lower Grades Spanish Program provides young learners with an engaging and immersive introduction to the Spanish language. While early language acquisition offers cognitive benefits, it also fosters social and cultural awareness, helping students develop an appreciation for diverse traditions. Students begin their Spanish journey through listening, observing, and interacting with new phrases in a natural and playful way. The program incorporates songs, games, dialogues, and movement-based activities, inspired by Latin American traditions.
Key learning topics include:
- Greetings and everyday expressions
- Traditional Latin American songs
- Seasons and colors
- Animals and Nature vocabulary
- Short poems and storytelling
Cultural celebrations are an essential part of the program. In September and October, students explore Hispanic Heritage, learning about the people, music, and traditions that shape Spanish-speaking cultures. In November, they celebrate Día de los Muertos, discovering the meaning behind this special tradition through age-appropriate activities.
By making language learning interactive and fun, the Lower Grades Spanish Program at PFS nurtures curiosity, confidence, and a love for exploring new cultures.
Chinese Program
The Chinese language program at Princeton Friends School is based on Quaker values and is committed to creating a diverse and vibrant learning community. The curriculum is based on the ACFEL (Academic, Cultural, Functional, Emotional, and Linguistic) framework to enhance students' academic ability, cultural understanding, practical skills, emotional cognition, and language ability. In the Chinese language program for grades PK-8, we focus on developing students' language ability, cultural understanding, and cross-cultural communication skills. The curriculum not only covers basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), but also incorporates traditional Chinese cultural elements such as festival customs, calligraphy, painting, traditional music, and dance. Through these activities, students will discover and express their own voices and talents.
3rd Grade
The third grade Chinese curriculum continues the teaching philosophy centered on interest and exploration, while further expanding the learning content based on students' language ability and cognitive development. The weekly Chinese class helps students gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture through making handicrafts, learning to sing Chinese songs, experiencing traditional dances, and telling folk stories. At the same time, Chinese classes will be designed based on our interdisciplinary Central Study theme. Students practice daily language expression through role-playing and situational dialogues, and a systematic Chinese character writing plan will also help students gradually improve their language skills. The Chinese curriculum is committed to allowing students to learn happily in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere and cultivate their love for the Chinese language and culture. Through a variety of activities and practices, students not only improve their language skills, but also enhance their cultural understanding and cross-cultural communication skills, growing into learners with a global perspective and cultural tolerance.
4th & 5th Grade
The Chinese curriculum for fourth and fifth grades focuses on gradually improving students' listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Four classes per week provide students with more language learning opportunities. The curriculum focuses on practicality and interactivity. It uses YCT teaching materials and is anchored by our interdisciplinary Central Study theme. Through rich cultural themes (such as traditional festivals, calligraphy, etc.) and interdisciplinary activities (such as learning geography, music, mathematics, etc. in Chinese), it helps students gain a deep understanding of the diversity and uniqueness of Chinese culture and regions. Students practice daily and thematic expressions through role-playing and situational dialogues. At the same time, they systematically learn Chinese characters and strengthen writing practice. They also practice Chinese character input through technical tools to lay the foundation for the comprehensive improvement of language skills. In addition, presentations are an important part of the course. Students prepare and present different learning topics to exercise their language organization and expression skills.
The Chinese curriculum at Princeton Friendship School is committed to helping students grow in a diversified learning experience and laying a solid foundation for future language learning and cross-cultural communication.