Foreign Languages

In 1^st Corinthians 14: 10 – 12, St. Paul wrote, “It happens that there are many different languages in the world, and none is meaningless; but if I do not know the meaning of a language, I shall be a foreigner to one who speaks it, and one who speaks it a foreign to me.” 

And he should know – he spoke Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and Greek and without his abilities in the major languages of the day, it is unlikely that Christianity would have spread so quickly or so widely within the Roman Empire. Our namesake, Pope John Paul II was fluent in more than nine languages and conversant in more than ten. And, as the New Testament makes clear, the gift of tongues and the ability to interpret tongues are gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In our multicultural church and American society, it is critical that foreign languages be one of the cornerstones of the educational process. This is one reason why John Paul II High School requires all students to take at least two years of the same foreign language to graduate.  Another reason we ask students to study a foreign language is that most colleges entrance AND graduation requirements include a foreign language. We do strongly encourage and recommend each student consider taking three years of foreign language as do most major universities.

For students who arrive at our campus with prior knowledge not noted on an eighth grade transcript, a placement test will be administered to determine the level at which a student should enter. For students with a first year of a foreign language credit, they will be placed in the second year of the same language. (If there is confusion about credits that count toward graduation or college entrance, please call the guidence and counseling office.)  

We are very happy to offer three languages here at John Paul II high school. Students may choose from French (I, II Pre AP and III Pre AP), Latin (I, Pre AP II, Pre AP III and AP Latin)or Spanish (I,  II, Pre-AP II, III, Pre-AP III and AP Spanish Language).  All levels of a foreign language beyond the third year are considered Advanced Placement classes.

Teacher Websites © 2009 SchoolWorld