8th Grade World Language

Mandarin: 8th graders continue to build their vocabulary and their skills with speaking, listening, reading, and writing alongside the acquisition of cultural knowledge. Students learn and apply new vocabulary about homes, furniture, measurement, inviting friends to social events, neighborhoods, Chinese New Year, and ordering food at restaurants. They engage in several highly creative and interactive projects, including designing and creating original videos about a dream house, listening to and rapidly translating audio stories, creating and presenting skits inviting friends to social events, designing and creating invitations for a party, exchanging white elephant gifts in a class party, asking for directions, and researching and presenting about selected topics related to Chinese New Year. Students experience two annual special events in the spring of 8th grade. They learn to write traditional calligraphy using brushes, ink, and special paper, and they take a field trip to a Chinese restaurant and speak only in Mandarin throughout the meal. Students continue to practice learning strategies including flashcard review, note-taking, and study guide preparation for assessments. 8th graders graduate from Mark Day excited to continue their language learning and ready for advanced study in high school and beyond. 

Spanish: 8th grade Spanish is filled with engaging projects and increasing interaction in the target language as students continue to build their skills with speaking, reading, writing, listening, and cultural awareness. Students learn and apply vocabulary and grammar in several areas, including travel, cities, transportation, celebrations, sports, past events, traditions, immigration, technology, and making comparisons. Students study multiple advanced verb tenses, adjectives and grammar structures. Projects and interactive experiences help students comprehend spoken language, use correct pronunciation, and gain skill and confidence with initiating and sustaining conversations, discussions, and personal speeches. Students are taught in Spanish and expected to speak exclusively in Spanish during class. Students spend more time using irregular verbs across multiple tenses as their grammar skills advance. Highlights include reading novelas, working in differentiated groups for advanced challenge, reading newspaper articles, and more frequently engaging in dialogues, class discussions, and student presentations. Students also take a field trip to a Peruvian restaurant and speak in Spanish throughout the meal. 8th graders graduate from Mark Day excited to continue their language learning and ready for advanced study in high school and beyond.