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The curriculum for seventh grade students at John Burroughs School is
largely fixed, but you can choose which foreign language you would like to
study. Since we believe that depth rather than breadth of language study
confers the most benefit upon students at the secondary level, the School
warmly encourages you to stick with the language you choose as seventh graders
throughout your years at John Burroughs. It is, of course, possible to switch
languages, and sometimes it may be advisable to do so; but, by and large, we
think you will be better served by perseverance than by switching courses in
mid-stream. Please note that the JBS graduation requirement is satisfied by
successful completion of level II of any language, classical or modern.
Of course, the faculty in the Classics Department urge you to consider
making Latin your first choice; we feel that the study of this language opens
doors for you, rather than closing them, since any Romance language will be
simpler for you to master later by virtue of studying Latin now. In addition,
the discipline and rigor of studying Latin benefit students by enhancing their
English vocabulary, strengthening their grasp of English grammar, and
suggesting ways to polish their own English prose style. Of course, the
greatest benefit of Latin is the reward of being able to read works like
Vergil's Aeneid and Horace's Odes--seminal works in our literary tradition--in the
original. For more reasons why we think studying Latin is a good choice, follow this link.
Whatever language you choose to study, we urge you to make your choice an informed one. To this end, you should be sure to check out
the information both on the Classics
pages and on the Modern Foreign Language pages
of the John Burroughs School website. If you seek more information than what
you find there, or want to speak to a faculty member in these departments,
please contact the respective department heads of department (contact
information is given below). Whether you pursue French, German, Latin, or
Spanish, we trust that studying a foreign language will prove to be a integral,
challenging, and rewarding aspect of your education at John Burroughs School.
Students entering grades 8 through 12 will most likely choose to study a
foreign language at John Burroughs. You may choose to continue with a language
in which you already have some experience, or you may wish to explore something
new. If you have already studied Latin, we encourage you to keep at it; to
determine which course you would best fit into, please contact the Head of
Department for consultation. If you wish to begin studying Latin, you would
typically enroll in Latin I, an accelerated introduction to basic grammar and
syntax designed to prepare you to enter Latin II in the next year.
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Contact information |
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Department |
Chair |
Telephone |
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Classics |
Avery Springer |
314/993-4040 |
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Modern Foreign Languages |
Susan Carleton Emily Younger |
314/993-4040 ext. 358 |
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