Arabic I
This course will focus on the basic elements of Modern Standard Arabic. The student in this course will be exposed to the Arabic alphabet, and will be able to read, write, and pronounce letters of the alphabet at a novice level . Students will also be able to read, write, and pronounce simple phrases and words. By the end of this course, students will be able to communicate with their classmates, and maintain basic conversation. Students will also be exposed to the Arab culture through the use of technology, media, music, and films. This course will be taught mainly in the target language.
Professor Al-Maqtari is a native speaker of Arabic from Yemen. He holds a master's degree in education from the University of Franche-Comte in France. In addition to Arabic, he also speaks French and Ethiopian. He has taught Arabic at Yale University, and is currently teaching Arabic and French at Brunswick School and Southern Connecticut State University during the regular academic year; he also teaches in the summer program at Southern Connecticut State University. He is knowledgeable with many dialects of Arabic such as Yemeni, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi, and Gulf. He has been teaching Arabic as a foreign language for many years, both for English and French speakers and has been teaching at Brunswick since 2006. He is also a proud citizen of the United States of America, having just received his citizenship in late 2007.
This is the continuation of Arabic I. Students begin to learn more complex aspects of the language, such as grammar, conversation skills, reading comprehension, listening, and oral proficiency. In addition to using the textbook, students are introduced to a variety of Arabic language resources such as videos, radio programs, newspapers, and internet sites. Students become more familiar with the different cultures of the Arab world.
Professor Al-Maqtari is a native speaker of Arabic from Yemen. He holds a master's degree in education from the University of Franche-Comte in France. In addition to Arabic, he also speaks French and Ethiopian. He has taught Arabic at Yale University, and is currently teaching Arabic and French at Brunswick School and Southern Connecticut State University during the regular academic year; he also teaches in the summer program at Southern Connecticut State University. He is knowledgeable with many dialects of Arabic such as Yemeni, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi, and Gulf. He has been teaching Arabic as a foreign language for many years, both for English and French speakers and has been teaching at Brunswick since 2006. He is also a proud citizen of the United States of America, having just received his citizenship in late 2007.
This beginner-level French course is an intensive class geared toward introducing the student to French through near-total immersion in the target language. The course will revolve around the language and culture of France and develop the students’ skills in the areas of reading, writing and most importantly, speaking French. Any enthusiastic language beginner or student who is thinking of switching their current second language choice to French, or even making it their third language, will find this class a must.
Erin Withstandley received both her BA in International Politics and Economics and her MA in French from Middlebury College. Her life-long love of language has taken her all over the world and allowed her to live abroad in several foreign countries. Currently, Erin is the Coordinator of Modern Languages and Latin in the Middle School division of Brunswick School. In her time at Brunswick, she has taught French and Spanish (and tutored in various other languages) from grades 5 through 12. This fall, Mrs. Withstandley will begin her 15th year at Brunswick.
This beginner-level Italian course is an intensive class geared toward introducing the student to Italian through near-total immersion in the target language. The course will revolve around the language and culture of Italy and develop the students’ skills in the areas of reading, writing and most importantly, speaking Italian. This course is for enthusiastic language beginners or students who would like to switch their current second language choice to Italian, make it their third language, or simply learn the language of music, food and art.
Sarah Crawford received her MA in Italian from Middlebury specializing in Renaissance Literature and her BA in English and Italian from Tufts. She has lived in Italy for nearly three years and has studied at both the University of Ferrara and the University of Florence. She has taught at The American School in Switzerland in Lugano and at the University of Ferrara as an ESL teacher. She was an Italian public high school teacher in Massachusetts for two years before coming to Brunswick. A former Latin student with a passion for Classics, Sarah Crawford currently teaches both Italian and Latin at Brunswick.
This beginner-level Spanish course is an intensive class geared toward introducing the student to Spanish through near-total immersion in the target language. The course will revolve around the language and culture of Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries and develop the students’ skills in the areas of reading, writing and most importantly, speaking Spanish. Any enthusiastic language beginner or any student who is thinking of switching their current second language choice to Spanish, or even making it their third language, will find this class a must.
Fanning Hearon is entering his twelfth year at Brunswick and is currently the Chair of the Modern Language Department. He holds a BA from Middlebury College and an MA from NYU. He has had extensive experience in the teaching of Spanish at all levels and has been in the classroom for 18 years.
Prerequisite: Designed to strengthen writing and speaking skills in Spanish, this course is offered to students who have completed Level 3 of the language and are headed to an Advanced Spanish class.
This class is devised around four/five main themes, illustrated by short readings and films in Spanish: these will stimulate oral discussion first, and subsequently inspire essay writing. Themes will have a close correlation with the students’ everyday lives and experiences. Even though basic grammar proficiency is assumed and expected, the course will highlight the typical pitfalls that plague English speaking students as they are learning the language: issues of agreement, verb conjugation, and common spelling mistakes, to name a few.
Mrs. Berisso is a native of Argentina who has been teaching Spanish and French in the US since her arrival here in 1990. Previously, Mrs. Berisso taught English and French in her native country, and worked ten years at School of the Holy child, where she was in charge of advanced Spanish courses, including AP Language and Literature. Mrs. Berisso holds a BA in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires, and an MA in Bilingual Special Education from Fairfield University. This is Mrs. Berisso’s sixth year teaching in Brunswick’s Middle School.
The process of learning a language in a classroom setting can be compared to building a house. Spanish I is the foundation. As students prepare for the addition of the first floor—Spanish II—sometimes the core material is not as solid as it should be to sustain the weight. This course is intended to solidify and strengthen that foundation core. Classes will include all four skills necessary for proficiency in the language. There will be listening, speaking, reading and writing exercises daily. Students will learn how to better manipulate all the bits and pieces from Spanish I and be introduced to some of the new and unfamiliar concepts of Spanish II.
Ms. Arzeno has been teaching Spanish for 20 years. She has taught from Grade 3 through AP Spanish Language and has been teaching at Brunswick School for eleven years. A native speaker who grew up in Argentina, Ms. Arzeno has her undergraduate degree from Skidmore College in Romance Languages (French and Spanish) and also has an MBA in International Business and Marketing from the NYU Stern School of Business Administration. Ms. Arzeno has traveled extensively in South America and Europe.
Professor Al-Maqtari is a native speaker of Arabic from Yemen. He holds a master's degree in education from the University of Franche-Comte in France. In addition to Arabic, he also speaks French and Ethiopian. He has taught Arabic at Yale University, and is currently teaching Arabic and French at Brunswick School and Southern Connecticut State University during the regular academic year; he also teaches in the summer program at Southern Connecticut State University. He is knowledgeable with many dialects of Arabic such as Yemeni, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi, and Gulf. He has been teaching Arabic as a foreign language for many years, both for English and French speakers and has been teaching at Brunswick since 2006. He is also a proud citizen of the United States of America, having just received his citizenship in late 2007.