Global Languages

The SSFS Upper School Global Languages Department curriculum embraces, in practice and in spirit, the School's mission statement. In the classroom, our learner-centered, proficiency-based curriculum empowers our students to communicate interpretively, interpersonally and presentationally, from discussions in the target language and more formal oral presentations to thematic essays and enriching projects. Outside of the classroom, students have the opportunity and are encouraged to participate actively in communities near and far, from domestic and international service projects to cultural immersion excursions. By developing cross-culturally competent and empathetic global citizens, we help foster lifelong learners and impassioned explorers that are truly encouraged to "let their lives speak."

The creative implementation of the ACTFL (American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages) Standards for Foreign Language Learning - communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities - which we certainly exercise in our classrooms, also reflect the School's mission statement to cherish the worth and dignity of each individual. These standards, along with our own individual expectations and unique contributions, provide a challenging academic program rooted in the sharing of insights, equality, and cooperation, celebrated daily in a number of pedagogical ways, and manifested annually and publicly in the International Talent Showcase.