French is the language chosen for study by Miss Carden because of the many words in the English language that are of French origin. The study of French grammar structure relates to the study of English as well, giving the student a secure base from which to build. Vocabulary building, songs, games, poetry, and visual aids are important techniques used to infuse joy and confidence in the learning of this foreign language.

Why do you teach French? The study of French enhances the comprehension of English. “YourDictionary.com” explains, “The invasion of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 and the subsequent 200 years of French conquest resulted in the English language replacing almost half its vocabulary with French words. (In this last sentence, invasion, conqueror, subsequent, result, language, and vocabulary are all borrowings from French.)” In addition to studying the language, the students enjoy learning French music, customs, and culture.

 

Spanish is an enrichment subject at Carden Academy for the Middle School curriculum. Approximately 406 million people speak Spanish as a native language, making it second only to Mandarin in terms of its number of native speakers worldwide. It also has 60 million speakers as a second language and 20 million students as a foreign language.

Spanish is the most widely understood language in the Western Hemisphere, with significant populations of native Spanish speakers ranging from the tip of Patagonia to as far north as New York City and Chicago. Since the early 21st century, it has arguably superseded French in becoming the second-most-studied language and the second language in international communication, after English.