The benefits of learning a language are well documented.  One important benefit is that a child learns about other cultures.  By doing so, language learning becomes more interesting to students.  Learning a language should always be enjoyable. At MEF IS, language lessons are communicative, and active participation is commonplace. In grades 6 to 8, all students study either French or Spanish. Students are able to start at any level and build to an advanced level during grades 6 through 8. During these courses, students develop the four language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students study a variety of topics, including family and friends, school and education, leisure activities and hobbies, daily routine, health and holidays and tourism. Our course outlines highlight key teaching points each semester, and we adapt our own material to these accordingly.

Students continue to develop their language knowledge and skills through discussing situations and issues that are relevant to their daily lives. By the end of middle school, students are able to

• Produce clear, well-structured, detailed texts on a variety of topics, showing controlled use of organizational patterns and connectors
• Discuss experiences and events, dreams, hopes, and ambitions and give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans
• Understand how other cultural perspectives enrich our experience of the world
• Understand that cultures are lively, multifaceted and interact with one another to enrich our world