Learning a modern language and gaining insight into its culture(s) are important for increased self-awareness, and for increased international understanding. It is an integral part of a Putney education. Putney offers students three modern languages, Chinese, French, and Spanish. Students immerse themselves in speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture to become proficient. Authentic materials, visiting speakers, and trips are central to this process.
At Putney, Levels 1, 2, and 3 differ from those in other institutions. Two academic trimesters correspond to one level of the language undertaken. Students are required to complete a minimum of nine trimesters of a language or demonstrate proficiency surpassing Level 3 to qualify for graduation. Beyond Level 3, our offerings consist of selected topics and trimester seminars that are comparable to intermediate or advanced levels at other institutions.
French 1
1 credit
In beginning level French, student goals are twofold: to use basic French in speaking, listening, writing, and reading, and to acquire study skills necessary to learn a new language. Students develop their basic interpersonal communication skills around themes like school, family and weekend events. By the end of the course, students understand French spoken at a measured pace and learn strategies to cope with the gaps in their comprehension.
French 2
1 credit
In level two, students expand their ability to communicate about daily routines and habits, food, friends, and family, in the present, future, and past. They continue to use memorized phrases while they also increase their ability to communicate spontaneously and naturally in both predictable and unpredictable situations. Students demonstrate their proficiency through written and oral work through interviews, dialogues, tests, homework, and class participation.
French 3
1 credit
In level three, students expand their ability to describe topics of personal interest and current events in the past, present, future. They develop their writing and speaking skills to communicate spontaneously in indicative and the conditional, and are introduced to the subjunctive mood. Students communicate in French and demonstrate proficiency through written and oral work, interviews, dialogues, tests, homework, readings, and class participation.
French 4
1 credit
In this class students improve their reading, writing, and discussion skills by researching, writing, and discussing current topics in French and world culture. Students analyze current events, literature selections, videos and movies. Students develop their use of the indicative and subjunctive moods. Students demonstrate proficiency through class participation, written and oral exams, oral presentations, essays and interviews.
French 5
1 credit
In Advanced Topics in French, students select themes to study and design the units; they lead discussions and presentations after researching authentic French language materials for reading, watching, and listening. They focus on specialized content areas such as “The heritage of French colonization in Africa,” “French cinema” or “French for science and medicine.” Grammar and vocabulary are reviewed or introduced as needed for comprehension and expansion of prior skills. Students also produce translations and written responses to the material studied, which provide formal opportunities for them to hone accuracy and language mechanics.
French 6
1 credit
In Advanced Topics in French students select themes to study and design the units; they lead discussions and presentations after researching authentic French language materials for reading, watching, and listening. They focus on specialized content areas such as “The heritage of French colonization in Africa,” “French cinema” or “French for science and medicine.” Grammar and vocabulary are reviewed or introduced as needed for comprehension and expansion of prior skills. Students also produce translations and written responses to the themes studied, which provide formal opportunities for them to hone accuracy and language mechanics.
Spanish 1: Foundation
Two terms
What basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar do we need to start communicating? What are some strategies to learn these in a classroom setting? Beginning level Spanish focuses on using basic Spanish in speaking, listening, writing, and reading as well as acquiring the study skills necessary to learn a new language. Students develop basic interpersonal communication skills around themes like school, family and introductory self-descriptions. By the end of the course, students understand basic Spanish spoken at a measured pace and can speak in simple sentences about the topics covered.
Spanish 2: Novice
Two terms
How do we use the present progressive, immediate future and past tenses to improve our communication? What are some strategies to become a more independent and culturally sensitive language learner? Spanish 2 builds on students’ skills in speaking, listening, writing, and reading basic Spanish. Continuing with the commitment to speak as much Spanish as possible, students study the vocabulary, grammar, and idiomatic expressions used in talking about oneself, past events and situations. Small group and pair work create opportunities to practice speaking. Student progress is evaluated through written and oral work, including tests, homework, and class participation.
Spanish 3: Developing Competency
Two terms
How do the past, future, and conditional tenses allow us more meaningful communication? In Spanish 3, language learners expand their proficiency in the four modalities: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to communicate effectively in Spanish for real-life purposes. Students explore the Spanish language and the richness of Latin American cultures by examining both similarities and differences among various countries. Students look beyond stereotypes to gain a deeper and more authentic understanding of cultural perspectives. Through hands-on exploration of Central American and Latin American traditions, music, food, art, folklore, and storytelling, students engage in meaningful Spanish-language activities that bring culture to life. Students also build communication skills tailored to their own linguistic abilities and personal interests, preparing them to use Spanish confidently beyond the classroom.
Spanish 4: Early Proficiency
Two terms
How does learning another language make us more curious, empathetic, and open-minded? Spanish 4 focuses on understanding the language as spoken and written by and for native speakers. Students participate in spontaneous speech and writing, listen to conversations on familiar topics, and create sentences and series of sentences to ask and answer a variety of questions. Students explain preferences, opinions, and emotions, and they provide advice on a variety of familiar and some concrete research topics, using connected sentences that may combine to form paragraphs and asking a variety of questions, often across various time frames. Students demonstrate proficiency through in-class conversations, audio and video journals, monologues, and Socratic Seminars.
Spanish 5: Advancing Proficiency
Two terms
How does learning a language encourage us to contextualize dominant narratives and individual stories? Spanish 5 explores select topics such as migration, power, privilege, and race entirely in Spanish. Students research authentic Spanish language materials for reading and listening. Translation and writing assignments as well as video blogs and journals allow students to focus on improving their understanding of the mechanics of the language.
Spanish: Advanced Linguistics
Two terms
This course is designed for students who have completed through the fifth level of Spanish and wish to focus on advanced linguistics in Spanish. The curriculum centers on sociolinguistics and raciolinguistics using a Comprehensible Input (CI) approach. Students explore how accents, dialects, and regional varieties of Spanish, and other languages, are socially seen, valued, or stigmatized. Topics include accent bias, linguistic prejudice, code-switching, heritage speaker identity, and the politics of what’s considered “correct” Spanish. Through listening exercises, real-world media, and structured conversations, students analyze how race, class, geography, and power influence language attitudes in both Spanish-speaking communities and their own. Instead of aiming for one “neutral” accent, the course emphasizes clarity, identity, and linguistic diversity as key parts of becoming proficient. By the end, students are able to both communicate well and think critically about the social meanings behind how people speak.
(Offered in 2026-27)
Spanish: Advanced Literature
Two terms
This course is designed for students who have completed through the fifth level of Spanish and wish to explore literature written in Spanish. Students dive into critical pedagogy and border thinking by working through select chapters of bell hooks (Enseñar a transgredir) and Gloria Anzaldúa (Borderlands/La Frontera). Through consistent, understandable input and structured conversations, students explore education as a place of power, resistance, identity, and change. Class talks focus on topics like engaged teaching, language identity, code-switching, mestiza consciousness, and the emotional side of learning across differences. Students read, listen, reflect, and respond in Spanish, getting more advanced in their skills while also looking at how their experiences connect with larger ideas about culture, privilege, and voice. Grading focuses on deep interpretation, personal meaning, and ongoing conversations over just grammar drills.
(Offered in 2025-26)
