What does a student learn in
California, Grade 12, World Languages ?

Reading or listening to texts in a classical language, students work out the meaning of complex passages on a range of subjects, using what they know about the culture to make sense of the language.

Students hold back-and-forth conversations in a classical language, adjusting what they say based on how the other person responds. They share information, reactions, and opinions rather than just reciting memorized phrases.

Students write, speak, or create multimedia presentations in a classical language on a range of topics, adjusting their word choice and approach based on who will read or hear it.

Students use the target language across a wide range of real situations: buying something at a store, chatting with friends, giving a formal presentation, or handling everyday routines. The setting shapes how formal or casual their language needs to be.

Students handle real conversations or written exchanges in the language with an awareness of cultural norms, knowing when to be formal, when to step back, and how to respond in ways that fit the situation.

Students dig into how a classical civilization's objects, daily habits, and beliefs all connect to each other, then explain what those connections reveal about how people in that culture saw the world.

Students use Latin or ancient Greek to explore ideas from history, philosophy, or science, then connect what they find to other subjects. The language becomes a tool for thinking through real problems, not just translating sentences.

Students read texts written in the classical language to find information and compare how different groups of people understood the world. The goal is to see ideas that only show up in the original language and culture.

Students examine how Latin or ancient Greek is built differently from English, noticing patterns in word endings, sentence order, and grammar that reveal how all languages work.

Students compare ancient Roman or Greek culture to their own, explaining similarities and differences in the target language. They go beyond facts to reflect on what those contrasts reveal about how different societies shaped daily life, values, and ideas.

Students use the classical language they are studying to connect with others outside the classroom, whether in local community settings or in broader cultural and scholarly contexts.

Students read, listen to, and watch materials on a range of topics in another language, then show they understood not just the words but the cultural meaning behind them.

Students hold back-and-forth conversations in the language they're learning, working through misunderstandings to share ideas, reactions, and opinions with another person.

Students give speeches, write essays, or create media in a second language to inform or persuade different audiences, adjusting their tone and content depending on who is listening or reading.

Students handle everyday conversations across a wide range of situations, from buying groceries or making appointments to joining formal discussions or casual social exchanges. They shift their language to fit the setting.

Students hold conversations and write messages in another language using the customs, tone, and social expectations native speakers would actually use, not just the correct words.

Students examine how everyday objects, routines, and beliefs in another culture connect to each other. They explain why a culture does what it does, not just what it does.

Students use the language they are learning to explore ideas from other subjects like history, science, or math. Solving problems and thinking through concepts in a second language deepens understanding of both the subject and the language itself.

Students read, watch, or listen to real sources in the language they are learning, then weigh different viewpoints those sources reflect. The goal is to understand how people from that culture see an issue, not just what they say about it.

Students analyze how the language they are learning works differently from their own, explaining patterns in grammar, word choice, or structure in the target language itself.

Students examine their own cultural habits alongside those of another culture, then explain what the comparison reveals. They use the target language throughout, moving beyond observation to reflection on why cultures differ.

Students use the language they're learning to connect with people outside the classroom, from local community members to people in other countries.