Marie-Hélène Samson
French Instructor
"Achieving bilingual or multilingual status has always been valued. With increasing globalization, we have even more opportunities to broaden our horizons and connect with other people. Through full immersion and intense oral practice, students immediately start thinking and communicating in the target language. Creating a comfortable and fun learning environment is our top priority."
Néstor Gerónimo
Chair of the Foreign Language Department
Full Immersion Language Classes- Spanish/French as a Second Language
The Foreign Language Department embraces that part of our school's mission statement that calls upon us to appreciate diverse cultures and to promote compassion and respect toward others. Students are required to spend a minimum of two years studying a foreign language; currently Spanish and French full-immersion intensive courses are offered. Once students enter the classroom, the instructor requires that students not use English in order to start developing cognitive-academic skills in the target language. Classes are conducted solely in Spanish/French without relying on translation or tedious memorization techniques. Our directed conversation classes produce optimal results.
Survival phrases are taught on the first day of class, and because oral participation is an essential part of language and communication, it counts as 80% of the grade. Although expectations are high, classes are conducted in a way that lowers anxiety, allowing students to feel comfortable and have fun. Students engage in a variety of activities that promote readiness for real-life situations. It is our goal that students achieve fluency by the end of the fourth year, successfully gaining a second language.
Néstor Gerónimo
Chair of the Foreign Language Department / Spanish Instructor
For more information contact Néstor Gerónimo at
ngeronimo@besanthill.org or (805) 646-4343, extension 140.
BHS currently offers:
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
Spanish 3
AP Spanish
French 1
French 2
French 3