World Languages

At Maybeck, we believe that learning a world language is not only about acquiring the skills to read, write, and speak another language—it is also about understanding the people, histories, and cultures that give that language life. Our Spanish and French programs, taught by native speakers, are designed to help students become confident, thoughtful communicators and culturally aware global citizens.

Because of our small class sizes, students engage deeply with the language and have daily opportunities to use it in meaningful, real-world contexts. As they progress through the sequence of courses, they explore the rich diversity of the Spanish-speaking and French-speaking worlds through film, literature, music, food, art, and more.

The World Languages curriculum at Maybeck is sequential, with each level building upon the skills and knowledge of the previous one. Culture serves as both the framework and the content of study—students learn the language through culture and about culture through the language. In the early levels (1–3), students focus on developing foundational linguistic and cultural competence through interactive activities such as role-plays, conversational tasks, games, and projects that promote fluency and confidence.

As students move into the upper levels (4–5), they engage with authentic materials such as short stories, poetry, articles, and films, applying their language skills to discuss and analyze social, historical, and cultural topics in depth. The ultimate goal of Maybeck’s World Languages program is to prepare students to communicate effectively in Spanish or French, and to connect meaningfully with people and cultures across the world.