DGS students hiking in the Austrian Alps on a study abroad trip.
South High will kick off second semester by hosting World Language Week from Monday, Jan. 8 through Friday, Jan. 12. The theme for 2018 World Language Week is, “Language Leads Us on a Path to Understanding Other Cultures.” The goal of World Language week is to raise student awareness of the benefits of learning languages.
The DGS World Languages department has planned fun and engaging activities for teachers and students to understand other cultures from around the world. Each day of the week is dedicated to a specific language:
- Monday, Jan. 8: World Language Week Kick Off
- Tuesday, Jan 9: French
- Wednesday, Jan. 10: German
- Thursday, Jan. 11: Spanish
- Study Abroad Forum
- Friday, Jan. 12: Arabic
Each day includes culture-enriching activities such as World Language teachers playing French, German and Spanish music; World Language teachers and students sharing photos from abroad adventures; and World Language students will have the opportunity to share their experiences traveling abroad by contributing pictures to posters that will be displayed in classrooms.
In addition to the activities throughout each day, the World Languages Department will host a Study Abroad Forum during each class period on Thursday, Jan. 11 in the auditorium. Guest panelists have been invited to share study abroad opportunities with students to take advantage of during their high school years and as they enter college. Guest panelists will include Ben Williams from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Gregory Wolf from North Central College, a representative from Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), and a representative from The Road Less Traveled.
“We’ve celebrated World Language Week for several years and this is the first year that we’ll be moderating the study abroad forum,” World Language Department Chair Tara Dellutri said. “Students will learn about the opportunities for leadership building, language immersion, and adventure programs in various countries as well as both hosting students from other countries and studying abroad. We are hope that students will come away with valuable information that could change their futures in positive and exciting ways.”
The World Language Department offers sequential courses in French, German, and Spanish. The study of a foreign language may be elected to meet college entrance requirements, to enrich a person’s understanding and appreciation of another culture, to broaden a student’s liberal education, to meet career goals, or for travel purposes.
For more information on DGS World Languages Week, visit the department website or contact World Languages Department chair, Tara Dellutri at tdellutri@csd99.org.