The World Languages Department believes that multilingualism is an essential component of a student’s development as an open-minded and engaged global citizen. The ability to speak more than one language opens doors, builds bridges, and multiplies one’s opportunities to make a difference in the world through human connection. This goes hand-in-hand with intercultural understanding and fluency.

In this program, FVS immerses students in their target language (French, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish) and exposes them to the diverse cultures connected by that language, with the ultimate goal of preparing students to be able to communicate and engage with others with linguistic and cultural confidence. Students develop all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) while exploring authentic resources such as news articles, podcasts, songs, films, literature, and even social media. These resources make it possible for students to recognize grammatical structures and vocabulary in real-life contexts right from the classroom.

Opportunities such as language immersion, Interim Expeditions, and Round Square exchanges give students the chance to venture out into the world, put their learning into practice, and expand their lived experience with the language.

We at FVS recognize that linguistic fluency takes time and practice to develop, and we make every effort to support our students along the way. Rather than prioritizing perfection, our approach encourages students to try, grow from their mistakes, and ultimately feel confident expressing themselves in a new language.