New classes offered

English through Stories
A new listening/speaking class entitled "English through Stories" was introduced this year by Walt Babich. In this class, students listen to stories told by various gifted North American tale spinners, such as Garrison Keillor and Bill Cosby. Students also create their own stories and share them with their classmates. The main objectives of the class, said Babich, are for students to improve their vocabulary and understanding of idiomatic expressions, and for them to hear a variety of voices from different regions and ethnic backgrounds as they attempt to understand American English as it is spoken by ordinary Americans.

Read it! Watch it!
Leslie Criston's Read It! Watch It! is a new reading/writing course in which students read a poem, short story or novel and then watch its film version. Afterwards, students compare the two versions and analyze the differences. Students also read and write about the lives of the authors, the impact of their work on the American public and American cultural values. Books by Dr. Seuss, John Steinbeck, Harper Lee and Stephen King have proved the most popular, and often the students reported liking the book better than the movie version. What's more, said Criston, students claim they've grown to love reading through this experience.