World Languages

The Department of World Languages at Minnetonka High School prepares students to be global citizens with high levels of language and cultural proficiency, empowering students to communicate effectively and make connections across diverse cultures.

Students planning to attend a college or university can often satisfy college admission and/or college graduation requirements by taking world language courses during high school. All world language courses are electives.

A student may begin or continue the study of world languages at Minnetonka High School. French, German, American Sign Language and Spanish are offered in all grades. French, Spanish and German students who have successfully completed level I in 8th grade should register for French II or II Honors, German II or Spanish II or II Honors. Students should speak with their current world language teacher for placement guidance when deciding if they should enroll in the honors or regular program. Students should also keep in mind that the honors program feeds into IB and AP options starting at level 4.

Questions about placement? For students new to Minnetonka who have prior language experience, please reach out to the World Languages Department Chair to determine which course would be the right fit for you.

Course Listing

Course Listing

American Sign Language I

Course: #5000, S1
Course: #5002, S2
Online Option: #T5000*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, F=fall
Online Option: #T5002*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, W=winter
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None

Students in this course are introduced to American Sign Language and Deaf culture, focusing on frequently used signs.

Read More about American Sign Language I
Sign Language

Course: #5004, S1
Course: #5006, S2
Online Option: #T5004*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, F=fall
Online Option: #T5006*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, W=winter
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12    
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: ASL I 

Students expand their sign vocabulary, grammar, and deaf culture using appropriate facial expressions and body movements taught in level I.

Read More about American Sign Language II
American Sign Language III

Course: #5008, S1
Course: #5010, S2
Online Option: #T5008F, S1
Online Option: #T5010W, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: ASL II 

American Sign Language III will expand upon level two learning which includes vocabulary, sign production, grammar, and deaf culture.

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AP French V 

Course: #AP500, S1
Course: #AP502, S2 
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French IV and permission from the instructor or IB French SL

The course provides students with opportunities to connect with Francophone culture using the three modes of communication (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) in a variety of tasks.

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AP Spanish V Language & Culture

Course: #AP504, S1
Course: #AP506, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: IB Spanish SL or Spanish IV

The AP Spanish Language and Culture course allows students to use their developing language skills in new and authentic ways. Students encounter and analyze a variety of texts on a weekly basis.

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French I

Course: #5200, S1
Course: #5202, S2
Online Option: #T5200*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, F=fall
Online Option: #T5202*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, W=winter
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None

In French 1, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

Read More about French I
French II

Course: #5204, S1
Course: #5206, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French I 

In French II, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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French II Honors

Course: #5220, S1
Course: #5222, S2
Online Option: #T5220F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option: #T5222W, part 2, Tonka Online 
Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French I    

In French II Honors, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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French III

Course: #5208, S1
Course: #5210, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French II or French II Honors with permission from teacher 

In French III, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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French III Honors

Course: #5224, S1
Course: #5226, S2
Online Option: #T5224F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option: #T5226W, part 2, Tonka Online
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French II Honors or French II with permission from teacher 

In French III Honors, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

Read More about French III Honors
French IV

Course: #5212, S1
Course: #5214, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French III or French III Honors

In French IV, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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French V

Course: #5216, S1
Course: #5218, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French IV

In French V, students will continue to make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

Read More about French V
German I

Course: #5300, S1
Course: #5302, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: No previous experience needed.
    
Students will develop proper German pronunciation along with appropriate listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.

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German III 

Course: #5308, S1
Course: #5310, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: German II or with permission from teacher 

German III is for motivated students who want to achieve a higher level of proficiency in the German language.

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German II 

Course: #5304, S1
Course: #5306, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: German I or with permission from teacher

Students will continue to develop their communication skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking German.

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IB Ab Initio French 

Course: #IB524, Year 1, S1
Course: #IB525, Year 1, S2
Course: #IB526, Year 2, S1
Course: #IB527, Year 2, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, two-year course)
Prerequisites: None

IB Ab Initio is a highly rigorous two-year program. It is designed to give students with little or no prior French language experience IB language acquisition credit.

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IB Ab Initio German

Course: #IB534, Year 1, S1
Course: #IB535, Year 1, S2
Course: #IB536, Year 2, S1
Course: #IB537, Year 2, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, two-year course)
Prerequisites: None

IB Ab Initio is a highly rigorous two-year program. It is designed to give students with little or no prior German language experience IB language acquisition credit.

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IB Ab Initio Spanish

Course: #IB544, Year 1, S1
Course: #IB545, Year 1, S2
Course: #IB546, Year 2, S1
Course: #IB547, Year 2, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, two-year course)

IB Ab Initio is a highly rigorous two-year program. It is designed to give students with little or no prior Spanish language experience IB language acquisition credit.

Read More about IB Ab Initio Spanish
IB French HL

Course: #IB522, S1
Course: #IB523, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: IB French SL

IB French HL is the second year of study following SL. Students will continue to study of a variety of topics, including: cultural leisure activities, holidays, festivals, and traditions.

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IB French SL

Course: #IB520, S1
Course: #IB521, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: French III Honors

In IB French SL, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of French-speaking cultures.

Read More about IB French SL
IB German HL

Course: #IB532, S1
Course: #IB533, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: IB German SL

Students will work to comprehend and express sophisticated ideas in both written and oral discourse in the German language.

Read More about IB German HL
IB German SL

Course: #IB530, S1
Course: #IB531, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: German III 

Students in the IB program will work to comprehend and express sophisticated ideas in both written and oral discourse in the German language.

Read More about IB German SL
IB Spanish HL

Course: #IB542, S1
Course: #IB543, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: IB Spanish SL

In Spanish IB HL, students will continue to comprehend and express sophisticated ideas in both written and oral discourse in the Spanish language.

Read More about IB Spanish HL
IB Spanish SL

Course: #IB540, S1
Course: #IB541, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12 
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish III Honors or Spanish 3 with recommendation from instructor

Students in the IB program will work to comprehend and express sophisticated ideas in both written and oral discourse in the target language.

Read More about IB Spanish SL
Spanish I

Course: #5400, S1
Course: #5402, S2
Online Option: #T5400*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, F=fall
Online Option: #T5402*, Tonka Online 
*Select term S=summer, W=winter
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12   
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: None    

In Spanish I, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures

Read More about Spanish I
Spanish II

Course: #5404, S1
Course: #5406, S2 
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish I

In Spanish II, students will add commands and the past tense to their language, and make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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Spanish II Honors

Course: #5420, S1
Course: #5422, S2
Online Option: #T5420F, part 1, Tonka Online 
Online Option: #T5422W, part 2, Tonka Online
Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish I

In Spanish II Honors, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

Read More about Spanish II Honors
Spanish III

Course: #5408, S1
Course: #5410, S2    
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish II or Spanish II Honors

In Spanish 3, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

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Spanish III Honors

Course: #5424, S1
Course: #5426, S2
Online Option: #T5424F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option: #T5426W, part 2, Tonka Online
Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish II Honors

In Spanish III Honors, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Read More about Spanish III Honors
Spanish IV

Course: #5412, S1
Course: #5414, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: Spanish III or Spanish III Honors

In Spanish IV, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures through a study of a variety of topics.

Read More about Spanish IV
Spanish V

Course: #5416, S1
Course: #5418, S2
Online Option: #T5416F, part 1
Online Option: #T5418W, part 2
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2       
Grade(s) offered: Grade 12  
Credits: 0.5 (per semester, full-year course)
Prerequisites: IB Spanish SL or Spanish IV

In Spanish V, students will make connections to their lives and to the products, practices, and perspectives of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Read More about Spanish V
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