Inside the EWS Curriculum

Select a Department

World Language

  • Hebrew IA

    Grade Level: 6th – 8th Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite:  None
    Placement Criteria: Placement is based on an EWS placement test.
    Course Description:
    Hebrew one is an introductory course in which students are exposed to the fundamentals of the Hebrew language, starting with the very basics of the Alef-Bet letters. Students use daily drills to practice the language and build their Hebrew speaking skills through active participation. In order to build the student’s verbal proficiency level, they are tasked with oral and written presentations as well as engaging activities aimed at building their communication skills.  Students will progressively increase strengthen their communication skills by speaking in phrases, utilizing learned material, and applying what they learned in reinforcing tasks. As the course progresses, students are encouraged and expected to communicate in Hebrew while in class with the goal of building toward 90% intra-class communication strictly in the target language.

  • Hebrew IB

    Grade Level: 6th – 8th Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite:  None
    Placement Criteria: Placement is based on an EWS placement test.
    Course Description:
    Hebrew one is an introductory course in which students are exposed to the fundamentals of the Hebrew language, starting with the very basics of the Alef-Bet letters. Students use daily drills to practice the language and build their Hebrew speaking skills through active participation. In order to build the student’s verbal proficiency level, they are tasked with oral and written presentations as well as engaging activities aimed at building their communication skills.  Students will progressively increase strengthen their communication skills by speaking in phrases, utilizing learned material, and applying what they learned in reinforcing tasks. As the course progresses, students are encouraged and expected to communicate in Hebrew while in class with the goal of building toward 90% intra-class communication strictly in the target language.

  • Hebrew II

    Grade Level: 6th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Completion of Hebrew I or placement test
    Course Description:
    This course builds on the Hebrew communication skills acquired in level I. Students will review, develop, and strengthen essential skills in language learning through listening, reading, writing, and speaking in real-world, applicable scenarios. Students will learn about Israeli culture through life cycle events, history, geography, art, and cuisine. They will work to combine words and phrases into full sentences, learn to ask coherent questions, and continue to increase their vocabulary. Authentic resources will be used to strengthen vocabulary, communication skills and grammatical concepts. Students will work towards exclusive communication in Hebrew. This course offers an opt-in honors level.

  • Hebrew III

    Grade Level: 6th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Completion of Hebrew II or placement test
    Course Description:
    Hebrew III begins with a unit to reinforce previously learned concepts by exploring worldwide issues that are being addressed in Israeli society. This invites more discussions around customs and habits in Israel and opportunities to compare them to habits and customs in our own society. In this level, students continue to speak in complete sentences about themselves and their surrounding environment, work to maintain conversations by asking questions, practice circumlocution, and talk about events in the present, future and past. Students will also learn to give advice and hypothesize through essential questions that explore global issues. Students are expected to communicate exclusively in Hebrew while in class. This course offers an opt-in honors level.

  • Hebrew IV Honors

    Grade Level: 7th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Completion of Hebrew III or placement test
    Course Description:
    Hebrew IV is a course designed for students who wish to continue their pursuit of Hebrew proficiency. This course further explores the four language competencies of speaking, writing, listening, and reading in order to hone communication skills, explore grammatical themes, discuss current events, and enjoy pop-culture at a high level. Hebrew IV offers the opportunity for students to develop their conversational skills through daily discussions of assigned material, as well as through spontaneous or guided conversations. Students will also improve listening and writing skills through the analysis of authentic & broadly written and recorded materials. Students are expected to communicate exclusively in Hebrew while in class. 

  • Hebrew V Honors

    Grade Level: 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Completion of Hebrew IV Honors or placement test
    Course Description:
    Hebrew V students will study different comprehensive texts and cover several social, historical and cultural themes. The class will analyze texts, and discuss different topics that affects the Israeli culture at a high level. In this course, students will read and discuss current events, learn about cultures, read poetry and short stories, and have the opportunity to watch short films to better understand the social, political, economic and historical contexts that shape the modern culture in Israel. The course will be conducted entirely in Hebrew and students will work to improve their language, writing and conversational skills in Hebrew throughout all activities of the course.  Summer homework is required for this course.

  • Spanish I

    Grade Level: 7th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: None
    Course Description:
    In Spanish I, students are exposed to introductory Spanish vocabulary and grammar that helps them begin to pave their path towards comprehension of the language. Students will read, write, and develop their listening comprehension and speaking skills. In order to build their verbal proficiency skills, students will both prepare presentations and engage in conversations that are based on real- life scenarios. As the course progresses, students are encouraged and expected to communicate in Spanish while in class. This course is an introduction to Spanish with an emphasis on presentational, interpersonal and interpretive skills using authentic materials within a cultural framework.

  • Hebrew V

    Grade Level: 7th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Hebrew IV
    Course Description:
    This course deepens the fundamental components of conversational Hebrew, reading, writing and speaking, through interweaving language and culture. The program enables students at this level to deepen their linguistic proficiency and cultural sensitivity. By the end of this course students are able to strengthen their prior grammatical knowledge and to converse fluently in Hebrew. Students integrate the four basic skills through various activities. Reading, writing, speaking and correct usage of grammatical structures are all implemented in the program. At this level, students are expected to demonstrate critical and analytical thinking and comprehensive approach to the language. They communicate only in Hebrew, read articles, write essays and present a project in Hebrew. Assessment does not consist only of evaluation of the means (grammatical structures and vocabulary) in isolation but rather as a whole in context. Continued exposure to Jewish Holidays, traditions, Israeli culture, and geography is included.

  • Hebrew V-OLD

    Grade Level: 7th – 8th
    Length of Course: 2 semesters
    Prerequisite: Hebrew IV
    Course Description:
    This course deepens the fundamental components of conversational Hebrew, reading, writing and speaking, through interweaving language and culture. The program enables students at this level to deepen their linguistic proficiency and cultural sensitivity. By the end of this course students are able to strengthen their prior grammatical knowledge and to converse fluently in Hebrew. Students integrate the four basic skills through various activities. Reading, writing, speaking and correct usage of grammatical structures are all implemented in the program. At this level, students are expected to demonstrate critical and analytical thinking and comprehensive approach to the language. They communicate only in Hebrew, read articles, write essays and present a project in Hebrew. Assessment does not consist only of evaluation of the means (grammatical structures and vocabulary) in isolation but rather as a whole in context. Continued exposure to Jewish Holidays, traditions, Israeli culture, and geography is included.

Experience The Difference

The Emery/Weiner School
9825 Stella Link Road, Houston, TX 77025
Phone: (832) 204-5900    Fax: (832) 204-5910
The Emery/Weiner School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or identity, or religion in all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The Emery/Weiner School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or identity, or religion in the administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.