Languages   

This course is designed for people who have completed at least 2 years of Conversational Spanish. A more complex look at Spanish grammar is a part of this class.  Learn even more about different Spanish cultures throughout the world. Improve your reading and comprehension as well. In this conversation course, you will be given the opportunity to communicate using the Spanish you have been learning through former classes. This practice will enhance your travel, work, and everyday interactions with Spanish-speaking people.

Prerequisite: Completion of Intermediate Spanish 2B or instructor permission. Please reach out to our office to receive instructor permission 925-424-1467.  

Required Text: Advanced Spanish Grammar, by Marcial Prado available online. Please purchase the book prior to the first class meeting.

• Advanced Spanish Grammar (Amazon)
• Advanced Spanish Grammar (Barnes and Noble) 

Please note that this is a HYBRID course; you can come in-person or Zoom in online from home. 

Age range: 20+

Beginning Conversational Spanish starts with language fundamentals including the alphabet, pronunciation, basic vocabulary and grammar rules. Emphasis is placed on simple conversational situations. Students learn sentences and phrases they need to express themselves in Spanish at work and while traveling.

Required Text: Practical Spanish Grammar, by Marcial Prado (ISBN: 0-471-13446-5) available online. Please purchase the book prior to the first class meeting.

• Practical Spanish Grammar (Amazon)
• Practical Spanish Grammar (Barnes and Noble)

Age range: 18+

Oui, c’est possible! Whether you’re preparing for travel, interested in French culture, or simply looking to exercise your brain, this class will help you get started on your French language journey.This French for beginners class is designed for adult learners with little or no prior experience in French, as well as those who have studied French in the past and wish to refresh their skills.Through interactive lessons focused on pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and cultural immersion, students will begin to understand and communicate in French. Class activities include listening and speaking practice, short readings, and shadowing native speaker examples.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Pronounce the French alphabet, vowels, and consonants accurately
• Introduce yourself and greet others in French
• Use numbers, days, months, seasons, and tell time
• Identify and use subject pronouns with common verbs
• Conjugate regular and selected irregular verbs in the present tense
• Understand the gender of nouns (masculine/feminine), use French articles appropriately
• Familiarity with common foods in cafés, and markets. Talk about quantities of foods.
• Use common expressions in everyday situations
• Ask and answer simple questions in French
• Read short French texts and demonstrate basic comprehension

Required Book: Please puchase  French Workbook for Dummies 1st Edition by Laura K. Lawless

Age range: 16+

Whether you’re continuing your French journey for travel, conversation, culture, or simply the joy of learning something new, this class will help you build confidence and expand your communication skills in French. Designed for adult learners who have completed a beginning-level French course or already have a basic foundation in the language, this interactive class explores everyday topics such as family, clothing, transportation, home life, directions, and personality — all while strengthening pronunciation, listening, speaking, and grammar skills. You will continue developing real-world communication through games, conversation practice, cultural exploration, and shadowing native speaker examples in a supportive and engaging environment.

Required Book: Please purchase  French Workbook for Dummies 1st Edition by Laura K. Lawless

Age range: 16+

This course is for learners who have completed High Beginning Korean Language and Culture 1 or who have a foundation in basic conversation. You will be introduced to verb endings using auxiliary forms and will practice using honorific endings to communicate politely in a variety of situations. In addition, you will learn practical expressions related to illness, people’s abilities, and making suggestions. From a cultural perspective, the course will explore kinship terms and the concept of humility in Korean society. This course will help you build greater confidence and flexibility in real-life communication.

Age range: 17+ 

Required books: (These are the same books used in High Beginning Korean Language and Culture 1.)

• Sogang Korean 1B Student's Book
• Sogang Korean 1B Workbook

This course is for learners who have completed High Beginning Korean Language and Culture 2 or who have a foundation in basic conversation. You will be introduced to clausal connectives expressing reasons and will practice making requests and expressing purpose in a variety of situations. From a cultural perspective, you will explore age-based birthday traditions and dining etiquette as a form of courtesy in Korean society. This course will help you communicate more clearly and appropriately in everyday situations.

Age range: 17+ 

Required books: (These are the same books used in High Beginning Korean Language and Culture 1 and 2.)

• Sogang Korean 1B Student's Book
• Sogang Korean 1B Workbook

Class continues after Beginning Conversational Spanish series. Students build upon their prior knowledge to develop the foundational vocabulary necessary to carry on basic conversations such as greetings, farewells, addresses, phone numbers, directions, and interaction with other Spanish speakers. Students also learn more about how Spanish culture differs in various Spanish speaking countries throughout the world. Students' conversation and reading abilities will improve with this intermediate series. 

Required Text: Practical Spanish Grammar, by Marcial Prado (ISBN: 0-471-13446-5) available online. Please purchase the book prior to the first class meeting.

• Practical Spanish Grammar (Amazon)
• Practical Spanish Grammar (Barnes and Noble)

Age range: 18+

 

This class focuses on increasing vocabulary, new grammatical concepts, and reviewing what was learned in previous classes. The class emphasizes communication, helping students gain confidence in using the new language as well as a solid knowledge of reading, writing, and conversation.

Required Text: Practical Spanish Grammar, by Marcial Prado (ISBN: 0-471-13446-5) available online. Please purchase the book prior to the first class meeting.

• Practical Spanish Grammar (Amazon)
• Practical Spanish Grammar (Barnes and Noble)

Age range: 18+

This carefully designed introductory course provides students with the foundational skills to speak, read, and type Mandarin Chinese at a basic level. The course emphasizes the use of the Pinyin Romanization system to support accurate pronunciation and effective language learning. Students will also begin working with simplified Chinese characters, learning how to recognize and type them using Pinyin-based input methods.

Designed for individuals with little or no prior knowledge of the Chinese language, this course offers a supportive environment for developing essential communication skills. In addition to language instruction, students will explore key elements of Chinese culture, enriching their understanding of the language in context.

Materials: All course materials are provided free of charge and shared via Google Classroom.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Use the Pinyin Romanization system as a pronunciation guide for Mandarin Chinese

• Recognize and type simplified Chinese characters using Pinyin input methods

• Develop basic skills in speaking, reading, and typing Mandarin Chinese

• Gain an introductory understanding of Chinese culture and traditions

Age range: 16+

Are you interested in taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), living or studying in Japan, or working in the animation and gaming industry? This class is for the academically inclined individual not afraid to take a deep dive into the complicated world of Japanese grammar, reading, and writing. We will cover both hiragana, katakana, and an introduction to Kanji. Let’s study Japanese!    

Instructor Belardino: The instructor is half Japanese, lived in Japan for almost twenty years, is credentialed, and is a certificated language teacher. She is also a member of the American Association of Teachers Japanese and the California Association of Japanese Language Teachers.    

Required Book: GENKI 1 Textbook and Workbook 3rd Edition 

The textbook introduces the Japanese language in a manner that is extremely easy to understand. If you have any sort of disability, please let the instructor know, and she will be more than happy to accommodate your needs.

Age range: 13+

Please note: This is a live remote class. You will meet on zoom during the scheduled days and times. The instructor will email the zoom link and important information before the first class meeting. Any sort of recording, either via Zoom or third party software, is strictly prohibited for this course. Thank you for your understanding. Her goal is to transform the “remote” environment into a safe, engaging, space where students can freely ask questions, and have an enjoyable learning experience. She does request that all students who sign up for her classes turn their cameras on to optimize the virtual learning experience.