The World Languages Department at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology welcomes all students to participate in a fascinating journey to other cultures. We believe that acquiring proficiency in a foreign language enhances the students' opportunities for travel, study and employment, deepens their understanding of their own culture as well as the target culture, and prepares them for a rapidly changing world. Our goals are to develop oral proficiency in the modern languages while instilling an awareness and appreciation of the cultures.

We offer full programs in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. The classical language, Latin, develops reading comprehension, vocabulary building and an understanding of the roots of Western language and culture. We achieve these goals through daily practice in speaking, reading, writing and listening and through group cultural projects.

To obtain the TJHSST diploma, students must take and complete three years of one foreign language. If, after evaluation and authorization of the division manager, a student is accelerated to a higher level of language study, that student will not receive credit for the year skipped and must complete a third year of language study at TJHSST to obtain the TJHSST diploma.

Letter to Entering Freshmen (2009-2010)

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