Massachusetts Mayflower Academy Opens Fall Registration and Debuts New Spanish and American Sign Language Courses

One of the ways for students to be well-equipped for success in college and careers is to learn at least one additional language. Massachusetts Mayflower Academy, a full-time online private high school powered by The Virtual High School(VHS Inc.), is beginning the 2018-2019 school year by adding Spanish 4and American Sign Language 1to its course catalog. Registration for the fall 2018 semester will open May 10. Prospective students can apply to the academy now at http://go.thevhs.org/l/86702/2016-07-12/31zz1f.

Spanish 4builds on the skills students have developed in the Spanish 1, 2and 3courses. Students will participate in discussions related to cultural topics and other course materials, discover meaningful elements of the Spanish and Hispanic cultures and analyze the works of important Spanish and Hispanic literary figures. They will also listen to authentic Spanish audio and video files, complete written and speaking activities, practice reading authentic and relevant materials and engage in collaborative projects. This course will effectively prepare students to take literature-based AP Spanish Language and Culture.

American Sign Language (ASL)1is an introductory course that uses selected readings, visual recordings and interactive online activities to help students understand and respond to simple questions and statements in ASL. To demonstrate ability in signing skills, students will be asked to record videos of themselves signing to submit to their instructors. Students will also build their knowledge and understanding about Deaf culture and history. This course adheres to both the National Standards for Learning American Sign Language and the World Readiness Standards for Language Learning, ensuring that students develop competence to communicate effectively and interact with cultural understanding of the Deaf community.

“Beingbilingual or multilingual can open up new career opportunities and be both personally and professionally rewarding,” said Carol Ribeiro, President & CEO of The Virtual High School (VHS). “Massachusetts Mayflower Academy offers a variety of foreign language courses that help students hone and acquire language skills. These courses complement the more than 200 unique online courses in our catalog, providing students with choices that prepare them for the future and help them develop a lifelong love of learning.”

About VHS, Inc.and Massachusetts Mayflower Academy

Massachusetts Mayflower Academy (http://vhslearning.org/mma/massachusetts-mayflower-academy) is an online private school, accredited by AdvancED. The school enrolls students from across the US and around the world in its full-time, online, diploma-granting high school program. The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) is an online learning pioneer. Since 1996, the nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts has set the standard for quality online education. VHS provides courses taught in global online classrooms for secondary school students and online professional development for educators. The organization also meets the unique educational needs of schools through custom course development and individualized course offerings. VHS design and delivery standards are the model used by the National Education Association in their recommended standards for online learning. The organization has won numerous awards, including the Stockholm Challenge Award for Global Excellence in Information Technology, and is a three-time winner of the United States Distance Learning Association’s (USDLA) award for Excellence in Programming and Excellence in Best Practices. For more information, visit www.vhslearning.orgor call (978) 897-1900.

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