The World Language department consist of eight exceptional teachers offering four languages:  French, German, Latin, and Spanish. The typical WL classroom is anything but typical….. It is quite common for students in a level 1 WL classroom to have zero prior exposure the target language, making basic skills of speaking, reading, writing, and listening much more challenging to tackle. Furthermore, 100% of language classes are multi-age, many times having a fairly even distribution of 9th-12th grade students, making for some interesting classroom dynamics. Despite these challenges, the WL teachers consistently go above and beyond to make language learning fun and accessible to all students. On any given day, you will find students engaged in all sorts of language or cultural activities spanning from basic vocabulary/grammar to role playing to exploring the sights and sounds of native countries. The WL department has become a model of using technology to enhance learning and it would be a very rare day to not see Canvas (and other programs) integrated seamlessly into daily lessons.

AP level courses are offered in French, German, Latin, and Spanish. Each AP course is equivalent to a 300 level college course, meaning that an AP student goes from a zero experience level 1 course to a high level college course in the span of 5 semesters.

Outside of the classroom, the WL department is involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. The department sponsors a World Language club that meets once a month to engage in different cultural experiences, organized and executed by student members. Our German American Partnership Program (GAPP) is celebrating its tenth round of exchange students between Berlin and Kingsport. In the GAPP program, D-B students travel to Berlin in June and Berliners come to Kingsport in October. The Classics Club prepares for and attends the annual TN Junior Classical League, which focuses on a variety of academic and artistic contests pertinent to the classical world of ancient Greece and Rome.  German students have the opportunity to take the Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD) exam to earn official recognition of German language proficiency. Both the HSK and DSD results can serve as a reference for students wanting to pursue further studies in German language.