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American Sign Language (ASL)LanguagesLearn American Sign Language (ASL), a useful skill that can open up a new world of relationships and deeper understanding. Level 1 (Beginner): In this in-person class for absolute beginners only, learn the ASL manual “alphabet” and hand shapes, basic grammar structure, and fingerspelling techniques. Explore the history of ASL while we cover pronouns, articles, numbers, yes/no questions, farewell rituals, introductions, and more. Level 2 (High Beginner): Further increase your vocabulary and get introduced to verb tenses in this in-person class for students who have completed Level 1. Learn how to engage in conversation about personal life events, family dynamics, friendships, and pets, as well as how to describe appearances and name North American cities, states, and provinces. Level 3 (Intermediate): This class is for students who have completed Level 2. Refine your skills as we cover more complex topics, including numeral incorporation, telling time, expressing frequency, daily routines, holidays and cultural observances, vacations, hobbies, and more. Note: For Levels 1, 2 & 3 students will be required to purchase this text book.Spring 2025
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Arabic: Levantine Spoken Level 3LanguagesThis course is for those who have some familiarity with Levantine Arabic. Considered one of the major varieties of Arabic, “Levantine” refers to the variety of Arabic spoken along the eastern Mediterranean coast, which includes Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. More informal than Modern Standard Arabic, this dialect is used in the home, among friends, and has become the chosen language for many television series. We will discuss various everyday topics, with some focus on grammatical structures.Spring 2025
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Arabic: Modern Standard Level 1LanguagesOriginating in the 6th century, the Arabic language has become one of the most widely spoken and recognizable languages in the world today. This version of Arabic is the formal language of news, media, and books. This beginning-level class introduces the 28 Arabic letters and focuses on basic reading and writing skills through an interactive and practical instructional method. Some basic everyday vocabulary and conversations, such as greetings and courtesy expressions, are also part of the course.Spring 2025
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Citizenship Exam Prep ClassLanguagesPrepare for the US citizenship test. Learn how the government works, understand your rights and responsibilities as a citizen, learn the answers to all of the questions on the civics and history portion of the test, improve your English (if applicable), and prepare to pass the exam. Important: Requirements to apply for citizenship are a green card for five years (or married to an American citizen and green card for three years) and intermediate level English.Spring 2025
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ESOL: English for Speakers of Other LanguagesLanguagesLearn English and build your speaking and writing confidence. ACE is pleased to fully fund these classes for Arlington residents. The daytime class is co-sponsored by the Robbins Library. Level 1 (Low Beginner): For beginner-level students with little to no knowledge of the English language. Learn the alphabet, numbers, pronouns, be verbs (am, is, are), and basic verbs and adjectives, as well as everyday vocabulary and simple conversation phrases. Level 2 (High Beginner): For students who have taken the Level 1 course or for students who are familiar with the grammar concepts taught in the Level 1 course. Learn simple present, past, and future tenses and strengthen conversation skills. Please note: Priority goes to Arlington residents. Register for one session only. If you live outside of Arlington, please add yourself to our “non-resident waitlist” class and we will contact you if we have space. Prerequisite: Students must know how to read and write the Roman alphabet. Attendance Policy: Limited to one class per person per term. Students are expected to attend regularly. If you have to miss a class, you must notify the instructor in advance. Students who do not show up for the first class without notifying the instructor will be removed from the roster and will not be allowed to register for the following term. Students who miss more than three classes in a term will not be allowed to register for the following term.Spring 2025
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Starting SoonFrenchLanguagesLay the foundation to become a confident French speaker. Learn pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and verbs with a focus on describing the world around you. Level 1 (Abadía): Learn basic vocabulary, present-tense verbs, and useful everyday words and phrases. Part of each class will be spent practicing oral dialogue to gain comfort in speaking. Level 2 (Abadía): Focus on improving conversational precision by developing vocabulary and learning present and immediate future tenses. Practice oral dialogue and learn common and irregular verbs, possessive and demonstrative adjectives, comparatives and superlatives, and imperatives. Level 3 (Bridgelal): Upon completion of this course, you can expect to converse on a broad range of topics with greater confidence and precision. Building upon the skills already acquired, you will learn direct and indirect object pronouns and start the imperfect verb tense. This class will cover leçons 14–19 in the Contacts edition 8 or 9 textbook, easily found used or downloadable online. Level 4 (Bridgelal): Focus on using passé composé versus the imperfect tense and implementing object pronouns and adverbs in both simple and compound tenses. We will also further develop the three basic skills of listening, speaking, and reading while learning about French culture and history. You will need a free downloadable copy of the Grammaire Progressive du Francais Intermediaire (edition 3 by Maia Gregory).ou will need a free downloadable copy of the Grammaire Progressive du Francais Intermediaire (edition 3 by Maia Gregory). If you miss a class, you may view the recording.Spring 2025
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French Café: Conversation & CultureLanguagesBonjour! These welcoming and lively French conversation classes are led by an enthusiastic, near-native speaker. Learn, practice, and improve your conversational French in a relaxed, fun, yet structured setting. Intermediate: For those who have taken French: Levels 1–3 and/or have strong skills in speaking and listening. We will review advanced grammar topics, including object pronouns, compound tenses, and subjunctive, with assignments to practice your skills throughout the week. Advanced: This class is designed for students who have advanced comprehension and fluent expression. We will refine our French via word nuances, sophisticated locutions, figurative language, and advanced grammatical topics.Spring 2025
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German for BeginnersLanguagesWillkommen! While German has the reputation of being a difficult language to learn, this beginner-level course is meant to show you otherwise. From simple greetings to real-life situations like shopping or eating out, you will learn useful phrases to get around and express yourself. Expect to listen to recordings, watch video clips, and engage in dialogue with your fellow students. Basic grammar will be introduced through reading and writing exercises.Spring 2025
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Starting SoonHebrewLanguagesPlease note that the time for Level 2C has changed to 1:00–2:15. Whether your goal is to speak to Israelis, read the Hebrew Bible in its original language, or follow along at synagogue services, these courses will help you get started with a solid foundation in this unique language. Expect lively class discussions and optional weekly homework assignments. All levels will enjoy Hebrew and Israeli music. Level 2C: For students who can read the Hebrew alphabet, know 75+ words of vocabulary, can conjugate simple verbs in the past tense, can compose a simple Hebrew sentence, or who have already taken Level 2B. [This class will start with a review of Chapter 10 of the textbook.] Level 5: Discover the inner elegance of Hebrew grammar and become your own translator. We will focus on Biblical and prayerbook Hebrew, using examples drawn from the Bible, the Hebrew prayer book, fairy tales rendered in Biblical Hebrew, a short story in Modern Hebrew, and text images from Israeli news. You should be familiar with Hebrew verbs in the past, future, and present tenses. [This class will start with Chapter 23 of the textbook, with Binyan Pi'el.] Please note: This text will be required for class The First Hebrew Primer: The Adult Beginner's Path to Biblical Hebrew, Third Edition 3rd Edition (if you don't already have it). Please do not purchase until we confirm the class has met minimum enrollment.Spring 2025
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ItalianLanguagesBuongiorno! Are you ready to learn Italian in a fun and interesting way? Through conversation about everyday life, we will learn vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar as we explore Italian culture and la dolce vita. Gain a solid knowledge of the language of music and love. Level 1 (Bonechi): Get introduced to basic grammar topics including pronunciation, personal pronouns, indefinite and definite articles, singular and plural forms of nouns and adjectives, gender, and number agreement. Learn to describe everyday activities using the present tense of regular and irregular verbs. Level 2 (Bonechi): Work on improving spoken Italian, mastering reflexive verbs, past tense of regular and irregular verbs, and possessive adjectives. Level 3 (Stefa): Further hone oral comprehension and expression of topics including travel, health, and time. We will also focus on imperfect tense, distinctive pronouns, simple future tense, and double object pronouns. Level 4 (Stefa): Focus on complex reading selections, opportunities for vocabulary development, and creative use of the language. Develop more grammar skills using indefinite adjectives and pronouns, imperative form, conditional tenses, and relative pronouns.Spring 2025
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Mandarin for BeginnersLanguagesGet a gentle introduction to Mandarin Chinese, whether you’re looking to explore a new language, connect with Mandarin-speaking friends and family, or simply keep your mind active. The focus will be on practical language skills that you can use in everyday conversations. We’ll cover basic vocabulary, essential phrases, and simple sentence structures, making learning both fun and accessible. No prior knowledge of Mandarin is required.Spring 2025
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Douglas Fernandes (flickr) (CC BY 2.0)PortugueseLanguagesBrazilian Portuguese is a vibrant language shaped by African, Indigenous, and European influences. One of the largest Brazilian communities outside of Brazil is located right here in the Greater Boston area. Level 1 (Beginner): Learn simple phrases, greetings, and the basic structure of the language while also exploring Brazil’s fascinating history, traditions, and culture. This course will provide the foundation to engage in everyday conversations and connect with the local community. Level 1B: Continue developing your Brazilian Portuguese skills by strengthening your pronunciation, expanding your vocabulary, and refining your understanding of grammar. You’ll practice forming more complex sentences, conjugating regular and irregular verbs, and using possessives with confidence. Build the skills to communicate more naturally in everyday conversations. Até logo!Spring 2025
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SpanishLanguagesSpanish is the most widely spoken Romance language in the world, with more than 480 million native speakers. Level 1C (Price): For those who have completed a beginning Spanish class or who have beginning conversational skills and a basic knowledge of the language. Students will start to work on the past tense and continue adding to their vocabulary knowledge. Level 2C (Price): Students should be somewhat comfortable using the present, preterite, and imperfect tenses. Simple reading selections and discussions will be part of the class focus. Level 3 (Abadía): Students should be familiar with the present tense of regular and irregular verbs, as well as with the basic differences between ser y estar. Practice advanced grammar and verb conjugations, the present tense of reflexive verbs, how to express time, date, and weather, and learn the past preterite tense. Level 4 (Abadía): Cover grammar topics including the imperfect and the preterite, pronouns, familiar commands, adverbs, as well as the use of se, por, and para. For this level, students should have a clear idea of present and past tense and be able to describe their surroundings in simple terms.Spring 2025
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Spanish Cafe: Conversation & CultureLanguagesThese convivial classes are taught by a native speaker and offer conversation and culture for those who want to refresh their Spanish, take it to the next level, or just miss speaking the language. Improve your spoken Spanish and vocabulary on a variety of topics, including art, literature, music, cuisine, travel, and current events. Intermediate: Students should have knowledge of the preterite, the past imperfect, and the future tense to join this class. We will review these as well as other grammatical structures, such as the conditional, the imperative, and the present subjunctive. Advanced: For students comfortable with an immersion (Spanish-only) experience. We will work with advanced topics that stimulate deeper conversations and debate and challenge us to further increase our vocabulary.Spring 2025