It is the goal of the Foreign Language Department that every student achieves an ability to understand, speak, read and write in the target language, while at the same time developing global awareness and knowledge of different cultures. The completion of two years of the same foreign language satisfies the minimal high school foreign language prerequisite for entrance to most four-year colleges. It should be noted that many institutions of higher learning require three or four years of foreign language study at the high school level.

It is strongly recommended that all students select one (1) Foreign Language course. Parents and students should give careful consideration to which language they choose, as the students will not be able to change languages once they have returned their signed course selection worksheet to their guidance counselor. They may choose from a Foreign Language offered at Advanced Placement, Honors, College, and Heritage Language Speaker level. A student may not elect a beginning level language class after the first two weeks of school. Students are advised to take the two years of a language consecutively, as leaving a gap between courses may jeopardize students’ chances of passing. Students who choose to begin their language study at Lowell High School at the second or third year level should contact the Department Head for an interview or a placement exam. Heritage Language speakers will also take a placement exam to determine proper scheduling.