World Languages:
Why Learn Chinese?
Learning Chinese can have both short- and long-term benefits through the introduction and acquisition
of a new language and culture.
Why Learn Chinese?
- China is one of the world’s oldest and richest continuous cultures, over 5000 years old.
- China is the most populous nation in the world with 1.34 billion people.
- One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese.
- Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world.
- China is the 2nd largest economy in the world.
Chinese in the United States
- Chinese is one of the largest trading partners of the United States.
- Many U.S. companies do business in China and have long-term investments there.
Chinese in the World
- Chinese has become a huge market, and business leaders are looking for people who can
speak Chinese.
- China will play a major role in world affairs in the future and Chinese is viewed by many as
the language of the future.
- China has become the “factory of the world”.
- Traditional Chinese cultural phenomena, from Confucianism and Chan Buddhism to martial
arts and Chinese cuisine, have an enormous influence on the western world.
Which schools in Fulton County offer Chinese?
- High Schools
o Alpharetta HS, Chattahoochee HS, Creekside HS, North Springs Charter HS,
Northview HS, Riverwood HS
- Middle Schools
o Ridgeview MS, River Trail MS, Webb Bridge MS
Is Chinese currently offered in Fulton County Virtual School?
- No. Chinese is not currently offered.
Will students be able to request a World Language curriculum hardship to take Chinese if
it is not offered at their home school?
- Yes. Consideration is given for a transfer to the nearest middle or high school which offers
core course or programs of study not available within the curriculum of the middle or high
school to which a student is zoned. In accordance with Georgia Department of Education
Rule 160-4-2.47, Foreign language is a core course.
- Transportation to the approved school is the responsibility of the parent.
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org
World Languages:
Why Learn French?
Learning French can have both short and long term benefits through the introduction and
acquisition of a new language and culture.
Why Learn French?
- One of the best reasons to learn French is to help you understand your own language.
- French is the largest donor of foreign words in English. Learning French will greatly increase the
number of English words you know.
- French is spoken as the official language in more than 40 countries on five continents.
- French has approximately 80 million native speakers and 190 million secondary speakers.
- French is the second most commonly taught language, after English, in the world.
- French is the 3rd most frequently spoken non-English language in US homes and the second most
commonly taught language in the United States (after Spanish).
- French is currently the number one most sought-after language by the Department of Defense.
French in Business
- France has the fifth largest economy in the world.
- France has over 3,000 French companies in the US and generates nearly 700,000 jobs.
- French is one of the official languages spoken by our largest trading partner (Canada).
- In the state of Georgia there are approximately 180 French companies. Some include: AL,
Abaqus, Adisseo, Alcatel, Aventis, Bostik, Briot, Cermex, Ingenico, L’Occitane, Lacoste, Lafarge,
Sephora.
French in the World
- French is the official working language in dozens of international organizations, including the
United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and International Red Cross.
- French is the second most frequently used language on the internet.
- French is ranked the 2nd most influential language in the world.
- More tourists visit France than any other country in the world.
Which schools in Fulton County offer French?
- All Middle and High Schools in Fulton County offer French.
- Middle schools offer French as a High School Credit with successful completion of the 7th and 8th
grade years.
- High Schools offer on-level and honors courses in French up to Advanced Placement French.
o Riverwood International Charter High School offers IB French SL and HL in lieu of AP
French. Students may still request to take the AP exam.
Is French offered in Fulton County Virtual School?
- Yes. French Levels 1 and 2 are offered in FC Virtual School.
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org
World Languages:
Why Learn German?
Why Learn German?
- German is the most widely spoken language in Europe.
- German has approximately 120 million native speakers.
- German is the 3rd most taught foreign language in the world.
- German is the language of Goethe, Marx, Nietsche and Kafka, of Mann, Brecht and Grass.
Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Schubert, Brahms, Schuman, Wagner, Mahler, and Schoenberg
spoke andwrote German, as did Freud, Weber, Einstein and Heisenberg, Kant, Hegel and
Heidegger.
- Many of the western world’s most important works of philosophy, literature, music, art history,
theology, psychology, chemistry, physics, engineering and medicine are written in German.
- 18% of the world’s books are published in German.
German in Business
- Germany has the largest economy in the European Union and the 4th largest in the world.
- Germany is the second largest exporter in the world.
- Germans are world leaders in engineering.
German in the United States
- German is not difficult to learn for English speakers. Modern German and English both evolved
from a common ancestor language.
- Both English and German have similarities in vocabulary and grammar.
- Germany is in the top 5 of trading partners with the U.S.
- German companies account for 700,000 jobs in the United States making it the 3rd largest foreign
employer in the U.S. The U.S. is the largest foreign employer in Germany.
- German companies found in the United States: Adidas, Aldi, Audi, Bayer, Bosch, Braun, BMW,
Daimler Chrysler, DHL, Hugo Boss, Lufthansa, Mercedes-Benz, Puma, T-Mobile, Porshe,
Siemens, Volkswagen.
German in the World
- German is the 7th most influential language in the world today.
- German is still a leading language of science, literature, art, philosophy and history.
- Germans are the biggest spenders of tourist dollars in the world.
- Germany financially sponsors over 60,000 international exchanges each year.
- German is the 3rd largest language market for newly-published books. Almost 1 out of every 5
books in the world are published in German.
- 50% of polled US companies said that they would choose someone with German literacy over an
equally-qualified person because German proficiency enables the company to export goods to the
European Union and Eastern European countries.
Which schools in Fulton County offer German?
- Centennial HS, Northview HS, Roswell HS and Crabapple MS, Haynes Bridge MS, River Trail
MS
If German offered in Fulton County Virtual School?
- No. German is not offered in Fulton County Virtual School.
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org
World Languages:
Why Learn Japanese?
Why learn Japanese?
Learning Japanese can have both short- and long-term benefits through the introduction
and acquisition of a new language and culture. Reasons to learn Japanese:
- Japanese is the 10th most spoken language in the world.
- Japan has the 3rd largest economy in the world.
- Knowing Japanese will set your child apart from other students who take more
commonly-studied languages
- Japanese is a stepping stone to learning other Asian languages
- Learning Japanese is the path for an insider view of the culture, work ethic, and
business etiquette of the Japanese people.
Japanese in Business
- Exports to Japan account for $50+ billion of the U.S. GDP each year.
- Japan is known for its technological innovations.
- Some notable Japanese companies are: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Sony, Canon,
Mitsubishi
- International businesses prefer to hire people who speak more than one language.
Japanese is a huge market, and business leaders are looking for people who can
speak Japanese.
Japanese in the World
- Japanese speakers are the internet’s 3rd largest language group.
- The Japanese are known as high-tech leaders in fields such as optical media,
semiconductor manufacturing and industrial robotics.
- Japanese cultural exports are exploding from anime to sushi bars, karaoke to
manga, bonsai to origami.
- The Japanese are international tourists accounting for billions of dollars of
revenue in the United States each year.
Which schools in Fulton County offer Japanese?
- High Schools
o Milton HS, Riverwood HS and Roswell HS
- Middle Schools
o Elkins Pointe MS, Northwestern MS and Ridgeview MS
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org
World Languages:
Why Learn Latin?
Learning Latin can have both short- and long-term benefits through the introduction and acquisition
of a new language and culture.
Why Learn Latin?
“I will say at once, quite firmly, that the best grounding for education is the Latin grammar. I say this
not because Latin is traditional and medieval, but simply because even a rudimentary knowledge of Latin
cuts down the labor and pains of learning almost any other subject by at least 50 percent.” Dorothy
Sayers, linguist
-
Learning Latin facilitates the comprehension of English grammar structure
Latin helps maximize SAT verbal scores. Through Latin, test takers can guess the meanings of
new words because they are familiar with word roots and prefixes.
Approximately 60% of English vocabulary is derived from Latin
Learning Latin helps you speak and write better in French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Over 90% of French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish is derived from Latin
Latin allows us to learn about our past through studying ancient culture.
Latin allows us to become more acquainted with mythical references in literature.
Latin helps develop brain power by encouraging observation, comparison and analysis of the
English language.
Latin aids in legal and medical professions, as well as with any profession requiring highlydeveloped speaking and writing skills.
Which schools in Fulton County offer Latin?
- High Schools
o Alpharetta HS, Cambridge HS, Chattahoochee HS, Johns Creek HS, Milton HS, North
Springs Charter HS, Northview HS, Roswell HS, Tri-Cities HS, Westlake HS
- Middle Schools
o Autrey Mill MS, Hopewell MS, Sandy Springs Charter MS, Webb Bridge MS, Woodland
MS
Is Latin offered in Fulton County Virtual School?
- No. Latin is currently not offered in Fulton County Virtual School.
Will students be able to request a World Language curriculum hardship to take Latin if it
is not offered at their home school?
- Yes. Consideration is given for a transfer to the nearest middle or high school which offers
core course or programs of study not available within the curriculum of the middle or high
school to which a student is zoned. In accordance with Georgia Department of Education
Rule 160-4-2.47, Foreign language is a core course.
- Transportation to the approved school is the responsibility of the parent.
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org
World Languages:
Why Learn Spanish?
Learning Spanish can have both short- and long-term benefits through the introduction and
acquisition of a new language and culture.
Why Learn Spanish?
-
Learning Spanish will provide a better understanding of English.
Knowing Spanish enhances one’s marketability as a business and industry employee
Spanish will enhance your travel experiences.
Spanish will help to improve your employment potential for the public sector.
Spanish is the fourth most common language among the internet community.
Spanish in the United States
-
There are over 50 million Spanish speakers in the United States.
40% of the U.S. population growth comes from people of Hispanic origin.
In the U.S., Hispanic consumers are the fastest-growing market segment.
The Spanish-speaking population of the United States has grown exponentially; learning
Spanish will provide a better understanding of their culture, practices and perspectives.
Spanish is the most popular world language to learn in the United States.
Spanish in the World
-
There are over 400 million speakers of Spanish.
Spanish is the 3rd most commonly spoken language in the world.
There are more native speakers of Spanish than native speakers of English.
Spanish is an official language on three continents.
Spanish is the mother tongue of 21 countries.
Which schools in Fulton County offer Spanish?
-
All Middle Schools offer Spanish as a unit of High School Credit for students who qualify.
All High Schools offer Level 1 to Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Language.
o Riverwood International Charter High School offers IB Spanish SL and HL in lieu of
AP Spanish. Students may still request to take the AP exam.
Is Spanish offered in Fulton County Virtual School?
- Yes. Spanish Level 1 and Level 2 are offered in Fulton County Virtual School.
Will students be able to request a World Language curriculum hardship to take
Spanish if it is not offered at their home school?
- No. Spanish is offered at all Fulton County Middle and High Schools.
For more information, please contact Jamie Patterson, World Languages Program Specialist
786 Cleveland Avenue, SW  Atlanta, Georgia 30315-7299  404-768-3600  www.fultonschools.org