Language

All Departments:

Empowering young women to speak, listen, and build connections.

The Merion Mercy Language Department believes in the transformative power of language. Our curriculum is designed to develop students who confidently embrace new challenges, communicate effectively and respectfully, and think critically about the social and historical contexts of various cultures.

Language learning at Merion Mercy Academy is dynamic and vigorous, where teachers value the ongoing process of language acquisition in all students. Throughout a comprehensive four-year program in French, Latin, or Spanish, students are continually challenged and empowered to develop greater skills in communication, increase linguistic proficiency, express appreciation for diverse cultures and communities, and broaden their global perspectives. It is our aim that students feel both inspired and supported in acquiring a new language and that a lifelong appreciation for language-learning is cultivated.

Language Department Goals

Foster the development of language skills across reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Develop interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication skills.
Augment skills in critical thinking, discrete analysis, and synthesis of information.
Expand student awareness and understanding of cultural contexts of the language and its speakers.
Cultivate an appreciation for the structural and expressive nuances of the language.
Strengthen transferable skills in understanding the fundamentals of language systems.
Celebrate the intellectual and cognitive benefits of learning additional languages.
Promote the interconnectivity of language-learning and our Mercy values of building community and working for peace and justice.

Language at Merion Mercy

French

French Cultural Activities

Throughout the year, French students will take time to celebrate the end of a learning unit with an in-class celebration related to French culture. French 1 students take part in an annual crêpe party after completing their Au café unit. They also learn about the French boule game la pétanque in their unit, Les loisirs (hobbies).

National French Exam

Each spring, Merion Mercy French students take the National French Exam, a national competition run by the American Association of Teachers of French, to test their knowledge of French vocabulary, structures, and cultural awareness. Merion students have earned numerous recognitions in recent years, including three bronze medals and one silver medal in the 2024-25 school year.

Latin

Immersion Trips to Rome, Italy

Latin students gain an unparalleled experience when participating in a trip to Italy the summer after their sophomore or junior year. With the guidance of Merion Mercy chaperones, students see their studies of ancient Rome come to life by visiting countless archaeological sites while also participating in hands-on tours on Roman art, architecture, and historical events.

As the lingua franca for several centuries, Latin was the world’s first world language. Students explore subsequent phases of medieval and Renaissance Italy, which are crucial parts of understanding how ancient structures and manuscripts have survived and how Romance languages developed.

While not exclusive to Latin students, students consistently remark about the profound impact of learning Latin before traveling to Italy and how enriching it is to have contextual background knowledge about so many aspects of the ancient and modern world.

Latin Week Competition

Each year, Merion Mercy Academy participates in the Annual Latin Week Competition sponsored by the Philadelphia Classical Society. Students from area schools are asked to submit artistic or literary entries with classical Greek or Roman themes which are judged by local Latin teachers.

Students from Merion Mercy Academy have submitted entries in almost every category offered and have received numerous awards for their submissions, including the highest achievement of “Best In Show.”

Spanish

Costa Rica Trip 2022 — *Costa Rica trip, 2022*

Immersion Trips to Spanish-speaking Countries

The Language Department periodically organizes student trips abroad to places such as Spain, Peru and Costa Rica! These trips feature immersive activities that have included cooking lessons, visiting local school children, sea turtle conservation and beach clean-up, and much more. Our trips are not exclusive to Spanish learners, but Spanish students are encouraged to participate to experience what it is like to put our language skills to use in places we visit.

Spanish Language Week

Co-celebrating with Hispanic Heritage Month, Spanish faculty and students organize a week-long celebration of the Spanish language and its associated cultures. Every fall, we offer school-wide interactive opportunities to engage with Hispanic culture, such as cooking and history lessons, competitions, dance classes, and crafts inspired by traditional folk art. This celebration is open to the entire community!