Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: demonstrate proficiency in listening, reading, comprehension and writing necessary for elementary basic communication in a foreign language. Specifically, students will recognize the alphabet, demonstrate an ability to understand the main ideas and information on a variety of familiar topics. Students read and understand simple texts of familiar topics,  including standard vocabulary and basic syntax;  communicate basic ideas and needs orally by using patterned responses and  in writing,  by writing simple sentences and linking them into a paragraph.  Grammar is expressed in present and one other tense in comprehensible language. Students will be able to spell phonetically.