Highlands School World Languages

Three-Language Program From Primary Through Middle School

Highlands School is a private K-8 school on Old Leeds Road offering a World Languages program in Chinese, French, and Spanish. Starting in primary grades and continuing through 8th grade, students work toward 90–100% target-language instruction by the time they graduate — a depth rare for private elementary schools in the Birmingham area.

Languages Offered

Students can study any of three languages across grade levels:
- Mandarin Chinese
- French
- Spanish
- World language honor societies for top students
- ACTFL Can-Do Statements framework for tracking progress

What's Included

• National World-Readiness Standards from ACTFL
• Target-language instruction scaling up through grades
• Interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational skill development
• Portfolio and project-based assessment
• Honor societies (Sociedad Hispanica, Les Jeunes Amis, National Junior Scholars Chinese)

Experience

Highlands fits Birmingham families who want long-term language study embedded in a rigorous K-8 private school rather than supplementing with outside classes. By middle school, students have years of consistent exposure and can participate in language honor societies — preparing them well for high school AP and IB language coursework.