Spanish I Syllabus
St. James High School
Fall Semester 2013
Instructor: Amanda Walden
Room 218
Planning Period: 2nd & 3rd Block
Email : [email protected]
Course Description:
Spanish I gives students an introduction to the basics of the
Spanish language and the Spanish-speaking world. In this course,
you will learn the elements of basic conversational Spanish.
Emphasis will be on successful communication through speaking,
listening, reading, and writing. The course will be conducted as
much as possible in Spanish so that you will become comfortable
hearing and using basic forms of the language. Course unit topics
include the alphabet and numbers; greetings; introductions; the
calendar (days, months, and seasons); weather; time; colors;
familiar objects and places; family; food; pastimes; and school
objects and routine. Course strategies include warm-up activities,
vocabulary study, reading, threaded discussions, multimedia
presentations, self-checks, practice activities and games, oral and
written assignments, projects, quizzes, and exams. Since interaction using the language is an important element to
learning, you will often work with your classmates, and be able to
get to know them better by sharing information about yourself in
Spanish. Most importantly, you will begin your journey towards a
second language, giving you a multitude of opportunities in the
future!
Major Instructional Goals: The student will…
Ø Compose simple sentences in the present tense using the
appropriate verb forms and word order.
Ø Respond appropriately to simple directions.
Ø Ask and respond appropriately to statements on a variety of
everyday topics such as greetings, introductions, basic
needs, family, sports, likes and dislikes.
Ø Present information on everyday topics using subject
pronouns and descriptive, possessive and demonstrative
adjectives.
Ø Become aware of and compare and contrast various
aspects of Hispanic cultural practices and perspectives on
such topics as food, family and the educational system with
your own.
Ø Identify and analyze products of Spanish speaking countries
such as art, music, and realia.
Ø Locate Spanish-speaking countries and their capitals and
identify major geographical features.
Ø Demonstrate awareness of formal and informal forms of
language
Things you will need:
• pen/pencil (if you forget a writing utensil, you may purchase
one for a quarter.
• 2 highlighters
• 4 dry erase markers (will use daily; one will not last the
duration of the term)
• MacBook; Bring your CHARGED MacBook EVERYDAY
(MOODLE will be used daily)
• Headphones; will be used daily
• Mandatory $10 class fee for composition notebook
(provided by teacher) & art projects (Please pay by the first
two weeks of school)
* Supplies are needed each day. Failure to do so will result in
a loss of participation points.
GENERAL CLASS RULES
1. BE ON TIME. You must be at your desk with materials out
when the bell stops ringing.
2. BE PREPARED AND READY TO PARTICIPATE. Bring your
laptop, notebook, writing instrument, etc. daily.
3. BE RESPECTFUL. *Show respect to your Instructor by
practicing the following:
A. Remain quiet during direct instruction/ lecture. B. Make eye
contact when you are spoken to/ addressed. C. Acknowledge by
nodding affirmation that you have heard and understood, and/or
respond appropriately; i.e. “Yes Mam” D. Do it well the first time.
*Respect others and their property. (This includes school
property (no writing or chewing gum on desks).
4. NO CELL PHONES or other electronic devices may be
turned on while in the classroom. (If I see it, it will be confiscated
for the duration of the period.)
**Failure to follow these rules will result in:
1. Warning/ Conference with student after class.
2. Lunch detention.
3. Parent phone call/ conference
4. Referral
Failure to comply with assigned disciplinary action will result in
immediate referral.
Classroom Procedures:
1. Students are required to be in their seats and ready to begin
class before the second bell rings.
2. The instructor, not the bell, will signal when class is over. Please
be courteous and remain in your seats until you are dismissed.
3. Students will bring all necessary materials to class every day.
Failure to bring materials to class will result in a deduction of 2
participation points.
4. Students who disrupt the class are infringing on the ability of
their peers to be successful. See Class Rules & Consequences
above.
5. The student will demonstrate acceptable classroom behavior,
showing respect for others, being attentive in the classroom,
following instructions and staying on task. Students are expected
to participate in all classroom activities and to speak Spanish as
much as possible
6. Cell phones are not part of our daily material requirements, are
disruptive, and are a temptation to be discourteous and are
NEVER permitted in class.
7. Since learning another language is a step-by-step process,
students should make every effort to attend class regularly and
review Spanish material each evening.
8. All homework must be completed prior to entering the
classroom. Zero credit will be given for incomplete homework,
unless there are unforeseen circumstances (i.e. illness, etc.), or an
excused absence.
9. All work and homework must be done by the student and not
copied from another student or source. Plagiarized work will
receive zero credit. If a student allows another student to copy
his/her work, both students will receive a zero for this
assignment.
10. Make-up work: No late homework is accepted, unless it is
an excused absence (i.e. illness). Make-up work/projects for an
excused absence are to be handed to the instructor after the
amount of days missed. If a student misses an exam/quiz, he
must make arrangements with the instructor. It is your
responsibility to find out what work is missed. You may do this in
the following ways:
§ Let Mrs. Walden know of the absence in advance if
you know that you will be gone.
§ Check Moodle
§ Email Mrs. Walden at [email protected]
§ Do not interrupt the class or the teacher to find out
about work missed. You may come in before or after
school or ask a classmate after class is dismissed to
find about any missed assignments.
Five days are allowed for making up worked missed due
to absences. Quizzes/Tests must be taken after school or
during my planning period. Assignments and tests not
completed with the allotted time will receive a zero. If
you are absent the day before a test you still have the
responsibility of taking previously announced test upon
your return.
What to Expect:
Class activities: Interacting with others and participating in class
activities is essential in order to learn a language. Expect to work
alone, in pairs, in teams, and as a whole class.
Graded Assignments: You will have several graded assignments
per section. In order to receive full credit, ALL ASSIGNMENTS
must be completed by the beginning of class on the following
day. As we review in class you must record and correct any
errors and clarify misconceptions in your composition book.
(Notes and examples of Spanish concepts written in your
composition notebook will be invaluable to you for studying or if
you are awarded use of your comp book on a test; see section
on “Chequis” above) Late work will only be accepted for students
with excused absences and must be turned in the day following
the return to class. Graded Assignments must be submitted on
Moodle in the appropriate place. Instructions will be given on
where and how to do this. Graded assignments are to be done
individually unless otherwise stated.
MOODLE: Moodle will be used daily. ALL classwork and graded
assignments including Bell work, quizzes and exams will be
available on Moodle and submitted through Moodle. You will not
use a textbook in this class. All of the notes and practice activities
will be found on Moodle. Become familiar with your Spanish class
on Moodle. Learn how to navigate it. Check it each morning and
night and open it at the beginning of each class period.
Notetaking: You will be required to take notes for each Spanish
concept in your composition notebook. Instructions will be given
on how to do this. You may also print out notes from Moodle and
secure them in your composition notebook.
Quizlet: For each section of vocabulary, you will be required to
create an online set of flashcards. You will be required to
complete one study session on Quizlet each day. This may be
assigned as bellwork, closure, and/ or homework. Open quizlet at
the beginning of each period. You will use it as reference for
vocabulary. For graded assignments you will be allowed to use
ONLY words and vocabulary learned in class up to this point. You
may NOT use a translator unless granted permission by the
instructor.
Bellwork: You will be assigned Bellwork daily. This assignment
must be complete in the first 5-10 minutes of the class period. At
the end of the allotted time you must save the activity and
complete any unfinished work for homework. This is an integral
part of daily classwork used to review previous concepts and
engage you in the Spanish concepts for the current day. Each
week I will randomly select one Bellwork assignment to review
for a grade. If you were absent and did not make up the
assignment or if you ran out of time and did not finish the
assignment at home, then you will receive a zero for your weekly
Bellwork grade.
Exit Slips: Exit Slips should be complete daily at the end of class.
You will have 5 minutes to complete your exit slip. This will be
part of your daily participation grade. Reflect on what you learned
today and give examples. Ask for clarification on concepts you
struggled with.
Intercambios: You will be required to participate in Spanish
conversation with a partner on a weekly basis.
Listening Activities: You will listen to spoken Spanish weekly.
Reading Comprehension: Reading excerpts in Spanish will be a
regular part of Unit content. You will learn how to read in the
Target language and answer questions in Spanish based on what
you read.
Speaking Assignments: Your speaking will be assessed on a
weekly basis. You will be required to record yourself speaking in
Spanish and submit recordings for your teacher and peers to
assess and critique. You will also be required to self-assess.
Oral Interviews: Interviews in the Target Language will be
conducted each Unit to assess oral comprehension and
proficiency in the Target Language.
Tests/quizzes:
Tests will be at the end of each unit and quizzes at the end of a
section. There will be pop quizzes at the teacher’s discretion.
Tests and quizzes will serve as good indicators of your
proficiency level on what we have learned in class.
Homework/projects: language learning takes time and requires a
lot of practice for mastery to occur. Homework and projects are
designed to assist in this learning process. Late work will not be
accepted.
Early Finishers: You may work through each section at your own
pace, however you may not go beyond the current section within
the Unit your class is working in. If you finish an assignment early,
you may go to Quizlet and study vocabulary, follow a link from
Moodle to play Spanish games, listen to Music in Spanish, read
Hispanic literature or novels, read about current events in the
Spanish-speaking world, research Spanish educational websites or
Apps to share with your class. You may NOT text, listen to music
in English, play non-Spanish games, work on anything from
another class.
.
DAILY PARTICIPATION:
You will be assessed daily on participation in the classroom. This
includes willingness to work with others and the teacher. Your
participation grade will be based on daily observations and notes.
Class participation is 30% of the overall grade. During review and
practice all students will use “dry erase answer cards” to display
answers in order to check understanding and provide clarification.
This is NOT optional. You MUST participate. In addition, you may
NOT use “I don’t know”/ “IDK” as an answer. Instead you should
request one of the following; May I…. have more time, have
more information, hear the question again, ask a friend? You will
be graded based on the rubric below:
5 points: Above and beyond good! You go the extra mile
You were in class on time. I saw and heard you do all the
following: You listened carefully when others spoke; spoke
in Spanish when instructed; asked and answered questions;
gave your opinion, and made positive contributions to class
discussions (i.e. stayed on task, looked for ways to help out,
volunteered and so on.)
4 points : Good participation.
You were in class on time. I saw and heard you do most
items listed above, but not all, and not all of the time.
3 points: Average participation
You were in class on time. I saw and heard you do at least
some of the items listed above.
Below average participation: You can do better
You were in class on time or had a tardy. You did very little
of any of the items listed above.
CHEQUIS: “Chequis” are points that are awarded for going
ABOVE the expectations of required daily participation. I will
monitor the class for “exceptional” behavior and assign “chequis”
which will accumulate each week for bonus points on quizzes,
exemption from a missed assignment, use of your composition
notebook on a test, or your lowest quiz grade dropped. Ways to
get “chequis”: Speak in Spanish, Correct the teacher (in a
respectful manner), Remain on task, Demonstrate respectful
behavior, Suggest a modification to an activity to make it more
meaningful or relevant, Suggest modifications to grouping to
make it more efficient, Suggest additions to materials being used,
Suggest a new link or App to supplement learning in the
classroom, Assess your own learning and make improvements,
Ensure that class transitions and routines run smoothly by doing it
well yourself, take initiative in distributing and collecting materials,
Assess your peers and offer constructive criticism, assistance or
clarification, Make productive use of your time and encourage
those around you to do the same, ASK “HOT” Questions, Extend
& Enrich discussions by asking relevant questions and offering
well-thought-out explanations, invite comments from classmates
during discussion, VOLUNTEER. Chequis will be given at the
discretion of the teacher, however you may recommend
someone for a chequi if you observe them doing something that
fits the above criteria.
HELP:
Ms. Roussel will be available for Spanish tutoring on Wednesdays
in Room 216 after school if needed. This is a good time to make
up missed work or to come and ask questions about something
you have not understood or just to get extra practice. Please
come see me after class if you have a small question or you may
ask a classmate. (There will be a designated student to whom
questions may be directed for clarification during daily class work
as well as a discussion board where you may ask questions on
specific topics and offer clarification to your classmates.)
How You Will Be Graded:
Tests 35%
Quizzes/ Projects 25%
Homework/ Daily Assignments & Participation 20%
Final Exam 20% (cumulative)
Parent Letter
Dear Parent or Guardian:
My name is Amanda Walden. I am your child’s Spanish teacher this year. Please take
a few moments to read through the course syllabus, and become familiar with the
class content and expectations. Please feel free to contact me with any questions
or concerns. Please sign below indicating that you and your child have read and
understand the Spanish 1 syllabus.
_____________________________
Parent’s or Guardian’s name
________________________________
(Parent’s or Guardian’s signature - required)
_____________________________
________________________________
Student’s name
(Student’s signature – required)
As you should already know, St. James High School has the Powerschool Program
that allows you to view your child’s academic progress and attendance on-line. You
can expect to see a minimum of one grade per week posted from each course.
You may contact the Office to obtain a log on password to your account. In
addition to PowerSchool, we will be using MOODLE in Spanish class on a DAILY
basis. Here your child will be able to access ALL Spanish materials and assignments.
You can check Moodle to see what assignments are due and upcoming quizzes or
tests. You can see if your child submitted an assignment or their score on an test.
You can also see what your child is learning so that you can learn with your child
and assist your child by practicing Spanish and studying with them. If you would like
more information on this, you may schedule a conference or email me.
Due to limited access to a telephone during the day, the best way for me to keep in
contact with you is by email. If you have an e-mail address and feel comfortable
sharing it, please include it below. Print please!
______________________________________________________________________
(Parent/Guardian e-mail address)
Return this form only and keep the rest of syllabus for reference in your notebook.