BIENVENIDOS A LA CLASE DE ESPAÑOL 3
Fall 2016
Ms. Hayes
(661) 294-1188 ext. 924
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Spanish 3AB is a one-year course with the intent of continuing the study of the language. Both semesters focus on communicating in Spanish, as well as listening and writing in Spanish. The acquisition of practical vocabulary and grammatical structures will be critical to accomplishing these goals. In addition, we will be learning about different aspects of the Hispanic (Latin American and Spanish) cultures and countries.
MATERIALS NEEDED IN CLASS
We will be using the textbook, Descubre 3 (replacement cost $118) and thecorresponding Workbook. Due to the fact that we are unable to stock extra workbooks, you will be responsible to order your own replacement from the publisher’s website, in the event that yours is lost or damaged. The publisher’s URL is vhlcentral.com. You will need to bring your textbook and your workbook to class each day. I prefer each student, to have a separate spiral notebook (for this class only), pens (black or blue and a red pen for correcting). Please let me know if you are unable to acquire a spiral notebook for any reason and I will be happy to assist you. It is also recommended, but not required that you purchase a small Spanish dictionary. It will be very helpful for as long as you continue to study the language.
RULES
*Adherence to these rules will insure a proper learning environment that is safe and effective for every student. It is in everyone’s interest to uphold them. Thank you in advance.
1. Come prepared for class with your own textbook, workbook, spiral notebook and completed homework, every day!
2. Respect each other’s views and opinions.
- Do not talk while the teacher or a fellow classmate is talking.
5. Come to class on time and participate during class.
6. No food, candy or drinks (water is ok) are permitted in class.
7. The use of headphones is not permitted during class.
8. Cell phones must be turned off and put away (not on top of your desk) before entering the classroom.
* Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. A student who cheats will receive a 0 for that assignment, a step (see district discipline policy in the parent handbook) and his or her parents will be notified.
GRADING POLICY
The student’s grade will depend on the total points earned divided by the total possible points. A letter will be assigned based on the following percentage scale. A grade of D or better is mandatory in order to advance to the next level, but anything below a C suggests that the student is probably not adequately prepared to move on. In this case it may be preferable to repeat the previous level.
90-100=A
80-89=B
70-79=C
60-69=D
Anything below 60% is and F
Quizzes and Tests – Students will be taking written tests and quizzes. Quizzes will be announced and unannounced. There will be two to six quizzes per chapter. Quizzes account for about 30%* of the overall grade.
Tests will always be announced and will cover material presented in class. They cover the entire chapter and account for approximately 30%* of the overall grade as well..
If a student is absent on the day of a test and the absence is excused, the student must make up the test on the day of the student’s return. If the student is absent more than one day, the length of the absence shall determine at which point the student shall make it up. If the absence is unexcused, the student will automatically receive a zero (0) for that quiz/test.
Tests and quizzes will be made up at lunch or after school at the teacher’s convenience.
Due to the number of tests and quizzes given, no quiz or test shall be dropped.
Final exam- This is a cumulative exam and is worth about 10% to 12%* of the overall grade
Tarea (homework) and Class Assignments – Homework will be assigned on a daily basis. Any work that is not completed in class may be assigned in addition to homework. Homework and class assignments will be checked (not collected) daily and assigned a point value based on completion. Each assignment is worth 5 points, andthe total homework points account for about 20%* of the final grade. Students will correct their own work with the rest of the class. Participation during homework correction is mandatory. You may lose homework credit if you fail to correct your mistakes with the class.
NOTE: The only way to obtain credit is to do the full assignment and correct it. If one sentence or vocabulary word is missing, or a question is not answered, the assignment is not complete and credit may not be given. Ido notaccept late homework or class work.
If a student misses an assignment due to an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to find out what the assignment is and show it to the teacher. Students will be given the number of days absent to turn in assignments.
Online Assignments: Some of the homework will be assigned online on the Supersite. The Supersite is an amazing tool provided by the publisher that offers excellent practice. It is especially useful to practice listening and pronunciation and to review for tests and quizzes. If students do not have internet access, they may need to spend some time in the library after school, or make arrangements with a friend or neighbor. I can provide alternative written assignments as a worst case scenario, but these students will not obtain the full benefit of the program.
Calentamientos (warm ups) There will be a warm up activity on the board every day. As students come in to class they should sit down and start on the warm up immediately
Apuntess (notes). As with the warm ups, students will often take notes in class. Time should be spent each evening reviewing notes, warm ups and other activities completed that day/week in class.
Listening and oral assignments/exams - These assignments will be done/presented during class. Make up work for excused absences will be given outside of the classroom hours (during brunch or lunch). The number of days absent shall determine when the student makes up the assignments. These will account for approximately 10%* of the grade.
Projects- There will be a project assigned for some or all of the chapters that we complete. These projects may be considered homework but will usually have a higher point value and can replace or equal several days of homework assignments.
Please remember it is the student’s responsibility to find out what assignments, tests or quizzes he/she needs to make up, in the event of an absence. All assignments are posted on my website listed at the top of this document.
Parents are always welcome to contact me by e-mail or phone if they have questions or concerns about their student’s progress.
*These percentages are an estimate and may vary slightly.
I have read, understood, and will follow these guidelines for Spanish 3A.
Student Name: ______Period: ____
Signature: ______
Parent/Guardian Signature: ______Date: ______