COURSE INFORMATION SHEET 2010-2011
COURSE TITLE ______Spanish II High School
TEACHER _____Mrs. Orellana
Telephone: / (914) 669-5414 extension 2192Email: /
(please write something in the subject line)
COURSE PREREQUISITE, IF ANY ____Passing Spanish I with a 70% or better or Spanish 8th passing grade with a 70% or better.
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will continue to stress the language skills acquired in Spanish I or in Spanish 8. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing will once again be emphasized as the foreign language student progresses through the program. Cultural awareness will also be promoted by authentic dialogues and readings from the text, magazines, newspapers, film and video presentations and other appropriate material.
This course is designed to guide the student toward functional communicative proficiency. The goal is to enable the student:
- to function in a Spanish speaking culture
- to use the language for a lifetime of personal enjoyment and enrichment
- to continue expanding his/her communicative proficiency for further education or the workplace.
2. COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM
Textbook: ¡Ven Conmigo!, Holt Rinehart and Winston copyright 2000
-Holt website go.hrw.com (Internet activities and research links for students integrated into the textbook)
- Grammar & Vocabulary workbook
- Practice and Activity workbook
- Audio Program
- Activities for Communication
- Transparencies
-Videos
- Games
-Songs
-selected readings from:
· Cuentos Simpáticos: A graded reader for intermediate students by Rubin Pfeiffer
· íLee Conmigo!: An intermediate reader by Sylvia Velasco
· Las Posadas by Jennifer Gilles
· El Árbol Generoso by Shel Silverstein
· Panorama de la Prensa: Temas contemporáneos del mundo hispano by Juan Ibarra
· Idea sana Eroski
3. MATERIALS NEEDED
· A three ring binder
· Five dividers:
1. para hacer ahora
2. apuntes/ gramática
3. tarea
4. vocabulario
5. folletos
· IT IS HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED TO OWN EITHER A GOOD SPANISH/SPANISH OR A SPANISH/ENGLISH DICTIONARY TO KEEP AT HOME. (Using an online dictionary is fine, but do not use an online translator.)
4. HOMEWORK POLICY
Assignments will be posted on the wipe board. Homework is either oral preparation, written work, or reading for understanding. Homework will be checked daily to see that it is complete. Classes are most effective when students are prepared to contribute. We will correct homework in class. It is your responsibility to correct your assignment. Spelling is an important part of learning another language, so write neatly. I will not guess what letter you mean. By choosing not to make any or all corrections you will receive no credit for your homework. Consequently, late assignments are not accepted for credit. After an extended illness, a conference with the guidance counselor and the student is warranted to set reasonable expectations. Homework is assigned everyday. Never assume there is no homework. Always review the vocabulary presented in class. Find a quite place to do so and spend a minimum of ten minutes nightly. Chronic negligence in doing homework will result in a parental conference.
* Student work should reflect their best effort. It should be neat and labeled with a proper heading. Any other work such as work that is messy, doodled on, ripped or torn will not be accepted.
** The only assignments that will be accepted late, for reduced credit, are long term assignments such as projects, compositions, essays, etc.
5. EXAMINATION POLICY
- Regular quizzes: oral, written and listening.
- Chapter tests
- Oral work (recitation, class participation, presentations)
* Quizzes will be given once a week. You may receive 3 points towards quizzes and tests by handing in your study guide or index cards before the quiz or test is given. (See separate handout on the requirements for this.) Occasional “pop” quizzes of vocabulary/grammar (ex. verb endings) will be given to check student’s understanding of nightly assignments so you must study/review on a daily basis. After each chapter there will be an unannounced vocabulary test. Students are not allowed to retake quizzes or tests. I will drop the lowest quiz grade when I compute your quiz average only if you have completed all of your homework assignments. When I hand back a test, we will review the answers. You are to correct your test as we go along. If you receive a failing grade, you must stay for extra help
** Plagiarism and “cheating, including but not limited to representing someone else’s work as one’s own; using unauthorized oral or written assistance for a quiz, test or other assignment; illegally obtaining tests in advance, knowingly providing another student with the opportunity to cheat; and other forms of unauthorized collusion” will not be tolerated. (North Salem School District Code of Conduct, 2008) Copying homework from a friend and/or using translating sites on the web or from other sources are also considered forms of cheating. They too will result in an automatic zero.
6. GRADING POLICY
The student’s grade will be weighted in the following ways:
70% quizzes, tests, projects (includes reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
20% homework/ class work
10% participation
* An important part of the class work grade comes from your voluntary participation. There is a participation grade for each quarter. The points are assigned in advance. You will lose points if you fail to meet reasonable expectations. Points may be lost due to but not limited to the following: not being prepared with assignments and required materials, not contributing to class discussions/ group work, failure to complete class assignments/ follow directions, etc. Reasonable requests should result in reasonable behavior. You may or not be informed when points are lost (especially when I have spoken to you already). You must govern your own behavior.
** The final examination will count as one-fifth of the year’s average.
7. ATTENDANCE
Taken daily. The names of absent students will be referred to the office. You should understand that frequent or extended absences will not allow you to develop your oral skills and will therefore influence the teacher's evaluation of your in-class oral performance. Participation will be considered as part of each quarterly grade. You are expected to be in your seat when the bell rings and to remain there until instructed otherwise. 3 late arrivals = 1 detention!
Homework, quizzes and tests missed due to a legal absence are to be made up within a week after the student’s return to class. It is your responsibility to find out what you miss. You will not receive constant reminders. Make an appointment for make-ups as soon as you return to school from your illness. Any test, quiz, or other assignments missed due to an illegal absence will result in a zero. Make sure you keep this in mind should you choose to cut class on such a date. For extended absences due to trips and/or vacations, all work must be done PRIOR to the trip. If you need extra help please see me immediately. I want you to succeed!
8. TARDINESS
Each student is expected to be on time for class. You cannot participate in class discussions and/or activities if you are not present. Students must be in the classroom and seated when the bell rings. Any student not in the room and seated will be considered late. Tardiness, except in unusual circumstances, will not be tolerated as it disrupts students and teacher alike. Detention will be the result after 3 tardies.
9. EXTRA HELP DAY AND LOCATION
Extra help is available on Thursday afternoons in room C-202 from 2:15 - 2:55 p.m.
You will be required to sign in and to sign out with the teacher for each session.
Do not wait until the day before a quiz/test to come to extra help. Learning another language is an on-going process. Cramming will not help you retain the information. Instead, divide vocabulary into daily sections.
Come prepared with your class notes and/ questions that came to you in class/ while you studied at home.
Do not fail to take full advantage of this allotted time segment.
SIGN, DETACH AND RETURN this page for a homework grade.
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I have read and understood the guidelines for Spanish II. I agree to abide by them and work to the best of my ability to achieve the objectives of this class.
PRINT YOUR NAME______Class______
Student’s Signature:______Date:______
Parents' Signature: ______Date: ______
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS FOR
LEANING ANOTHER LANGUAGE
1. You should make every effort to communicate in Spanish from the start.
2. Arrive prepared.
3. Pay attention.
4. Raise your hand and volunteer frequently.
5. Speak as often as possible in class; it leads to fluency. Remember learning involves taking risks and making mistakes.
6. Remember that this is a foreign language to most of us. Be patient and helpful to your classmates and be tolerant of one another.
7. Always remember what we are here for -- the acquisition of a useful, satisfying, lifetime skill. Try not to waste your class time. Everyone can learn a foreign language. There will come a day when you will be glad you did.