¡BIENVENIDOS aEspañol 1!
Contact Info: Señorita C. Santos
Room # B202Tutoring: By appointment (24hrs notice please)
Email: mailto:
Phone: 770-651-6772
Class website: My class webpage
School website: Lithia Springs High School Website
Course Description and Objective
The Level I language course focuses on the continued development of communicative competence in the target language and understanding of the culture(s) of the people who speak the language. It assumes that the students have successfully completed a Level I course or are at a Novice-Mid level of proficiency.
Anticipated Classroom Format
Students will learn to listen, speak, read, and write in Spanish using the guidelines defined by the Georgia Performance Standards for High School Foreign Language. The standards can be found at Students will be exposed to various areas of Spanish and Latin culture, heritage, and language by participating in an active and integrated classroom setting. This course is very active and requires that students participate in class every day. The Spanish that is spoken and listened to in class cannot be replicated outside of the classroom, so it is extremely important that the students come prepared and willing to engage in dialog.
I make use of solid, research-based strategies and methods. Therefore, our class will be conducted at least 75% in Spanish. During the first 3-4 weeks it is normal for your student to feel unsure and frustrated. There has been a great deal of research in the field of foreign language learning and this period of frustration is normal and to be expected. After a few weeks of constant language input, the frustration and anxiety will start to go away and the students will begin to produce language without frustration.
Assessments/Evaluations/Required Student Products:
Although this course does incorporate all of the traditional methods of assessments, i.e. homework, quizzes, tests, projects, and a final exam, a major portion will come from class work and class participation. As a class, we are only together for roughly 50 minutes a day. It is imperative that every available minute is used optimally. Also Douglas County Schools has established an assessment plan to provide a consistent measure of student progress across the county. Each subject has common district assessments (CDAs) that students are required to take as a part of their assessment grades. The CDA scores will be counted as a regular test grade.
21st Century Skills
Learning a second language is essential today not only to meet the requirements of higher education institutions but also because of the expanding global economy and ever increasing job opportunities requiring one or more languages other than English. Students who study a second language achieve higher SAT/ACT scores and see an improvement in other school subjects as well.
General Pacing Guide
Units last approximately 4-6 weeks
Unit 1- Myself & Others Unit 4- Daily Living
Unit 2- Healthy Living Unit 5- Travel & Geography
Unit 3- Medical Problems
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Students are expected to come to class prepared. Every day, students are required to have their composition notebooks, notebooks, paper, and black or blue ink pens. Students are required to have the following items for Spanish class:
●“EnEspañol” McDougal Littell or “Avancemos” Replacement cost: $55.00
● Three Ring Binder with dividers
● Composition notebook
Lost Book Policy: Books are assigned but not taken home. Books may be checked out to make up an assignment or to do other work. The students will be responsible for the replacement cost of a book that is damaged or lost, regardless of the condition of the book at the time it is taken out. 2
GRADING
The county mandated grading scale is as follows:
A 90-100% B 80-89% C 71-79% D 70% F 0-69%
Grades will be based on: Summative Assessments (Projects/CDAs/Tests) 50%
Formative Assessments(quizzes, classwork, homework, notebooks) 30%
SLO(Final Exam) 20%
Academic Honesty: Cheating is stealing. It is wrong to copy someone else’s work and it is wrong to allow someone to copy your work. The person who copies is cheating himself or herself by not learning from the assignment. The person who allows his or her work to be copied is cheating the other person out of a meaningful learning experience. Plagiarism (stealing the ideas or words of another and passing them off as one’s own) will not be tolerated either. In addition, the use of online Spanish translators (human or machine) is considered plagiarism. It does not reflect your own work. It is the same as giving the project to a friend to do and handing it in as your own. All of the above will result in an automatic 0 for the assignment and their parents and/or the administration will be contacted.
NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change to meet the needs of students. Any changes will be announced to students as far ahead as possible.
Makeup Work
Homework/projects)
If a student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to get the notes and assignments from the make-up folder. If a student has an excused absence, he/she will have (3) three days to complete ALL missed assignments. Work turned in after the allowed time will be accepted. However, the grade will drop by one whole letter grade (10pts.) per day thereafter. Work not made up will show as ABS on the online grade book and will count as a ZERO.
Tests/Quizzes/Presentations
Quizzes, tests, and presentations must be made up by appointment within a week of the absence. Absent students will receive a missed assessment notice when returning from an absence. They will sign the notice to show that they understand the assessment make-up deadline and that failure to make an appointment and/or missing an appointment without advanced notice = ZERO.
CDA:
•Can replace with another CDA test
•Test must be the same type of test
•Using pacing guide to determine the window availability
•Teacher may allow students the opportunity to retest
Testing DatesWeek of Sept. 29 / CDA Testing
Week of Nov. 1 / CDA Testing
Week of Jan. 5 / CDA Testing
Week of April 12 / CDA Testing
LATE WORK
All assignments are due on the assigned due date unless the student has an excused absence. I accept assignment up to 5 days late with a 10% penalty for each day late. After day 5 the highest grade a student can earn is a 50. Work may not be turned in once we’ve finished the unit. This policy applies to all forms of classwork and homework. Missed graded assignments will show as MIS in the online grade book and will be calculated as a ZERO until turned in. *Principal’s ruling is final.
ISS Late work
Students in ISS will be assigned paperwork to complete for Spanish class. This work will count as their class participation and class work. Please note that if the work assigned in ISS is not completed that day, then the student will not receive grades for class participation and class work. Work assigned for ISS will not be accepted late.
Extra Credit Teacher may provide extra credit opportunities throughout the year.
Classroom Expectations: 3
Lithia Springs High School “House Rules”
●Always be on time and prepared to learn.
● Passes will not be issued the first/last 10 minutes of class.
● Hats, Hoods, headbands and/or head garments of any kind are not to be worn in the school building
● Electronic devices including phones, iPods, ear buds etc. are not permitted during instructional times. All electronic devices must remain turned off and out of sight or they may be confiscated. Confiscated items will only be returned to legal parents/guardian.
●Please stay in your class and seat until the bell rings.
● Thank you for assisting in keeping our high school clean by picking up around your area and throwing your trash away. This is particularly vital in the cafeteria area.
CLASSROOM RULES
All students are expected to behave in a professional manner and each student is responsible for the following rules:
1. Immediately do what Señorita asks.
2. Silently listen while others speak.
3. Keep hands and objects to yourself.
4. Use only these materials in class: Spanish Notebook, Pens/Pencils and LOOSE leaf paper.
5. No offensive or profane language or actions (swearing, sexual comments or racial slurs)
Failure to follow class rules will result in the following: This sequence starts over each week
1st Offense: Department Detention & Parent Contact
2nd Offense: Department Detention, Behavior Analysis Assignment & Parent Contact
3rd Offense: Department Detention, Behavior Analysis Assignment & Parent Contact
4th Offense: Administrative Referral