Cheraw High School
World Languages Spanish 1
Harold Palmera-Acosta
Course Syllabus and Classroom Procedures
Contact Information:
Name: Harold Palmera-Acosta
Phone: (843) 921-1000
Room: 132
Planning Period: 2nd Block (9:35 to 11:00)
E-mail:
Website: http://chs.chesterfieldschools.org/
Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century
The standards for foreign language learning describe what a student should know and be able to do at different levels of proficiency. The standards are correlated with five broad goal areas, referred to as “The Five C’s.”
Goal 1: Communication
Standard 1.1- Interpersonal Communication: Students engage in conversation, provide and obtain information, express feeling and emotion, and exchange opinions.
Standard 1.2 – Interpretive Communication: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
Standard 1.3 – Presentational Communication: Students present information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Goal 2: Cultures
Standard 2.1 – Practices and Perspective: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
Standard 2.2 – Products and Perspectives: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
Goal 3: Connections
Standard 3.1 – Knowledge of Other Disciplines: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
Standard 3.2 – Distinctive Viewpoints: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
Goal 4: Comparisons
Standard 4.1 – Nature of Language: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Standard 4.2 – Culture: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Goal 5: Community
Standard 5.1 – Beyond the School Setting: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Standard 5.2 – Life-long Learners: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
One of the goals for this school year in World languages (Spanish and French) is the use of the target language in the classroom in 90% of the time or more as mandated by the SC Department of Education.
Course Description:
Spanish 1 starts an exciting adventure for students in the Spanish language. This level is intended to provide the foundations for students in order to help them to continue with the topics taught in the next level.
Although more emphasis will be placed in the speaking and listening skills, reading and writing will be also developed through a wide variety of exercises. The different topics to be taught will be practiced using list of words appropriate to the situation, that not only will enrich the students’ vocabulary but also will give students more options where to choose from. This vocabulary will be accompanied by a grammatical structure that will help students to make sentences correctly.
Hispanic culture will also be taught throughout the course, traditions, celebrations and situations and behaviors that make Hispanic people different from other culture will be fully explained in order to understand their culture better. This part of the course will include history, geography, and information about important Hispanic people (politicians, actors and actresses, singers, scientists, artists, poets).
Course Content:
UNIT 1 / UNIT 2 / UNIT 3Greetings
Introductions
Origin/nationalities/countries
Appearance and personality
Basic colors
Family vocabulary
Age
Numbers (0-100)
Time
Calendars/months/days
Birthdays / Weather phrases/seasons
Likes and dislikes
Present tense conjugation
House/rooms/furnishings
Chores
Infinitives for likes and dislikes
Adverbs of frequency
Food and drinks / School subjects
School supplies
Places at school
Places around town
Prepositions of location
Clothing
Hispanic countries and cities
Important Dates:
Event / DateEnd of 1st 9 weeks / October 23rd
End of 2nd 9 weeks / January 12th
End Of Course/Final Exam / January 12th
General Rules:Students should…
Respect everyone in the classroom.
Be positive and motivated.
Be seated by tardy bell with materials on desk.
Turn in homework in the basket before attendance is completed.
Label all the assignments with the student’s name, exercise and page number, and date in the upper right corner. No names no grades!
Keep the classroom clean.
Follow all school and district procedures.
Not eat any food in the classroom.
Not chew gum in the classroom.
Not use their cell phones in the classroom.
Not use translator software to do any of the assignments, if so, the grade will be zero.
Preparation for Class: Students are always required to bring a pen or a pencil, notebook, completed homework, and the textbook to each class unless otherwise directed.
Grading:
Test/Quiz 30%
Writing /Speaking/Listening/Reading - 30%
Participation/Class work – 15%
Projects– 15%
Homework – 10%
Textbook: Expresate 1
Useful links:
http://www.studyspanish.com/
http://www.spanishdict.com/flashcards
http://conjuguemos.com/list.php?division=grammar
http://www.digitaldialects.com/Spanish.htm
Supplies:
Pen and pencil
Spiral or composition notebook. No binders!
English/Spanish dictionary
Extra Credit
Extra credit will only be offered for participating in the Spanish Club and in some activities at the end of the nine weeks.
Retakes and Redos
Students may retake assessments and redo assignments. Students may be required to complete additional work and/or attend a tutoring session prior to a retake. In all cases the second score will be averaged with the second one and the result will be the grade for that assessment or assignment. Retakes must be completed prior to the end of the unit or the original grade will stand. Only one retest will be allowed per test.
RESTROOM POLICY
Students are not permitted to leave the classroom for any reason during instructional time. In cases of an absolute emergency, permission to use the restroom will be based on teacher discretion. If you have a medical excuse, bring a note from your doctor.
EXTRA HELP
I am always available for extra help after school!
Attendance Policy:
The South Carolina State law requiresall students who attend public school in South Carolina must be in attendance a minimum of 170 days to receive credit for any course. This law is excusable only for cases of illness certified by a physician. Excuses brought in at the end of the school year to cover absences will not be accepted and the students are responsible for being aware of their overall number of days, absences, and individual class absences.
If a student in grades 9-12 has more than five unexcused absences in a year-long subject, the student will not receive credit for that course. If a student is absent more than three days unexcused from a semester course, the student will not receive credit. Please notethis applies to each class individually; therefore, missing only part of a day is preferable to missing an entire day. Since Freshman Academy students will be on a 45-minute schedule for their core classes (English, Math, Science, and PE/JROTC), they should have no more than ten unexcused absences in these classes only.
Exam Exemption Policy:
Exams will be mandatory for all students in grades 9 to 12 with the exception of the students who are eligible to exempt their exam.
For a senior to exempt he/she must meet the following criteria:
· Have a B average in the course.
· Total absences (excused or unexcused) may not exceed 2 in a nine-week course, four in a semester course and eight in a yearlong course.
· Underclassmen: A average; total absences (excused or unexcused) may not exceed 4 in a semester course and 8 in a yearlong course.
Late Work Policy:
a) Homework should be placed in the basket before attendance is completed. Work received after that time will be considered late. Homework turned in late and not associated with an absence will earn half credit the following school day. Homework that is beyond 1 day late will not receive credit. It is important to note that homework will be discussed in class each day. If you are unprepared with the homework, but found to be completing it while it is being reviewed, you may not earn any credit. Other work being turned in late will lose 10% for each day late.
Missed Work Policy:
a) It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the homework assignments, notes & any other pertinent information that is missed during an absence.
b) Missed work due toan absence: Additional time and full credit will be allowed for each day of an absence. Work missed during an absence must be completed. Exceptions will be made in unique, deserving situations as determined by the teacher and/or administrator.
Harold Palmera-Acosta, M, Ed.
Cheraw High School,
Spanish teacher,
Varsity soccer coach
649 Chesterfield Hwy
Cheraw, SC 26520
Chesterfield County School District Cheraw High Spanish 1 Harold Palmera-Acosta 2017-2018