South Pasadena High School Teacher: Brenda Baca

World Language Department Room: 423

Course Name: Spanish 1-2Telephone: 626-441-5820 x2423

Conference Periods: 47 E-mail:

Text:¡Venconmigo!, Holt, Rinehart, Winston

Additional Resources: All first year and second year Spanish classes use the Destinos video series to supplement material learned in class. Songs are listened to in class. Various other supplemental materials (cultural videos, etc.) are used as appropriate.

Course Description/Standards:

In addressing the five major skill areas of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and culture, the foreign language student shall, appropriate to his/her level of study, engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. Students shall understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. Students shall demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied and recognize and compare the distinctive viewpoints that are available through the foreign language and its cultures with the student’s own culture.

ESLR’S (Expected Schoolwide Learning Results):

The Spanish language classroom endeavors to achieve the goal put forth in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, 1999. This publication states that the United States must educate students who are equipped linguistically and culturally to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. This imperative envisions a future in which all students develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language.

All units of study involve all the SPHS ESLR’s, but the foreign language classroom most specifically addresses the ESLR’s “think and produce in a variety of ways,” “communicate effectively,” and “are resourceful.” Students must constantly think creatively and critically in order to solve problems of communication. Additionally, students use a variety of resources to attain the goal of effective communication by being able to recognize the cultural cues and gestures of the target language.

Common Core Standards

The very nature of learning a foreign language lends itself to theimplementation of the new common core standards for literacy. Studentsbuild knowledge about the world through various texts, from both literaryand primary sources. We encourage students to use the target language todiscuss culture based on texts and current videos. As Spanish is a Latinbased language, students are constantly building transferable vocabularythat will help them access complex texts in English.

Types of Assessments:

Written quizzes and tests (departmental), listening comprehension evaluations, extemporaneous and prepared (memorized) oral presentations, written compositions, original writing for oral presentations (group and individual), special art/language projects, departmental final exam to demonstrate proficiency.

Language Performance and Achievement:

The foreign language student is primarily at the formulaic language level of learning of memorized words, phrases, and patterns. Often students move to the created level where these memorized elements are rearranged and recombined to form original sentences that show more personal expression than do the standard formulas.

Regular attendance, student engagement and participation are important. Students must be in class prepared to learn and effort is expected. The constant explanation, exercises, and drills of the classroom cannot be made up! Language textbooks are not designed for individual studies.

Major Topics/Units:

Generally, students in the first semester cover the vocabulary, grammar, and cultural elements of Chapters 1- 4.2 of the text. In the second semester, students cover Chapters 4.2- 8. For a detailed listing of topics covered, see the Table of Contents of the text.

In addition, students watch videos from the Destinos video series. All foreign language classes have a culture/values component that includes a variety of oral and written projects.

Homework Policy:

Regular, daily practice with the target language is essential to working toward proficiency in a foreign language. Homework, usually written, is given nightly. On average, students are expected to spend 20-30 minutes nightly doing homework. In addition to the assigned written/oral homework, students are expected daily to study vocabulary lists and other material in progress. Both in terms of amount and depth of work, Honors students are expected to meet a higher standard than that of regular classes. If a student is absent, s/he is expected to pick up missed homework on the day following the missed day of class, which means, in our block schedule, that s/he should stop by the classroom to write down the missed assignment or get it from a reliable classmate. All homework will be posted on my website which can be accessed at: Late homework will not be accepted unless the student has an excused absence verified by an admit. Incomplete homework will not be accepted. Generally, students will have one block to make up a missed assignment for each day of absence.

Grading Policy:

Scale Weighting

100%-90AHomework 20% of total grade

89-80BProjects/Writing/Mini Quizzes/Participation 20%

79-70CExams/Quizzes 40%

69-60DFinal Exam 20%

59 and belowFTotal 100%

All grades will be posted on AERIES in a reasonable, appropriate, on-going and timely manner throughout the established five week grading period. It is highly recommended that parents/guardians acquire an AERIES account, from the front office, so that they can check their child’s grades and progress.

Tutoring/Extra Help:

A student who needs some extra help with material covered in class may find it in a variety of ways. I am available at varying times during the week: conference periods and after school. Students may always make an appointment with me at a time we can both agree upon. Also, the Foreign Language Department has a list of students in upper level courses (third and fourth-year Spanish) that students may contact to get help.

Contact Information:

There is no direct contact to the teacher’s room during the school day so that we can minimize disruption. Parents can reach me by email or can leave a message at the above extension and I will return the call as soon as possible.

Suggested Class Materials:

•Three ring binder, dividers(Trabajo, Tarea, Apuntes, Hojas) and lined paper

•Black, blue, red pen, White-Out, pencil, eraser, highlighters

Class Rules:

  • Be respectful, polite, honest and trustworthy.
  • Ask for permission to leave the classroom. Follow 20/20 rule.
  • Come prepared to class with all necessary materials.
  • No talking during quizzes or tests.
  • Cheating = automatic “F” and a zero on the quiz/test/assignment.
  • Late homework is not accepted unless it was due to an excused absence.
  • No extra credit is given.
  • Make up work must be completed in a timely manner.
  • Follow all school rules.
  • All cell phones must be turned off and out of sight from 8 am to 3 pm. Cell phones will be confiscated if used in class.

Looking forward to a productive year!

Ms. Baca

World Languages Department

Department Co-Chair