South Pasadena High School Teacher: Elsa Laron

South Pasadena High School Teacher: Elsa Laron

Foreign Language Department Room: 424

Course Name: Spanish 7-8Telephone: 626-441-5820 x2424

Conference Periods: 7th E-mail:

Text:¡Ven conmigo!, Holt, Rinehart, Winston

Additional Resources: All Spanish classes use the Destinos video series to supplement material learned in class. Songs are heard 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.

The very nature of learning a foreign language lends itself to the implementation of the new common core standards for literacy. Students build knowledge about the world through various texts, from both literary and primary sources. We encourage students to use the target language to discuss culture based on texts and current videos. As Spanish is a Latin based language, students are constantly building transferable vocabulary that 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 (15% of semester grade)

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. In second-year Spanish, students continue to learn formulaically, but produce at the created level with more regularity. Toward the end of the third year of language learning, and during the entire year of the third course, students will progress to planned language. At this level, students produce written paragraphs and more sustained speech.

Regular attendance is important. Students must be in class. 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 1-3 of the text. In the second semester, students cover Chapters 4-6. 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, Native speakers 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 admittance slip. Generally, students will have one block to make up a missed assignment for each day of absence.

Grading Policy:

Scale Weighting

100%-90AHomework 15% of total grade

89-80BProjects, Quizzes Writing 30%

79-70CExams 40%

69-60DFinal Exam 15%

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 during 7thperiod and after school. Students may always make an appointment with me at a time we can both agree upon. Also, the World Languages 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.

Class Rules

• Everyone will be treated with respect, dignity, and politeness-students and teacher.
• No walking around the classroom. Ask for permission to leave your seat except when you have to sharpen your pencil or throw away paper.
• No loud or rude talking in the classroom.
• Cutting Class and tardies. There will be an automatic “U” for the grading period for a student who is caught cutting class, or has three unexcused tardies. If the problem with tardies has not been resolved after the third tardy, school detention will follow.
• Materials: Students are expected to bring their textbooks and workbooks to class every day. If a student fails to bring them, the student may be given detention after school to make up work that should have been completed in class.
• Talking during the exam will result in deduction of one quiz grade each time a person talks (even if they are finished with the exam/quiz).
• Cheating- Automatic “F” on quiz, test, or assignment.
• Homework- that is not turned in on time will receive an “F” unless you have talked to your teacher in advance, or if it is because of an excused absence.
• Important!!! There will be no extra credit at the end of the semester to make up for work not done. You must do your assignments all semester long to do well-not just the last 5 weeks of the semester.
• Make-up work will always be available for excused absences. Make-up work must be completed within the grading period. It is the student’s responsibility to make up the missing work or tests.
• No hats or electronic devices in class. No chewing gum, no food or drinks except for water. All cell phones must be turned off and in the backpacks not on the desks, otherwise they will be confiscated.
• If any problems arise during the semester that cannot be handled in class, parents will be notified.

Wishing you a great school year...

Sra. Laron

Student Name: ______

Date: ______

Student Signature: ______

Spanish Level: ______

Parent Signature: ______

Please read and discuss these rules with your parents or guardian and sign in the above spaces. Please return to your teacher.

Suggested Materials:

Three ring binder, lined paper, a black, blue, and red pen, a #2 pencil and a Spanish dictionary.