Spanish 1- Syllabus



Syllabus Spanish 1

2015-2016

|Instructor |Nick Hokanson |E-mail |hokansn@sw2.k12.wy.us |

|Credit |1 credit |Phone |GRHS (307) 872-8326 |

|Duration |1 year |Room |GRHS 339 / LMS 116 |

|Materials |Textbook, workbook, writing materials, references |Planning |Period 4 |

| |and supplies for class projects and activities. A |Vocabulary | |

| |one inch binder with loose leaf paper | | |

Course description/objectives:

Spanish 1 is a fast-paced, demanding, and intensive course. You will learn to understand and speak Spanish and earn a good grade if you (1) are motivated to speak in Spanish during class and participate actively in conversations, (2) are curious about other cultures, and (3) are willing to “do your homework” outside of class. Students will learn to express themselves in Spanish and understand the language spoken at a normal rate within the confines of the given vocabulary. The students will have opportunities to practice by giving oral presentations and using writing skills. In addition, the students will be exposed to Hispanic history and culture.

Why Study Spanish?

Spanish is one of the several national languages of Spain and the official language of twenty nations in North, Central, and South America. Approximately 500 million people in the world speak Spanish.

• Spanish is widely spoken in the United States; 48.4 million people of Latin American and Spanish descent live in the United States. The U.S. is the third largest Spanish speaking country in the world.

• The study of Spanish offers learners the opportunity to communicate, to learn, and to function appropriately in Hispanic communities.

• There are many linguistic and cultural opportunities in the U.S. for learners of Spanish as a second language.

• The study of Spanish helps with the understanding of English grammar and expanding student’s vocabulary.

• Students enrolled in the study of a foreign language have higher SAT and ACT scores for each year of language studied than students who do not study a foreign language.

• Learning a new language increases problem-solving skills and improves memory, self-discipline, and self-esteem.

Pre-requisites:

Spanish I: None (While having strong grades in English Language Arts may indicate a greater foundation that will promote success in the study of a foreign language, they are not a requirement of enrollment.)

Standards:

Interpretive: All students will be able to use a foreign language other than English to understand and interpret spoken and written language, concepts, and ideas, while also gaining an understanding of the perspectives of other cultures.

Interpersonal: All students will be able to use a foreign language other than English to negotiate meaning through the spoken or written exchange of information, concepts, and ideas, while gaining an understanding of the relationships among the products, practices, and perspectives of other cultures.

Presentational: All students will be able to use a foreign language other than English to present information, concepts, and ideas, while also gaining an understanding of the perspectives of other cultures.

Grading:

Course grades will be assigned as follows:

A = 90% - 100%

B = 80% - 89.99%

C = 70% - 79.99%

D = 60% - 69.99%

F = Below 60%

Your grade will be calculated on total points earned. Your work will fall into these categories:

• Assignments

• Quizzes

• Tests and projects

• Participation

Evaluations/Assessments:

Tests/Projects: There will be a written test at the end of each unit of study. There will be several projects throughout the year. Students will give oral presentations in both Spanish and English.

Assignments / Participation: There will be frequent in and out of class assignments involving course material. The participation portion includes grammar, pronunciation, and other important language learning foundational elements. The Conversation portion will include total engagement in the task at hand and bringing required materials to class.

Quizzes: There will be a minimum of 2 quizzes per chapter, these may or may not be announced.

Standards Proficiency: These will include 9 common assessments given throughout the year.

Classroom Policies/Procedures:

Attendance: Strive for perfect attendance. Required supplies need to be brought to class prior to the tardy bell or points may be deducted and a tardy assigned. In Spanish we work hard to develop listening and speaking abilities through in-class activities and attendance is critical. When the tardy bell rings, late students are required to enter in a quiet fashion. There is also a bathroom/locker pass policy in place.

Assignments/Projects: All assignments must be completed prior to the beginning of class sessions. There will be no excuses for late projects, including computer related failures such as crashed hard drives, printer failures, disk corruptions, etc. Back up your work regularly.

Absences:  Students are held accountable to check with the teacher regarding missing assignments, quizzes, tests and projects in order to receive full credit. All students who are absent for any reason (illness, sports, activities, etc.) must arrange for makeup work within 3 days following the absence or receive a 0 grade on all missed work.

Conversation Practice cannot be made up in the event of an absence. If a student is absent, the conversation grade for that day will show as “exempt.” While it will not count against a student’s grade, other conversation scores will, of course, count more and may lower the student’s grade if those scores are low.

Late Work: If a student chooses not to complete assigned work by the due date, they will have until the day the class takes the chapter test to turn in the assignment. However, the highest grade possible will be a 70%. After we take the test, I will no longer accept the late work and the student will receive a 0 grade. This goes for all homework, quizzes, and projects. If you miss a test day, you will only have one week in which you can make up the test. After that week, you will receive a 0 grade. Time and grades are of the essence….so turn work in on time!

Academic dishonesty: All work that is handed in must be the student’s own work. Plagiarism, uncited paraphrasing, the use of electronic translation devices available through the Internet and asking another person to translate work on your behalf is considered academic dishonesty. This will result in a grade of F.

Communication: Progress reports and communication can be accessed via Infinite Campus. Assignments will be posted in class. Students are to write down and refer to class assignments, tests, project dates, goals and objectives in their journal/planner. Two-way communication is important. If a parent or student has concerns, please let me know immediately.

Strategies for Success:

Please refer to the Classroom Expectations and Disciplinary Procedures page regarding discipline concerns and consequences. The GRHS Student Handbook also outlines required Student Conduct.

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