2012-2013 Spanish 1-2 Syllabus

                                                     Point Loma High School  2012-2013

COURSE SYLLABUS SPANISH 1-2 

Señor Johnson

Course title:  Spanish 1-2                     Books:  Avancemos Uno

Teacher: Señor Johnson                                   Email:   rjohnson@sandi.net,

Google docs:  johnsonr620@gmail.com

Room:  355                                          Phone:  (619) 223-3121 x 4355

Tutoring: by appointment at Advisory or lunch

DEPARTMENTAL Focus

                The World Language teachers understand that in today’s world, one’s ability to use a second language brings great advantages to our students: increased earning power, broadened cultural understanding and sharpened intellectual skills.  Learning a second language helps students prepare for life in a world of cultural and linguistic diversity.  Therefore, we are committed to helping each student develop and maintain proficiency in a language other than English through an established sequence of language classes.  In adherence to the California State Framework and the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, each course addresses the five proficiencies: reading, writing, speaking, listening and culture in the context of the World Language Standards: Content, Communication, Cultures, Structures and Settings.

WORLD LANGUAGE STANDARDS (see http://www.clta.net/standards/standards.pdf)

Content

Language users address a wide variety of topics that are age and stage appropriate. As students develop their ability to communicate in the target language and culture, they are able to more fully address topics that increase in complexity from stage to stage on the Language Learning Continuum.

Communication

Real-world communication occurs in a variety of ways. It may be interpersonal in which culturally appropriate listening, reading, viewing, speaking, and writing occur as a shared activity among language users. It may be interpretive in which language users listen, view, and read using knowledge of cultural products, practices, and perspectives. It may be presentational in which speaking and writing occur in culturally appropriate ways.

Cultures

Culturally appropriate language use requires the understanding of the relationship between products a culture produces, the practices that the culture manifests, and the perspectives that underlie them. Students must acquire the ability to interact appropriately with target culture bearers in order to communicate successfully. This category allows students to make connections and comparisons between languages and cultures.

Structures

The World Language Content Standards use the term structures to capture the multiple components of grammar that learners must control in order to successfully communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways. Students need to acquire orthography, the writing systems in languages that have them; phonology, the sound systems of language, morphology, the rules for word formation; syntax, the principles of sentence structure; semantics, language-based meaning systems; and pragmatics, meaning systems connected to language use.

Settings

Language users need to carry out tasks in a variety of situations representative of those they will experience in the target culture. The success of learner communication will be determined by the requirements of the situation in which the language is used. Understanding social linguistic norms will assist learners in communicating effectively in real-world encounters.

COURSE CONTENT AND ACTIVITES

·         Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings/emotions, and exchange opinions.

·         Students improve speaking and listening proficiency through pair and group exercises and skits in a variety of contexts.

·         Students articulate opinions and interpretations of written and spoken language on a variety of topics.

·         Students write original material including paragraphs, letters, stories, and dialogues.

·         Students demonstrate understanding of the relationship between historical events and perspectives of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.

·         Students gain knowledge of historical events and current sociopolitical issues concerning Hispanics in the United States.

·         Students learn to use the following tenses: present, preterite and  imperfect

·         Students use technology to further their understanding of Spanish.

EXPECTED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (ESLRs)

Complex Thinkers: Students have ample opportunities to interact in Spanish among themselves and with the teacher.  They select from a variety of appropriate responses and use inductive and deductive reasoning in developing language skills.  In addition, students apply acquired linguistic skills to a variety of “real life” situations. 

Effective Communicators: Students have opportunities to communicate verbally in large groups, small groups and pairs.  Students practice material presented by the instructor orally, aurally, and in writing.  Writing is an integral part of the course.  Students will express themselves in written form. 

Responsible Self-Directed Learners and Workers:  Students have opportunities to demonstrate responsibility and organizational skills through teacher feedback on assignments, and related materials.  Group and individual work is required of all students.  Students have some access to computers and resources beyond the classroom, to complete special projects.  

Involved Citizens: Students have opportunities to interact with all classmates through participation in large and small groups.  Through our exploration of Spanish-speaking cultures, students gain greater understanding of other cultures as well as their own.  Instruction includes presenting similarities and differences between various cultures, and how members of those societies interact with one another.

Healthy Lifestyle Advocates: Students understand the importance of exercising freedom within the boundaries of the classroom rules and procedures.  Conflict management with students and adults must be practices, and students will need to conform to the general dress and behavior regulations of the school

TEACHING STRATEGIES, TYPES OF ASSESSMENT, AND GRADE DETERMINATION

                Spanish 1-2 is a Spanish language and culture course that stresses listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Strategies include direct formal instruction, pairing, traditional call and response, individual written exercises, collaborative exercises (oral and written), group interaction, and independent inquiry. Language learners depend on all their senses in acquiring a language.  Thus, we will be doing activities that address different learning modalities.  Much of the daily practice will consist of listening and communication activities that will be done with a classmate or groups.    

                 

GRADING

The final grade will be based on the following:

Quizzes and tests                                                                               20%

Participation                                                                                      25%

Projects                                                                                              20%

Ejercicios                                                                                            25%

Homework                                                                                         10%

Status reports –The grade in this course is cumulative throughout the semester.   Students and parents are encouraged to look at the grades online in order to check progress and grade percentage. 

QUIZZES and TESTS

Items in this category are graded on the following scale:  90-100%= A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D. Tests, projects, presentations and compositions will always be announced.   Quizzes may be either scheduled or unannounced.  Projects and compositions are graded according to the rubric for each assignment.  Students are expected to use the rubric to guide their work.  Individual and group projects will be started in class with the guidance of the teacher.  Students may be asked to complete these projects at home

Speaking Spanish:  Students are expected to speak Spanish every day to the best of their ability.  They are also expected to ask and answer questions in Spanish and volunteer answers to assignments every day.  Students are expected to say at least one original phrase in Spanish to the teacher each day.  If you are absent, when you return make sure to say at least two phrases to the teacher.

Participation:  Students are expected to participate actively every day in all activities.  Students are rewarded with participation points for asking and answering questions, using the language appropriately, and helping to make the world of salón 355 a better place.

Projects: Students will have a project every three weeks.  They may be presentations, books, skits, posters or other demonstrations of their ability to speak and write using Spanish. Classwork and other projects are posted weekly on the Profe Johnson blog at http://www.pointlomahigh.com.   

Ejercicios:  Students are to do the daily exercise in their cuaderno de español.  The notebooks and ejercicios will be checked after each set of ten.  If a student is absent they are expected to get the warmup from a fellow student.

Students who are absent are expected to make up missed work.  

Homework:  Homework is usually given in the form of working on projects, studying vocabulary or other topics, or completing research on a particular topic. Students may be asked to find and print a map, song, picture or find information about a given topic.  Students will not receive daily worksheets  but may be asked to complete work in the cuaderno de practica or finish a repaso at the end of a Leccion.

 

How do I know what it is?  Daily homework tasks are written on the board and it is the student’s responsibility to read the board. You are responsible for knowing what homework is due and obtaining any hand-outs that might be necessary to complete work. “I didn’t get a hand-out” is never an excuse.  Due to the shortage of supplies, including paper, you will often be asked to print something off the internet and bring it to school the next day.  If you do not have access to the internet or a printer, you may come in during Advisory or after school for a copy.   If you don’t know what the homework is or lost it, etc, you can always check the http://www.pointlomahigh.com  website.

When is it due? Homework is due upon arrival in the classroom the following school day after it is assigned unless another due date is given. 

What if I’m absent? If you are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain the assignment(s) you may have missed.  You will have as many days as you were absent to turn in the assigned homework.  If you are absent because of a school activity or preplanned absence, homework is due immediately upon your return.  Homework will not be accepted if your absence is unexcused.  Missing any homework is a cause for concern as homework reinforced what you learn in class.

TARDIES, ATTENDANCE, CITIZENSHIP AND MAKE-UP WORK

1. TARDIES.  All students must be in class on time.  Walking into class while the bell is ringing or after the bell rings is a tardy.  School policy regarding the consequences for each tardy will be followed.  1 tardy – no higher than a G, 2 tardies – no higher than an S, 3 tardies = no higher than an N, 4 tardies = no higher than a U.

2. ATTENDANCE.  Regular attendance is essential to the success in the study of a foreign language.  Comprehensible input must be heard on a regular basis in order to gain oral/aural skills.  The Point Loma High School attendance policy will be enforced.

3.  MAKE-UP WORK

It is the responsibility of the student to acquire all missed assignments and turn it in promptly.  You will not be reminded.  Except for school activities and pre-planned absences you will have as many days as you were absent to complete and turn in any work missed.  If you are absent because of a school activity or pre-planned absence, all work is due immediately upon your return.  Late work is not accepted.  When absent, tests and quizzes must be made up immediately.  On your day of return from an excused absence, it is your responsibility to make an appointment with the teacher to make up the quiz/test.    If your absence is unexcused no work, quizzes or tests may be made up.  It is the student’s responsibility to make up work missed (homework, quizzes, etc.)   If the student doesn’t follow through with the appointment made to make up missed quizzes, tests, projects, work,  the student will receive a “0” for those assignments.  Keep in mind that absence for whatever reason can only have detrimental effect on the student’s grade.

4.  CITIZENSHIP GRADE The citizenship grade will be based on the Point Loma High School citizenship rubric.  Any instance of truancy earns a earns an “F” for material missed and a “U” citizenship grade for that quarter.

ACADEMIC HONESTY (CHEATING)

Any student caught cheating or trying to cheat on homework, a test or a quiz will receive an “F” for the assignment and a ‘U” citizenship grade for the following reporting period.  A second instance of cheating will result in an “F” and “U” for the semester, according to school policy.  Any unauthorized material found on or about the person will constitute cheating. 

                Cheating is defined as presenting any work as your own original work when in fact, in part or in whole, it is not.  Although not limited to, cheating may be suspected under any of the following conditions:

*having the same homework answers as another student

*Talking during an exam or a quiz                                          *Using a “cheat sheet”

*Direct copying any assignment from any student              *Copying information from desk or other surface

*Looking at anyone else’s paper during an exam or quiz   * Using language translators

*Not covering your own paper during an exam or quiz   

                      *Having your bag open during a quiz where Spanish information is visible

                      *Spanish papers on the floor where they are visible to you during a quiz.

Although using foreign-language dictionaries, whether electronic, online or traditional book-form, is not prohibited, the use of any and all foreign-language translators is FORBIDDEN on any assignment in or outside of class.  A foreign-language translator is defined as any instrument, whether electronic or online, that not only gives the equivalent expression from one language to another, but also gives the proper form of the expression in terms of verb conjugation, subject-verb agreement, adjective agreement, correct word order, etc.  In contrast, a foreign –language dictionary, whether electronic, online, or book-form, simply gives one equivalent expression for another with no emphasis on correct form.  The student must use his/her own brain to apply the expressions into any meaningful syntax.  Examples of online dictionaries are yourdictionary.com and dictionaries.tralang.com and are perfectly acceptable tools.

Plagiarism in any form, including material copied or borrowed from the Internet and represented as the student’s own work will qualify as cheating.  Electronic translations will qualify as cheating.  Both will result in a grade of “F” on the assignment and a citizenship grade of “U” for the grading period.  Please refer to the School Academic Honesty Policy for details.

CLASSROOM RULES

• See the social contract that you and your class created and agreed to follow.

PROCEDURES

PASSES

• BATHROOM/WATER.  If you need to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water, write a pass in your planner and I will sign it so that you may go.  The pass must include your name, the date, the time and your destination. 
• NURSE:  Please let me know if you do not feel well and I will give you a pass to the Nurse.
• OTHER PASSES:  I do not write other passes for students to get out of class (counseling, attendance, another teacher’s class).  If you receive a pass generated by the counseling office, attendance etc, you will be allowed to go at a convenient time in the period.

OFFICE HOURS AND CONFERENCE PROCEDURE

If your student has questions about his/her performance in the class, please encourage them to speak to me during advisory or at lunch so that we can discuss the issue at hand.  If your student needs tutoring, have them set up an advisory or lunch appointment with me.  If you, as a parent, have questions about your student’s performance, please call me or email me so that together we may work towards helping your child. I answer e-mail more quickly than phone calls.

Email:  rjohnson@sandi.net

Phone:  619 223-3121 ext 4355

SPANISH 1-2 with Sr. Johnson

TEACHER CONTACT INFO:

rjohnson@sandi.net     619 223-3121 ext4355

In order for your student to be more successful in Spanish class the following materials are required:

1.     A spiral notebook or other bound composition book

2.    A Spanish/English dictionary, paperback or hard cover

Please return this page to Sr.  Johnson.  Keep the rest of the syllabus in your binder.

Syllabus for SPANISH 1-2 with Sr. Johnson

Dear Parent/Guardian:

It is very important that both parents and students read and understand the expectations of the Spanish class.  The syllabus should be kept in the student’s interactive notebook during the entire year.  It should be reviewed from time to time. Thank you for taking the time to read about our class.  Please sign when you have done so.  Return this sheet to school immediately.

I have read and understand Señor Johnson’s Class Description and Class Policies and fully abide by its terms.  I realize that I am responsible for what is contained in this document whether or not I actually read it.

Student name (please print): ___________________________________________________ 

Student signature: _________________________________________ Date:  ____________

Parent name:  _______________________________________________________________

Parent signature: __________________________________________ Date:  ____________

Parent contact phone number:  _________________________________________________

Parent contact e-mail:  ________________________________________________________  

If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to send me an e-mail or call me and leave a message on my voice mail.  I will make an effort to return your message/call within 24 hours.  I have found that I can respond more quickly to e-mails than to phone calls.

Videotaping/photos:  Students may be filmed or photographed for certain assignments. These images will be used ONLY within the classroom (for example – a poster on the wall or a skit filmed outside class that will be shown later to the whole class).  Please let the teacher know if you do not want your child to be filmed or photographed.  ___________________________________________________

PARENTS:  Please tell me something unique or special about your student.  Also, is there anything specific that you would like me to know about him/her? For example: learning or health issues, a recent hardship that they are dealing with, something that I should know to make Spanish class more comfortable for them.

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STUDENTS:  Please tell me something about yourself that you think I should know.

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