Spanish Parents and Students,

Welcome to Spanish!  I would like to share a few facts with you about the next three years.

  Classes will meet on a rotating basis.  One day students have Spanish and pe for 45 minutes and the next day they will have a different class.  If there is a snow day, or special event such as Winter Carnival, they will have the class that was supposed to happen next.  On my website calendar I list daily in class work, homework, upcoming due dates etc, but if there is a day that disrupts the schedule please keep in mind a due date may shift, but always to a later date and not an earlier one.

⦁ This is a high school level class, but is run at a slower pace (especially in 6th grade).  Students will have the possibility of being placed into Spanish 2 if they do well in the class and on a placement exam in 8th grade.

⦁ The student may enter Spanish 2,  or retry level I upon entering high school. They may also decide to try a different language in high school.  To advance to the second level the student must be proficient in the class and score proficient on the placement exam at the end of the 8th grade year. The reason for the high standard is because we spend the equivalent of 1 ¼ year on what the high school covers in one semester.  Our classes are 45 minutes every other day for three years.  The high school classes are about 75 minutes everyday for a semester.

⦁ Grading Categories

The World Languages Department will now all be using the following categories on report cards for all levels k-12th grade.  

For each quarter, the grade will be based on the three main ACTFL Communication Modes: https://www.actfl.org/ 

-          Interpretive Communication                                                                           

o   Understanding and interpreting what the speaker or speaker of a message wants to communicate, whether that information is stated or implied. 

o   Examples: Interpreting songs, speeches, video clips, conversations (you’re not part of), websites, texts, posters, maps, and charts.

-          Presentational Communication                                                                      

o   Prepared Communication: Creating a spoken or written message that is tailored to the needs of a target audience. 

o   Examples:  telling stories, giving speeches, presenting reports, posters, websites, presentations, and blog posts.

-          Interpersonal Communication                                                                        

o   Spontaneous Communication: Active negotiation of meaning among individuals in which they make adjustments based on whether or not they are being understood. 

o   Examples: Spanish spoken in class, spoken conversations, interviews etc

Tests- There will be a large assessment quarters 2 and 4.  Giving these allow the students to practice taking a comprehensive test to ultimately prepare them to take finals in the high school. They will cover everything taught that year up until the assessment.  In 8th grade the final placement test will cover all of the Spanish 1 material.

Quizzes- We average about one every five classes.  These will be on new grammar, or vocabulary.  They may be oral or written.  In addition to these, midway through 7th grade we will have a review verb quiz every fifth class on previously taught verbs. 

Homework/Classwork- Could be an assignment done in class individually, or in groups.  I rarely assign homework to be fully completed at home, but I expect what was not finished in class to be completed at home.  If there is no written homework they are encouraged to spend a little time each night reviewing our current lesson, or previous ones.

Notebooks- I ask each student to keep a binder with handouts from the year as we do not have a textbook and they should use these to study. I have a file cabinet with all handouts so that a student may get an additional copy if needed. 

Participation- They are assessed for in class speaking, listening, effort, group work and volunteering. These all contribute to their proficiency or work habit grades.

Necessary Items for class-

⦁ We require a three ring binder for each student. A 1 or 1 ½ inch binder is fine.  I usually have extra binders in a cabinet in my classroom if there is a student in need of one, or if their notebook breaks.

⦁ A small Spanish dictionary is recommended, but not required.  Langenscheidt Pocket Spanish Dictionary or Larousse Spanish Pocket Dictionary are good dictionaries for Spanish.

Website

I have a website that lists daily agenda, homework and upcoming assessments etc

1. Go to pbworks.com

2. My page is http://hmmsspanish.pbworks.com/

It functions as a web page, but has many other functions.

        On the left hand side                   

1.      Calendar (daily agenda, homework, quizzes etc)

2.      Audio files (to hear pronunciation)

3.      Classroom documents (policies etc)

4.      Helpful websites (for practice)

On the right hand side (under Navigator)

1.      Homework/handout folders (vocabulary and worksheets for practice)

2.      Smartboard Reviews folders (you will need to have Smartboard software on your computer to view at home, but the student could access it at school)

I will update the folders and calendars as the year progresses. 

I have read the parent letter

X____________________________________ date____________________

Email is the easiest way for me to get a hold of you for quick updates/questions.  I will call you if it is an issue that we need to discuss.

Email address:_______________________________________

Name of email recipient and relation to student_______________________

Email address:_________________________________________

Name of email recipient and relation____________