About Spanish 1 …
Spanish 1 is the first level of 5 that we offer here at CHS. We cover speaking,
reading, and writing in the present tense and some past tense at the end of the
semester in the first level. Grammar and spelling are VERY important. You will
learn more about how the English language works when taking Spanish.
There are 11 chapters covered. There is a book, but we don’t actually use it
much, except to look at pictures, examples, etc. Attendance is very important
because I can’t just send a book home so you can “read a chapter” like in some
other classes.
How the chapters work:
NOTES: Students will take notes on the chapter’s specific vocabulary in their
own hand in their own notebook. Students writing the vocabulary down vs. me
running off typed copies aids in student spelling. Look over the notes daily or
nightly to keep up with the new material. There is a lot to memorize and be
familiar with.
PRACTICE IN CLASS: Students will have many opportunities to do
practice in class with worksheets or simple translations. These are NOT
OPTIONAL. This course is foreign and if students don’t do the practice they
won’t pass the quizzes or tests. Once a student gets behind it’s very difficult to
keep up as concepts daily build on those of the day before.
GRADED WORK:
There are a few graded assignments each chapter just
to check students’ progress with the grammar. It may or may not be
“homework” to do outside of class. I try to have students at least have time to
begin their work in class in case there are questions and many finish and turn
it in before class ends. A student’s own notes/worksheets are allowed on
graded work.
DIALOGS: Students will read a Spanish dialog with a partner in almost every
chapter. It is worth 10 points and I am grading on fluency and pronunciation.
Dialogs are read with a partner in front of me and not memorized. Each student is
only graded on his/her lines.
QUIZZES: There is a vocabulary spelling quiz midway through the chapter
to make sure students are on top of the chapter’s material. The students have
to study 14-18 vocabulary words and then on the quiz they will write the
Spanish word next the provided English word (spelling does count so a
students may want to practice writing each word a few times daily). The quiz
is worth 20 points and is announced 4-7 days in advance so students can begin
studying them and making flashcards early. A student may redo a quiz if it is
done before the end of that chapter. The students must notify me as to when
they plan to retake so a new quiz can be made.
CHAPTER TESTS: At the end of each chapter there is a test worth 100
points (roughly every two weeks). It will encompass answering questions in
complete Spanish sentences, translating Spanish to English (sentences) and
English to Spanish. Sometimes there is a matching vocabulary section and
multiple choices. To prepare the students for each test we will do a practice
test (a test used in a previous semester) in class and go over it to make sure
there isn’t confusion as to what is expected. Chapter tests may be retaken
before or after school. It must be made up BEFORE the end of the next chapter,
since all concepts keep building on each other.
HELP: I am available for extra help before school, during intervention at the
end of the day, and after school. During high school lunches I teach junior high
so I am not available. During class I will stress the best ways to master
whatever we are doing at the time.
Mastering basic Spanish is pretty simple. When I write down notes on the
board…students should write them down in their notebook. When we do
practice work to be discussed …students should do the work. When I give the
class time to start on an assignment…students should work on that
assignment. Students will do well if they study the day’s notes and chapter
material daily. Every day new words and concepts are added to what was
previously covered so keeping up is crucial to doing well.
Sra. Rashid
Lrashid@csd.k12.wi.us
(920)-533-4811 ex. 4038
Room 38