Spanish Conversation
Mr. Yoder
Course Description
¡Bienvenido a la clase de español! That means welcome to Spanish class! Whether
you’ve already learned a little Spanish or are just beginning, don’t worry. By the end of the
year, you will be surprised how much you can communicate in your new second language.
Let me tell you a little bit about what happens in beginning Spanish. Very
soon, much of our class will be conducted in Spanish. But don’t panic. Because
even though we’re going to “throw you in the pool and let you swim,” you will
always have a life preserver. All you have to do is be willing to try. And
before you know it, you understand what’s going on!
In this class everyone participates, and any mistakes are just part of the
learning process. We just have to remember to keep helping each other. Don’t worry if you
don’t “get it” the first time, because we go over everything multiple times until we achieve a
comfort level.
You might ask “how much Spanish can I learn in one year?” Well,
within a month or so, you’ll know enough to ask the time, introduce
yourself and talk about your teachers and your classes. Soon after, you’ll
learn how handle day-to-day classroom routines in Spanish, your second
language. Later, you’ll learn to describe your personality, your interests and
your family. We will use the textbook very little in this class. Instead, we’ll use
stories, hands-on activities, chants, games, songs and surveys to help you learn.
As your teacher, I will do my best to make class lively, varied and fun. You can
expect me to treat you with respect and to be as fair as I can with class rules and discipline.
You can expect me to be more strict if your classmates are disruptive or disrespectful. But
usually students are both cooperative and respectful. Class runs smoothly and we have fun
learning!
One thing you will soon realize is how much I count on you to help instruct others.
Each one of you will play an important role this year in class. That’s because whenever you
are successful at learning something, you will soon be teaching it to someone else. How well
your class helps and supports each other will have a lot to do with how fast you all move
ahead.
This is the first year of a two year class for High school credit. 7th graders need a B
average in this class to be recommended for the second part of the class next year. 8th graders
receive an important introduction to HS Spanish as well.
Three elements of the IB learner profile are
especially important in this class:
1) Be a risk taker. Success comes to
those who participate actively and are
willing to try something new and
unfamiliar. Effort is a part of your
grade in this class (because it’s the
only way to learn a language!) We
work hard in this class each day, from
bell to bell.
2) Be principled. This is not just about
being honest and fair, but also hardworking and dependable. Regular
attendance and follow-through on assignments is critical. Without that, it’s
very hard to do well enough to get the HS credit.
3) Be caring. Your classmates are going to be counting on your support. Learning
a second language isn’t easy and mistakes are part of the process. If your
classmates are caring and supportive, you won’t have to feel bad about making
mistakes! Taking more risks, you will learn much faster.
Finally, many payoffs will be there for you if you succeed. First of all,
learning a second language will open up the world to you. Think about it.
Speaking someone’s language is the only real way you can get to know
them. Of course you can visit their country, but if you can’t
communicate in their language, you can’t get to know them. Language
is the only key that can unlock the door to people and cultures you didn’t
even know existed. That can only broaden your world and make you a
better person. Second, learning a second language could very possibly get
you a better job. (It did for me!) And third, learning a second language develops your brain
and just makes you sharper and smarter.
I’m excited to teach you Spanish! Are you ready to learn?