Spanish I Course Syllabus
Señor Ryan Yates
Room 105
480.279.8066
ryan.yates@husd.org
Office Hours: Mon -Fri 6:00-6:30am (before A hour), Wednesdays 2:15-3:15 in the classroom, and other times by appointment
Course Description:
The objective of this class is to help master basic communication skills in Spanish. We will engage in speaking, reading,
listening, and writing activities in order to gain proficiency in Spanish. We will complete tasks and projects that help you
build skills to communicate in a variety of real-life contexts. We will learn how to communicate in the present, past, and
future. In addition, we will be exploring some cultural aspects from the Spanish speaking world.
Class Outline:
Semester 1:
 Chp 1, Un amigo o una amiga: identify and/ describe people and things, ask and say where someone is from.
● Chp 2, Alumnos y cursos: Describe people and things, talk about more than one person or thing, discuss school
and opinions of it, tell time, tell when things happen
● Chp 3, Las compras para la escuela: identify and describe school supplies, identify and describe clothing, shop
for clothes and school supplies, state color and size preferences, speak to people formally and informally
● Chp 4, En la escuela: talk about going to school, talk about school activities, greet people and ask how they feel,
describe where people go, state where and others are
● Chp 5, En el café: order food and drink, identify food, shop for food, talk about activities
Semester 2:
● Chp 6, La familia y su casa: talk about family, describe home, tell age and find out age, tell what you have to do,
tell what you are going to do, state possession, families in Spanish speaking countries
● Chp 7, Deportes de equipo: talk about sports and activities, state what you want, prefer and begin to do, talk
about people’s activities, express interests and sports in the Hispanic world
● Chp 8, La salud y el medico: explain minor illnesses, describe feelings, describe things, state location and origin,
express what happens to you and others
● Chp 11, En viaje en el avión: talk about the airport and a plane trip, state what is happening now, express things
and people you know, air travel in South America
● Chp 9-10, Verano y el invierno, diversions culturales: describe weather, sports, things that are happening,
resorts, places you go in spare time, watching movies
Grading
For regular 3-4 classes:
60% Assessments
20% Homework/classwork
20% Final exams
Grading Scale
90-100 = A
80-90 = B
70-80 = C
60-70 = D
59 and below = F
Tardy policy
It is considered tardy if a student enters the classroom after the bell has rung and/or if they have not taken out the materials
for the day and begun working on the bell work. If you are late, but have a pass, sign in on the clipboard by the door. Enter
without disrupting and follow the regular classroom procedures. An unexcused tardy will result in After School Detention
(ASD). See ASD policy below.
Classroom Guidelines
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¡Español! We are in this class to learn and use Spanish, expect to hear and use it every day.
Be respectful to yourself, others, and to your teacher. Profanity and foul language will not be tolerated.\
Be responsible for your actions and always be honest to your classmates and to me.
Be prepared with materials and be on time for class. Be at your seat and prepared to work when the bell rings.
Participate! You learn Spanish by using it. Be ready to contribute to class activities.
Be positive and encouraging to your classmates.
Listen when I am teaching and when others are talking. Raise your hand to ask or answer a question.
When you are given class time to work, do not waste it.
Do not leave your seat to unless granted permission to do so.
No food, drinks, or gum in the classroom. Bottled water with a lid is ok.
iPods, phones, tablets, e-readers, and other electronic devices are prohibited in class unless they are being used
for educational purposes (such as using it for a dictionary) authorized by the teacher. If a student uses them in class
for any other reason, they can be confiscated and taken to the office (Refer to the school electronic devices policy).
If you would like to use your phone for a class-related reason, just ask.
Quiet during tests and quizzes! If you have questions raise your hand. Anyone talking or gesturing to another
student during a test or quiz or caught cheating will be given a 0 and be referred to administration.
Class Materials
You should bring all of the following to class each day:
 Pencil for in class work/note taking.
 Red/green/pink/purple pen (not blue or black) for making corrections on assignments/quizzes.
 2 spiral bound notebooks One notebook will be used for bell work. The other will be used for note taking.
 A folder or binder Use these to store returned assignments and other handouts.
 A Spanish/English dictionary This can be in either book form or an app on your phone. Another strong
recommendation is the book 501 Spanish Verbs.
 A positive attitude and a willingness to work hard. What you will achieve in this class will be directly related to the
effort you give. I do not give grades; you earn them.
 Please bring the following to start the semester:
 1 ream of copy paper during semester for printing handouts, homework, etc.
Classroom Dismissal
No one will be allowed to leave the classroom early without a pass or call from the office. Make sure you are aware of any
homework assignments before departing. You need a signed pass from me to leave the room for any reason. Make sure
you leave your area as you found it, pick up any trash and neatly put away any materials that we used in class.
Grading and Assessment Procedures
Grades will be determined by a combination of assignments, projects, quizzes and tests. Homework will be signed off on a
homework calendar and collected at the end of each unit. It is important that you keep the homework calendar until it is
due. If you lose it, you will not receive credit for it. Bell work should be done in a spiral bound notebook and checked
periodically (usually every 2 weeks). Occasionally, there may be grade checks sent home so that your parents can be
aware of your progress. Expect to take at least two quizzes per unit/chapter, one covering vocabulary and another covering
grammar. Each unit test will have three components, a multiple choice exam, a writing, and a speaking assessment of
some kind (speaking test, presentation, skit, etc.).
Re-take Policy (Tests and quizzes)
For unit tests (speaking, writing, unit exams), retakes not only are possible, but they are required if you score less
than a 70%. We will not accept poor performance and will do all we can to bring it up.
 If you score less than 70% on any test, it will count as a zero in the gradebook. A 0.1 will be entered and you will
have 2 weeks to make up all missing work from the unit (worth half credit after unit is over) and the necessary test
reflection and retake the test during your teacher’s office hours. If you do not do so, parental contact will occur and,
if you still do not complete your work and retake your test, you will meet with administration.
 If you score less than 70% on the retake, a 0.2 will be entered as your score and you will have another two weeks
to retake it again. If within that time frame you have not done so, parents and administration will get involved.
 The score you get on the second retake (your third attempt overall) will be entered in the gradebook, no matter the
grade.
We insist on performing well and persevering if you do not until you do. That is why we require you take a test up
to 3 times.
If you scored at least a 70%, you may retake it during your teacher’s office hours no more than twice up until the semester’s
“drop dead” day if you are not missing any work from the unit. If you are, you must make it up before you may retake it. The
grade you get on the retake will be what goes in the gradebook. However, the student MUST turn in all assignments from
the current unit before being eligible for re-testing. Additionally, they must complete the test reflections for that unit (if
applicable). The last test score will be taken, whether it is higher than the first score or not.
For quizzes, students will be allowed two retakes during the course of the semester. They must be made up during the unit
in which they were given. Once the unit is over, no retakes will be offered.
Bell Work
We will begin each day with a review of what we are currently studying. Students are expected to do the work each day.
Each day’s work is worth 5 points. I will check bell work approximately once every two weeks.
Assignments/Make-ups
Homework is typically assigned Monday through Thursday, and occasionally on Friday. Make sure to write the homework
assignment each night on your calendar.
On the day a homework assignment is due, place it in the homework basket on your way into class along with your
homework calendar. You will have one minute after the bell to turn it in. Make sure your name is on both and that your work
is neat and legible. Homework that is incomplete, sloppy, or with no name will be returned and you will not receive credit for
it. Students that do not turn in anything in the basket will receive ASD. I will sign your homework calendars while the class is
doing the bell work.
If you did not do the assignment, but would instead like to use a homework pass or an ASD pass, place that in the basket
within the first minute of class. Again, make sure your name is on it.
If you are absent, check my teacher website. I will post assignments/handouts/lecture notes there every day. It is YOUR
responsibility to collect and make-up any missed work.
Classroom Discipline Plan
Instances considered discipline issues are at the discretion of the teacher and the severity of the consequences will be
determined by the severity of the offense. The normal classroom discipline plan is a 3-step policy.
1st offense = verbal warning
2nd offense = second warning, possible removal from seat and/or classroom, parent contact
3rd offense = administrative referral/parent contact
ASD (After School Detention):
Timeliness and preparedness are vital to ensuring student academic success. To this end, ASD is an intervention designed
to encourage and reinforce student academic success. Throughout the day, students may be assigned ASD by their
teachers for the following reasons: tardy, missing homework, and unpreparedness for class. Students assigned ASD will
serve it the following day to provide for parent notification. ASD begins at 2:10 PM and ends at 3:10PM.
Class Website
Assignments, homework, announcements, and lecture notes will be uploaded to the class website daily. You will find other
useful information on my website including a calendar and a Synergy Grade book link. If you were not in class, check the
website to see what you missed. Occasionally, extra credit opportunities may be posted online. Teacher webpages are
found on the WFHS website. The address for my website is http://www.husd.org/Domain/2396
Synergy Availability/Access
Parents can access their child’s grades and assignments by going to the school’s website and clicking on
ParentVue/StudentVue on the quick links bar (right side of the page). Teachers may include digital documents, classroom
assignments, points and percentages, and individual feedback and comments. Students’ information is only accessible by
using an individualized password assigned by the school. Parents may contact office personnel/counselor for their child’s
password at 480-279-8000.
Diversity Statement
All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As members of the Williams
Field High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from participating in acts of harassment that are
designed to demean another student’s race, gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation.
THINGS PARENTS CAN DO TO HELP STUDENTS AT HOME:
1. Check the online grade book regularly and expect occasional grade checks from students. Please contact me with
any concerns you may have regarding grades.
2. Encourage your student to attend after school tutoring as needed.
3. Check your student’s homework calendar and look for my initials to verify that he/she is staying current with
homework.
4. If possible, avoid absences on test days. Students will know at the beginning of each unit when the tests are. If they
do miss an exam, make it up as soon as possible upon returning. Also, encourage students to take tests and
quizzes seriously. 80% of their grade comes from assessments.
5. Make sure your student has daily, dedicated study and homework time.
Dear Parent(s) and Student:
Please read the Spanish class syllabus and the Classroom Policies and Procedures on Señor Yates’ teacher page under Williams
Field High School at www.husd.org. Sign and date below to acknowledge your understanding and support of the classroom system.
This page must be signed and returned to Mr. Yates by Friday, 31 July, 2015.
This will be an assignment in the grade book, worth 10 points.
Thank you!
Student Name (First and Last):
Student’s Class Period:
Mother/Guardian Name:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
E-mail address:
Father/Guardian Name:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
E-mail address:
Best number to reach you at during school hours:
Preferred Method of Contact:
Does the student have DAILY access to a computer with Internet at home?
Does the student have DAILY access to a printer at home?
Yes
Yes
No
No
I have read the class expectations for Señor Yates’ Spanish class and understand that I must take responsibility for my own academic
success, as well as my classroom behavior. (Please print and sign)
Student:
Date:
I have read and understand the class expectations for Señor Yates class.
Parent/Guardian Signature:
Please write below any questions or concerns that you have for Señor Yates:
*REQUESTED CLASSROOM ITEMS*
If possible, donations of the following items are always appreciated:
Reams of printer paper, dry erase markers, Kleenex, hand sanitizer
Date:
CONTACT LOG
DATE
TIME
REASON
RESULT