Kaitlyn O’Donnell Nascimento
knascimento@cabotschool.org
¡Bienvenidos!
Clase de español: nivel intermediario
This is an advanced beginner/intermediate Spanish class designed for high
school freshman and sophomores. In this course, students will continue to build
on the vocabulary they have learned in previous years, as they move on to more
challenging grammar topics. As students learn new tenses and idiomatic
expressions throughout the year, their ability to communicate will grow
exponentially. Increased comprehension of spoken and written Spanish is a
central goal of this class, as is the mastery of basic phonetics. Finally, we will
take time this year to contextualize our learning by studying the complex
relationship between language, culture, and history in the Spanish-speaking
world.
Essential Questions:
•
How does learning another language give us access to new cultures and
ways of thinking?
•
How does a common language unite people? What is a linguistic
community?
•
What are the functions of language? Which are the most essential for
‘survival’?
•
How is English different from Spanish in form and structure?
•
How can I find linguistic patterns to speed up my learning in Spanish?
Evaluation:
20% participation
All students have the responsibility to create a positive and safe learning community. All
students also have the responsibility to challenge themselves. As such, students will be assessed
on four categories: ‘Attitude towards Learning and Respect for Others’, ‘Listening’, ‘Focus
and Attention to Task’, and ‘Contribution to Class Discussion and Activities’. (See indicators
on attached ‘Attitudes and Dispositions’ rubric.) Students self-evaluate twice monthly.
Teacher and student ‘scores’ are averaged to form participation grade.
40% classwork & homework
Learning activities will be graded on thoughtful completion. Unfinished classwork often
becomes homework; hence, these two categories are lumped together. As students apply their
knowledge in short activities, they solidify what they have learned and notice where they have
gaps. Practice is essential to language acquisition!
40% projects & tests
Some units of study will culminate in a project, others in a more traditional test. Many units
will include both. Tests and projects will assess students’ ability to use language in
communicative tasks. These summative assessments will be weighted in accordance with the
time students have dedicated to unit.
Deadlines and Late Work:
Preparation Homework: Many homework assignments are designed to prepare students for
a class activity that will take place the following day. If a student has not completed the
homework, he or she will not be able to participate in the activity, and this is a loss for
everyone! In such cases, the student will work on completing the homework in a quiet corner
of the room while others participate in the planned activity, and will receive 60% for his or her
work when it is finished. Students will know beforehand if their homework is in preparation
for an activity that will take place in the following lesson.
Skills Homework: Other homework is designed for students to practice skills. However,
foreign language learning is often sequential in nature, and students need a firm grasp of one
skill set before moving on to the next. Timely homework completion is essential for the class
to progress as a whole. Late work of this nature will be marked down 20% after the first day
and 10% after each following day. Late homework will not be accepted more than a week
after it is due. A strong work-ethic and good organizational skills will also help students to be
successful in whatever career or field of study they choose to pursue after high school.
Projects: Late projects will be marked-down in the same way that ‘skills homework’,
described above, is marked-down. The project will be marked down 20% after the first day it
is due and 10% after each following day.
Absence: If a student is absent, his or her homework is due on the first day that she or he is
back in class.
In-class work: Classwork will not be accepted late unless there are exceptional circumstances
(i.e. medical, etc.). Work that is to be completed when I am not present is no exception. At
times, we will only begin an activity in class and I will subsequently ask students to complete
what remains for homework. Otherwise, students turn in classwork the day of.
Materials:
You will need a three-ring binder and folder exclusively for Spanish class. Please come
prepared with a pen and pencil as well.
We have read and understand the Intermediate Spanish class guidelines and procedures.
Print student name
______________________________________________________________
Student signature________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature_________________________________________
PARENTS/GUARDIANS
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