FORSYTH COUNTY COURSE SYLLABUS
2012-2013
COURSE TITLE: IB Spanish HL /SL
EMAIL: mgustavus@forsyth.k12.ga.us
PHONE: 770-781-2264 EXT. 101412
TEACHER NAME: Maggie Gustavus
ROOM #: 1412
Course Description: IB Spanish is a language acquisition course developed at two levels—
standard level (SL) and higher level (HL)—for students with some background in the target
language. While acquiring a language, students will explore the culture(s) connected to it. The
focus of these courses is language acquisition and intercultural understanding. IB Spanish
approaches the learning of language through meaning. Students build the necessary skills to
reach the assessment objectives through the expansion of their receptive, productive and
interactive skills. The recommended number of teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage,
the study of literature, and the level of difficulty and demands of assessment and assessment
criteria differentiate Spanish SL and HL. This class is taught exclusively in Spanish.
Standards: Information that is more detailed can be obtained by referring to the guide for this
subject, which is available on the subject page of the IB online curriculum centre (OCC) website
http://occ.ibo.org
IBO Assessments:
Assessment component - HL
External assessment (May)
Weighting
70% (25 + 25 + 20)
Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes): Receptive skills
Text-handling exercises on five written texts, based on the core.
25%
Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes): Written productive skills
Two compulsory writing exercises.
Section A: One task of 250–400 words, based on the options, to be selected from a
choice of five.
Section B: Response of 150–250 words to a stimulus text, based on the core.
25%
Written assignment: Receptive and written productive skills (March)
Creative writing of 500–600 words plus a 150-word rationale, based on one of the literary
texts read.
20%
Internal assessment
(March)
Internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB.
30% (20 +10)
Individual oral (8–10 minutes)
Based on the options: 15 minutes’ preparation time and a 10-minute (maximum)
presentation and discussion with the teacher.
20%
Interactive oral activity
Based on the core: Three classroom activities assessed by the teacher.
10%
Assessment component – SL
External assessment (May)
Weighting
70% (25 + 25 + 20)
Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes): Receptive skills
Text-handling exercises on four written texts, based on the core.
25%
Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes): Written productive skills
One writing exercise of 250–400 words from a choice of five, based on the options.
25%
Written assignment: Receptive and written productive skills (March)
Intertextual reading followed by a written exercise of 300–400 words plus a 100-word
rationale, based on the core.
20%
Internal assessment (March)
Internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB.
30% (20 + 10)
Individual oral (8–10 minutes)
Based on the options: 15 minutes’ preparation time and a 10-minute (maximum)
presentation and discussion with the teacher.
20%
Interactive oral activity
Based on the core: Three classroom activities assessed by the teacher.
10%
Learning Resources: With the emergence of technology as a tool for learning, South Forsyth
High School will be utilizing various resources to assist with instruction, including online
textbooks, recordings and interactive websites. Authentic text in printed and electronic form will
be used. Authentic language audio/video with different Spanish accents and regional linguistic
characteristics will also be employed. Students will be recorded at different times during the year
and feedback will be provided. In addition to web based instructional tools, this course will also
have several classroom sets of grammar and literature textbooks. IB-test specific practice
textbooks will be checked out to the individual students. Students are encouraged to bring their
laptops and electronic tablets to class.
Required Assignments: Each unit of study will include written summative and oral assessments
as well as formative written and oral assessments. Students will be given advance notice in order
to prepare for them.
Homework: Students are encouraged to study and prepare for the class on a daily
basis. Homework assignments may include reading, writing and web-based assignments,
language practice, and studying for formative and summative assessments. This is a very
rigorous college-level class. Students must dedicate the necessary time to the class if they are to
pass the IBO examinations. All homework assignments and formative/summative assessment
dates will be posted on ANGEL. Students should get into the habit of checking it daily for notes
and/or announcements for the class.
Retake policy: Formative assessments may be retaken once in preparation for the summative
assessment of the unit and must be completed prior to the summative assessment of the same
unit. Formative assessment retakes will only be allowed if a student has attended a minimum 30
minute tutoring session. Retakes of summative assessments will not be allowed.
Availability for Extra Help: We offer multiple opportunities for assistance with teachers of
intermediate and advanced level students. Please check on-line or in-class for the most current
schedule.
Makeup Work: All missed work and assessments are the responsibility of the student when
they are absent from school. Make up work is defined as work assigned during a student's
absence, not work assigned prior to an absence. The student has five (5) school days upon
returning to school to complete make-up work. The teacher has the discretion to grant a longer
period to make up work, if there are extenuating circumstances.
Grading Calculations:
Non-EOCT Course Average = 50% (1st Sem. Course Work) + 50% (2nd Sem. Course Work)
1st and 2nd Semester Course Work = 75% Summative = 25% Formative
Grading Policy:
A = 90 – 100
B = 80 – 89
C = 70 – 79
Failing = Below 70
*Formative Assessments include, but are not limited to homework, class work, practice tests,
rough drafts, and sections of projects/ research papers/presentations.
*Summative Assessments include, but are not limited to unit tests, final projects, final essays,
final research papers, and final presentations.
IB Spanish Course Plan 2012 – 13
The new IBO standards for Spanish mandate that the curriculum for the class consist of 3 core
topics: Communication and media; Global Issues; Social Relationships; and 2 of 5 options:
Cultural Diversity; Customs and Traditions; Health; Leisure; Science and Technology. Each of
these core and optional topics must have two distinct aspects (subtopics) taught. Additionally,
HL students are required to read two works of literature originally written in the target language.
Please be prepared to read and write a significant amount in this class. We will learn 13 different
formats of formal and informal writing in Spanish to prepare you for the IBO external
assessments Written Assignment and Examination Paper 2. All your summative written
assignments will be done in class under timed conditions, in blue or black ink, without the use of
a dictionary or translator, with a total word count at the bottom of the document, and graded with
IBO rubrics. You will be expected to make corrections to your writing and resubmit a clean,
corrected copy for your final grade. All work created for this class (presentations, homework,
essays) MUST be your own. Cutting and pasting from websites or writing in English and then
using an electronic translator is NOT creating your own work. This action will generate an
automatic zero for the assignment and a possible referral to the IB Coordinator.
Students often experience a significant amount of stress over the Oral Examinations (March).
Please be assured that we will practice extensively in class and through homework assignments
to prepare for these assessments. My goal is to make this a process in which you are successful.
Remember this class is taught entirely in Spanish (unless there is a need for special clarification)
and you will be asked numerous times to speak extemporaneously (impromptu) in class about
different subjects.
You are expected to seek opportunities to read, speak and hear Spanish outside of the classroom.
You will keep a monthly log of time (Diario) spent reading, speaking, and listening to Spanish
outside of classroom activities. You must spend at least ten (10) hours using Spanish each
month. Diarios are due the last Friday of every month. You may be asked to provide
documentation to support the work you claim on your diario on a random basis.
Students in IB Spanish classes are expected to be at an Intermediate (SL) or IntermediateHigh (HL) level of language proficiency according to ACTFL and Georgia Standards. We will
recycle earlier vocabulary learned and expand your vocabulary during the year in order for you
to be successful in IB given the reading and writing expectations. You should anticipate weekly
vocabulary lists and quizzes to check for spelling and comprehension.
Course Outline
HL Literature –
Cajas de cartón (Francisco Jimenez) Summer 2012
El delantal blanco (Sergio Vodanovic) Winter Break 2012
Date
IBO Topic
Grammar/ Literature /
Language
IB Tasks / Assessments
August September
IB Core:
Social
Relationships
Review Grammar from
Spanish 1- 4: Present
Tense, Future Tense,
The New Spaniards
Cajas de cartón (HL)
IB Option:
Customs and
Traditions
September October
IB Option:
Cultural
Diversity
Conditional Tense,
Reflexive verbs, Perfect
Tenses, Progressive
Tenses, Prepositions,
Articles/Nouns/Adjectives,
Direct / Indirect Object
Pronouns
Review Grammar from
Spanish 1- 4: Preterit
Tense, Imperfect tense
El retrato
El texto expositivo
Diario: España
Actividades orales: Yo soy la
persona ideal; El fútbol en
España; Compara/contrasta a
españoles/norteamericanos
Texto descriptivo
Anuncio Publicitario
Diario: Perú, Paraguay,
Uruguay
October November
November December
Winter
Break
IB Option:
Customs and
Traditions
IB Option:
Cultural
Diversity
Review Grammar from
Spanish 1- 4: Subjunctive
IB Core: Social
Relationships
Exploring social
relationships through
literature:
José Martí, Gustavo
Adolfo Bécquer, Pablo
Neruda, Juan de
Espronceda, Sor Juana Inés
de la Cruz, Alfonsina
Storni, Federico García
Lorca, Emilia Pardo Bazán,
Juana de Ibarbarou,
Nicolás Guillén, Isabel
Allende, Julio Cortázar,
Gabriel García Marqués,
Hernando Téllez
Video(s): Latin Music
USA (watch videos and
answer questions – videos
will be posted at beginning
IB Option:
Cultural
Diversity
Actividades Orales: La
gastronomía, El arte
Crítica cinematográfica
Diario: Bolivia, Ecuador
Actividades Orales:
Celebraciones culturales,
Celebraciones sociales, El
Camino de Santiago
Entrevista
Reseña Literaria (HL)
Diario: México
Actividades Orales:
Concierto, Baile, La familia
of Fall semester, students
may complete the
assignment during the
semester or during Winter
Break at their discretion.)
IB Core: Global Environmental Issues
Issues
Immigration Issues
Literature
(HL) – El
delantal blanco
January February
Human Rights in Latin
America
El informe
3 Interactive Oral
Assessments for IBO (10%)
Core Topic – Global Issues
Carta Formal
Carta Informal
March
Diarios: Colombia/
Venezuela; Argentina / Chile
Internal Assessment for IBO
(20%) Options Topics Cultural Diversity, Customs &
Traditions
-
Written Work for IBO
(20%) HL- creative writing
based on 1 of 2 literary works
read; SL - analytical essay
based on Social Relationships
or Global Issues
March April
IB Core:
Communication
and Media
Influence of Media on
Traditional Hispanic
Cultural Values
Social Networks vs.
Personal Interaction
Diario: Cuba, Puerto Rico,
República Dominicana
Correo electrónico
El texto instructivo
El blog
Diario de viaje
Addicted to devices?
May
IB External
Exam
Preparation
Exam Practice
Diario: América Central
External Assessments HL &
SL Papers 1 and 2 (50%)