Point Loma High School 2015-2016
COURSE SYLLABUS SPANISH 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Señor Johnson
Course title: Spanish 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Books: Avancemos, Avancemos 2, En Español 3
Teacher: Russell Johnson Email: rjohnson@sandi.net
Room: 355 Phone: (619) 223-3121 x 4355
Tutoring: by appointment at Advisory or lunch
DEPARTMENTAL FOCUS
The World Language teachers understand that in today’s world, one’s ability to use a second language brings great advantages to our students: increased earning power, broadened cultural understanding and sharpened intellectual skills. Learning a second language helps students prepare for life in a world of cultural and linguistic diversity. Therefore, we are committed to helping each student develop and maintain proficiency in a language other than English through an established sequence of language classes. In adherence to the California State Framework and the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, each course addresses the five proficiencies: reading, writing, speaking, listening and culture in the context of the World Language Standards: Content, Communication, Cultures, Structures and Settings.
WORLD LANGUAGE STANDARDS (see http://www.clta.net/standards/standards.pdf)
Content
Language users address a wide variety of topics that are age and stage appropriate. As students develop their ability to communicate in the target language and culture, they are able to more fully address topics that increase in complexity from stage to stage on the Language Learning Continuum.
Communication
Real-world communication occurs in a variety of ways. It may be interpersonal in which culturally appropriate listening, reading, viewing, speaking, and writing occur as a shared activity among language users. It may be interpretive in which language users listen, view, and read using knowledge of cultural products, practices, and perspectives. It may be presentational in which speaking and writing occur in culturally appropriate ways.
Cultures
Culturally appropriate language use requires the understanding of the relationship between products a culture produces, the practices that the culture manifests, and the perspectives that underlie them. Students must acquire the ability to interact appropriately with target culture bearers in order to communicate successfully. This category allows students to make connections and comparisons between languages and cultures.
Structures
The World Language Content Standards use the term structures to capture the multiple components of grammar that learners must control in order to successfully communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways. Students need to acquire orthography, the writing systems in languages that have them; phonology, the sound systems of language, morphology, the rules for word formation; syntax, the principles of sentence structure; semantics, language-based meaning systems; and pragmatics, meaning systems connected to language use.
Settings
Language users need to carry out tasks in a variety of situations representative of those they will experience in the target culture. The success of learner communication will be determined by the requirements of the situation in which the language is used. Understanding social linguistic norms will assist learners in communicating effectively in real-world encounters.
COURSE CONTENT AND ACTIVITES
EXPECTED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (ESLRs)
Complex Thinkers: Students have ample opportunities to interact in Spanish among themselves and with the teacher. They select from a variety of appropriate responses and use inductive and deductive reasoning in developing language skills. In addition, students apply acquired linguistic skills to a variety of “real life” situations.
Effective Communicators: Students have opportunities to communicate verbally in large groups, small groups and pairs. Students practice material presented by the instructor orally, aurally, and in writing. Writing is an integral part of the course. Students will express themselves in written form.
Responsible Self-Directed Learners and Workers: Students have opportunities to demonstrate responsibility and organizational skills through teacher feedback on assignments, and related materials. Group and individual work is required of all students. Students have some access to computers and resources beyond the classroom, to complete special projects.
Involved Citizens: Students have opportunities to interact with all classmates through participation in large and small groups. Through our exploration of Spanish-speaking cultures, students gain greater understanding of other cultures as well as their own. Instruction includes presenting similarities and differences between various cultures, and how members of those societies interact with one another.
Healthy Lifestyle Advocates: Students understand the importance of exercising freedom within the boundaries of the classroom rules and procedures. Conflict management with students and adults must be practices, and students will need to conform to the general dress and behavior regulations of the school
TEACHING STRATEGIES, TYPES OF ASSESSMENT, AND GRADE DETERMINATION
Spanish courses at PLHS are language and culture course that stresses listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. Strategies include direct formal instruction, pairing, traditional call and response, individual written exercises, collaborative exercises (oral and written), group interaction, and independent inquiry. Language learners depend on all their senses in acquiring a language. Thus, we will be doing activities that address different learning modalities. Much of the daily practice will consist of listening and communication activities that will be done with a classmate or groups. Many of our classes consist of students who speak Spanish at home as well. Students will benefit from hearing these students speak as well as speaking and interacting with them.
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Your final grade will be based on the following:
Quizzes, tests, projects, cuadernos and presentations 70%
Speaking Spanish every day, participation and class work 20%
Homework 10%
Status reports –The grade in this course is cumulative throughout the semester. The grades for each quarter are not averaged together to come up with the semester grade. Approximately every three weeks I will ask students to print out their grade and have a parent sign the grade print-out. Parents, if you are not getting these grade print-outs to sign, or if you have questions about your student’s grade, please send me an e-mail at rjohnson@sandi.net or call (619) 223-3121 ext. 4355
Items in this category are graded on the following scale: 90-100%= A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D. Tests, projects, presentations and compositions will always be announced. They are written on the board under the section Tarea. Quizzes may be either scheduled or unannounced. Usually students will have at least one quiz a week, sometimes two. Projects and compositions are graded according to the rubric for each assignment. Students are expected to use the rubric to guide their work. Individual and group projects will be started in class with the guidance of the teacher. Students may be asked to complete these projects at home.
SPEAKING SPANISH EVERY DAY PARTICIPATION AND CLASS WORK (20% of your grade)
Speaking Spanish: Students are expected to speak Spanish every day to the best of their ability. They are also expected to ask and answer questions in Spanish and volunteer answers to assignments every day. Students are expected to say at least one original phrase in Spanish to the teacher each day. If you are absent, when you return make sure to say at least two phrases to the teacher.
Participation: Students are expected to participate actively every day in all activities.
Classwork: Classwork may consist of warm-ups, interactive notebook work, worksheets, homework corrections, or any written assignment given in class that must be completed within that class period. Classwork also includes communicative activities where students must speak Spanish consistently, but may not involve producing a written product. Although most written assignments will be collected, the teacher will select only some of the assignments (either oral or written) to evaluate for the participation and class work grade.
Students who are absent are expected to make up missed work.
Projects and continuing areas of study are posted weekly on the PLHS website under Mr. Johnson’s blog.
HOMEWORK (10% of your grade)
How often do we get homework? Students will not be bombarded on a daily basis with worksheets and busy work. Homework can be in in the form of a project that will be turned in on a given date. Homework may involve studying for a quiz or test, making flash cards, using DUOLINGO, QUIZLET or other internet based study tools. Occasionally students will be asked to spend time researching a given topic, whether it be a holiday, musical group, sport, historical figure or food particular to a given region.
How do I know what it is? Homework tasks are written on the board and it is the student’s responsibility to know due dates for projects and other research.
When is it due? Homework is due upon arrival in the classroom the following school day after it is assigned unless another due date is given.
What if I’m absent? If you are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain the assignment(s) you may have missed. You will have as many days as you were absent to turn in the assigned homework. If you are absent because of a school activity or preplanned absence, homework is due immediately upon your return. Homework will not be accepted if your absence is unexcused. Missing any homework is a cause for concern as homework reinforced what you learn in class.
What if I only finished part of it? There is no partial credit for homework. Late homework is not accepted except under the attendance policy above.
Correcting homework: All homework that is reviewed in class must be corrected in a different color pen than which the assignment was done. It’s important for you to see what you need to work on and it’s just as important for Señor to see where students are struggling. This is much easier if everything is corrected in red pen.
TARDIES, ATTENDANCE, CITIZENSHIP AND MAKE-UP WORK
1. TARDIES. All students must be in class on time. Walking into class while the bell is ringing or after the bell rings is a tardy. School policy regarding the consequences for each tardy will be followed. 1 tardy – no higher than a G, 2 tardies – no higher than an S, 3 tardies = no higher than an N, 4 tardies = no higher than a U.
2. ATTENDANCE. Regular attendance is essential to the success in the study of a foreign language. Comprehensible input must be heard on a regular basis in order to gain oral/aural skills. The Point Loma High School attendance policy will be enforced.
It is the responsibility of the student to acquire all missed assignments and turn it in promptly. You will not be reminded. Except for school activities and pre-planned absences you will have as many days as you were absent to complete and turn in any work missed. If you are absent because of a school activity or pre-planned absence, all work is due immediately upon your return. Late work is not accepted. When absent, tests and quizzes must be made up immediately. On your day of return from an excused absence, it is your responsibility to make an appointment with the teacher to make up the quiz/test. If your absence is unexcused no work, quizzes or tests may be made up. It is the student’s responsibility to make up work missed (homework, quizzes, etc.) If the student doesn’t follow through with the appointment made to make up missed quizzes, tests, projects, work, the student will receive a “0” for those assignments. Keep in mind that absence for whatever reason can only have detrimental effect on the student’s grade.
4. CITIZENSHIP GRADE The citizenship grade will be based on the Point Loma High School citizenship rubric. Any instance of truancy earns an “F” for material missed and a “U” citizenship grade for that quarter.
*having the same homework answers as another student
*Talking during an exam or a quiz *Using a “cheat sheet”
*Direct copying any assignment from any student *Copying information from desk or other surface
*Looking at anyone else’s paper during an exam or quiz * Using language translators
*Not covering your own paper during an exam or quiz
*Having your bag open during a quiz where Spanish information is visible
*Spanish papers on the floor where they are visible to you during a quiz.
Although using foreign-language dictionaries, whether electronic, online or traditional book-form, is not prohibited, the use of any and all foreign-language translators is FORBIDDEN on any assignment in or outside of class. A foreign-language translator is defined as any instrument, whether electronic or online, that not only gives the equivalent expression from one language to another, but also gives the proper form of the expression in terms of verb conjugation, subject-verb agreement, adjective agreement, correct word order, etc. In contrast, a foreign –language dictionary, whether electronic, online, or book-form, simply gives one equivalent expression for another with no emphasis on correct form. The student must use his/her own brain to apply the expressions into any meaningful syntax. Examples of online dictionaries are yourdictionary.com and dictionaries.tralang.com and are perfectly acceptable tools.
PROCEDURES
PASSES
OFFICE HOURS AND CONFERENCE PROCEDURE
If your student has questions about his/her performance in the class, please encourage them to speak to me during advisory or at lunch so that we can discuss the issue at hand. If your student needs tutoring, have them set up an advisory or lunch appointment with me. If you, as a parent, have questions about your student’s performance, please call me or email me so that together we may work towards helping your child. I answer e-mail more quickly than phone calls.
Email: rjohnson@sandi.net
Phone: 619 223-3121 ext 4251
SPANISH 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 with Sr. Johnson
TEACHER CONTACT INFO:
rjohnson@sandi.net 619 223-3121 ext4355
This year we will be using an interactive notebook in Spanish class. In order for your student to be more successful in Spanish class the following materials are recommended:
A spiral notebook of at least 10 ½ by 8 (the 5 star brand is recommended)
Please return this page to Sr. Johnson. Keep the rest of the syllabus in your binder.
Syllabus for SPANISH 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 with Sr. Johnson
Dear Parent/Guardian:
It is very important that both parents and students read and understand the expectations of the Spanish class. The syllabus should be kept in the student’s interactive notebook during the entire year. It should be reviewed from time to time. Thank you for taking the time to read about our class. Please sign when you have done so. Return this sheet to school immediately.
I have read and understand Señor Johnson’s Class Description and Class Policies and fully abide by its terms. I realize that I am responsible for what is contained in this document whether or not I actually read it.
Student name (please print): ___________________________________________________
Student signature: _________________________________________ Date: ____________
Parent name: _______________________________________________________________
Parent signature: __________________________________________ Date: ____________
Parent contact phone number: _________________________________________________
Parent contact e-mail: ________________________________________________________
*Parents, please try not to call/text your student during class time. It may not be your intention to interrupt my class, but on more than one occasion I have had students say to me “My mom is texting/calling me. Can I text/call her?” If it is an emergency, please call the office and they can send someone for your child, or give them a message.
If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to send me an e-mail or call me and leave a message on my voice mail. I will make an effort to return your message/call within 24 hours. I have found that I can respond more quickly to e-mails than to phone calls.
Videotaping/photos: Students may be filmed or photographed for certain assignments. These images will be used ONLY within the classroom (for example – a poster on the wall or a skit filmed outside class that will be shown later to the whole class). Please let the teacher know if you do not want your child to be filmed or photographed. ___________________________________________________
PARENTS: Please tell me something unique or special about your student. Also, is there anything specific that you would like me to know about him/her? For example: learning or health issues, a recent hardship that they are dealing with, something that I should know to make Spanish class more comfortable for them. This question must be answered in order for your student to receive credit for the syllabus assignment. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STUDENTS: Please tell me something about yourself that you think I should know.
This question must be completed in order to receive credit.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please return this page to Señor Johnson tomorrow. ¡Muchas gracias!