The Newman School
247 Marlborough Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
SPANISH I Honors SYLLABUS
Mr. Israel Bernal-López Fall 2011
Spanish Teacher
Course Description
Spanish I intends to change the student’s perception about second language learning and be meaningful. In the emotional aspect it wants to, during the whole scholar year, instill in the students the motivation and the multiple advantages of learning Spanish as personal enrichment.
This course enables learners to acquire a basic working vocabulary and functional expressions for the foundation of meaningful communication by the development of listening comprehension and oral activities. Reading and writing practice builds students comprehension and written communication reinforces key vocabulary and grammar rules. Listening comprehension and speech development are enhanced via the “¡Exprésate!” audio compact discs, videos, songs, role-playing, and other activities.
Course requirements and required materials
1. Textbook: ¡Exprésate! Spanish Level 1 ISBN-13: 9780030676789
2. Workbook: ¡Exprésate! Spanish Level 1. Cuaderno de Gramática y Vocabulario. ISBN-10: 0030744962
3. Dictionary English-Spanish, Español-Ingles.
4. Learners will need a large quantity of 3” ×5” white index cards.
5. Students will be assigned various projects throughout the year which will include physical presentation (foamboard, matboard) and a technology based project (Powerpoint).
6. Students are required to maintain a binder, which they are to bring to class each day.
Objectives: cognitive, knowledge, understanding, abilities, habits and attitudes
I. The class will create an environment within which students have the opportunity to become in eager and hard-working learners.
II. Students will develop skills to understand the native Spanish language spoken to them by the educator at a slow to moderate pace.
III. Students will develop proper pronunciation by means of choral repetitions and one to one drills, and oral activities in their textbooks and workbooks.
IV. Students will expand knowledge with Spanish short readings adapted for classroom use. We will start with short dialogs and passages read in class, expanding to short stories in length and complexity.
V. Learners will write clearly and concisely producing simple compositions within the confines of their level of learning.
VI. Learners will begin their Spanish Language awareness towards the culture, society and history of Spanish speaking countries through the study of cultural units and by participating in a variety of activities.
Course Policies and Educator’s Expectations
Grading
1st Semester and 2nd Semester:
A. Quizzes 20%
B. Tests 30%
C. Projects 10%
D. Midterm Exam 10%
E. Semester Exam 10%
F. Class participation 20%
Classroom participation
Good listening, participation, effort and respect for the other students and general conduct will all be taken into account in the grading process and will be daily controlled.
Homework and projects
One point will be subtracted from the overall semester average for each missed assignment. In the case of an excused absence, assignments are due on the first day back. Students will be required to remain after school to finish incomplete homework assignments handed out on the day of the absence (they can consider this as extra help).
Projects not submitted on time will be marked down one letter grade per day late. In case of an excused absence, projects are due on the first day back.
In order to pass the course, all assigned work must be completed.
Academic Honesty
Any project, assignment, paper, quiz or exam found to be copied from another student or otherwise plagiarized, will not be accepted, nor may be made up for credit. The penalty for academic dishonesty is described in the Student Handbook and will be applied both to the borrower and the lender of the work in question.
Make-ups
Missed quizzes due to absence must be taken the day the student returns to school. Tests must be made up within two days of returning to school following an excused absence. Students forfeit the right to make up an exam missed as a result of an unexcused absence. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor to make up missed exams and quizzes.
Dictionary Vs. Electronic translator
Dictionaries offer a wide variety of topics and meaning for every word and it can help students to determine exactly what they are looking for. Electronic translators do not have the same versatility.
Study skills, study strategy and study tips
Dedicating 30-35 minutes, 6 days a week to review completed homework and projects and review vocabulary and grammar learned in class; taking effective notes in class (copying from the board); be ready for starting the class with all your material on the desk; being focused and good listeners in class; building vocabulary using context clues to learn word meaning (definition, synonym and antonym).