Name of Course: Spanish 1
Name of Teacher: Joseph Whalen
E-Mail Address: jwhalen@aptoshs.net
VoiceMail # 688-6565 x673		Room # I203	Preparation Period: 3
I	Course Description/Outline (reflects needed skills) This course is one in a sequence of levels that cover the study of all aspects for foreign language—speaking listening, reading, writing, and culture. Thus, the study of foreign language addresses ESLRs A, B, C, and D on almost a daily basis, and students will be evaluated on how well they achieve in these areas. The first year course emphasizes spoken language through vocabulary building, pattern drills, grammar exercises and simulations. Special activities further students’ knowledge about Hispanic cultures and history. Students who have consistently prepared and participated will be able to greet people, tell time, say dates, and respond to directed questions about what they do on a daily basis. They will also have a grasp of basic vocabulary—body parts, colors, school life and much more.
II	Materials Provided (name of textbook, other resources, videos used, etc.) Realidades texbook and workbook. Workbooks are now provided by the publisher, and students will be issued a textbook and workbook after classes have settled (about two weeks into the semester). This year, I’m going to ask for parents to donate money so we can provide a class set of textbooks. We have not been able to secure funds from other sources, so I hope to collect enough money to be able to have texts in the classroom, allowing students to keep their books at home. Workbooks will have to be brought to class every day.
III	Materials Required 1. Spanish notebook—Students should keep a spiral bound notebook separate from their other classes that contains all work that they are expected to master as the year progresses. The notebook will serve as a sequential study guide for quizzes, tests, and final exams. Because of security precautions, I keep all quizzes, tests, and exams after we review them in class.
IV	Goals (knowledge to be acquired, technical skills, etc., specific reference to ESLRs and state standards or connect to 1. To read, write, understand and speak Spanish at a beginning level and to gain a deeper understanding of the various cultures where Spanish is spoken. Students will read our textbook, tape scripts from our video series, and the Spanish magazines I provide in their quest to meet the million word challenge.
V	Units of Study (activities) 1. First semester we will proceed through the textbook and finish Chapter 3B. The first semester final will cover all material through 3B. Second semester will cover Chapters 4A through 7A. The second semester final will cover second semester material only.

VI	Methods of Assessment (may include tests, portfolios, projects, essays, etc.) Students are assessed by their ability to achieve the objectives of reading, writing, understanding, and speaking Spanish. Tests are fairly evenly divided between vocabulary acquisition and mastery of grammatical structures.
VII	Methods to accommodate language learners and other target populations The entire pedagogy of foreign language instruction addresses this objective. Accommodations are made for students with 504 plans or other special needs, and besides the tutorial period, I am available at lunch or after school by appointment for extra help. A list of professional tutors is also available.
VIII	Units or activities that address language and math standards needed for High School Exit Exam (for classes other than language arts and math) The study of foreign language reinforces many of the standards that students must master for the HSEE. The regular study of Spanish grammar bolsters students’ understanding of English grammar, and the ongoing acquisition of vocabulary helps students expand their English vocabulary. For example, the quite common word “amable” in Spanish to acknowledge a kind act is a cognate to the rather advanced English word “Amiable.” Those connections occur constantly in Foreign Language study. We do a bit of Math too. We convert foreign currency into dollars to get an accurate estimate of the worth of certain items, and we convert kilometers into miles and discuss the time it will take to cover certain distances if going the maximum speed Limit.
IX	Class Procedures (missed assignments, make up work assignment format) Homework is always due the next class day unless otherwise specified. To motivate students to be prepared for the day’s lesson, students cannot submit late homework and receive credit. Rewarding students for late work only encourages them to come to class unprepared for the day’s lesson. If a student has an excused absence, the student must make up the previous day’s homework and do that day’s homework and show both of them to me the next day. If the student does not show me the made-up work, she will not receive credit for that work. Quizzes and tests are the responsibility of the student to make up. They must be made up within two weeks or the student will be penalized. The tutorial time during block schedule days is most convenient for make-ups, but students can also schedule to come in during lunch or after school. In-class activities that students miss (such as transitions and “Elmos”—activities off the overhead) are excused if the absence is excused, but students are encouraged to write out activities in the textbook that we did orally in class and/or the do the activities off the web site to prepare themselves for the test that they will need to make up. When students have planned absences, they should consult with me outside of class time before the absence so I can tell them directly what activities would best help them prepare.
X	Behavioral Expectations (and consequences) Spanish is a college preparatory course, so behavioral expectations are high. If a student disrupts the learning environment, I usually just call the student by name and either gesture or say please. If the student acknowledges her transgression with a “Sorry” or another appeasing gesture, I proceed with class. If the student responds with some sort of denial or challenge as in “What?” or the student has repeated a disruption, I ask the student to step outside for a one-on-one conference. If in the conference the student is cooperative, we return to class. If the student is uncooperative, I will suspend that student from class and call home. If a student continues to need conferences, I will suspend the student and call home. If I have to call home more than once, I will request administrative intervention with all parties to attend a meeting. If problems continue to persist, I will request that the student be dropped from the course and an F grade be assigned for the semester.
XI	Grading policy: Grades will be determined by a point system. Points are generally 60% by written exams and 15% by oral competence (achievement) and 25% by course work—in-class activities, participation, and homework (effort and attendance). If a student is not on task and/or interventions as mentioned above are needed, the student will get demerits for the participation portion of the grade. Any time I have to tell a student to get on task, the student loses participation points. The Million Word Challenge will Be entered in the effort category as well. On the web, only achievement scores will be entered until near the end of the semester, so students can easily see if they are missing anything that they need to make up. If a student is doing the daily work and homework, she can expect her class grade to be about one half a grade higher than what her test grades read on the web. Remember that if the web grade seems unreasonably low, that is because any test or quiz that the student has to make up reads as a 0 and will drop the grade precipitously. The following scale determines semester grades. 40%--First quarter grade 40%--Second quarter grade 20%--Final exam
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