Course Syllabus

Bienvenidos A La Clase De Español 2

Our course goals:

• Speaking- Engage in and maintain conversations on all different topics with the goal of getting your idea across
• Reading/Listening- Understanding the main idea of readings, videos and audios and finding some of the smaller details
• Writing- Write about different topics using personal experiences and opinions and connected sentences
• Cultural Awareness- Show an understanding for the Spanish speaking world including its people, what they do and what they value

What are we studying this year?

• Unit 1- What is teenage life?
  • Pop culture in the US (music, TV shows, clothing, slang, food, social media)
  • Pop culture in the Spanish speaking world (how it's similar or different)
  • What it used to be like to be a teenager in the US vs in the Spanish speaking world
• Unit 2- How do I stay connected?
  • Does technology keep us closer or bring us further apart? What role does technology play in the Spanish speaking world vs in our communities
  • How does food bring people together? What is the role of food in the Spanish speaking world vs in our communities
  • How do things like sports and art bring people together? How important are these in the Spanish speaking world
• Unit 3- What are the benefits of leaving my community?
  • What communities do I belong to and what do we do in them
  • What will I learn when I leave my community (ex: traveling)
  • How are the challenges we face similar or different to those in the Spanish speaking world

How do grades work:

• 100%- Communication (Performance Assessments- These are tasks where you actually use the language.)
  • Examples could include:
    • Interpretive Reading/Listening (reading an article/watching a video and answering questions)
    • Interpersonal Speaking (a conversation with a small group)
    • Presentational Writing/Speaking (writing an essay/making a short presentation)
• Grades- On a performance assessment students can receive one of 4 grades:
  • A grade of A means you show consistent evidence of leveling up with more advanced language
  • A grade of B+  means you thoroughly meet the targeted standard
  • A grade of C+ means you are approaching the targeted standard
  • A grade of I (incomplete) means you are showing partial ability or incomplete work and can redo the assignment at a later date  

FAQs:

• How will we be assessed?
  • You'll always get a rubric with a set of expectations. We'll go over it in class and make sure you're really prepared
• What should I bring to class?
  • Remote- Your laptop and a notebook/pen
  • Hybrid- Your laptop, headphones, a notebook/pen, any materials from class
• Do we actually speak Spanish the whole time?
  • Yes. Our goal is to be 90% or more in Spanish. This becomes easier over time and in hybrid we will be able to do it easier.
• How do I know if I'm doing well in class?
  • You're always welcome to write drafts, ask me questions, do a practice assessment or anything to get extra help. My goal is just for you to do well in this class
• What are the remote expectations in terms of behavior/attendance?
  • Show up a few minutes before the Zoom call is expected to start. We will start with a question of the day and a warm up each day. You should be in a space where you can do some work and have access to the internet and a notebook to keep track of words/ideas.