Course Syllabus
Español 2
Welcome to Spanish 2!
What will we study this year?
What is teenage life?
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- I can discuss teenage pop culture trends in my culture and compare them to the target culture
- I can compare/contrast teenage life now and teenage life years age
How do I connect with others?
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- I can justify whether technology and social media brings people together or not
- I can explain how food brings people together
- I can express my opinion on how common interests (specifically: arts + sports) bring people together.
What do I need for class?
• computer with a full charge
• headphones / air pods. <-- ***very important***
• your class workbook
• a pen or pencil
• a folder or binder to file away classwork, worksheets, assessments.
What do I do if I am absent from class?
• Click on your class calendar to see what we did in class and make it up.
• If you missed an assessment, email or speak with your teacher to schedule a make up assessment .
You have two school days to make up assessments that you miss due to an excused absence. After 2 days the assessment will be assigned a score of zero if you have not contacted your teacher to make it up.
How will I be evaluated this year?
In the World Language Department we use Standards Based Grading. This means that your work will be evaluated on how closely it meets or exceeds a standard. The standard is the proficiency level for this course, which is Intermediate Low, and moves to Intermediate Mid in Semester 2. Each Performance Assessment has a rubric so you can see exactly what you need to show that you can do to meet or exceed the standard. You will have lots of practice, see/hear examples of past student work and get lots of feedback via Formative Assessments before you take the Performance Assessments which determine your term grade. You will also have the opportunity to build your skills with Achievement Assessments prior to taking the Performance Assessments.
We will spend our first few days of class learning about all this, so don't worry if it seems confusing right now.
How is my term grade computed?
90% = performance assessments
10% = achievement assessments
What is a Performance Assessment? (90% of your term grade)
These include:
• Interpretive Performance Assessments
Examples include:
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- Watching a video or listening to an audio recording and answering questions about what you saw or heard
- Reading an article and answering questions about what you read.
- Looking at an infographic or chart and answering questions about it.
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• Presentational Performance Assessments
Examples include:
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- Answering a prompt (question) by recording a monologue using video or audio software.
- Answering a prompt in writing.
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• Interpersonal Performance Assessments
Examples include:
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- Having an extemporaneous conversation with one or more people. The conversation is often in response to a prompt.
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There are no retakes on Performance Assessments.
What is an Achievement Assessment? (10% of your term grade)
These include short skill building assessments such as vocabulary or grammar quizzes to be sure you are learning what you need to perform well in the accuracy and vocabulary sections of the performance assessments. On Achievement Assessments any grade (letter or percentage grade) is possible. In Señora Kaufman's class, you may retake each Achievement assessment once to improve your grade. Just come before school (block A) to your Spanish room to retake them. Once the term is over, you can't retake these assessments.
What is a Formative Assessment?
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- This is a practice performance assessment. You will get feedback from your teacher, and often a grade, but it does not compute into your term grade. It's to let you know how you're doing and how you can improve as we go along in the term and before you take the performance assessments. It often takes the form of a short flip grid video or a short piece of writing (digitally or on paper). Formative assessments are a part of standards based grading because they help students understand how close they are to meeting the standard before they take the assessment and give them feedback on what they need to do to meet the standard.
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What about homework?
You will have homework most days. It is always posted on your class calendar. Homework is due at the beginning of the next class and will be recorded in the 10% portion of your term grade. Homework completion is a necessary part of the course because it gives you the opportunity to build and practice your skills. Your teacher will be communicating with your family if you do not complete the homework.
How is my end of year grade computed?
Term 1 = 12% of your year end grade
Term 2 = 19% of your year end grade
Term 3 = 26% of your year end grade
Term 4 = 31% of your year end grade
Final Assessment = 12%
The rationale for this increase in percentages is that what you learn in Term 1 will need to be remembered and used in Term 2, and so on, so by Term 4 you'll be required to use all the skills and information you've learned over the year.
Keep a portfolio
You should save your assessments and rubrics (essays, letters, audio recordings, video recordings, projects -> anything that is assessed and graded). In January and in June you will have a portfolio reflection which will be your mid year and end of year assessments. You are responsible for being able to show your progress over the year with evidence. You will show this through written reflections and an interview with your teacher. You may make an electronic (Google Drive) portfolio or keep papers at home and recorded items on your desktop.
How can I get extra help in Spanish?
• Your teacher is available most days before (7:30-8:30) and after (2:30-3:00) school. It is recommended that you email her or talk to her in class to let her know you want to stop by so that you can be sure she is not in a meeting or making copies. kaufmank@wellesleyps.org
• The Language Support Lab
Schedule will be posted here shortly.
• If you would like a peer tutor, email your teacher for more information. A peer tutor is an upper class student in Spanish 3H or above who has volunteered to tutor Spanish 1 and 2 students. Generally you meet once a week. This is a very useful support system for students who want some individual support. There is no charge for this tutoring and the peer tutors do it because they love Spanish and/or need community service hours.
Questions? Email Sra. Kaufman at any time:
I encourage any students or family members to email me at any time to check in, ask questions, or ask for help.
Here is a Canvas Guide for Students
Here is a link to the CML (Classical and Modern Languages) Technology Help Site