Course Syllabus

 

Welcome to Spanish 1! 

 

What will we study this year?

 

• • Unit 1 - How am I unique?

I can exchange introductory information with others. 

I can describe myself and others. 

I can describe my typical school day. 

I can ask and answer questions about what people do in their free time.

 

• • Unit 2 - What does family mean to me?  

I can express what a family is and who I consider to be part of mine. 

I can explain my family traditions and compare them to the traditions of others.

 

• • Unit 3 - How do my choices shape who I am?  

I can explain what I choose to do when I have free time. 

I can explain what people eat and why. 

I can talk about how clothing reflects who people are and what they do.

 

• • Unit 4 - How am I part of a community?  (We may not get to this unit)  

I can explain how personal space defines and reflects someone. 

I can make recommendations for places to visit and things to do in my community. 

I can explain how being a good citizen can improve my community.

 

 

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 and you are absent excused →  email or speak with your teacher to schedule a make up assessment within two school days.  If you do not retake it within two school days, you will receive an "I" in Power School which counts as a "0". 
  • If you missed an assessment and you are absent unexcused →  you will receive an "I" for the assessment in Power School which counts as a "0". 

 

 

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 begins at Novice Mid, moves to Novice High in Semester 2 and may move to Intermediate Low by the end of the school year.  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 and 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:  Listening to a video or audio and answering questions about what you saw/heard.  Reading an article and answering questions about what you read.  Looking at an infographic or chart and answering questions about it.  These questions are mostly in English in the beginning of the year and move to be in Spanish towards the end of the year.

• • • Presentational Performance Assessments 

Examples include:  Answering a prompt (question) by recording a monologue using video or audio software.  Answering a prompt in writing.

• • • Interpersonal Performance Assessments

Examples include:  Having an extemporaneous conversation with 1 or more people. The conversation is often in response to a prompt.

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. Once the term is over, you can't retake these assessments.

What is a Formative Assessment?

• • • 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.  

 

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% of your year end grade

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.

There are no mid year exams.  Instead, we have portfolio assessments (see below).

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.

 

What is the difference between Honors and Advanced College Placement in this classroom?

In this Spanish 1 classroom, some students are registered for Spanish 1 Honors and others are registered for Spanish 1 ACP.  Here is what you will  notice:

- All students will use the same workbook, receive the same instruction and participate in the same classroom activities.

- For all performance assessments, if a student Meets the Standard, this is calculated as a B for Honors and as an A for ACP.  In order for an Honors student to score an A, they need to Level Up on the rubric.  All rubrics can be found in your class workbook.

- There may be some differentiation between Honors and ACP on Achievement Quizzes and daily homework assignments.

 

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

The schedule will be here soon, as soon as it is ready.

• • 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 cycle in person.  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:

kaufmank@wellesleyps.org

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