Course Syllabus

OFFICE HOURS Wednesdays 7:50-8:25 room 155 (except on Early Release Wednesday and unless noted below.)

Office hours week of March 3rd: Tuesday, March 4th, 2:30-3pm  room 155

 

Drop in: if you need extra help, if you owe me WORK or a make up vocabulary quiz or if you need to redo and resubmit incomplete work.

Office Hours for Señora Hicks in room 155  Wednesdays 7:50-8:25 except early release Wednesday weeks & unless noted at the top of this page.  Please scroll down to see the World Language support lab schedule.

Back to school night online slide deck: (coming after back to school night)

 

Office Hours for Señora Hicks in room 155 Wednesdays 7:50-8:25 AM

Every Wednesday except early release Wednesdays (and unless otherwise noted at the top of this syllabus page):  7:50-8:25 in room 155 (just show up - no appointment needed)

Because I am part time, meeting at 2:30 is by appointment only as my schedule allows (please email or speak with your teacher for an appointment)

Block A - go to the Extra Support Lab:

World Language Extra Help Schedule

Drop In - Room 155

Day 1 - Block A	Day 2 - Block A	Day 3 - Block A	Day 4 - Block A	Day 5 - Block A	Day 6 - Block A	Day 7 - Block A
German  + French	*peer tutors available	Spanish  +  French	*peer tutors available	Spanish + French	Spanish	*peer tutors available
Ms. Nkam		Mr. Travers		Ms. Laborde Casterot	Ms. Barrientos

What can I do in the World Language Extra Support Lab?

• get help completing or reviewing homework
• get help preparing for an upcoming performance assessment
• get an explanation in English of something you don't understand in the language you're studying
• hang out and speak in the language you're studying with other language learners
• Work on study habits

Come alone or come with a friend.  Open Block A only.

Welcome to Spanish 2 Honors/ACP

             

                      UNIT 1                                                                 UNIT 2

What is teenage life? UNIT 1 Part 1 • Teenage Trends UNIT 1 Part 2 • Teenage life Past & Present

How do I connect with others?  UNIT 2 Part 1 • Technology connects us UNIT 2 Part 2 •Food connects us UNIT 2 Part 3 • Sports and Art Connect us

 

What do I need for class?

• computer with a full charge
• headphones / air pods  <-- ***very important***
• your class workbook
• a pen or pencil
• a  1” 3 ring binder to file away classwork, worksheets, assessments.
• 5 tab dividers.
• Highlighters - at least 2 colors
• 5 page protectors we will use for important documents in class in our binders
• Loose Leaf paper

What should I do if I am absent from class?

• Check on Canvas to see what we did in class and make it up.
• Check the class calendar to see what we did (linked on the left in your canvas page)
• If you missed an assessment and you are absent excused →  email or speak with your teacher to schedule a make up the 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". 

• Students must email or speak with their teacher to make up missed assessments within two school days or the assessment will become a zero.

• Makeups sometimes happen in class otherwise they will happen during A block or after school at the language lab.

A+	98%	STRONG: Student’s learning shows in-depth inferences and applications for the targeted performance.  The student can independently create a spoken or written message using above-level language.
A	94.5%
A-	91%
B+	88%	MEETS STANDARD: Student’s learning meets the targeted performance.  The student can independently create a spoken or written message using level appropriate language.
B	84.5%
B-	81%
C+	78%	DEVELOPING: Student’s learning shows the simpler aspects of the targeted performance, or has some important errors or omissions.  The student can independently create a spoken or written message using some level and some non-level appropriate language.
C	74.5%
C-	71%
D+	68%	EMERGING: Student’s learning demonstrates only partial ability or is incomplete.  The student can independently create a spoken or written message using non-level appropriate language.
D	64.5%
D-	61%
F	54.5%*	Not enough evidence to measure student learning.

DNS

0%

If a student is absent unexcused to class and misses an assessment, the student receives no credit.  A zero will be entered for an achievement assessment and a DNS (Did not submit) will be entered for a performance assessment.

 

A+ 97-100     B+ 87-89      C+ 77-79         D+ 67-69

A 93-96          B 83-86        C 73-76           D 63-66

A- 90-92         B- 80-82      C- 70-72          D- 60-62      F 54.5*

If a student fails a performance assessment, “F” is entered into PS

If a student is absent unexcused to class and misses an assessment, the student receives no credit.  A zero will be entered for an achievement assessment and a DNS (Did not submit) will be entered for a performance assessment.

TERM WEIGHTS
TERM	WEIGHT
TERM 1	0.12
TERM 2	0.19
TERM 3	0.26
TERM 4	0.31
Final Exp.	0.12
	1.00

 

TERM WEIGHTS
SENIORS
TERM	WEIGHT
TERM 1	0.14
TERM 2	0.22
TERM 3	0.29
TERM 4	0.35
No Final Exp.	NA
	1.00

 

 

Performance Assessments: Interpersonal Communication Interpretive Communication Presentational Communication Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives Performance assessments are not generally permitted retakes. We give prompts or prompt themes up front and provide feedback preparing students for the performance assessment.	90%
Achievement on Grammar and Vocabulary: Quizzes classwork  homework Retakes of grammar and vocabulary quizzes will be permitted 1 time and must be completed within a week of the original quiz. You must arrange with your teacher to come and retake the quiz. The higher grade will prevail.	10%
Weighting of Performance Assessments: Weighted Averages Within a marking period, each consecutive performance assessment increases in weight value

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.

 

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 Hicks’ class, you may retake each Achievement Assessment once to improve your grade. Once the term is over, you can't retake these assessments.  If you miss an achievement assessment due to an unexcused absence,  you will receive a “zero” for the achievement assessment.  Achievement assessments if missed due to an excused absence must be made up within two days of your return to school or you will receive a “zero.”  Achievement Assessments may be oral, on paper or on Canvas.

What is a Formative Assessment?

This is like a scrimmage for your performance assessment.  You will take an assessment (write, listen, have a conversation with a classmate....) which is very similar to your upcoming performance assessment and you'll get feedback to let you and your teacher know if you're ready for the performance assessment.  This feedback (may be narrative or a grade) 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 video, audio, or a short piece of writing (digitally or on paper).  Formative assessments are a part of evidence based grading and 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.  

Many formative assessments will be submitted on Canvas via a picture or upload of an audio recording via your phone. You must have the Canvas app installed and connected on your phone.

What about homework?

Homework will often depend on what is completed in class. My goal is not to give a lot of homework but sometimes it is necessary.  It will be posted in Canvas by the end of the day. Homework is due at the beginning of the next class unless otherwise stated 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. If there is no homework assigned, your homework is to look over things completed in class, including vocabulary. 

Can I redo classwork and homework to receive full credit?  If turned in on time initially, unless otherwise noted, classwork and homework may be redone if you do not receive full credit the first time. Due dates for "re-do's" are announced on the class calendar and in class and work that is to be redone leading up to an assessment must be turned in before the assessment. Feedback is often provided in Canvas. 

 

How will my progress be evaluated this year?

In the World Language Department we grade student work based on a standard.  This means that your work (writing, speaking, ability to listen and understand) will be evaluated on how closely it meets or exceeds a standard.  The standard is the proficiency level for this course moves during 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.  The rubrics for every assessment are in your student workbook.  You will have lots of practice and get lots of feedback via Formative Assessments before you take the Performance Assessments which determine your term grade.  There are no retakes for Performance Assessments.  You will also have the opportunity to build your skills with Achievement Assessments (small quizzes, homework, classwork) prior to taking the Performance Assessments.  You may retake each Achievement assessment one time within a week of taking the original, if you wish. The higher grade will prevail. You must arrange to do this with your teacher before the end of the grading term and before the next performance assessment.

 

(From the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for World Languages)

• Interpretive Communication - Understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard, read, or viewed on a variety of topics.

• Interpersonal Communication - Interact and negotiate meaning in spontaneous spoken, signed, or written conversations to share information, reactions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and perspectives 

• Presentational Communication - Present information, concepts, ideas, feelings, opinions, and perspectives to inform, explain, persuade and narrate on a variety of topics using appropriate media, and adapting to various audiences of listeners, readers, or viewers. 

• Intercultural Communication - Interact appropriately with others in and from another culture. 

• Cultures - Gain cultural competence and understanding. 

• Comparisons - Develop insight into the nature of language and culture to interact with cultural competence. 

ACP:

I can independently create a spoken or written message or participate in a conversation using intermediate-low language.

• I can be easily understood by someone used to a language learner, and possibly by a native speaker who doesn’t know I’m a language learner.

• I begin to create with the language. I can use a variety of familiar and personalized words and expressions. I can give some details. 

• I use simple strings of sentences. I can combine words and phrases to create original sentences. I pose basic questions (as appropriate).

• I convey my knowledge of basic cultural products and practices. I use some culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. 

• My errors with targeted structures and/or word order do not interfere with communication.

Honors:
I can independently create a spoken or written message or participate in a conversation using intermediate-low language.

• I can be easily understood by someone used to a language learner, and possibly by a native speaker who doesn’t know I’m a language learner.

• I begin to create with the language. I can use a variety of familiar and personalized words and expressions. I can give some details. I consistently use vocabulary from in-class resources and/or previous units 

• I use simple strings of sentences. I can combine words and phrases to create original sentences. I pose basic questions (as appropriate).

• I convey my knowledge of basic cultural products and practices. I use some culturally appropriate vocabulary and expressions. 

• My errors with targeted structures and/or word order do not interfere with communication. I show ample evidence of strong control of previously learned structures.

Performance Target:  Intermediate Low and then Intermediate Mid by the end of the year

EXPECTATIONS

#1 Phones need to be away at all times, unless we are using them for a specific class activity. They should be parked in the phone pockets unless otherwise instructed by the teacher. 

#2 Be on time to class.  If you are going to be late, make sure you bring a pass from the office/nurse/another teacher.

#3  Every day make sure you bring the following:

• charged laptop
• our course booklet
• a pen/pencil
• headphones/earbuds (charged)
• folder or binder to organize your materials. 
• A positive attitude!

#4 Speak in Spanish. Our goal is to be 90% or more in Spanish. This becomes easier over time.

#5 Prepare for assessments. For most performance assessments, you will get a rubric with a set of expectations. We will go over it in class and make sure you are really prepared.

#6 Get the help you need. My goal is for you to do well in this class! Arrange to meet with me, come to office hours, go to the WL help sessions on Spanish days during A block, come to intervention time. 

#7 Make up missed assignments. If you miss class, check in with me (email is best) and check Canvas and the class calendar (linked in Canvas) to make up your work.

#8 Be respectful of your classmates and teacher at all times.

Questions?  Email Sra. Hicks at any time:

hicksm@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 World Language Technology Help Site