Spanish 2 Honors Syllabus

Spanish 2 Honors- 2022-23 – Knight


Textbook: Expresate Level 2 (HRW)


Additional Resources: classroom-use books, photocopied materials, library loans, student provided materials, Google Classroom and other online materials


Personal supplies:

  • Spanish/English dictionary

  • Note-taking system of some kind for yourself

  • Colored pencils/pens for notes and corrections


THE COURSE: In Spanish 2 Honors you will continue to develop the skills you began in Spanish 1: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You will also continue your exploration of Spanish culture. You will expand your knowledge of grammar, phonetics, pronunciation and geography. Although your knowledge and skill in the language will improve, you will still not be a fluent speaker by the end of the year. You will be given opportunities to explore and study your faith in a multicultural, bilingual context as well as participate in various faith activities using the Spanish language. Spanish 2 Honors will cover material faster and more in depth than the regular classes.


EXPECTATIONS: The school rules as outlined in the Student Handbook will be followed in this classroom. In addition, you are expected to have ALL of your materials when you arrive for class. It is expected as well you will be prepared for class having completed your assigned homework assignment. An added degree of academic honesty is expected of honors students and infractions may result in replacement in a regular class.


MISSION STATEMENT: We are Hayden – a Roman Catholic high school cultivating excellence in Faith, Academics, Community, Tradition & Service.


ARCHDIOCESAN COURSE OUTCOMES - YOU WILL:

  • demonstrate survival skills in typical situations

  • express personal needs, feelings, and desires

  • interact appropriately in social situations

  • create with the language

  • read and understand level appropriate literary selections

  • recognize the importance of multi-lingual skills in today's global society

  • demonstrate an appreciation for the culture and traditions of the speakers of the target language

  • become acquainted with the geography and history of the countries where the target language is spoken


EVALUATION: Your grade will be determined based on the Hayden grading scale as outlined in the Student Handbook.


Homework: Expect homework each class period. Since the block schedule does not allow daily class meetings and practice, homework, including Google Classroom based assignments, will be an integral part of the learning process.


Some homework will require the viewing of a video or lesson online rather than or in addition to written work. Completing these assignments is just as important as the written kind and will often be followed the next class period by an assessment of some kind. Daily review of the assigned vocabulary is a must as all activities in class and out are based on this.


Homework is due the next class period after it has been assigned unless otherwise stipulated. Homework assignments will be posted in the Google Classroom site as well as on my Hayden webpage. It is your responsibility to check to make sure you know what has been assigned, especially if you are absent either due to illness or for a school related event. I expect you to always check Classroom before speaking to me about absent work.


Late assignments will be accepted for half credit –After 3 school days your assignment does not have to be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made.


Many homework assignments may be corrected for full credit . Students have one class period in which to make the corrections and resubmit the assignment. Corrections will only be accepted one time per assignment unless otherwise directed. As stipulated by the World Language Department policy, no late assignments will be accepted during the final week of a grading period.


Vocabulary study is an on-going process in any language class. You should devote a minimum of 5 minutes per day (not class day!) for vocabulary review using a technique of your choice. Several options will be demonstrated early in the year.


In order to prepare students for post-secondary learning, Google Classroom will be used to supplement in class instruction. All students will be required to access and complete online assignments. Classroom should be accessed EVERY day, not just class days. Students may not miss in class time to do online assignments. Students should also access assignments only from the Classwork tab, never from the announcement in the Stream. If work goes missing because you failed to access assignments properly, there will not be an extension on the due date.


Due to the Covid-19 situation again this year I will not be accepting many paper assignments. Most assignments will be submitted as Google Docs/Slides or other media as assigned and submitted through Google Classroom. I will not accept photos of handwritten work attached to the classroom for the simple reason that I cannot provide feedback on such a submission.


Tests/Quizzes: Tests will always be announced, but there may be some unannounced quizzes. The class will typically have vocabulary quizzes on a regular basis and two grammar tests per chapter. Study guides are usually provided for each test, but do not think this excuses poor note-taking skills. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced.


Being absent the class period before a scheduled test or quiz does not excuse you from the test/quiz. Since all material is available in Google Classroom, there is really no excuse for being unprepared. If you are absent during a test or quiz, you will have one week in which to make it up. If you fail to take care of this on your own, I will set up an appointment with your parents for an evening when they can bring you in to take the quiz or test. Students who miss two or more consecutive tests/quizzes will be asked to meet with the teacher and a counselor.


Vocabulary quizzes - these quizzes will be frequent and will always be in the format of English to Spanish unless otherwise stipulated.


Chapter tests - Each chapter is divided into two parts. Each section will be assessed separately as a grammar test. I always try to provide you with a study guide prior to the test to help in preparation.


Retakes are only allowed on a very rare occasion and under extreme circumstances. Forgetting about a test or quiz or forgetting to study for one for whatever reason is not a rare or extreme circumstance. If you keep up on your day to day assignments and study your vocabulary daily you should not need to worry.


Oral/Listening/Speaking Proficiency and Participation: You will be graded on oral participation on a daily basis, as well as oral quizzes during each chapter testing your speaking abilities in the target language. See scoring rubrics below.


Extra Credit: Extra credit implies work above and beyond the normal course load and is designed for those students who do everything they can to earn a passing grade, but are still struggling. It is not intended to make up for missing assignments. If you have missing assignments, you may not be eligible to complete an extra credit assignment. Extra credit is also not available during the final week of a grading period. A student may acquire only 30 points of extra credit during each grading period. In Google Classroom under the Stream tab in the thread Important Documents there is a list of extra credit options.


Cheating: Cheating is a MAJOR offense. Copying someone’s homework is cheating. Be aware that there is a very fine line between working together on an assignment and cheating. Many assignments in class will involve open-ended answers based on personal experience. Students should never have exactly the same answer on these sections. Violators will get an automatic zero on that assignment or test. Cheating on a test will be reported to the office and the offender will face whatever policy is outlined in the student handbook. Engaging in academic dishonesty may be a sign you are not ready for an honors level language course.


Online Translators: As a department we recognize the widespread availability of on-line learning tools available to our students. However, in line with the policies being formulated by post-secondary institutions, we will not accept the usage of on-line foreign language translators as original work by our students. Translations made by automated translators do not represent actual work by the student and will be considered the same as plagiarism. Use of on-line translators will result in the same penalties as plagiarism as described in the current Hayden Student Handbook.


On-Going Assignments: There are several types of assignments that will be ongoing in nature, including reading assignments, workbook assignments, projects, and pronunciation drills and tests. Students are required to keep track of their due dates to ensure all assignments are turned in on time.


Extra Assistance: Extra help is available when needed. The most important thing is communicating to me the need for assistance. Please make an appointment to speak with me if you feel you need extra help. It is better to be proactive than to fall helplessly behind. I will provide one-on-one assistance as well as make alternative practice assignments available for students who wish extra practice on various concepts.


I am usually available from 7:00 a.m. until the first bell and until 3:45 p.m. after school with few exceptions (assigned duties & medical appointments). Other availabilities will be published on my Hayden webpage.