Arete Preparatory Academy
Spanish I Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Christian Allison
Email: callison@areteprepacademy.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/d/1Hjaj0w5mQkwzKDKgZdSGIixHf-1TbC-O/p/1BOOLN4laylLYsjqtR8TRPC6aVEYBrr68/
Tutoring availability
Room 102: Wednesdays after school and Fridays before school
Required Texts and Supplies
Terrell, Andrade, Egasse and Muñoz. Dos mundos: En breve, McGraw Hill, 2009. Any student edition (it is an older textbook and as such difficult to find; the difference between editions is minimal, so any will work as long as it is not an instructor book)
Notebook, notepad, looseleaf binder, etc. for notetaking
Recommended: Spanish-English dictionary; when studying at home, if you don’t have a physical dictionary, there are also online resources like https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-spanish
Course Description
In the first-year Spanish course, the students work to build all four communicative skills in Spanish: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. To this end, all classroom activities are conducted in Spanish and designed to give students the opportunity to interact with the instructor and with other students by using Spanish in a meaningful way. While most classroom activities focus on auditory and oral practice, homework assignments enhance students’ reading and writing skills.
Vocabulary acquisition is a vital part of building communicative skills in a language. To this end, students are expected to memorize core vocabulary as it is presented sequentially in the textbook, Dos Mundos. This vocabulary forms the basis for in-class activities and exercises that are designed to build communication skills and reinforce the grammar topics studied.
Homework assignments involve the study of grammar topics from the Dos Mundos textbook that afford students practice implementing the concepts studied in class. The explanations on the grammar exercises assigned are given in English in the book and it is anticipated that students will ask questions based on the readings for clarification in class as needed. On a typical day, students are assigned one or two grammatical topics for study, and are expected to complete the exercises. Students are given other types of homework assignments such as vocabulary lists to memorize.
Course Objectives
Listening objectives: Students should be able to listen to spoken Spanish for general understanding, or selected information. They should be able to start to comprehend native speakers who enunciate clearly and speak slowly about familiar topics.
Reading objectives: Students should be able to read sentences with familiar vocabulary, and should be able to attain information from a variety of simple, authentic texts in Spanish such as videos, newspaper or magazine articles, advertisements, maps, and charts, without translating into English. They should be able to skim and scan texts for basic information.
Speaking objectives: Students should be able to answer and ask questions in class using common words and phrases. They should be able to hold very basic conversations with the teacher and classmates on practiced topics.
Writing objectives: Students should be able to write short sentences using familiar vocabulary, grammar and structures covered in class, with correct spelling.
Cultural awareness objectives: Students should begin to comprehend the cultural values of the Hispanic world and the underlying similarities and differences between those cultures and their own.
Methodology:
This course is based on the understanding that second language acquisition takes place through real use of the language. You will learn to speak Spanish by listening to a lot of natural speech and by speaking in a variety of communicative situations; the objective is that you learn the language by using it.
What you can expect of me:
To speak Spanish all the time
To require students to speak Spanish at all times
To ask students to work in pairs and groups.
To be available for tutoring and explanations in English outside of class
To cultivate an atmosphere of respect and growth, and to create a safe space in which students are not afraid of failure
How you can be successful:
Always try to understand the message of what is said, not every particular word. Try to guess at the meaning of words through context, visual aids, and body language.
Take good notes. Daily quizzes are open note, so the scores you earn on them will partially reflect how well you’ve taken notes in class. Quizzes make up 30% of your final grade, so if you pay attention in class and take good notes, it should be easy to get 100% on this section of the evaluation.
Participate! Speaking and volunteering to speak are not only an important part of your class grade but also are the best ways to acquire Spanish. Don't worry about making mistakes! This is part of the natural process of learning the language. You can communicate in spite of grammatical and/or pronunciation errors! The key to being a successful language learner is to speak as much as possible.
Study/review vocabulary and grammar every day. Studying vocabulary daily or multiple times a day in short intervals of 10-15 minutes is more effective than studying it all at once.
Do not attempt to translate language word for word. Instead, focus on context, look for key words and compare to familiar structures.
Do all assignments on time. Missing or turning homework in late will get you behind very quickly.
Talk to me and ask questions in or outside of class if you do not understand something or you need extra help; utilize my tutoring availability.
Evaluation Criteria
The following components will be considered for the final grade.
Class participation: 25 %
Homework 20 %
Quizzes 30%
Exams 25%
Participation: Language acquisition is dependent on use. As such, students are expected to participate voluntarily and contribute during class activities. Students will not be penalized for incorrect answers; rather, they will be rewarded for a consistent effort to participate. I only count voluntary participation, and I evaluate it every week on a scale from 0-5. A student that raises their hand to answer questions, is engaged and shows good work ethic will earn a 5. A student that shows up to class but does not attempt to participate or engage in any way will earn a 2.5.
Homework and written assignments: Daily homework will include written exercises, studying new vocabulary or grammar topics, and short reading or writing assignments. Written work will be collected and/or reviewed in class.
Late Homework Policy:
One day late: Half Credit
Two or more days late: No Credit
Quizzes: Quizzes will be administered every day at the beginning of class. They will be short and simple, usually four questions long, and will be open note (that is, students may reference their class notes, but any other materials are prohibited). This means that the better notes you take, the better you will do on the quizzes.
Exams: There will be either one or two exams given every quarter, with a cumulative final at the end of each semester.
Absences and Make-up Work
In case of absence, students will have up to the number of days missed to make up tests, quizzes or assignments. If the student is absent on the day of a test, they will be expected to take it the day they return. Makeup work will be given for missed quizzes.
Students must be responsible for their own academic performance. You are active agent of your own learning. You must always strive to understand how well you are doing in the course—to know what you are doing well, and to know what you must improve. Be sure to ask me specific questions about what you can improve. Learn to think about what you do; strive to know yourself.
I look forward to a great year together!