SPANISH INTRO 7 SYLLABUS

Northwest Middle School • 2026–2027 • Semester Course • 50 Minutes Daily

Mr. Leonardo Sánchez-Palomino  |  Room A-120  |  (864) 355-6936
lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us  |  sites.google.com/greenvilleschools.us/lsanchez/home

Dear Parent or Guardian

Your child will build on familiar Spanish and learn to communicate with greater independence, detail, and confidence. The course encourages curiosity, respectful interaction, and consistent participation.

About the Teacher

My name is Leonardo Sánchez-Palomino, and I am from Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia. I began teaching in 2005 and have taught Spanish and English as a Second Language in Colombia, Virginia, and South Carolina. My teaching philosophy is based on love, empathy, high expectations, and the belief that every student can grow.

Course Description

Spanish Intro 7 is a semester course that strengthens listening, speaking, reading, writing, and intercultural skills. Students learn to connect ideas, add simple details and reasons, ask follow-up questions, and make basic comparisons while communicating about identity, interests, food, activities, and healthy habits.

Spanish will be used as much as possible, with visuals, modeling, gestures, word banks, and sentence frames that make meaning understandable. Pacing may be adjusted for the school calendar and student needs.

Course Goals

• Identify the topic and familiar details in short messages.

• Ask, answer, react, clarify, and follow up in simple conversations.

• Present connected information with details and basic reasons.

• Compare selected cultural products and practices respectfully.

Course Outline

The outline below is a guide. Adjustments may be made when needed.

• Course Launch: Performance and Proficiency (5 days): Class routines, communication modes, baseline activities, and a personal language goal.

• Unit 1: Let’s Get Started (12 days): Greetings, classroom needs, procedures, directions, pronunciation, spelling, cognates, clarification, and question words.

• Unit 2: All About Me (24 days): Introductions, nationalities, age, birthdays, descriptions, preferences, reasons, frequency, questions, and comparisons.

• Unit 3: A Balanced Lifestyle (45 days): Meals, food groups, ingredients, quantities, schedules, activities, body parts, rest, habits, advice, and cultural comparisons.

• Semester Closure (4 days): Review, reassessment when approved, portfolio conference, and preparation for eighth-grade Spanish.

Major Learning Tasks

• Short listening and reading activities

• Partner conversations and role-plays

• Speaking and writing presentations

• Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) and unit projects

Materials

There is no single textbook. Students must keep an organized composition notebook because lessons regularly review and reuse earlier language.

• Charged Chromebook every day

• Composition notebook used only for Spanish (not spiral-bound)

• Index cards/notecards, loose-leaf paper, and pencil or pen

Grades

Grades are recorded in PowerSchool and reflect what students understand and can communicate.

Minor Assessments (8) 50% IPA components, quizzes, classwork, participation, and homework when assigned.

Major Assessments (3) 50% IPAs, tests, projects, presentations, and notebook checks.

Grading Scale:  A 90–100  |  B 80–89  |  C 70–79  |  D 60–69  |  F 50 or below

Middle school course averages have a floor of 50 for each grading period.

Classroom Expectations

• RESPECT yourself, classmates, the teacher, languages, and cultures.

• Take RESPONSIBILITY: arrive on time, bring materials, charge the Chromebook, study, and complete assignments.

• PARTICIPATE in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cooperative activities.

• Use Spanish willingly, take appropriate risks, and learn from mistakes.

• Follow all school expectations for cell phones and electronic/listening devices.

School Policies

Make-Up Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Re-do Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Late Work: All current policies regarding make-up work, missing assignments, reassessments/redos, late work, and related academic procedures can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjwARa1q1XHGZ6WSw7WWRcNrVbkZcNUmGFIKmbpeLnY/edit?usp=sharing

Attendance and Tardiness: Northwest Middle School attendance and tardy policies will be followed. Students should arrive on time and begin the posted bellringer promptly.

Communication and Partnership

If you have questions or information that may help your child succeed, please contact me. Email is generally the fastest method. I believe learning is a partnership among students, families, and teachers, and together we can help every student make meaningful progress.

All students can grow when they participate, persevere, use feedback, and believe improvement is possible.

Classroom Rules:

Have RESPECT

-for yourself, for your classmates, for the teacher

Take RESPONSIBILITY

-arrive on time, come prepared, study, and complete all assignments

PARTICIPATE

-in all activities

¡HABLA ESPAÑOL!

ABSOLUTELY NO CELL PHONES!

No i-pods or other electronic/listening devices

If you have any questions, concerns, advice, etc. please do not hesitate to contact me.  I think e-mail is the best way lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us  but you can call me before or after school. (864)-355-6936.

As a parent and an educator, I firmly believe that the learning experience is a partnership between students, teachers and parents.  Together we can help them succeed.

I think ¨All students can succeed, if they really want to, if they are willing to work and if they think positively. ¨

Leonardo Sanchez-Palomino (864) 355-6936 

 lsanchezpalomino@greenville.k12.sc.us