Hillcrest Middle School
Caring. Committed. Connected.
Welcome to Sixth Grade Beginning Spanish!
Communication
Janine A. Hadley
Email: jhadley@greenville.k12.sc.us
Phone: (864)-355-6130
Website Link: https://sites.google.com/greenvilleschools.us/srahadley/home?
Supplies
1. Notebook
2. Pens and pencils
3. Folder [if notebook doesn’t have pockets]
4. Dividers, if needed
Course Description
This Beginning Spanish course is designed to develop student’s basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish. The students will demonstrate basic listening and reading comprehension of common vocabulary. They will use a limited set of simple oral questions and statements to be used in common daily conversation. Reading will be limited to simple passages of the material covered orally in class. Adjustments to this schedule will be made as necessary.
Course Objective
After successfully acquiring the knowledge presented in class by way of the activities in and out of class, each student will be able to demonstrate success in the four areas of the language: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The teacher is insuring that the South Carolina Foreign Language Learning Standards are being met.
Classroom Expectations
All students are expected to maintain acceptable behavior in and out of school. At HMS we expect that all Wildcats demonstrate positive character and behavior. Any behaviors that oppose a positive learning environment will be subject to the HMS discipline policy. Please see the student handbook for additional information.
Grades
Percentages will be recorded in my grade book for all items assessed. Each progress report and report card will be assessed by applying designated weighted percentages to the following items:
Minor Assessments: 50%
Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs)
-Interpretive Tasks
-Interpersonal Tasks
-Presentational Tasks
Quizzes
Class Participation
Classwork
Major Assessments: 50%
Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs)
-Interpretive Tasks
-Interpersonal Tasks
-Presentational Tasks
-Tests
-Projects
Explanation of Terminology:
Interpretive Task-Student derives meaning by listening or reading, a one way activity without negotiation.
Interpersonal Task-Two-way conversation where meaning is negotiated by both parties through speaking or writing.
Presentational Task-Communication via a prepared oral or written statement that a student has time in advance to prepare and edit.
Grading Policy
The State Board of Education requires all schools to follow a statewide uniform grading scale. Middle school course averages have a floor of 50 for each grading period for each course.
Grading Scale: A (90-100) B (80-89) C (70-79) D (60-69) F (50 or less)
Major Assessments: 50% Minor Assessments: 50%
Late Work Policy
Maximum Time to turn in NHI (Not Handed In) school-wide: 7 school days from the assignment due date. After 7 days the NHI will be recorded in the gradebook as a 50. A teacher MAY extend the late work acceptance deadline, but not reduce it.
Student Absences:
3 days or less: 7 days to make up work without penalty from the date of return. After 7 days, work will not be accepted for a grade. NHI will be documented as final grade.
4-7 days: 10 school days to make up work without penalty from the date of return. After 10 days, work will not be accepted for a grade. NHI will be documented as final grade.
+7 days: Students with documented extended illness will be handled on a case by case basis with guidance from administration.
Redo Policy
All students have the opportunity to correct major tests (not projects) for mastery of content. It is the student's responsibilty to request this opportunity from the teacher according to the following guidelines:
ALL students are eligible for the redo policy, no matter the grade; all redos must be completed within 5 days of the return of test date.
Teachers can offer either test corrections or a condensed assessment retake of the standard requiring remediation.
Redos must be completed during PAWS, 8:00-8:25 AM, or any scheduled time with the teacher. The time could also be during lunch, or related arts (if approved by the Related Arts teacher).
Test corrections must be in writing explaining the correct answer and what mistake the student made.
Recorded grade will be the highest score. If multiple assessments are required to master the content, then best practice would be to have multiple assessments.
Schoolwide minimum score in order to complete a re-take is 69 or below.
Reteaching should be done before a redo or test corrections AND student(s) need to know what they missed to be able to master that content for the redo.
Redo/corrections should be made only to those parts of the test missed.
Corrections OR a new assessment can be given as a redo/retake.
Course Pacing Guide
The curriculum devised by the state of South Carolina will be the main source of information for this course. The foreign language standards are met in each lesson. The estimated timeline is as follows, with adjustments being made based upon class progress and the proficiency level of each student:
First Marking Period: Introduction Unit-How to Survive in World Language Classroom
At end of unit, students can:
-recognize common greetings, introductions and leave aking expressions when I hear them.
-react and respond in the target language in culturally appropriate ways to classroom routines, teacher instructions and peer requests.
-recognize simple questions.
-identify a few cognates that help me understand the meaning.
-understand some basic personal information found in short readings.
-introduce myself to a classmate and introduce a classmate to others.
-respond to and initiate greetings and farewells appropriately.
-use sentence and question frames/starters I have learned to ask and answer simple questions and ask for clarification when needed.
-use a few cognates in the target language.
-ask and answer simple questions and seek clarification when needed.
-use language chunks I have learned to get a few personal and academic needs met.
-imitate basic behaviors associated with greetings, introductions and leave taking.
Second Marking Period: “About Me” Unit
At end of unit, students can:
-understand basic information given such as name, age, likes and dislikes.
-identify and appropriate use cognates.
-greet and bid farewell in a culturally appropriate manner.
-tell about what I like and do not like and ask you about your likes/dislkes.
-give basic biographical information and ask you for yours.
-present myself and tell my likes/dislikes.
-write basic biographical information about myself.
-identify some popular first and last names in the target language.
-identify culturally appropriate greetings and leave taking
-respectfully address someone in a culturally appropriate way.
-greet someone in a culturally appropriate way.
-use the appropriate title in addressing someone in the target language.
Parent/Guardian Contact
Initial contact will be made by the teacher through a letter sent home with the student, along with important information concerning the class, giving the teacher’s email address and asking for the parents’ email addresses and phone numbers. Further contact will be made periodically in order to notify parents of students’ grades by way of email. If necessary the teacher will call the parents in regards to discipline or grades.