Class rules

General matters

• We start a six-year long run, although I'll only be with you till 4º ESO, and it is extremely important that you adapt yourselves to a new class dynamics as fast as you can, so we all have to be patient, but consistent in our efforts.

• It is the first time you have as your English teacher. It will be difficult at first to get used to each other, so we will give ourselves some time.

• It is still compulsory to come to school until you are 16 so remember that all of you have got the right to education, but that implies that you have the duty to respect your classmates and their right to education. You mustn’t be a nuisance or disturb our class dynamics. Any negative attitude or bad behaviour will be reported to your tutor and your parents.

• However, you should not be afraid because we have 4 hours per week (+ 1 hour ATENCIÓN EDUCATIVA), although you will have to be systematic and strict with all you are asked to do.

• During the breaks I will be in the language department for those students who need help or some extra material, or just want to talk with me. Check availability here first.

• Remember that in this site there will be news about grants to go to English speaking countries (MEC and Junta de Andalucía). As well, we have already done 7 STUDY TRIPS TO UK (Edinburgh, Cambridge/London, Bath, Chester, Dublin, Edimburgh & York) at Easter. Last year there was a study trip to York and this year there will be another proposal if you're interested. Anyway, at this level it is not common to participate in this kind of experiences because it is more convenient to have a certain level of English.

• Many students have passed the Official Language School English exams (intermediate level B1) and even some the B2 (First Certificate of Cambridge) at this school, so keep that in mind for the future. You will also be able to register in the Language School in Motril in French at the end of next school year so that you can attend classes when you are in 3º ESO. Just imagine some of our students got their B1 in English and French before going to university, which is something that is compulsory to have for your future university studies (convalidación por 36 créditos de libre configuración en la Universidad) and for the search of a job.

UNBEATABLE!!!!

• Organise your week  paying attention to the days of the week we have class and your school year not leaving things you must do to the end of the school year when you haven’t got so much time to spare.

• I remind you that I will provide you with all the oral material you will need along the school year.

• We have a site  ( albertomeditutor  ) and a blog ( MY BLOG  ) for the school, where you are welcome to participate. 

 In class and class dynamics

• It is important for you to visit these two pages in my site about class dynamics ( Class dynamics  ) and learning strategies ( Learning strategies  ) so as to have everything clear.

• In order to learn your names, you should write them on a piece of paper and set them on your desk. I need all your personal data, so fill in this form at home. If you don’t do it, you will have to do it during a break. The first day I will take a photo of each of you for the school records and so as to save you money doing it.

• The classroom and especially the language department must be always clean (with no litter at all on the floor) and tidy. This is not my task or the cleaner’s task, it is everybody’s task.

• CHEWING GUM is not allowed in class!!!  SMOKING IN THE TOILETS IS COMPLETELY FORBIDDEN TOO!!!!

• Time is Money, so you must wait for the teacher inside the classroom on your chairs and be ready to start. When the teacher arrives, he will say ‘GOOD MORNING’ and you will have to reply ‘GOOD MORNING, TEACHER’. If you are ever late for any reason, you will knock on the door asking for permission to come in by saying: ‘GOOD MORNING, TEACHER. I’M SORRY I’M LATE. MAY I COME IN?’.

• Attendance to classes is COMPULSORY, so if you can’t come, you cand send me an email (albertomeditutor@gmail.com) or you will have to bring me a note from your parents or the doctor.

• You have to ask for permission to go to the toilet ("Can I go to the toilet, please?") and take a pass with you in case someone sees you outside the classroom.

• Doing your homework everyday is essential to keep up with the class.

• Silence is essential if  we want to take advantage of the teacher’s explanations or your classmates interventions in class. So if one day you don’t feel like participating in our class, you’d better fall sleep because I am not going to allow you to disturb your classmates or me.

• We will make an effort to use English in class as much as possible. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it very soon.

• You should keep your folder tidy and clean. There will be frequent controls (when we do an exam you will have to bring your notebook the next day even if I forget to remind you to do so). You will have a mark for it. Check the  Rúbrica para evaluar el archivador/cuaderno y la competencia digital en la asignatura de inglés   in order to know what you have to do to have the best mark possible.

• IMPORTANT PIECE OF NEWS REGARDING THE FOLDER:

Rúbrica para evaluar el archivador/cuaderno y la competencia digital en la asignatura de inglés

• You should hand in several writing exercises per unit that you will include at the end of your notebook. You can post your corrected writing exercises and corrected comments in your blog. As well, in this site you can check the writing exercises proposed here: Writing exercises  and all the daily routines in BEATING COVID-19.

• All the marks and comments about your marks, behaviour and academic aspects will be included in a shared document you may ask the teacher to do it where all this will be compiled. We are doing this effort to keep you and your families informed of all your marks and everything you have handed in.

Class material

•  The textbook is Choices ESO 1 (Burlington). You don’t have to buy the workbook, although it may be advisable for some of you as it is the only thing you will keep. 

• Graded readers. We will be doing projects and controls about the readers (you can also do the activities at the end of them to improve your marks, although they will be just optional). Although it is not compulsory to buy them, it is highly recommended to have access to them in order to prepare for the exam (possibilities: buy them and re-sell them next year, borrow them from someone or from our library, our second-hand book market…). The names of the graded readers are:

- 1st term  >>> “Round the World in 80 days”  (Oxford Dominoes 1). There will be a control in December. You will hand in a project by December (probably a comic). All the projects done will be displayed in our cultural week, which is this year about Jules Verne.

- 2nd term  >>> “Sinbad the Sailor” (Oxford Dominoes 1). The control will be in March and you will have to hand in a project by March.

- 3rd term  >>> Voluntary.

• You must have all the listening tracks of your textbook and the graded readers. You can download them from a link I will provide you with.

• A dictionary is very advisable, although you can also use the ones with have online on this site.

• I also remind you of all the books, films, readers, dictionaries, grammar books… that are your disposal both in the school library and in the Language Department.

 Evaluation criteria

• What is our main GOAL THIS YEAR? Brainstorming.

• You can look the English Department evaluation criteria up in our Helvia website.

• Passing or failing is not an issue that depends on the teacher’s opinion. The teacher will just reflect what your exams reflect as if he were a mirror trying to avoid any partiality. As well, we will make an effort to implement the same evaluation criteria to all the students of the groups in the level of  1º ESO using similar exams, although we will establish different levels of difficulty.            

• Due to the continuous assessment, the dates of the exams will not be announced in advance, but we will surely be doing exams every three weeks even if we haven't finished a unit.

• Therefore, the final mark will come out of these aspects:

>>> RESULTS (60%) :  After each unit and after each holiday there will always be an exam including: grammar, use of English, vocabulary, listening & comprehension, reading & comprehension and writing.

>>> PROCESSES (40%):  

- 10% for your participation in class, homework, notebook (+ extra points for DIGITAL PROJECT: Our digital project). 

IMPORTANT PIECE OF NEWS REGARDING THE FOLDER:

Rúbrica para evaluar el archivador/cuaderno y la competencia digital en la asignatura de inglés

- 10% for the writing exercises (written at home)

- 10% for the graded readers

- 10% for your effort and personal attitude towards the subject, class attendance, behaviour in class.

• Two possibilities to rise your mark: voluntary reader (3rd term), video sketch (it must be handed in by Easter) & making comments in my blog.

TWO LAST IMPORTANT THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND (to make it clearer I will write them in Spanish) 

• Importancia de haber estudiado el ROF, donde yo tendría en cuenta dos aspectos muy importantes:

      - Desde el punto de vista de los derechos de los alumnos, se hace referencia en el punto a) al derecho de todo alumno "a una formación integral, en un clima de comprensión y tolerancia, en condiciones de libertad, igualdad y dignidad".

      - Desde el punto de vista de los deberes de los alumnos, se hace referencia en el punto a) al deber de todo alumno de "conocer y respetar este Reglamento cumpliendo la normativa que contiene"