Amelia Yang

Spanish Proficiency Student Portfolio

Why Spanish?

I chose to take Spanish in 8th grade because it seemed interesting. Not only learning the language but also learning about the culture and history as well. I was also motivated by its actual ability to be helpful in many situations, as we are very close to places like Central and South America, I thought I would be more likely to use it. Spanish class is the closest thing I have to traveling to places like Argentina and Spain and has given me the opportunity to explore the world without leaving home. Overall I think the ability to communicate with others is very important, and for plans that I have in the future I know that this skill would be very useful.

Goals with Spanish

One thing I hope to accomplish when it comes to taking Spanish is having the ability to hold conversations with others. Which mainly focuses around comprehension and speaking. I want to be able to do this because speaking, to me, is the easiest version of communication. It's important to me because I want to be able to translate in situations that need it. In 9th grade I was invited on a volunteer trip to Ecuador that I was aware about 2 months prior. I had only taken one year of spanish, but to my surprise I was able to communicate with the locals there and ask them basic questions about school and their lives while also translating messages from the other volunteers who did not know Spanish. It's situations like these that I hope to be able to hold fluent conversations with other Spanish speakers and to be able to understand what they say as well to translate for others.

¿Qué tal la semana? | How was your week?

This student task a biweekly check-in where students describe:

what happened already this week with details about the who, what, why, when, and how from the event.
what is happening today
what is happening soon

I describe in this Level 3 tasks in the past, present, and future. The control of these three pillar tenses is a characteristic of intermediate speakers of a second language according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (actfl.org).

Standards Addressed

ACTFL Benchmarks | Intermediate HighI can participate with ease and confidence in conversations on familiar topics. I can usually talk about events and experiences in various time frames. I can usually describe people, places, and things. I can handle social interactions in everyday situations, sometimes even when there is an unexpected complication.
ACTFL Descriptors for Presentational ModeExpresses own thoughts and presents information and personal preferences on familiar topics by creating with language primarily in present tense.May show emerging evidence of the ability to tell or retell a story and provide additional description.Creates messages in contexts relevant to oneself and others, and one's immediate environment. May show emerging evidence of the ability to create messages on general interest and work-related topics.
ISTE.org Student Standard 1a | Empowered LearnerStudents articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.
ISTE.org Student Standard 6a | Creative CommunicatorStudents choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
ISTE.org Student Standard 2a: | Digital CitizenStudents cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.

Audio Tour of Home

Students describe an overall description of their home (or a different property) including number of floors, bedrooms, bathrooms, colors, etc. Additionally, students explore two rooms expand on their details, common activities and chores, and furniture. This student sample showcases iMovie. However, students also frequently used VoiceThread to share images, record an audio voiceover, and commenting on work of other students.

Standards Addressed

ISTE.org Student Standard 6a | Creative CommunicatorStudents choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.ISTE.org Student Standard 6b | Creative CommunicatorStudents create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.ISTE.org Student Standard 6c | Creative CommunicatorStudents communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models, or simulations.ISTE.org Student Standard 6d | Creative CommunicatorStudents publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

Environmental Poster

The purpose of this poster is to inform the public about environmental concerns in Costa Rica. This poster illuminates the beauty of this Spanish-speaking gem of Central America. It also highlights the for attention and energy on destructive agricultural practices.

ACTFL Benchmarks | Intermediate in Presentational ModeControl of language is sufficient to be understood by audiences accustomed to language produced by language learners. With practice, polish, or editing, may show emerging evidence of Advanced-level language control.
May use some or all of the following strategies to communicate and maintain audience interest, able to:*use phrases, imagery, or content*simplify*use graphic organizer, use references as appropriate
ISTE.org Student Standard 3c | Knowledge Constructor Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.

Flipgrid Response

Standards Addressed

ACTFL Benchmarks | Intermediate HighI can participate with ease and confidence in conversations on familiar topics. I can usually talk about events and experiences in various time frames. I can usually describe people, places, and things. I can handle social interactions in everyday situations, sometimes even when there is an unexpected complication.
ACTFL Descriptors for Presentational ModeExpresseses own thoughts and presents information and personal preferences on familiar topics by creating with language primarily in present tense.May show emerging evidence of the ability to tell or retell a story and provide additional description.Creates messages in contexts relevant to oneself and others, and one's immediate environment. May show emerging evidence of the ability to create messages on general interest and work-related topics.
ISTE.org Student Standard 1c | Empowered LearnerStudents use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Green Energy Video Conference

Students collaborated in Google Drive creating questions for a green energy expert, Mario Monesterio. It was a perfect fit in the throws of the unit on the environment. Mario accepted our offer to visit for 15 minutes via Google Hangout and even offered up the opportunity to volunteer at an international solar energy conference. Click to see video coverage of the interview between two classes and Mario that took place in real-time from Blaine High School's auditorium.

Learning Target 2: I can understand when I hear when I hear people talk about the environment.Learning Target 3: I can use common expressions related to my environment. Learning Target 5: I can participate in spontaneous spoken and written conversations about my impact on the environment.Learning Target 6: I can identify cultural perspectives revealed through environmental decisions and activities.Learning Target 7: I can use the subjunctive mood.

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