World Language Department Syllabus
Spanish I-A (Semester 1)
Spanish I-B (Semester 2)
Instructor:
Christian P. Zammit, MA
[email protected]
(248) 336-7740 ext. 2946
Room: 211
Course
Materials:
A one-inch 3-ring binder is required for this class. All materials will be developed, supplied and maintained by student. This binder must be used for Spanish only. Students are expected to bring this World Language Portfolio to class each day.
Course Description:
Foreign Language Learning Philosophy
Because a language is a discipline that builds in a sequence, students can be successful when they adhere to the following:
-Open-mindedness to alternative ways of solving problems
-Curiosity about other cultures
In Spanish I-A and I-B we will begin with an overview of the language, people, history, etc... Students will begin to form basic Spanish conversations in response to the teacher as well as their peers. Students will complete grammatical and comprehension exercises as assigned by the teacher to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students will be expected to also give short Spanish orations, participate in oral &/or group activities, and use the Moodle course to complete assigned tasks. In addition to the focus on history, students are expected to show cultural knowledge while participating in oral &/or group activities.
Prerequisite:
There are no prerequisites for Spanish I-A. However, successful completion of Spanish I-A is needed for Spanish I-B.
Course Objectives:
Essential learning outcomes:
School/Department Policies:
Attendance: Students are expected to report to class on time (before the last bell rings). Absences are dealt with according to Oak Park School District policy set by Oak Park Board of Education. Make sure you understand your responsibility with absences. Please remember, if your part in attending is not fulfilled – how can you expect to learn?
Behavior/Citizenship/Norms Use the ‘four R’s’: Respect yourself, Respect others, Respect your teacher and be Responsible. Demonstrating excellent citizenship and respect for others and ourselves contributes to an environment in which all students can learn. Students who choose to not demonstrate appropriate levels of citizenship will lose some or all of their daily participation points for the day and/or receive calls home, sent to the office, etc.
Classroom Norms:
Course Materials:
Assignments/Homework Policy:
Regular assignments: If students find it necessary to turn an assignment in late then it will be scored and marked as late in MiStar; late is defined as after the due date given. If a summative assignment is given a score that is less than a C equivalent, attending a make-up session set by the teacher can fix this. At this session the teacher will allow the student to redo the assignment or an alternate one (teacher’s discretion). Extra credit projects are NOT given. Extra credit is given as part of the regular assignments and tests throughout the semester. Therefore, if you want extra points - do the extra credit as it is given.
Test/quizzes: When a student is absent on the day of a test or quiz; the absent student must make up the test or quiz on his/her return date or at a time arranged by the teacher. The graded score will count if and only if the absence is EXCUSED. The make-up test or quiz may be the same test or another version of the test or quiz (testing the same information) at the teacher’s discretion.
At times students receive a failing percentage less than 69%; students may opt to retake the failed test prior to the district-set deadline for that grading period. There is a district-wide set deadline on this opportunity. Test grade will only change if the new score is higher. Retakes are NOT applicable in cases of cheating on the test/quiz (including use of electronic devices).
Absent work: It is the responsibility of the student to obtain any make-up work from me or to arrange the make up of tests (when we know ahead of time of the projected absence on test day we can try to get it done BEFORE the absence). At that time we will agree on the due date of make up work; be aware of the date we agree upon, I expect it to be turned in on time. Also, make sure you know the OPSD policy re: credit/no credit of missing work/tests.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Plagiarism is prohibited. This includes the use of someone else’s work with or without their knowledge/consent and submitting work using an electronic translation program (e.g., Google Translator, etc…). The instructor will enforce the OPSD policy on cheating/plagiarism according to the severity of the academic misconduct and allocate an appropriate penalty.
Intervention/Academic Support: Additional academic assistance is available through after-school tutoring. Students may consult with the instructor for specific dates and/or times available.
Grading Scale:
Your grade is broken down into the following categories and weighted accordingly.
10% Homework (formative)
25% Projects (summative)
25% Assignments (summative)
40% Quizzes & Tests (summative)
A 93-100% A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79%
C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% D 63-66% D- 60-62% E 50-59%
Types of Assessment: Grades will be based on the following: quizzes, tests, homework, projects, group assignments, oral presentations, oral exercises, daily preparedness/participation, and World Language Portfolio. Students receive points for all assigned tasks and assessments. Grades are averaged and weighted based on total points received divided by total points possible and the above scale showing weighting percentages per Oak Park School District policy. Formative tasks cannot be redone. Summative tasks may be redone by the Friday before the end of the grading cycle (per district policy). The deadlines for this year are:
MP1: 28/October/2016 MP2: 20/January/2017 MP3: 13/April/2016
MP4 for grade 9: 14/June/2016
.
Exam/Final Grades: This course is assessed at semesters end with a Mid-Term or Final Exam. The exams will be an accumulation of selected summative grades and a culture test on exam day. Each exam is weighted at one-fifth or 20% of the total final semester grade. This means that the marking period grades are weighted at two-fifths or 40% each of the total final semester grade as per district policy.
Grade conferencing: Student grades are never discussed during class times; they are confidential. I am available before and after school for such conferencing; please make an appointment with me for such needs. My contact information is on the first page of this document. Please be aware that MiStar is now compatible on mobile devices for Parent or Student Connect viewing.
NOTE: The next page is the World Language Portfolio information.
World Language Portfolio (WLP) - Rationale 1
In many professions, you actively demonstrate your ability to perform the duties required. In order to accomplish these duties and succeed personally and professionally, goals and plans for improvement must be established. Only by examining what you have accomplished and my identifying your strengths and weaknesses are you then able to plan for the future. The examination of your own work, discussing that work with others, and developing a plan for improvement are the keys to success regardless of the task. You will be able to better understand your learning styles, be able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and initiate and complete a plan that will allow you to succeed.
Your World Language portfolio will show you, your teacher, and others what you are able to do, what your strengths and weaknesses are in your skills, your current classroom experiences, and your plans for improvement. In order to show the various facets of your learning, your portfolio will contain various elements. This portfolio will enable you to organize yourself and show others your accomplishments.
Your portfolio is intended to display your achievements and your most significant work as well as work in progress from the class. Because of the importance of this collection of work, it will need to be in a professional looking binder. The color and style of the binder are up to you. However, the binder should have a minimum of a 1-inch width*. The cover should have the title page (criteria is below). The cover design should be presentable, eye catching, creative, and professional looking.
You will share this portfolio with the teacher and other people at various points during the school year. It will be collected and graded on several occasions at your teacher’s discretion. You will conference with your parent or guardian and discuss your progress in class. Your portfolio will provide a significant source of discussion material, and will indicate your current status as well as your plans for improvement. The following material must be clearly labeled in your portfolio in the order listed.
*Your teacher may have a limited number of binders available for purchase at cost to him/her. This year the cost is $1.25, cash only, on a first-come first-purchase basis only.
1-Adapted, with modifications, from Spanish Portfolio by Emily Serafa-Manschot. And Cindy Kendall, MFLAC 1997.
World Language Portfolio (WLP) - Criteria
WLP title page: Your portfolio should have a title page on the front of the binder with the following information:
Dato Ejemplo
Nombre y apellido (first & last name) Julio Castillo Salazar
Nombre de curso (class name) Español 1
Hora (hour) Hora 1
Profesora (Teacher) Sr. Zammit
Año escolar (school year) 2016-17
WLP table of contents: You will need 6 (six) dividers with labels for the sections in your WLP (see me if this is a problem for you to acquire).They need to be labeled as follows:
WLP Preface: The prompts here are points that must be covered in your Preface with ways to start your thinking in parentheses. You must date every Preface you compose and write it in paragraph format.
Grading of your Preface is based on:
- completion of prompt responses
- level of metacognition demonstrated via your writing
- written in paragraph format
- dated
Student/Parent verification of syllabus received (Signature Page)
I have received and read the course syllabus for Señor Zammit’s Spanish I class for hour _______.
Student’s signature: _______________________________ ID number: __________________
Student’s name (printed): _______________________________________________
Student’s email address: ________________________________________________
Parent 1 signature: ____________________________________________________
Parent 1 name (printed): _______________________________________________
Parent 2 signature: ___________________________________________________
Parent 2 name (printed): _______________________________________________
Contact information: How may I contact you about your student? Please check your preference.
Parent 1
_____Primary phone: _________________________________________
_____Alternate phone: ___________________________________________
_____Work phone: __________________________________________
_____Email address: __________________________________________
Parent 2
_____Primary phone: _________________________________________
_____Alternate phone: ___________________________________________
_____Work phone: __________________________________________
_____Email address: _________________________________________
Please include below if there is anything else I need to know about your student; i.e.-allergies, medical alerts, etc. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This last page needs to be filled out, signed, and returned to me by __September 23, 2016_______. Even if this is not returned signed, parent and student are still responsible for this information.
Spanish I-A (Semester 1)
Spanish I-B (Semester 2)
Instructor:
Christian P. Zammit, MA
[email protected]
(248) 336-7740 ext. 2946
Room: 211
Course
Materials:
A one-inch 3-ring binder is required for this class. All materials will be developed, supplied and maintained by student. This binder must be used for Spanish only. Students are expected to bring this World Language Portfolio to class each day.
Course Description:
Foreign Language Learning Philosophy
Because a language is a discipline that builds in a sequence, students can be successful when they adhere to the following:
- Have a good attendance record
- Have good work habits
- Be willing to study daily
- Work well with other students
- Speak out in class; practicing the language
- Do homework regularly
- Have attitudes of:
-Open-mindedness to alternative ways of solving problems
-Curiosity about other cultures
In Spanish I-A and I-B we will begin with an overview of the language, people, history, etc... Students will begin to form basic Spanish conversations in response to the teacher as well as their peers. Students will complete grammatical and comprehension exercises as assigned by the teacher to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students will be expected to also give short Spanish orations, participate in oral &/or group activities, and use the Moodle course to complete assigned tasks. In addition to the focus on history, students are expected to show cultural knowledge while participating in oral &/or group activities.
Prerequisite:
There are no prerequisites for Spanish I-A. However, successful completion of Spanish I-A is needed for Spanish I-B.
Course Objectives:
Essential learning outcomes:
- Understand and produce memorized utterances and sequences in oral and written form.
- Develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to be able to meet survival needs in the classroom dealing with recurring events and functions.
- React, in a limited way, in a social situation without complications.
- Understand and answer in one sentence, in oral and written form, a structured question (yes or no, either/or) about real, personal experiences.
- Show, in oral and written form, some spontaneity and creative language use in response to an oral or written question or a situation or a visual.
- Write or give orally a limited description of two-four single sentences about the known and concrete environment, given a topic or visual aid.
School/Department Policies:
Attendance: Students are expected to report to class on time (before the last bell rings). Absences are dealt with according to Oak Park School District policy set by Oak Park Board of Education. Make sure you understand your responsibility with absences. Please remember, if your part in attending is not fulfilled – how can you expect to learn?
Behavior/Citizenship/Norms Use the ‘four R’s’: Respect yourself, Respect others, Respect your teacher and be Responsible. Demonstrating excellent citizenship and respect for others and ourselves contributes to an environment in which all students can learn. Students who choose to not demonstrate appropriate levels of citizenship will lose some or all of their daily participation points for the day and/or receive calls home, sent to the office, etc.
Classroom Norms:
- Be on time.
- Bring supplies and task due.
- Use appropriate and respectful language in class/school.
- Behave appropriately in the hallways/classrooms.
- Do your best at all times.
- Honor/Abide by the school policies.
Course Materials:
- 1-inch 3-ring binder & loose-leaf paper to use as your World Language Portfolio*
- Writing utensils
- Bilingual dictionary—highly recommended (some are available for classroom use)
- Access to a computer with the Internet outside of school
Assignments/Homework Policy:
Regular assignments: If students find it necessary to turn an assignment in late then it will be scored and marked as late in MiStar; late is defined as after the due date given. If a summative assignment is given a score that is less than a C equivalent, attending a make-up session set by the teacher can fix this. At this session the teacher will allow the student to redo the assignment or an alternate one (teacher’s discretion). Extra credit projects are NOT given. Extra credit is given as part of the regular assignments and tests throughout the semester. Therefore, if you want extra points - do the extra credit as it is given.
Test/quizzes: When a student is absent on the day of a test or quiz; the absent student must make up the test or quiz on his/her return date or at a time arranged by the teacher. The graded score will count if and only if the absence is EXCUSED. The make-up test or quiz may be the same test or another version of the test or quiz (testing the same information) at the teacher’s discretion.
At times students receive a failing percentage less than 69%; students may opt to retake the failed test prior to the district-set deadline for that grading period. There is a district-wide set deadline on this opportunity. Test grade will only change if the new score is higher. Retakes are NOT applicable in cases of cheating on the test/quiz (including use of electronic devices).
Absent work: It is the responsibility of the student to obtain any make-up work from me or to arrange the make up of tests (when we know ahead of time of the projected absence on test day we can try to get it done BEFORE the absence). At that time we will agree on the due date of make up work; be aware of the date we agree upon, I expect it to be turned in on time. Also, make sure you know the OPSD policy re: credit/no credit of missing work/tests.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Plagiarism is prohibited. This includes the use of someone else’s work with or without their knowledge/consent and submitting work using an electronic translation program (e.g., Google Translator, etc…). The instructor will enforce the OPSD policy on cheating/plagiarism according to the severity of the academic misconduct and allocate an appropriate penalty.
Intervention/Academic Support: Additional academic assistance is available through after-school tutoring. Students may consult with the instructor for specific dates and/or times available.
Grading Scale:
Your grade is broken down into the following categories and weighted accordingly.
10% Homework (formative)
25% Projects (summative)
25% Assignments (summative)
40% Quizzes & Tests (summative)
A 93-100% A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79%
C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% D 63-66% D- 60-62% E 50-59%
Types of Assessment: Grades will be based on the following: quizzes, tests, homework, projects, group assignments, oral presentations, oral exercises, daily preparedness/participation, and World Language Portfolio. Students receive points for all assigned tasks and assessments. Grades are averaged and weighted based on total points received divided by total points possible and the above scale showing weighting percentages per Oak Park School District policy. Formative tasks cannot be redone. Summative tasks may be redone by the Friday before the end of the grading cycle (per district policy). The deadlines for this year are:
MP1: 28/October/2016 MP2: 20/January/2017 MP3: 13/April/2016
MP4 for grade 9: 14/June/2016
.
Exam/Final Grades: This course is assessed at semesters end with a Mid-Term or Final Exam. The exams will be an accumulation of selected summative grades and a culture test on exam day. Each exam is weighted at one-fifth or 20% of the total final semester grade. This means that the marking period grades are weighted at two-fifths or 40% each of the total final semester grade as per district policy.
Grade conferencing: Student grades are never discussed during class times; they are confidential. I am available before and after school for such conferencing; please make an appointment with me for such needs. My contact information is on the first page of this document. Please be aware that MiStar is now compatible on mobile devices for Parent or Student Connect viewing.
NOTE: The next page is the World Language Portfolio information.
World Language Portfolio (WLP) - Rationale 1
In many professions, you actively demonstrate your ability to perform the duties required. In order to accomplish these duties and succeed personally and professionally, goals and plans for improvement must be established. Only by examining what you have accomplished and my identifying your strengths and weaknesses are you then able to plan for the future. The examination of your own work, discussing that work with others, and developing a plan for improvement are the keys to success regardless of the task. You will be able to better understand your learning styles, be able to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and initiate and complete a plan that will allow you to succeed.
Your World Language portfolio will show you, your teacher, and others what you are able to do, what your strengths and weaknesses are in your skills, your current classroom experiences, and your plans for improvement. In order to show the various facets of your learning, your portfolio will contain various elements. This portfolio will enable you to organize yourself and show others your accomplishments.
Your portfolio is intended to display your achievements and your most significant work as well as work in progress from the class. Because of the importance of this collection of work, it will need to be in a professional looking binder. The color and style of the binder are up to you. However, the binder should have a minimum of a 1-inch width*. The cover should have the title page (criteria is below). The cover design should be presentable, eye catching, creative, and professional looking.
You will share this portfolio with the teacher and other people at various points during the school year. It will be collected and graded on several occasions at your teacher’s discretion. You will conference with your parent or guardian and discuss your progress in class. Your portfolio will provide a significant source of discussion material, and will indicate your current status as well as your plans for improvement. The following material must be clearly labeled in your portfolio in the order listed.
*Your teacher may have a limited number of binders available for purchase at cost to him/her. This year the cost is $1.25, cash only, on a first-come first-purchase basis only.
1-Adapted, with modifications, from Spanish Portfolio by Emily Serafa-Manschot. And Cindy Kendall, MFLAC 1997.
World Language Portfolio (WLP) - Criteria
WLP title page: Your portfolio should have a title page on the front of the binder with the following information:
Dato Ejemplo
Nombre y apellido (first & last name) Julio Castillo Salazar
Nombre de curso (class name) Español 1
Hora (hour) Hora 1
Profesora (Teacher) Sr. Zammit
Año escolar (school year) 2016-17
WLP table of contents: You will need 6 (six) dividers with labels for the sections in your WLP (see me if this is a problem for you to acquire).They need to be labeled as follows:
- Información General: Syllabus, WLP-Rationale and Criteria sheet, Preface prompts, Prefaces completed during the academic school year, and completed WLP checklists.
- Apuntes y Vocabulario: Notes from a variety of sources and target language vocabulary as assigned by your teacher
- Tarea de Timbre: DoNows
- Tareas formativas: Formative tasks assigned in and out of class.
- Notas sumativas: Summative tasks like assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and their rubrics (as applicable).
- Glosario: Include supplemental worksheets, useful information, etc. of your choosing. Items that you feel are helpful to you.
WLP Preface: The prompts here are points that must be covered in your Preface with ways to start your thinking in parentheses. You must date every Preface you compose and write it in paragraph format.
- Give the reasons why you are studying this World Language. (Why are you here?)
- What do you want your parent or any other adult to notice about your work? (Look at what I can do!)
- What do you think you will do well in class? (I do ----- the best.)
- Of what are you most proud? (See how I shineJ!)
- What do you need to continue to work on and/or to improve? (Support me by ----.)
- How can your parent or guardian help you? (I need help with ---.)
- How can your teacher help you? (My W.L. teacher can help/support me by ---.)
- What are your goals for the future in your chosen world language? (This world language has ----role in my future goals of ----.)
- Express appreciation to your parent/ guardian or anyone else that has helped or inspired you.
- Close and sign your preface in a legible way.
Grading of your Preface is based on:
- completion of prompt responses
- level of metacognition demonstrated via your writing
- written in paragraph format
- dated
Student/Parent verification of syllabus received (Signature Page)
I have received and read the course syllabus for Señor Zammit’s Spanish I class for hour _______.
Student’s signature: _______________________________ ID number: __________________
Student’s name (printed): _______________________________________________
Student’s email address: ________________________________________________
Parent 1 signature: ____________________________________________________
Parent 1 name (printed): _______________________________________________
Parent 2 signature: ___________________________________________________
Parent 2 name (printed): _______________________________________________
Contact information: How may I contact you about your student? Please check your preference.
Parent 1
_____Primary phone: _________________________________________
_____Alternate phone: ___________________________________________
_____Work phone: __________________________________________
_____Email address: __________________________________________
Parent 2
_____Primary phone: _________________________________________
_____Alternate phone: ___________________________________________
_____Work phone: __________________________________________
_____Email address: _________________________________________
Please include below if there is anything else I need to know about your student; i.e.-allergies, medical alerts, etc. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This last page needs to be filled out, signed, and returned to me by __September 23, 2016_______. Even if this is not returned signed, parent and student are still responsible for this information.