Señora Whitaker
¡Bienvenidos a la clase de Español!
The list of benefits to learning a foreign language is endless. The most obvious to many is the exposure students gain to a world that may be completely different from their own. Because of this exposure, students gain a greater understanding of the world as a whole and also greater insight into their own culture. Beyond this, there are countless other benefits of which many people are unaware. Research has shown that learning a foreign language:
These are just a few of the proven benefits of learning a foreign language. If you would like more information on the benefits of foreign language study and/or view recently published articles on all things foreign language teaching/learning, please visit the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL).
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3537
Course Description: Students will work on basic vocabulary, spoken and written expression and listening comprehension. Students will also study and discuss various cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world. The focus of this class will be on basic communication and developing an appreciation of the language and cultures.
Class Rules and Expectations
Most importantly, be respectful of everyone in the classroom.
Follow directions the FIRST TIME, without comment.
Be in class and in your seat on time .
Grading Policy
Grades K-2 receive E, G, S, N, or U on their report cards for Spanish.
Grades 3-5 receive G, S, N, or U on their report cards for Spanish.
Grades K-2 will rarely have homework. "Homework" for them will be work that they did not
have time to finish in class.
Grades 3-5 will have a limited amount of homework. Most homework assignments will be in
the Hola! workbook. It would be helpful for students to keep all Spanish assignments for their
own future reference. Grades 3-5 will be using the same textbook: Hola! These books will be
shared among all grades. If a student needs access to the text outside of Spanish class, he or
she may check one out.
Course Description: Students are expected to participate in all classroom and homework
activities which involve reading, writing, listening and speaking in Spanish. The focus of the
class will be two-fold in that while the students will be learning how to communicate with others
in Spanish they will also become familiar with the culture and geography of many Spanish-
speaking countries. Equal emphasis will be placed on developing the student's communicative
ability in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking in Spanish.
Materials: Students are expected to come to class prepared and on time. They must bring their
textbook, binder and workbook everyday. Students must have a 1" binder with 3 dividers
labeled: Apuntes (Notes), Tarea (Homework), and Pruebas y Examenes (Quizzes and Tests). The
binder must also be well-stocked with paper.
6th Grade Text: Expresate! 1A
7th Grade Text: Expresate! 1A
8th Grade Text: Expresate! 1B
Class Rules and Expectations
Behavior Expectations
Consequences of not meeting above expectations are listed in the student’s Middle School
Policy Handbook.
Grading Policy
Quizzes and Projects - 50%
Homework - 25%
Classwork and Participation - 25%
Homework and Classwork
Students are expected to have homework ready to turn in at the beginning of class. Some
work will be graded based upon completion, and some of it will be based on correctness. Each
day a homework assignment is late, ten points will be deducted. No class work will be accepted
late unless due to an absence.
If absent, getting the make-up assignment is each student's personal responsibility. All
homework and long-term assignments will be posted on my homework webpage the day they
are assigned. If a student does not have internet access, it is their responsibility to come to me
or check with a classmate to get their missed assignment(s). The assignment will be due the
next time he/she has Spanish class.
Middle School Extra Credit Opportunities
*** Important*** Students are only permitted to do extra credit if they have turned in all classwork and homework assignments. Students who are missing assignments do not have the priviledge of doing extra credit.
1) Write a one-page report on a Spanish-speaking country. Find out the following things about
the country:
2) Write a one-page report on a holiday celebrated in a Spanish-speaking country. (example:
Cinco de Mayo in Mexico) Include the following things about the holiday:
Education
University of Florida, 1998-2002
Political Science and Spanish
Universidad de Salamanca, Spain, 2000
Study abroad program
Middle Tennessee State University, 2004-2007
Master of Arts in Teaching, Spanish
Places I’ve Lived
Plant City, FL
Gainesville, FL
Washington, DC
Nashville, TN
Favorite Things
Traveling
Hiking
Swimming
Cycling
Learning
Visiting family in Florida
Spending time with my husband, Andy
Spanish, of course!!
Contact Me
whitakerk@holyrosary.edu
Tutorials/Games/Vocabulary Practice
www.studyspanish.com - excellent independent tutorial
www.quia.com/shared/spanish - games and activities
www.spanish.bz/learn-spanish.htm - grammar activies
http://www.spaleon.com/index.php - conjugation practice
www.colby.edu/~bknelson/exercises/index.html
http://www.verba.org/verbi/all_verbs_index_es.html - Spanish word study, synonyms, antonyms and conjugation
http://www.indiana.edu/~call/reglas.html - grammar tutorial
http://highschoolace.com/ace/language.cfm - grammar, vocabulary, culture
http://stepstar.esd01.net/k12/ps/activities.htm - games for Spanish; various topics
Cultural Information
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/news/ - newspapers in Latin America
www.elmundo.es - Spanish newspaper
www.elpais.es - Spanish newspaper
www.xe.com/ucc/ - currency converter
www.oanda.com/converter/classic - currency converter
http://www.espanole.org - any country, basic information
www.flags.net - basic information and flags
www.flagplace.com/national - basic information and flags
http://coloquio.com/famosos/alpha.html - list of famous Hispanics with photos and biographies
http://www.auburn.edu/~jfdrake/teachers/gould/gould.html - a collection of topics, famous people, cultural and historical information from both Spain and Latin America
http://www.cia.gov - good source of facts on any country
http://www.virtualsources.com - information and resources from countries around the world
www.ancientmexico.com - explanation of gods/goddesses, traditions, ways of life of the Aztecs and other native groups in Mexico
www.virtourist.com/europe/madrid/01.htm - virtual tour of Spain and Madrid
http://www.sispain.org/english/index.html - Information on Spain
Songs
http://songsforteaching.homestead.com/index.html - songs in Spanish
Recipes
http://www.recipesource.com/ - recipe collections from all over the world
El Club de Español - Spanish Club
The Spanish club is open to all students in grades 6-8. In Spanish club we will focus on two aspects: language and culture. Cultural activities may focus on holidays, food, music, dance or art. Students will also have the opportunity to improve their speaking abilities by learning "Survival Spanish." Students will learn the language tools necessary for traveling in a Spanish-speaking country. Language activities my include ordering in a restaurant, shopping and bargaining, asking for directions, etc.
There are no set dues to join the club. However, depending on the activity, students may be asked to contribute a small amount to cover the cost of supplies.
Spanish club will mee once a month. We will meet from 3:00-4:00 or 4:30. Below is the schedule of meetings. Dates are subject to change, but your child will be given plenty of notice if this is the case.
Thursday, November 29
Thursday, December 13
Thursday, January 24
Thursday, February 21
Thursday, April 24
Thursday, May ?