Sra. Kilburn's Spanish Class Syllabus
In 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Spanish, students will be gently immersed in comprehensible language so that the brain has the opportunity to unconsciously acquire, or “pick up”, what it can when it is ready. Students will acquire frequently used words and structures of the language. Slowly, the brain will organize all the (listening and reading) input and in time emerge capable of (speaking and writing) output.
The process of getting to the output skills cannot be rushed, as those skills emerge in different students at vastly different times. Besides listening, reading is also a big part of what we do in Spanish. (The stories that we create in class set up our reading classes.)
“Language is acoustical, not intellectual.”
– Berty Segal
LISTENING:
Perhaps the most important and rewarding aspect of using another language is being able to understand what the other person is saying to you. In order for that to happen, one must hear lots and lots of comprehensible and interesting spoken language. I ask that students do their part to make stories and discussion lively and interesting by actively participating. I call this “doing your 50%”. It is Rule #7 in our list of Classroom Rules.
“Reading is the most powerful tool we have in language education.”
– Dr. Stephen Krashen
READING:
We will read often in class from books for beginners and class-created texts.
We will read students' choice materials at the beginning of class for ten minutes. Students who feel ready for a challenge and who are strong readers are encouraged to bring Spanish copies of favorite children’s books to class. If a student who is a strong reader in English has read a particular book many times in English, she will find the book much more comprehensible in Spanish. Think kindergarten through second and third grade: Go Dog Go, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Junie B. Jones, The Magic Tree House, NOT books for older children like Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. Please note that books also need to be comprehensible, so please encourage your child to choose Spanish books that she knows EXTREMELY WELL in English, perhaps even re-reading the book in English prior to starting the Spanish version.
WRITING:
In Spanish, students will be able and expected to write after a short time. We will do dictations, timed writings and rewrites of stories, as well as various other written activities completed individually and in groups.
SPEAKING:
Students will be encouraged in this course to speak Spanish when they feel comfortable and ready to do so. Speaking English is not encouraged in class. If a student has a compelling question, they are advised to wait until the last five minutes of class to ask it.
CULTURE:
We will explore some cultural habits, traditions, and experiences of Spanish-speaking people in order to better understand their worldview and in turn communicate more effectively. Certain aspects of culture that come up in class include geography, pop culture, politics, migration, current events, history, and food/cuisine.
GRADING:
Interpersonal Communication:
At the beginning levels of language study, interpersonal communication is of the utmost importance as students at the Novice level develop their ability to understand - and eventually convey - messages about themselves, their family, their school, their friends, and their immediate surroundings.
Each student is given a bank of 100 points each term. These points are refreshed approximately weekly. Students are expected to develop their listening and communication skills in this class. To that end, they will be assessed by the teacher daily, on their listening comprehension, their engagement with the teacher's speech and class readings, their ability to demonstrate comprehension or let the teacher know if she is unclear, and their growing ability to add to class discussions and stories (as the year progresses and students are ready). Parents will be contacted if students' participation grade slips below an 80%. Most students find Spanish class enjoyable, and a time to listen, understand a new language, learn about their classmates, and let their brains take the natural course of effortless language acquisition. Most students can expect an A or a B. Parents will be contacted if students' grades slip below 80%.
If a student's grade is low, please take comfort in the fact that we use a standards-based grading approach so the student's next grade will replace the lower one. We are focused on DEVELOPING and LEARNING constantly in this class.
CLASSROOM RULES:
The rules by which we govern ourselves in Spanish class directly impact not just our learning but also important “learning habits” that make up part of the Standards Based Grading approach at Carroll Magnet Middle School. A link to these important class rules are located in the sidebar of this website. Students will be held accountable for following these rules in class and their interpersonal skills grade will suffer if they do not maintain excellent learning behaviors. I work very hard to be the most excellent teacher I can be, each and every day. In turn, I expect my students to be the best learners they can be, each and every class period.
Please feel free to drop by anytime! That invitation also includes a sincere wish that you drop in to learn some Spanish yourself!