In standards-based education, the goal is mastery of the subject matter. Students are assessed on what they know and what they can do according to state mandated standards.
The requirements for vocabulary acquisition and understanding of how to speak, read, write and understand Spanish at the second level are clear and non- negotiable. Mastery at each level is essential for success at the next level. Ultimately, for college entrance or career placement, assessment of one’s proficiency in Spanish will be determined by independent, objective individuals.
Students in my 2nd year Spanish class are given quizzes, both announced and unannounced, which gauge their understanding of recent lessons. These quizzes are for their benefit in knowing what they understand and what they are still confused about, and for my benefit in knowing where general clarification and remediation are needed. By the time we get to a comprehensive test, every four weeks or so, students should have already used quiz results to identify areas of strength and weakness and come in for help or put in extra study time for those areas of weakness. In this way, students need not find out on a major test that they are deficient in crucial skill areas or vocabulary.
Quizzes are worth 5 – 20 points and cannot be retaken. Tests are worth 100 – 120 points and will be taken to mastery. Since it is essential that students master vocabulary and concepts at each level, tests which indicate failure to understand the vocabulary and structures of that period of time will be retaken*, following remediation of broad-based errors during class and a critical analysis of mistakes by the student, with teacher help if the student comes in outside of class, followed by corrections done by the student at home or in study hall.
Test results below 80% must be retaken until students earn 80% or above.
In the event that many students score below 80%, a class period will be spent to remediate problem areas identified in the test. After that, students do their analysis and corrections and retake the assessment. After that retake, no more class time will be spent on that particular test and students are responsible for getting help and scheduling the next retake. And following the first retake, we will proceed to the following unit of study. So it is in the student’s best interest to keep up with understanding materials and skills and meet standards in a timely manner because everything builds on the previous units’ understanding.
*retakes test the same structures and draw vocabulary from the same lists, but will contain different questions/ sentences. They do not incorporate anything presented in lessons beyond the original test date.
Overview of Spanish 2 and goals
First semester grammar:
Personal ‘a’
Hace + a period of time
Constructions: ir a + , tener que +, acabar de+
Reflexive verbs
Direct and indirect object pronouns
Past tenses
The dirty dozen
The Three bears
Para +
Infinitives follow prepositions
September CCAP:
· Commands using tú, affirmative and negative
· Comparatives
· Extracurricular activities
· Hace + time expressions
· Hay que .../tener que.../deber + infinitive
· Introduce preterite in context
· Ir + a + places/infinitives
· Items in classroom
· Reflexive and non-reflexive expressions
· Saber and conocer
· School activities and school rules
· Stem-changing verbs in context
Overview objectives /target learning August
Understand parts of speech and what they communicate.
Identify parts of speech in Spanish by noticing endings of words.
Know meanings /gender/ translations of unfamiliar words in each language because of certain unvarying endings ) cion, idad, oso, etc.)
Review essential vocabulary to prepare for conversation, writing, building up grammar.
Clarify use of mucho/as adverb and as adjective.
Use target language to summarize a movie and answer questions.
Understand how to break down complex readings into manageable pieces for accuracy of meaning.
Overarching Understandings:
· Communication in the language requires students to think past their own native language and natural tendency to translate word-for-word.
· Using and adapting comprehension and presentation strategies for various situations expands language skills.
Overarching Essential Questions:
· How can I interact in conversations and written exchanges in the target language without thinking in English?
· How can I use what I have learned in the language to adapt to situations and express what I mean?
Personal ‘a’
Hace + a period of time
Constructions: ir a + , tener que +, acabar de+
Reflexive verbs
Direct and indirect object pronouns
Past tenses
The dirty dozen
The Three bears
Para +
Infinitives follow prepositions
September CCAP:
· Commands using tú, affirmative and negative
· Comparatives
· Extracurricular activities
· Hace + time expressions
· Hay que .../tener que.../deber + infinitive
· Introduce preterite in context
· Ir + a + places/infinitives
· Items in classroom
· Reflexive and non-reflexive expressions
· Saber and conocer
· School activities and school rules
· Stem-changing verbs in context
Overview objectives /target learning August
Understand parts of speech and what they communicate.
Identify parts of speech in Spanish by noticing endings of words.
Know meanings /gender/ translations of unfamiliar words in each language because of certain unvarying endings ) cion, idad, oso, etc.)
Review essential vocabulary to prepare for conversation, writing, building up grammar.
Clarify use of mucho/as adverb and as adjective.
Use target language to summarize a movie and answer questions.
Understand how to break down complex readings into manageable pieces for accuracy of meaning.
Overarching Understandings:
· Communication in the language requires students to think past their own native language and natural tendency to translate word-for-word.
· Using and adapting comprehension and presentation strategies for various situations expands language skills.
Overarching Essential Questions:
· How can I interact in conversations and written exchanges in the target language without thinking in English?
· How can I use what I have learned in the language to adapt to situations and express what I mean?