HIGHLIGHTS AND COURSE EXPECTATIONS COMPONENTS
I. Name: Ana R. Melo-Murillo
I graduated from La Salle University in Bogotá, Colombia, as a Language Teacher.
I've been working as a teacher for ten years. I've taught from elementary level until eleven grade in several of the international schools in Bogotá. I've also taught at university level from freshmen students to senior. I've taken a lot of seminars and workshops related to language teaching as well as professional development in Colombia as well as in USA.
II. Course Title: Spanish Novice Level
III. Philosophy on teaching: As a foreign teacher I believe that it is necessary to create the appropiate environment where the student has a communicative approach being able to work on all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, addressing the various learning styles of the students and the attention span of their age level, in order to do that it is very important that the use of the language in class be exemplary. The World Language teacher and the student need to do their best with effort, enthusiasm, motivation. Learning a language is acquiring a set of habits through repetition, memorization and constant practice.
IV. Overarching Understanding(s) Related to the Course:
How can the learning and Mastering of Spanish open,
widen, and clarify life styles and cultural differences and
similarities giving me a new concept of globalism ?
V. Essential Question(s) Related to the Course:
1. How do I introduce myself to speakers of Spanish taking
into account cultural differences ?
2. In what way can I best inform people from another culture
about my family so that we can gain an understanding of the
family unit ?
3. How does my daily life differ from a person my age living in
another country ?
4. In what way can I demonstrate my knowledge of the language I
have been studying and make sure that someone from a country
that speaks Spanish will get an accurate picture of me ?
VI. Assessment :
Grades will be based on a variety of assessments including : tests, quizzes (they include vocabulary, oral activities, reading and listening comprehension), projects, classwork, homework, and class participation. All tests and quizzes will be announced in advance.
At the end of each unit students will complete a Summative Assessment ; here they apply all the contents and skills learned through the unit. This assessment is distributed to the students long before they are assessed so they know exactly what they are expected to fulfill. Also, rubrics are distributed along with the Summative Assessment. Before this assessment takes place, students are pre-assessed by doing a lot of various activities which ensure that students will meet or exceed the proposed standards.
VII. Reassessment :
All students will be offered a chance for reassessment in order to meet or exceed the standards. Students must first complete original assessments before they can be reassessed. Students will be given opportunities to demonstrate proficiency using a variety of teaching and testing techniques. In order to do that students may attend extra help before retake any assignment.
VIII. Contents :
The topics to be covered during the school year are divided by units: My life, My family life, My daily life, My community life where the student is introduced to the basics of the language. Based on these topics students develop a series of skills, such as Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, which are constantly encouraged and reinforced in class and, as possible as it can be, outside the class. Other skills encouraged through the lessons are those of Life Skills like working in group, thinking and reasoning, self determination and use of the technology, which students practice within the process of the lessons.
Standards are posted in the classroom; a copy is attached to each student´s binder; and, also, they are linked to the teacher's website.
IX. Skills to be Taught :
Since the skills to be practiced through the whole school year are the ones mentioned above: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing, students are expected to master the vocabulary and structures studied, not only with the mere practice in class but with extended practice at home, so that they will be able to strike up conversations involving their and other people´s personal information.
X. Meeting Different Needs :
Students will be given the same material to work either in class or at home. However, if there is any need to modify or, somewhat, add new material to reinforce and to better have them understand the contents, the teacher will do the arrangements at his discretion and to the necessity raised in each particular case. To do so, he / she will follow some strategies.
XI. Resources and Material Used :
A variety of materials will be used in the teaching of the lessons; these may vary according to the activities and skills on focus.
The following are the materials to use:
- Tape player - Strips
- VCR - Games
- T.V. set - Textbooks
- Internet - Handouts
- Vocabulary flashcards - Construction paper
- Charts - Writing and coloring utensils