Welcome to Spanish!
Taking a Spanish course as an 8th grader is a valuable opportunity:
- Successful completion of Spanish earns a student 10 hours of high school graduation credit. The grade will be a factor in the student’s High School GPA.
- Completing a high school course now provides the opportunity for students to progress through more Spanish courses in grade 9-12, and the best preparation for college entrance requirements as each college and university has different language entrance requirements. You will need to check with registrars at colleges and universities that interest your student for entrance information. By taking language courses as an 8th grader ensures five years of language credit through out high school and offers the following advantages:
- A more supportive high school classroom environment
- A reasonable class size
- Lots of teacher and peer support
- NO tuition
Spanish is a fun and challenging language course. To be successful, students must commit to active participation in speaking the language, patience as they encounter new and potentially difficult content, and consistent practice of new skills and procedures. Middle School Spanish teachers are always willing to help students do their best, so students should always feel comfortable asking for assistance (which may be something a strong student has never had to do before). Emerging from this course with a better understanding of self and the world can be a very rewarding experience and is often associated with learning about language and culture.
Academic grades for 8th grade world language courses are figured using the high school grading formula, which is somewhat different than the middle school formula.
- Summative Assessments count for 80% of the student’s academic grade. These assessments may include:
- Unit Tests and Projects – used to assess learning at the completion of each thematic unit
- Cumulative Tests – used to assess retention and/or relearning of previously assessed units.
- Semester Final Exam – a comprehensive assessment of the semester’s material.
- Formative work counts for 20% of the student’s academic grade. This may include the following:
- Daily assignments (homework)
- Group projects
- Classroom practice and activities
- Speaking activities, role-playing and skits
- Other – as deemed appropriate by the teacher
Since the middle school report card includes grades for Work/Study Habits and Social/Behavioral Skills, Spanish students will also earn marks in those categories. A Spanish student’s formative work scores can be considered part of the basis for determining whether a student’s performance in Work/Study Habits is Commendable, Satisfactory, or Needs Improvement.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding Spanish. I look forward to a great year of teaching and learning.
Sincerely,
Kati Schwieger