Welcome to Spanish! Do you want to know how grades are earned?
Daily Goal
Our goal is that every day, in class, we practice:
- listening
- repeating/speaking
- reading
- writing
Be in Class
It’s important to be in class. Listening, speaking, and reading all need to be done in person, at the time that we’re doing it. It’s important to engage right away, every day. Most graded writing is done in class as well.
Not in Class?
What can students do if they are not in class for some reason?
For starters, we have a website we use that trains our writing abilities.
On it, I’ve put all the words that build our vocabulary and grammar base. Any time students are absent, this website is the automatic assignment.
Facts on Assignments and Quizzes
In fact, the assignments on this website are the exact same as our quizzes.
What?
Yes, I tell students exactly what’s on the weekly quizzes. I give them to students in advance to practice. I call them assignments.
And, believe it or not, students get to determine their own grades on those assignments. If students finish an assignment before the deadline and don’t like their grades, they can redo the assignments until they like their grades or time expires.
And assignments make up at least 10% of a student’s grade.
So students can not only self-determine at least 10% of their grade, but they always know exactly what’s on the quizzes?
Quizzes, Tests, Reading, Writing
Quizzes, yes. And most of the time tests too.
Tests are generally based on the grammar we cover at the beginning of a chapter. We spend the chapter practicing that grammar, and then students answer open-ended prompts demonstrating mastery of the same grammar points. Tests are not made up of surprises.
Reading happens in class and is often accompanied by a reflection assignment.
Writing happens in class in the form of notebook checks, short writing assignments, and essays. Essays are based on large stories we have covered in class and are summative assessments, covering all grammar students have encountered up to their class level.
Skill Development, Participation, and Game Points
Being in class is incredibly important to skill development and assessment.
Speaking happens daily, in class, and can only be assessed if students, in fact, speak Spanish. (Speaking English does not help.)
I try to make a game of it. Students are paired up, so they have a partner they can always speak to. Students are also placed on teams that compete against each other for game points.
Game points do not determine grades. However, I also do not call on students.
I take volunteers and I draw random cards to select students.
Volunteers earn double points for their team for game points, but volunteering also earns students participation points. These participation points factor into how students are assessed when it comes to speaking. Students can also earn points for their team if the cards choose them, but they earn fewer points.
My advice? Students should not wait to be chosen by the cards but should volunteer to speak every day. And not just with their partners. They should answer the questions at the beginning of class, and every other time throughout class that questions are asked.
Speaking Spanish and Grades
But, Señor, I can already speak Spanish. Can’t I just have an A?
How would that be fair to all the other students? To have you ‘earn’ something that you’re not demonstrating to me or to anyone else? Why should your work effort be any less and yet you receive a higher mark?
No, you can’t just have an A. But you can practice something you already know how to do. It’s like walking up stairs. You already know how to walk up stairs. Can’t you just be up the stairs? No, you have to put in the same effort as everyone else and earn an easy A.
What about me? I don’t already speak Spanish. I’ll never earn an A.
Not true. In the early stages, accuracy is not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for willingness and effort. Later on, after lots and lots of practice, accuracy plays a part, but still a small part. Are you trying? That’s what I’m measuring.
Be Determined
As far as two major sections of your grade are concerned (online assignments and speaking) Spanish class is very much a self-determined class.
- Decide that you will do the online assignments.
- Decide that you will speak Spanish in class.
The rest? Don’t worry about it.
Come to class and do what’s asked of you, and you’ll keep up.
Señor
