Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- Is there homework?
- When are tutorials?
- How can I help my child if I don't know Spanish?
- Are there additional resources available on the Net?
- When will my child be fluent in Spanish?
- Should I buy an audio program? Which one?
- Why is the Spanish you teach different from what I learned or speak?
- Why is the average I calculated different from the actual average?
- How do I make accents and upside down punctuation on my computer?
- Is there extra credit?
- What does the number 1 mean as a grade?
- Why are my student's participation grades low? Doesn't he raise his hand?
Is there homework?
Yes! Every night they are to read aloud 3-4 minutes and practice
their vocabulary 3-4 minutes whether or not additional work has
been assigned. Class time is given to start assignments but
they must be completed at home.
When are tutorials?
Daily 3:50 - 4:20
Mornings upon request
How can I help my child if I don't know Spanish?
Your student ALWAYS has vocabulary words to review. You can
pronounce the English meaning and have your student give the
Spanish. You can try the reverse after listening to your student's
pronunciation. It should be entertaining. You can also direct your
student to practice by doing the activities at the end of the book entitled
INFO GAP and STUDY TIPS. There is a tutorial program on CD-ROM
that coordinates with the text and should be installed on every student's
home computer within the first month of school.
Are there additional resources available on the Net?
Yes! There is a web site available to practice each lesson's
vocabulary. It is:
http://www.spanish.glencoe.com
Also, your student should have installed a tutorial program on your computer in 7th grade. If it is
not there (it is a red diamond with a yellow #1 inside), your student may check out the tutorial
disk and re-install it.
When will my child be fluent in Spanish?
Fluency comes with exposure to the language. When your child
lives in a Spanish-speaking environment 24/7, s/he will become
fluent. Classroom Spanish will help your child survive at a basic
level in a Spanish-speaking environment.
Should I buy an audio program? Which one?
Of course! It does not have to coordinate with what we are
currently studying. Any exposure will enhance your student's
skills. Book stores sell a variety of cd-rom programs. Ask
the clerk to advise you. Inquire about which is most
popular. Most programs are geared around travel and that is a
perfect way to start.
Why is the Spanish you teach different from what I learned or speak?
There are many variations of the language based on its country
of origin. We teach standard Latin American Spanish and then
tell the students other variations and what they might hear
locally. It's a challenge!
Why is the average I calculated different from the actual average?
The grades are weighted. Homework/Practice counts 15%,
Participation (weekly) 25%, Quizzes 25% and Tests/Projects 35%.
Please understand that completing late homework will not have a
significant effect on your student's grade average as points will be
deducted for tardiness and the grade is only 15% of the total average.
Performing well on quizzes and tests will ensure a successful average
because of the weighted grades.
How do I make accents and upside down punctuation on my computer?
For a PC, Depress the ALT key and hold it down while you type in the
3-digit number below. To type the number, you must use the numeric
keypad to the right of your keyboard, NOT the number keys on the top
row. Make sure the number lock is on!
� 160 or 0225
� 130 or 0233
� 161 or 0237
� 162 or 0243
� 163 or 0250
� 164 or 0241
� 168 or 0191
� 0161
for a MAC: When wanting an accent, depress the option and the e keys
simultaneously, then type the letter needing the accent. For the tilde,
depress the option and e keys sumultaneously, then type the n. For the
� depress the option and shift keys, then the ? key. For the � depress
the option key and the ! key.
Is there extra credit?
Yes! BUT it counts only if the student gives me an entire nine weeks with no zeros.
Otherwise it is not "extra" credit. Each student has a "savings account" into
which extra credit points are deposited for various classroom events during the
semester (quizzes on reading comprehension, participation in fiestas,
cultural projects, etc) or out of class elective projects. The points are calculated at the end of the nine
weeks. For every 20 pts of extra credit, students will receive 1 point added to
their NW2 or NW4 TEST average (5 pts = the maximum)
What does the number 1 mean as a grade?
It means your student was absent and did not yet make up the work owed from
the absence.
Why are my student's participation grades low? Doesn't he raise his hand?
Participation grades start at 80. It is a TOTAL participation grade, not just an oral participation grade.
Raising one's hand and participating orally can bump that grade to a 100 or even a 105 IF s/he has the
most points in a week with nothing deducted for penalties or non participation. The other 20 points are for
participating in all the classroom and homework activities plus following the class rules. If a student has earned a
95, for example, but did not do an assignment, (or arrived late, asked to use the pass while I was instructing, was
off task when called upon, was chewing gum, was talking during instruction, was rude to another student, etc., then
10pts. are deducted for each infraction and the 95 becomes an 85 or lower. If a student is absent, s/he can make
up the average of points earned by the class for the day/s missed in tutorials after school. The student has one
week to make up missed points.