Dear parents of Spanish I students, September 8, 2015
Welcome to the World Languages Department of South Whidbey High School! My name is Jenny Gochanour, and I will be helping your son or daughter learn Spanish and become familiar with the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. I’m looking forward to a fun and productive year!
So that you can be familiar with our course content and class procedures, please read the student copy of the Spanish I class expectations and then sign and return the attached page. It is important that you be informed about my class policies, especially regarding grades and attendance procedures, as they may differ from those of other teachers. In Spanish 1 we do many verbal activities, and student in-class participation is crucial to each student’s development in Spanish. Most verbal activities are non-reproducible and cannot be made up if a student is absent. A daily participation grade of up to 5 oral points is given to each student. In the case of an absence, students may recuperate 1-5 daily oral points by calling my voicemail and leaving a 2-minute message in Spanish. Most written points (homework, class work, projects, and tests) may be made up, if completed promptly and if the absence is excused.
In addition to gaining a grasp of basic Spanish this year, students will become familiar with many aspects of the culture and history of the Spanish-speaking world. We will view and discuss cultural videos as well as read selections from publications focusing on these areas. Students will work on cultural projects throughout the year.
We will frequently be using computers and the Internet as resources in our learning. There are numerous sites for Spanish language drill and practice that your student can access from home for additional practice on just about any topic! Whether through technology or our classroom materials, your son or daughter will greatly benefit from daily study and practice outside of class. Please encourage the use of Spanish and assist with the daily study of vocabulary, which is important in building a large and useable vocabulary base.
Our daily activities, homework, information about upcoming projects and links to helpful Spanish websites and materials are available on my SWHS website, which should always be referenced by students in the case of an absence. Your child’s current grade and assignment list are available through Skyward and are typically updated weekly.
Finally, if you have any special experience in travel, languages, or language careers that you would like to share with our class, please contact me. I would love to include you in our learning process! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by phone or email. I look forward to working with your son or daughter, and I hope to see you at the SWHS Open House on September 30. ¡Gracias, y hasta pronto!
Email:
Jenny Gochanour Voicemail--360-221-6808 ext. 5200
Website: from SWHS homepage>staff>teachers>Jennifer Gochanour>Spanish 1