Hello! Welcome to Spanish class! My name is Mrs. Garcia. I am originally from Connecticut, but I have also lived and taught in Virginia. I attended James Madison University where I received a BA in both English and Spanish. During my time at JMU, I participated in the study abroad program, living with a host family in Salamanca, Spain, and attending the University of Salamanca. Immediately after graduation, I attended graduate school at The College of William and Mary where I received a Masters degree in Education. For the past sixteen years, I have been teaching English, Spanish, and reading at the middle and high school levels in CT, VA, and now VT.
Standards Based Grading
In all of the five Spanish courses offered at PHS, students' grades are indicative of their proficiency levels in each of five main areas: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and vocabulary and grammar. These areas, or competencies, stem from the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards for foreign language learning.
AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE TEACHING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES (ACTFL) STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
COMMUNICATION
1.1. Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
1.2 Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
CULTURES
2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
CONNECTIONS
3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
3.2 Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
COMPARISONS
4.1 Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
4.2 Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
COMMUNITIES
5.1 Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
5.2 Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
In all of the five Spanish courses offered at PHS, students' grades are indicative of their proficiency levels in each of five main areas: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and vocabulary and grammar. These areas, or competencies, stem from the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards for foreign language learning.
AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR THE TEACHING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES (ACTFL) STANDARDS FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING
COMMUNICATION
1.1. Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
1.2 Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
1.3 Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
CULTURES
2.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
2.2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture studied.
CONNECTIONS
3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
3.2 Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
COMPARISONS
4.1 Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
4.2 Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
COMMUNITIES
5.1 Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
5.2 Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using the language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.