Frequently Asked Questions - Powered By OnCourse Systems For Education

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE SPANISH CLASS

SPANISH IN THE WORLD
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*How many countries speak Spanish in the world?*	21 countries speak Spanish in the world. Central America: México, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica South America: Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru Caribbean Countries: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico Africa: Guinea Ecuatorial Europe: España
*Is English more spoken than Spanish?*	No. Spanish is the second-most widely spoken language in the world (after Mandarin Chinese), with 400 million native speakers, and official status in a staggering 21 countries, spanning South, Central America, Caribbean countries, as well as Africa and Europe.
SPANISH IN THE U.S.
*How many Spanish native speakers in the U.S.?*	The US is home to 41million native Spanish speakers, according to census data - that's 13% of the population. And with another nearly 12 million bilingual Spanish speakers, the US is the second largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, ahead of Spain itself.
*How many students in the U.S. learn Spanish?*	Spanish is the most studied language other than English in the United States, with about six million students.
TOP REASONS TO LEARN SPANISH
*Why should I learn Spanish?*		Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. The Spanish language has a bright future. It will boost your employment prospects. Your travel experiences will be enhanced. You could work or study abroad. It will expand your entertainment options. Bilingual people experience several health benefits. Spanish is relatively simple to pick up. It can improve your grasp of your first language

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

QUESTIONS

ANSWERS

Is Spanish a graduation requirement?

Students on the TOPS University pathway are required to take two (2) consecutive years of a foreign language.
Students on the Jump Start pathway are not required to take a foreign language.

Are there opportunities to continue learning the language after the first two years?

Yes. Many students decide to take Spanish 3 and 4 after taking Spanish I and II. Students in Spanish 3 and 4 can take the CLEP Test. The CLEP test allows students to earn college credit for introductory-level courses by achieving scores on subject-specific tests.

Some students want to be bilingual, and minor in Spanish in College. Others want to study abroad and want to be ready for the experience.

INSIDE THE SPANISH CLASS
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*Do the students know what to do and expect every day in class?*	Yes. There is a schedule for each day and each week during the course. Usually during a week: First day: We learn the vocabulary and grammar for the week. First block: We practice the vocabulary and the grammar for the week. Second block: The students take the vocabulary and grammar quizzes for the week.
*How are chapters distributed during the Spanish 1 course?*	Each chapter lasts three weeks Week 1: First part of the vocabulary and the grammar Week 2: Second part of the vocabulary and the grammar Week 3: Review, conversation, and Chapter Test
*Will the students receive feedback and individualized instruction?*	Yes, the teacher works with every student individually and checks all the work to offer help one by one. Students then correct their mistakes, and the teacher signs the classwork to make sure everything was corrected and learned before the test.
*Do the students work individually?*	Most of the time students are allowed to work with a partner.

SPANISH BACKGROUND

QUESTIONS

ANSWERS

My child didn’t take Spanish in middle school, will he/she be able to take Spanish?

Yes. No Spanish background is needed to take this class. We learn everything from scratch. All your child needs to do is study the vocabulary every day, work in class, and be willing to learn.

THE SPELLING AND THE ACCENT IN SPANISH
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*My child has difficulty spelling in English. Will my child be able to spell in Spanish correctly?*	Yes. English has a very complicated spelling system which causes some students to struggle with spelling English words. The following examples are for the English language: *One vowel can have different sounds. Think of the letter “a” in Panama. The same word can be read different ways* (I read). *Students actually don’t learn how to read in English, they only memorize groups of letters and their different sounds.* Ex. The combination of “ea” sound frequently changes: meat, heat, and head. *Think of words with the phonic sound “-ough”:* 'Ough' as 'uff': 'Ough' is pronounced 'uff' in 'tough', 'rough' and 'enough'. 'Ough' as 'off’: You say it 'off' in 'cough' and 'trough'. 'Ough' as 'o': You use 'o' for 'dough', 'though' and 'although'. 'Ough' as 'ow': It's pronounced 'ow' in 'bough', 'plough' and 'drought'. Spanish, on the other hand has the easiest spelling system. Each vowel has only one sound, and it never changes. What you hear is what you write. Changing the spelling changes the meaning and pronunciation of the words. *hembra (*female), hambre (hunger), *hombre (*man), hombro (shoulder)
*My child can’t roll the “r” and will not have a strong Spanish accent.*	No problem. Many Hispanic kids can’t roll the “r”. I couldn’t roll the “r” as a child. It takes practice, and it doesn’t change the meaning of words.
*Is the Spanish alphabet different?*	The Spanish alphabet only has one more letter (ñ). Most of the letters have similar sounds like on the English alphabet. The vowels don’t change their sound what makes it easy to read and write.

LEARNING WORDS IN SPANISH
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*How can a student learn the vocabulary?*	On *Quizlet.com, or the Quizlet App. All the sets of vocabulary words the students learn in class are on this website. Flashcards* – A quick way to review the meaning of the words just like paper-based flashcards. Not good if the student needs to learn the spelling and pronunciation. Learn – A personalized study mode based on how well you know information in a study set Write – A fill-in-the-blank style study tool ( recommended by the teacher). Here the student can hear the pronunciation of the words. Quizlet will ask more times for the words the student is struggling with.* Spell – A study mode that dictates a word or meaning that you must correctly type Test – An easy way to quiz yourself on how well you know the words in a study set Match – A time-based game where the student must match words and their meaning. Not recommended for the Spanish class when the student is trying to learn the spelling and pronunciation of the words. Gravity – A level-based game where the student must answer correctly before being hit by an asteroid
*How often should a student study on Quizlet?*	From 5 to 10 minutes every day, not one hour the day before the test. Studying the words every day, little by little, is the best way to recognize the words that the student easily forgets and struggle the most to learn.
*What if the student doesn’t want to use* *Quizlet?*	It is fine if the student learns how to spell and pronounce the words correctly. A long time ago the best way to learn was to write the words many times. However, the students learn the words faster using Quizlet.
*Does the teacher know if the student is studying on Quizlet?*	Yes, the teacher can see if the student studied on Quizlet and what the student did during the time he/she studied. If the parent wants, the teacher can send a screenshot to the parents.
*What if the student doesn’t learn the weekly vocabulary?*	The student will fall behind and fail the class. The tests are in Spanish. The students need to write and answer questions using the vocabulary learned in class. It is really hard to understand a test if the student doesn’t know the meaning of the words.

AFTER AN ABSENCE
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*What happens when a student misses a day of school?*	The teacher’s website has all the videos and classwork for each lesson. The student can watch the videos and make up the missing work or tests as soon as possible.
*What happens after a long absence?*	The teacher will meet on Microsoft Teams and the student can participate in the lesson from home. Also, the student can watch the videos on the teacher’s website. After a long absence, the student has three weeks to make up the missing work after returning to school.

TESTS
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*When will the students have tests?*	Every week. Vocabulary test: the students write the Spanish words next to the English given words. Grammar Quiz: The students will put the words into sentences and answer questions in Spanish just like we did in class and practiced doing the classwork. Chapter Test: Only every three weeks, at the end of the last block. There will always be a study guide to study for this test.
*Will the students have multiple-choice tests?*	No, to learn a language the students need to write, read, understand, and speak the language.

GRADES
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*Are grades weighted by categories in Spanish?*	35 % Vocabulary Tests 15 % Weekly quizzes 40 % Chapter tests 10 % Conversation and other extra assignments.
CLASSWORK
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*What if the student doesn’t have time to complete classwork at school?*	The student can take it home and finish it at home. It is important to practice before the test.
*What if the student doesn’t complete the classwork before the test?*	Students are not allowed to take tests if the classwork has not been completed. Instead, the teacher will let the student complete the classwork and take the test. Some points will be deducted according to the class policy for taking the test late without a school-approved excuse.
HOMEWORK
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*Is there homework?*	No, there is no homework. There is time to do the classwork in class. However, if the student doesn’t have time to finish it in class, he/she should finish it at home to be ready and review for the test.

SPANISH FOR PARENTS
QUESTIONS	ANSWERS
*Can parents learn Spanish along with the students?*	Yes! There are video lessons on my teacher’s website. Parents can join Quizlet, download the packets to practice on my teacher’s website. That would be an awesome opportunity to encourage the kids to learn the language and use it at home.