1. ¡Bienvenidos, Padres! Welcome Parents!

2. Why Study Foreign Language?
Knowing a foreign language can add gray matter in the brain which gives students more neural connections.
Bilinguals show a slower decline in mental powers with age.
Studies show that foreign language acquisition increases scores on standardized tests.

3. Why Study Foreign Language?
More than 200 million children in China are studying English.
Only 24,000 children in the US are studying any foreign language at all.
The President’s Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies says, “Americans’ incompetence in foreign language is nothing short of scandalous.”
Are our children prepared to compete in the global marketplace??

4. Sra. Rita Hensley-Damp (I go by Sra. Damp in class)
Washington University in St. Louis
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Marquette University in Madrid
Hamilton College in Madrid
Towson State University, Maryland

5. What do I teach at ELHS?
Spanish 2
Spanish 5 Honors
AP Spanish
Spanish National Honor Society

6. Spanish 2 Course Syllabus

7. Spanish 5 Honors Course Syllabus
Textbooks: Abriendo paso: Temas y Lecturas by José Diaz Online source: Shmoop Other authentic resources including radio, television, websites, books, magazines as well as other realia will be used both inside and outside of class. The teacher will use the target language whenever possible in class and encourages students to do so. Instructional materials include a variety of authentic audio and video recordings. Instructional materials include a variety of authentic nonliterary texts such as newspaper and magazine articles. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Spoken and Written Interpersonal Communication in a variety of situations. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their ability in Interpretative Communication to understand and synthesize information from a variety of authentic audio, visual, and audiovisual materials. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their ability in Interpretative Communication to understand and synthesize information from a variety of authentic written and print resources. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Spoken Presentational Communication in the Intermediate to Pre-Advanced range. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Written Presentational Communication in the Intermediate to Pre-Advanced range. The course explicitly addresses following six themes: Global Challenges; Science and Technology; Contemporary Life; Personal and Public Identities; Families and Communities; Beauty and Aesthetics. The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate an understanding of products, practices, and perspectives of the target cultures. The course provides opportunities for students to make comparisons between and within languages and cultures. The course prepares students to use the target language in real-life settings.

8. AP Spanish Language and Literature Course Syllabus
Textbooks:
Abriendo paso: Temas y Lecturas by José Diaz
AP Spanish: Preparing for the Language and Culture Examination by José Diaz
Online resource: Shmoop
Other authentic resources including radio, television, websites, books, magazines as well as other realia will be used both inside and outside of class.
The teacher will use the target language almost exclusively in class and encourages students to do so.
Instructional materials include a variety of authentic audio and video recordings.
Instructional materials include a variety of authentic nonliterary texts such as newspaper and magazine articles.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Spoken and Written Interpersonal Communication in a variety of situations.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their ability in Interpretative Communication to understand and synthesize information from a variety of authentic audio, visual, and audiovisual materials.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their ability in Interpretative Communication to understand and synthesize information from a variety of authentic written and print resources.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Spoken Presentational Communication in the Intermediate to Pre-Advanced range.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their proficiency in Written Presentational Communication in the Intermediate to Pre-Advanced range.
The course explicitly addresses following six themes: Global Challenges; Science and Technology; Contemporary Life; Personal and Public Identities; Families and Communities; Beauty and Aesthetics.
The course provides opportunities for students to demonstrate an understanding of products, practices, and perspectives of the target cultures.
The course provides opportunities for students to make comparisons between and within languages and cultures.
The course prepares students to use the target language in real-life settings.

9. AP SPANISH
AP Spanish somewhat different from previous Spanish classes you may have taken. AP Spanish is a college level course with the corresponding requirements. This means classes will move faster and will be more challenging than regular high school classes. There will be more homework. At this level we assume that students have already learned all of the basic grammar, and explicit grammar instruction will not be given in class on a regular basis. There will be grammar practice which should be done at home. Questions that arise from the homework may be addressed in class or individually.
At the college level, students are expected to be self-directed learners. This means that students should provide background knowledge for themselves through personal research. It is the student’s responsibility to identify his/her weaknesses and work to correct them. At this level, not everything can be provided in class, although I am always available to students with questions!
Students will be learning more about their own communities as well as Hispanic communities. There are six topics which will be covered: Global Challenges; Science and Technology; Contemporary Life; Personal and Public Identities; Families and Communities; Beauty and Aesthetics.

10. AP SPANISH (continued)
Students will need frequent access to the Internet, and they will need as much practice in Spanish as they can possibly get, so please encourage your student to speak whenever they can: in Spanish at restaurants, with neighbors, and at every opportunity. Students should also listen to Spanish radio and television and they should be reading labels in Spanish and comparing to English. Books with Hispanic culture should be selected for personal reading enjoyment. I would be happy to provide some ideas! Students should be reading for enjoyment IN SPANISH EVERYDAY! I will also assign some reading to be done at home.

11. How you and your student can get more class information
Sign up for FOCUS (Portal) to monitor your student’s grades.
Students have access to my website:
Parent Signature Sheet, Syllabus, Course Information, etc. available on the website.
Other classroom documents are available for students for reference and to print, if desired.
Sign up for Remind.com

12. Check out Sra. Damp’s website!

13. Teaching Through Technology
Remind.com
Remind.com is a website that provides a way for teachers to send out short announcements to the entire class at once via text message. Participation is optional but I do hope you will try it. Please note: This is not for personalized communication as the students and parents cannot reply to the messages. It handles outgoing messages only.
I will not be able to see your phone numbers, only the names of those who have signed up to receive the texts. You can read the privacy policy at You may also sign up for s instead of texts.
Both students and parents can sign up to receive the texts. I would like students to sign up with their first and last name. Example: John Doe. If John Doe’s parent also wants to sign up, they could sign up as John Doe Mom or John Doe Dad.

14. REMIND.COM
For text message reminders, send a
text to this number:
Then text one of the messages below: For
reminders, visit
Period 1 message: @senoradamp
Period 2 message: @sradamp4 Enter the class code (the messages
Period 3 message: @sradamp to the left) then choose ,
Period 4 message: @sradamp2 and put in your address. You
Period 5 message: @sradamp1 will receive an verification link.
Period 7 message: @per7span Click the link to finish signing up!
Be sure to sign up for the correct class period as the assignments and messages may differ.
You should receive a message asking for your first and last name. Please input these and you should be ready to go. I will send a TEST message.
Please Note: Although I will try to send frequent messages, do not expect a message reminder for everything! All tests and assignments are announced multiple times in class, and you may or may not get a Remind message! Remind messages are just a perk!
In addition, being grounded from your phone is not an acceptable excuse for not doing your homework! All assignments are also announced in class.
If you have questions or a problem, please send me an at
Sra. Damp

15. Grading Policy – Spanish 2
Tests and quizzes -70% of grade
Homework – 15% of grade
Class work and participation – 15% of grade
Homework must be neat, complete, and on time.
Late work may be accepted for partial credit, if made up within one week.
Tests and quizzes may be made up at lunch or after school within one week of the original test date.
Please have student see me or me for extenuating circumstances.
Extra Credit options will be posted each quarter on the website.
Please note that extra credit is intended for students who have completed all of the required class work and homework, and need a point or two to bump up their grade. It is not an alternative to class work and homework.

16. Grading Policy – Spanish 5 Honors and AP Spanish
Homework and Participation – 15% of grade
Projects and Presentations – 15% of grade
Tests and quizzes -70% of grade
All written work must be neat, complete, and on time.
Late work may be accepted for partial credit, if made up within one week.
Tests and quizzes may be made up at lunch or after school within one week of the original test date.
Please have student see me or me for extenuating circumstances.

17. Adopt our class!
Please consider making a voluntary donation by adopting our classroom!
Please pick up a form from Sra. Damp.

18. Thank you for being here tonight!
Students with involved parents do better in school!
So please do not hesitate to contact me any time!
works best:
Thank you for being here tonight!