Middle-school students begin their study of a world language (Spanish or French) in 7^th grade.  The programs consist of vocabulary acquisition, cultural awareness, and mastery of grammatical concepts with emphasis on all five language components (reading, writing, listening, speaking, and culture).  These skills form the foundation for further study in high school.  In order to complete level one of a world language program, students must begin in the 7^th grade and continue their study in the 8^th grade.  Two years of middle-school instruction is comparable to one year of high-school instruction.

The State of Michigan requires that students earn two credits of a World Language in order to receive a high school diploma.  Additionally, as part of our commitment to educational best practices, Portage Public Schools requires two years of a World Language at the middle-school level.  One of these required credits may be earned at the middle-school level, provided that students successfully complete two years of the same World Language in seventh and eighth grade.  Upon successful completion of a World Language in middle school, students would go on to Level II of their World Language as freshmen in high school. 

Essential Learning Expectations:

By the end of the second year of middle-school study, students will have focused on the grammar, vocabulary, and cultural norms related to the following topics:

• Discussing food and food preparation, ordering in a restaurant
• Talking about the body, healthy, and healthy leisure and dietary habits
• Giving advice
• Naming clothing, colors, and discussing shopping and prices

Provided that the first and second years of middle-school study are successfully completed, students will enroll in Spanish II for their freshman year of high school.

Text used and other recommended materials:

¡Exprésate! Level 1B Textbook

Evaluation:                                                                                                                    

At the end of a nine-week marking period, the teacher will total the points earned by each individual student as well as the total points possible in accordance with Regulation #5200.  A student’s points may be those from tests, daily quizzes, specific assignments, etc. Portage teachers have two options in computing student grades:  (1) recording scores by categories, such as tests/quizzes, homework, special projects, etc. or (2) recording all points together, without the separation into categories. 

In this class, the student’s percentage score is comprised of the following:

Assessments are worth 90% of the student’s final grade.

Other practice is worth 10% of the student’s final grade.

Formative assessments are worth 0% of the student's final grade.

Student scores that result in .05 or higher should be rounded up.  The following percentage scale applies.