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Mr. Dunfee’s Classroom Rules and Expectations 2018-2019
In order for us to have a productive and enjoyable year together there are just a few things you’ll need to remember.
Rules:
1) Show up on time and be ready to learn and communicate in French or Spanish.
2) Respect yourself, Mr. Dunfee, your classmates, and anyone else present.
Things you’ll need:
1) Somewhere to organize papers, packets, etc.
2) Something to write with (preferably pencil or black/blue pen)
3) Some way to practice vocabulary. You can make flashcards on 3x5 index cards or use quizlet.com or the Quizlet app. We’ll sign up for it in class soon.
Grading:
Grading is a simple mathematical equation consisting of 3 parts:
1) 70% - Graded assignments – this may consist of quizzes, tests, projects or small in-class activities (that will be announced as a graded assignment ahead of time). The 1st MP Quarterly will be 10% of this in the 2nd MP (leaving 60% for quizzes, tests, etc). The midterm/3rd MP Quarterly will be 10% of this in the 3rd MP. The final will be 20% of this in the 4th MP.
2) 20% - Participation – consisting of speaking in French/Spanish as much as possible, participating in classroom activities and discussions, engaging in partner/small group/classroom conversations in French/Spanish when assigned, and being a positive contributor to class.
3) 10% - Classwork and homework – when assigned, classwork and homework is expected to be finished to the best of your ability. They will be checked for completeness on a finished or not finished basis (no partial credit).
Testing:
At Mr. Dunfee’s discretion, most quizzes and tests can be retaken with the following rules:
1) You will receive full credit for your retake, but your old grade is thrown out regardless of what you get on the retake.
2) You must show evidence of having practiced the lesson more since the first time you took it. Mr. Dunfee will be happy to provide extra activities.
3) After the first retake you will be required to show that you’ve done additional work from Mr. Dunfee or the textbook online resources or Quizlet. Only two retakes are allowed per assessment.
4) The quiz/test will be similar but probably not the same as what you previously took. I’m looking to see that you learned the material, not the test. The entire quiz/test must be retaken, not just the listening part, etc.
5) Retakes are always always always always done on your own time. WIN on Day 3, before school, and after school by appointment. Fill out an appointment sheet beforehand so you’ll know where I’ll be and to receive a pass.
6) Retakes must be done within two weeks of the initial test or quiz.
7) Quarterlies, the Midterm and the Final may not be retaken.
8) Any quiz or test that has a 0 for strong evidence of cheating or containing a section with strong evidence of cheating may not be retaken.
Communication:
There are numerous ways to find out things you need outside the classroom:
1) Email at mdunfee@neshaminy.org
2) When requested, PowerPoints and other documents will be placed at dunfee.wikispaces.com
ACTFL foreign language standards – the 5 C’s:
STANDARD 1: COMMUNICATION
Communicate in French/Spanish.
• Interpersonal (listening-speaking/writing-reading)
• Interpretive (listening/reading)
• Presentational (speaking/writing to an audience)
STANDARD 2: CULTURE
Relate cultural information of French and Spanish speaking countries.
• Practices
• Products
• Perspectives
STANDARD 3: CONNECTIONS
Connect with other disciplines through the use of French/Spanish.
• Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing
• Accessing Resources
• Media
STANDARD 4: COMPARISONS
Analyze the concepts of culture and nature of language through comparisons of French/Spanish and English.
• Structures
• Idioms and Phonetics
• Cultural Characteristics
STANDARD 5: COMMUNITIES
Communicate with individuals from French and Spanish speaking communities.
• Service
• Communication
• Understanding
Methodology:
Cultural proficiency is the basis for all instruction in the language classroom. While culture is integrated into each unit, students will be continually focused on communication/performance tasks in the three modes of communication:
1) Interpersonal: Students exchange information and negotiate meaning orally or in writing. Examples of performance tasks in this mode are:
a. You have a “pen-pal” from another country and you are emailing back and forth about your school and classes that you study. Share which classes you like and don’t like and see what you and your pen-pal have in common.
b. Role play with a partner that you are meeting an exchange student from another country coming to Neshaminy for the first time and you would like to befriend him/her. You need to give them information about yourself and get information from them.
2) Interpretive: Student engages in reading or listening to understand the meaning of oral, written or other cultural texts (film, television, newspaper). Examples of performance tasks in this mode are:
a. Listen to a description of a typical school schedule from another country. How is their school day different from your school day? How is it the same? Which one would you prefer?
b. Read a story about a family from another country and be able to identify from the pictures which family members he/she is talking about. Are there any differences between their family and yours? Is the family a typical one from their country? Is the family similar to families in the US?
3) Presentational: Students engage in a one-way oral or written communication that presents information to an audience. Examples of performance tasks in this mode are:
a. You are applying for a scholarship for an exchange program in another country. You need to write an essay about yourself sharing why you would be a good candidate to travel with the group. Be sure to include your demographic information, your personality attributes, your hobbies and your academic strengths.
b. You are creating a video to post on your Facebook page all about you. Make sure that you include your likes and dislikes, any extra-curricular activities, and your “favorites”.
4) Skills: Students will practice vocabulary and grammatical structures in context with the ultimate purpose of communication in one of the three modes.