• Español 5 BI/AP
    2023 - 2024
    Aula 142

              Sra. Darakos          

         jdarakos@uscsd.k12.pa.us  

    In the IB Spanish Language course, Spanish is the principal means of communication.  Both the students and the teacher are required to speak in Spanish, regardless of the context of the exchange.  (i.e. chatting, debating, discussing, presenting etc.)  Moreover, within each unit of study there are a variety of speaking activities to aid the students in becoming competent in both formal and informal discourse.  These speaking activities include paired interviews, whole class discussions, whole class debates, leading a “tertulia”, and real life exchanges.  In addition, the students are also encouraged to speak to the teacher in Spanish, even outside of class, such as when a student inquires about work missed due to absence, rescheduling a make-up test, etc.  In order for the students to become comfortable in both the formal and the familiar registers, they are required to use the “Usted” form when addressing the teacher and to use the “tú” or “vosotros” forms when addressing each other.

    In each unit of study, the student is required to write at least one formal essay (sometimes as an “integrated skill” exercise), as well as at least one informal written assignment, such as a journal entry, a friendly letter, an email, etc.

    Also in each unit there is at least one authentic listening activity related to the unit’s theme.  These listening pieces range from movies, tape recordings of a Hispanic exchange student, podcast audios, textbook company prepared lectures on a CD, to several episodes of the Destinos telenovela language series.

    Lastly, every unit has a variety of reading pieces.  These readings include newspaper and magazine articles, poems, a short story, as well as instructional pieces from the textbook itself, Civilization y cultura. for students to demonstrate their mastery of the unit. 

    All activities conducted in class are to help the students prepare for and be successful on the IB Spanish test in May of their senior year.