Academics
Spanish K-8
The Spanish curriculum at Ring Mountain Day School encourages language proficiency in students beginning in the Primary/elementary grades. Our program not only develops immediate language skills but also equips students with useful, life long language acquisition strategies. Our objectives are to develop, reinforce, and refine communicative competency in listening, speaking, reading, writing and culture. Trough essentially an inductive approach, students gain an intuitive understanding of how the language is acquired and how they can use this knowledge to express themselves linguistically.
Classes are multilevel and age. We differentiate the Language instruction; we adapt contents and techniques to the varying abilities and needs of the students. The various methodologies employed take into consideration different learning styles. Among them we have incorporated to our program the Natural Approach and Total Physical Response (these techniques have been developed by Tracy Terrel and James Asher).
They approximate in the classroom, as much as is realistically possible and the informal environment first-language acquisition. Both methods presuppose that world-language instruction should meet student’s communicative needs. Students acquire first the vocabulary, phrases, structures and eventually the grammatical skills appropriate to and useful in their everyday environment. Various field trips are organized along the year with the purpose of practicing the vocabulary acquired in real situations ( see field trips section). The classroom is equipped with listening center, video, library, games, music library, microphone and speakers, over head projector, text books and workbooks (3rd through 8th grade), writing material and art sources. We have small classes and work as a whole group or in centers (Listening, conversation, writing and reading centers).
Kindergarten
Students in kindergarten learn vocabulary related to colors,
numbers from 1 to 20, food, farm and wild animals, clothes, transportation,
family, days of the week and a few sentences about weather conditions.
Students also learn common expressions in Spanish and how to say a
few sentences about them selves: their names, ages, likes and dislikes
about food. During the whole scholar year, kindergarten students practice
several conversations that include the vocabulary learned and act a
short play about a fairy tale. They have Spanish four times a week
in 30 minutes sessions.
- Video program: “Salsa” video program that allow students to review the vocabulary work and learn extra vocabulary.
- Parents as Partners: parents are encouraged to practice the new vocabulary in daily situations with their children, as well as participating in the different field trips and activities.
First/Second Grade
Students in first and second grades review the basic vocabulary
learned in kindergarten and previous year using games and songs. The
vocabulary planned for these two grades is considered to be reach in
two years. During the two years students learn vocabulary
related to classroom material, feelings and conditions, house, shapes,
body parts, weather, days of the week, months, seasons, numbers from
1 to 100, family, animals, city and different landscapes, food, school,
sports, adjectives for people, general actions. Students also practice
different kind of conversations, and learn how to ask common questions
like: what food do you like, where do you live, etc. First and Second
graders work with the same vocabulary but usually have different class
of activities: while First grades are completely focused in conversation
activities, Second graders start with activities that required writing
and reading skills. Students have Spanish four times a week in 45 minutes
sessions.
- Video program:“Salsa” video program that allow students to review the vocabulary worked and learn extra vocabulary.
- Parents as Partners: Homework is once a week. Parents are encouraged to practice the new vocabulary in daily situations and practice the different conversation activities with their children.
Third/Fourth Grade
Students in third and fourth grades review the basic classroom
vocabulary and basic conversations learned in the primary grades for
the first few weeks of the school year. For the remainder of
the year students learn higher numbers, math connections, more adjectives
and vocabulary related to animals and insects on their habitats, calendar,
places in the community, everyday actions, likes and dislikes and seasons. Fourth
grade students will learn the different persons (yo, tú, él,
nosotros, ustedes, ellos/ellas) and how the verbs change according
to different persons; forms of the verb to be and to have,
and present tense conjugation of -ar verbs.
In conversation, students learn by repeating, practicing,
memorizing and acting out six different dialogues-situations based on
questions and answers. As the year progresses, the dialogues becomes
more complex with more information.
- Text book and listening program: “Viva el Español I”
- Parents as Partners: Homework is once a week, it is usually vocabulary review. Parents can help students reading aloud and playing matching games with pictures and flashcards. Have a Spanish/English dictionary at home.
Fifth and Sixth Grade
Students in fifth and sixth grade review basic vocabulary
and grammar learned in previous grades for the first few weeks of the
school year. For the remainder of the year students learn information
questions, adjectives, vocabulary related to clothing, professions,
time, commands and explore conversational Spanish around describing
people, things and school. In conversation, students learn by
repeating, practicing, memorizing and acting six different dialogues-situations
through questions and answers. As the year progresses the dialogue
becomes more complex, with alternation between first, second and thirds
person. Students have Spanish three times a week.
- Text book and listening program: “Viva el Español I” and “Buen Viaje I” Glencoe-McGraw-Hill.
- Parents as Partners: Provide a place and space for students to do the Spanish homework they have nightly, except on weekends. Have a Spanish/English dictionary at home.
Seventh and Eighth Grade
Students in seventh and eighth grade review the basic vocabulary
learned in previous grades and then explore conversational Spanish
around describing people and things, lodgings, leisure activities and
health concerns. For conversation, students will learn by repeating,
practicing, memorizing and acting six different dialogues-situations. In
grammar, students review forms of the verb to be, and present
tense conjugation of –AR verbs singular and plural. Nouns,
articles, adjectives in singular and plural. Verbs on -ER and -IR.
Present of “IR’, “DAR” ESTAR. “TENER”, “TENER
QUE”, “IR A”. “INTERESAR”, “ABURRIR”, “GUSTAR”. “SER
Y ESTAR”. ME, TE, NOS. LE, LES*. In culture we will learn
about native Mexican cultures and Mexican modern society, economy,
art and life.
*New students will learn basic grammar concepts, get use
to the sound of the Language and practice listening and pronunciation.
*Advanced students will learn stem-changing verbs –e to -ie: from –o
to –ue. Object pronouns: ME, TE, NOS. Introduction to Preterit
for –AR verbs, Ir and Ser.
They also practice writing in Spanish, translation and pronunciation.
- Text book, listening and video program: “Buen Viaje I” Glencoe-McGraw-Hill.
- Parents as Partners: Provide a place and space for students to do the Spanish homework they have nightly, except on weekends. Have a Spanish/English dictionary at home.
