Spanish 1A / 1B

There are two Spanish courses available to 7-8th grade students (Spanish 1A and 1B).

Spanish 1A: A two-semester beginning Spanish course equivalent to the first semester of a high school level Spanish 1 course spread across the entire school year. Spanish 1A will emphasize the vocabulary, grammar, and forms needed to read, write, speak, and understand basic Spanish for practical and contextual communication. (See course syllabus.)

Spanish 1A will prepare 7th graders to take Spanish 1B in 8th grade or give current 8th graders a head-start to begin Spanish 1 in high school. 

Spanish 1B: A two-semester beginning Spanish course equivalent to the second semester of a high school level Spanish 1 course but spread across the entire school year. Spanish 1B will emphasize the vocabulary, grammar, and forms needed to read, write, speak, and understand basic Spanish for practical and contextual communication. (Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in Spanish 1A.) (See course syllabus.)

Students that have successfully completed Spanish 1A and 1B should be prepared to take a Spanish 2 course in high school, provided they can demonstrate the level of Spanish proficiency required. Any proficiency test to enter Spanish 2 at the high school level would need to be developed and administered by the high school where the student enrolls. (The exact procedure or policy to be followed would be up to each high school.)

Student academic qualifications: Only academically capable students, able to handle an extra course and homework, should be allowed to enroll in the online course. It is up to each participating school to carefully pre-screen its students. (Schools are not allowed to enroll an entire 7th or 8th-grade class into a course, but only high-achieving students fully qualified to handle the rigors of online learning and have a strong interest in learning the language.)

Student online learning qualifications: Online learning requires a greater degree of self-motivation to keep up with class assignments compared to a traditional classroom. Students that are diligent in following directions and have good time-management skills are likely to be more successful in the online environment. It is up to each school to carefully pre-screen its students before allowing them to enroll in online courses.

Course enrollment: Any qualified 7-8th grade student is welcome to enroll in the course as long as student seats are available. Seats will be filled on a first-registered, first-enrolled policy. The course will have a minimum enrollment of 4 students and a maximum of 20 students per section. It will be up to the course instructor if he/she is willing to have more than one section.

Tuition & Fees: There is a $45 non-refundable registration fee due during registration. (Registration fee increases to $55 after Aug. 5.) The tuition for WELS/ELS 8th-grade students is $260 per semester. This is a discount of $40 off the high school rate. (The tuition costs remain $300 per semester for all other students.)

Course registration: Follow the Registration Process directions available on the AmazingGraceVA.org website.

Method of Instruction: The courses will be taught in an asynchronous online format, which means students and the instructor do not need to be logged into the course site simultaneously. Moodle will be used as the Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate the course. Moodle is accessed through a website and does not require any installation on the user side. Students will receive a unique username and password to access the course site.

Students are expected to log in each day, Monday-Friday, at a time that is convenient for them. Schools should build time into the regular school day, just like a regular course, where all students from a particular school are working on the course simultaneously. Some students might need additional time at home to keep up with the rest of the class. Students that are diligent in following directions, are self-motivated, and have good time management skills are more likely to be successful in the online environment.

Time Commitment: The amount of time needed to be successful in the course can vary widely from one student to the next. A general expectation is 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Some days may take more or less time based on the assigned tasks.

Textbook: No textbook is required since all course materials are freely available online. (If the instructor determines that a textbook is necessary, schools will be informed, but the purchase and cost of the textbook would be the responsibility of the school or parents.)

Technology: Each student needs a computer with reliable high-speed internet access. Since the course utilizes audio/video files, a microphone, headphones, and a webcam are needed.

Course proctor: Each participating school is expected to assign a course proctor for the student(s) at the school enrolled in the course. The regular classroom teacher may serve as the proctor. The course proctor will:

• Must help, especially at the beginning of the semester; students get acclimated to following directions and submitting assignments on time.

• Serve as the primary contact person between the course instructor and the school. Typical communication might include days off school, absent students, missing assignments, student progress, etc.

• Arrange for local support, guidance, and technical assistance for students, as needed.

• Arrange for proctoring of tests, if needed. (The course instructor will provide specific instructions to the proctor concerning tests and the proctor's role in test administration.)

• Teachers are encouraged to contact the Proctor and parents for such issues as consistently late, sloppy, or missing work, plagiarism, etc., so everyone can work together to encourage the student to do his or her best.

High School credit: It is up to each high school to determine if a student successfully completing the Spanish 1A and 1B courses in 7th and 8th grade will also receive high school credit. Some high schools have a proficiency test that students need to take to determine a student's knowledge. Check with your local high school for information on their policy.