- Hubble Middle School
- Welcome
-
Insertimage hereWelcome to my classroomName: Julie HarringtonGrade/Subject: 8th grade Spanish and FrenchRoom: C211Email: julie.harrington@cusd200.orgEnter your welcome message here
¡Buenos dÃas!
Thank you for taking the time to review what your child is learning in his or her Spanish class. You can play an integral role in your child's acquisition of Spanish by staying informed of what is being taught in class and supporting language learning at home.
Realidades, your child's Spanish textbook, is designed to promote both written and oral communication. Each theme-based chapter includes vocabulary in context, grammar, and cultural lessons. Also included are pronunciation exercises, detailed language studies, and ways to recognize and use Spanish outside of the classroom.
Upon completion of our first chapter, "Para Empezar", your child will be able to: greet people; introduce him/herself to others; begin using numbers; tell the time; and talk about things related to the calendar; talk about things in the classroom; and describe weather conditions and identify the seasons. Also, your child will explore: the correct way to address adults; the different uses of the word "you"; and the correct use of punctuation and accent marks.
Learning a foreign language is an exciting time for students. They are exploring new cultures, customs, and a new language. It can also be an uncomfortable time for some students. They are unaccustomed to language sounds and patterns. Sometimes students feel nervous or apprehensive about speaking Spanish. I hope that if we work together we can make learning Spanish fun, rewarding, and as comfortable as possible.
In class, the students need to listen and imitate the spoken language they hear from me and from natives speakers on the audio and video program. I stress to the students that although the sounds may seem awkward and funny, with practice, they will seem more natural. I also encourage students not to be afraid to make mistakes. I tell them the best way to learn a language is to speak it. As the old saying goes, "practice makes perfect". (Well, maybe not perfection, but we can strive for our personal best!) I assure the students I will not tolerate other students laughing at "mistakes". In my classroom, there aren't "mistakes", only learning experiences. I strive to maintain a non-threatening learning environment.
Since most of us do not speak Spanish on a daily basis, practice outside the classroom is essential. I encourage you to help your child study the language at home. Yes, you can help (especially with vocabulary), even if you don't speak Spanish. Here are a few tips: 1)Set up a study time free of interruptions. 2)Do not laugh when your child speaks Spanish. Rather, encourage him/her to study ALOUD! 3)Encourage your child to come in for extra help when needed. I am available most mornings beginning at 7:30. Additional help is also available online at www.PHSchool.com by using the Web Codes in the Student Edition or in the Practice Workbook. 4)Remind your child she/he should study at least 20 minutes every night, even if there isn't any "real" homework. There is always vocabulary that needs to be reviewed. 5)Ask your child what he/she did in class today. 6)Encourage your child to teach you or a sibling what she/he learned in class today.
Learning a foreign language takes a lot of time and practice. However, the effort can definitely pay off. For example: SAT and ACT verbal test scores often are higher for foreign language students. Many jobs require a foreign language, and colleges are impressed by students who choose to take foreign language at an early age. Learning a foreign language encourages understanding of cultures around the world. Also, traveling is enhanced when you can speak the language of the natives. The future needs leaders who can communicate in other languages. And most of all, learning Spanish is fun!
I look forward to meeting you at Open House on Tuesday, September 3 at 7 PM. Please feel free to email or call me with any questions or concerns you might have as your student practices reading, writing, listening, and speaking Spanish. I'm anticipating a fantastic year!
Sincerely,
Julie Harrington
Hubble Middle School
Julie.harrington@cusd200.org
630.821.7900 x4526
Bonjour!
Welcome to the Discovering French, Nouveau!-Bleu program. In French class, we are just beginning our exploration of French as it is spoken in France and the French-speaking world. As your student learns the basics of French pronunciation, he or she will also learn to greet people, introduce him or herself and say where he or she is from, introduce family, relatives, and friends. In addition, your student will learn to count to one hundred, give his or her age, and find out someone else's age.
The Discovering French, Nouveau!-Bleu program focuses on authentic culture and real-life communication in French. We practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking and introduce students to culture typical of France and the French-speaking world. By comparing French language and culture with those of their own community, students gain a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences that exist between the two.
Learning a foreign language is an exciting time for students. It can also be an uncomfortable time for some. They are unaccustomed to language sounds and patterns. Sometimes students feel nervous or apprehensive about speaking the new language. I hope that if we work together we can make learning French fun, rewarding, and as comfortable as possible.
In class, the students need to listen and imitate the spoken language they hear from me and from native speakers on the audio and video programs. I stress to the students that although the sounds may seem awkward and funny, with practice, they will seem more natural. I also encourage students not to be afraid to make mistakes. I tell them the best way to learn a language is to speak it. As the old saying goes, "practice makes perfect". (Well, maybe not perfection, but we can strive for our personal best!) I assure the students I will not tolerate other student laughing at "mistakes". In my classroom, there aren't "mistakes" when it comes to speaking French, only learning experiences. I strive to maintain a non-threatening learning-environment for all.
Since most of us do not speak French on a daily basis, practice outside the classroom is essential. I encourage you to help your child study the language at home. Yes, you can help (especially with vocabulary), even if you don't speak French. Here are a few tips: 1)Set up study time free of interruptions. 2)Do not laugh when your child speaks French. Rather, encourage him/her to study ALOUD! 3) Encourage your child to come in for extra help when needed. I am available most mornings beginning at 7:30. 4)Remind your child she/he should study at least 20 minutes every night, even if there isn't any "real' homework. There is always vocabulary to be reviewed. 5)Ask your child what he/she did in class today. 6)Encourage your child to teach you or a sibling what she/he learned in class today.
Learning a foreign language takes a lot of time and practice. However, the effort can definitely pay off. For example: SAT and ACT verbal test scores often are higher for foreign language students. Many jobs require a foreign language and colleges are impressed by students who choose to take foreign language ant an early age. Learning a foreign language encourages understanding of cultures around the world. Also, traveling is enhanced when you can speak the language of the natives. The future needs leaders who can communicate in other languages. And most of all, learning a language is fun!
I look forward to meeting you at Open House on Tuesday, September 3 at 7:00 PM. Please feel free to email or call me with any questions or concerns you might have as your student practices, reading, writing, listening, and speaking French. I'm anticipating a fantastic year!
Sincerely,
Julie Harrington
630.821.7900 x4526
