Japanese I
The Sanchez Japanese program continues to expand and develop each succeeding year. As an elective program, the offerings are intensive and demanding. Students will need to put forth consistent and dedicated effort to succeed in class.
The Japanese I course covers basic Japanese language and culture. This one-year mastery course sets the foundation for continued language study, which will culminate in fluency and understanding of the language and culture.
Prerequisite
Since instruction is in English, students need to have a basic grasp of elementary grammar concepts and vocabulary in English. It is recommended that students have at least a 75% in their previous English class before taking this course. Students with previous Japanese language experience may need to skip a level or two and move to a higher course, or may need to pursue an accelerated program.
Course Emphasis
All four basic areas are covered (comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing), with particular emphasis at appropriate learning stages. Cultural aspects, which reinforce the language learning, are interspersed throughout the course.
The course emphasis for the first semester is on speaking. Specific areas include the following: language characteristics, language attributes, conversation styles, processing studies, the Japanese "syllabary" or alphabet, basic vocabulary, conversational phrases, parts of speech, primary sentence structure, questions and answers, particles, simple dialogue, videos, and demonstrations.
The second semester emphasizes directed activities. Significant areas include the following: social overviews, extensive sentence manipulation, spontaneous paraphrasing, dictionary work, native interaction, vocabulary expansion, competitions, exchanges, field trips, and some reading and writing of characters.
Because language learning is a mastery skill, students should have an 80% or better grade in both semesters of Japanese I before advancing to Japanese II.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:
Sequence
The following units, roughly in this order, are presented:
There are some recurring tests dealing with the Japanese alphabet. This is to insure that students remain proficient in this important area. These tests, which are given every few days, are the following:
As a continuous exercise, these tests are announced well in advance and must be taken outside of normal class time. Students may begin taking these tests two or three weeks prior to each due date. Each test is worth 50 points.
Tutoring
Early morning and lunch time tutoring are available. Students should make an appointment to come in at one of these times if they need extra help.
Students may sign up for and receive a pass to come in for early morning tutoring on a regular basis. In order for students to be eligible for this program they must (1) be consistently studying on their own, (2) be utilizing class time effectively, and (3) not be a discipline problem. After showing their pass at the front door, students must come directly to the classroom and remain until the bell rings to go to homeroom. Passes will be revoked for misuse of this privilege. If students lose their pass, they might not be issued a new one.
Accountability
High School is a transition from the effort-based reward system of elementary school to the product-based reward system of college. There will be some grading on effort-based criteria, but most of the evaluation will be product-based.
While there are many instances where students engage in group work, much of the course work is individual in nature. Students are, naturally, responsible for their own work and behavior. Part of high school is not using others as an excuse for not doing what is required.
Students should expect to spend one-half hour to one hour per day outside of class studying Japanese.
Grading
In a mastery course, the present or final status is of primary importance. Although mastery grading frequently is more generous than other evaluation systems, students are often apprehensive about it. To produce a desirable level of comfort in which students will feel safe and uninhibited, most of the grading will not be mastery based. However, in situations where it is clearly and dramatically to the students' advantage, mastery-based criteria will be used. The much-touted portfolio format is an ideal technique for utilizing and displaying mastery criteria. This concept forms the core of the classroom methodology.
Because of the emphasis on mastery achievement (and to encourage continued growth) the first and third quarters count as 40% of the semester grade, while second and fourth quarters comprise 60% of the semester grade. Since students are required to calculate and set semester goals, they will need to become familiar with the formula for calculating semester grades:
(first quarter grade x 2) + (second quarter grade x 3)/5 = 1st semester grade
(third quarter grade x 2) + (fourth quarter grade x 3)/5 = 2nd semester grade
Students are required to know their grade in this class at any one time.
Score Sheet
Students are given a Score Sheet to keep track of their current grade during each quarter.
THE SCORE SHEET SENT HOME AT APPROXIMATELY MID-QUARTER SERVES AS A PROGRESS REPORT.
Parents should review and must initial the Score Sheet each weekend, and sign it when it is sent home as a Progress Report--before students turn it in.
Every few weeks, students' current grades will be posted on the web site. This list will indicate what grade THE COMPUTER (which is the final authority) says a student has earned. Students should always compare their Score Sheet grade with this listing so that they will be aware of any discrepancies. They should make sure that any discrepancy is resolved as soon as possible. Each student will receive a code number for reading their grade. Students should not disclose this code to anyone who may cause them embarrassment later! On occasion, grades will also be posted in the class room.
Occasionally there will be a check of Score Sheets. The Score Sheet must be in the 3-ring binder in the proper place, and must be calculated and up-to-date. It must be initialed by a parent or guardian on the appropriate line(s). Students who meet these requirements will receive twenty (20) points for the Score Sheet. Students who do not will receive a zero for this grade (it cannot be made up) and must serve detention. In addition, bonus points may be given for selected items related to this grade. This means that the Score Sheet check exposes a student to triple jeopardy! Students who were absent may receive these points by submitting an excused absence admit, showing that their Score Sheet is properly initialed and up-to-date, and doing a make-up assignment (since the check lost its surprise factor for them).
When the Score Sheet is turned in as a Progress Report at mid-quarter, it must have a parent's signature in the lower left hand corner, have all calculations done, and otherwise be complete. Score Sheets which have missing items will not be accepted, and will be returned to finish and turn in later (with the appropriate penalty for lateness.)
Work
Work turned in must be on standard looseleaf paper or paper provided; no spiral paper will be accepted, and no looseleaf with the holes torn. Personal information goes in the upper right-hand corner of the front page, complete name on the first "line" and hour on the last. (Any other information, such as the date, is not necessary, but if desired goes in between.) Title all work (e.g., "Introduction Quiz," etc.). Staple multiple sheets together. All work must be in pencil. Write on only one side of the paper. Most assignments are due before the tardy bell begins to ring to prevent students from working on them during class. Place work in the "IN" box for the appropriate hour before the bell, and corrected papers will be placed in the "OUT" box when recorded.
Students may type an assignment that is not required to be typed. Such assignments typed on the Japanese word processor that are neat and free from typing errors receive an additional 10% of what the assignment was worth. Students typing an assignment to receive this extra credit must wait to use a Japanese word processor until all students doing required typing are finished.
Due Dates
Work is generously accepted up to three days late. Each day an assignment is late 10% will be subtracted from the amount possible.
Due dates are generally given well in advance and thus no extensions are allowed for absences; students should see that work is turned in for them on days that they are absent. The criteria for an extension of a due date is whether a student was absent the day(s) an assignment was given, regardless of whether they were absent on the day it was due. Assignments due the day of a field trip must be turned in before going on the field trip.
Class Materials
Students must bring the following to class:
Every day
two pencils
3-ring binder
When required
flash cards
cassette tape
"wapro" disk
Points will sometimes be given for simply having a certain item, one of the things required for class. These points cannot be made up later by students who did not have the item that day. In addition, students will need to serve detention for "class materials missing." Extra credit may be given for items associated with this grade. Therefore, this check exposes students to triple jeopardy! Absent students with an excused admit will be allowed a make up assignment which will be different, since they will have heard about the grade and it is no longer a valid spot check for them.
The 3-ring binder must contain the following: title page, Score Sheet, calendar with due dates for all assignments for the year, looseleaf, dividers, notes, course outline, course description, policies, procedures, class rules, journals, class work, handouts, and other items as indicated.
Costs
At the present time, there is no lab fee for taking Japanese. Since there are many items necessary for the class that are not provided for through a lab fee or DOE funding, students will need to procure the following for this class:
Note: The Japanese Club sells these items as a fundraiser.
Students will be given points for the timely submission of these items at the beginning of the year. Students who do not take care of their wapro disk will have to buy a new one; dirty and/or damaged disks will not be used in the machines.
The Japanese word processors ("wapro") use special thermal paper that must be purchased in Japan. This may be purchased by the sheet (15¢per sheet)when students desire to print out anything that they have typed on the word processors.
Changes & Modifications
The administration frequently makes changes to the school policies and procedures, usually without warning. This is particularly true at the beginning of a new school year. Since some of those changes may affect these rules, and since it is economically impractical to make copies of these class rules throughout the year, students must regularly check to see if any changes or modifications have been made. Students must update their copies accordingly. (Any changes will also be announced as usual.)
The current Course Outline can always be found in Mr. Anderson's binder.
Classroom
Take appropriate care of the classroom. Desks should be in their rows except during group work. At the end of the hour, make sure the desks are in order and that all garbage is placed in the waste basket.
Class Time
Class time is for work for Japanese class only! This is not the place for personal grooming, sleeping, etc. Students should always be doing something to improve their Japanese while in class. Any other work will be taken away, as will other irrelevant items (e.g., annuals, walkmans, radios, magazines, newspapers, etc.). Students should not have items whose noise will detract from the class (beeper, watch alarm, etc.) Texts and work for other classes may be returned the next school day; items of a personal nature may not be returned! Additionally, students may have to serve detention for these offenses (double jeopardy!).
Students who are not on official school business should not be interrupting classes. Not only is this quite distracting, it is very rude. If your friends, siblings, etc. interrupt class, you may be required to serve detention.
Absences
The Lesson Plan is provided to enable students to find out what they missed when absent. It would also be wise to ask other students what was missed. Asking the teacher about missed work is, of course, fine. However, as that is not a part of normal class work, it is not appropriate during class time. Do not attempt to "steal" instructional time from other students. FIND OUT WHAT YOU MISSED BEFORE OR AFTER CLASS.
Handouts and other items from the day missed will only be given to students who return with an excused absence for that day.
Students who have been absent must have a validated field trip form or an excused admit in order to be admitted to class. Students who come to class without an admit or signed field trip form will be required to serve five (5) detentions. THIS IS QUINTUPLE JEOPARDY! One detention is for each of the five offenses involved: not following a school policy, breaking a class rule, disrupting Japanese class, disrupting another educator, and being tardy.
Tardies
Just as the bell (if on time) indicates the end of class, the bell indicates the beginning of class. When it rings, students should already be doing their class work.
Roll is simply taken with a seating chart at the very beginning of the hour. Students must be in the correct seat when the bell begins to ring; if students are not in their seat when the tardy bell begins to ring, they are tardy.
Students who are tardy (1) must serve detention, (2) receive one-third of an absence--or an absence if more than ten (10) minutes late; (3) miss questions already given on tests and quizzes-they will not be repeated, and (4) miss extra credit items. (Bonus questions on tests and quizzes are usually given before the bell rings.) In other words, tardiness exposes a student to quadruple jeopardy.
Leaving Class
Students frequently ask to leave the classroom during class time. This is particularly annoying because many hurried to be on time for class only to immediately ask to leave. Also, easily 90% of the students asking to leave do not have a true "emergency," which should be the only reason for leaving class.
To make it fair for students being penalized for being tardy, and to eliminate having to make a judgement call on "true emergencies," students who leave during class time are required to serve detention to make up time missed in class. Remember that according to school policy, students gone from class more than ten minutes are considered absent (and depending on the circumstances, this absence will be excused or unexcused).
Make Up
Make up tests and quizzes are always harder than the original was. This is only fair since absent students usually hear about the original exam and have additional time to study for it. It also eliminates the necessity of distinguishing legitimate absences from those absences incurred simply to avoid the test or quiz.
Detention
Serving detention is required for missing class time, not returning required forms, not returning signed parental letters, not bringing required class materials, disturbing others, not having the Score Sheet initialed and/or up-to-date, sleeping, minor offenses of school rules, not being on task, excessive talking, foul language, not cleaning up, and any other inappropriate behavior.
During detention students will be required to do custodial chores. Since part of the purpose of serving detention is to improve habits, if students are late for detention they will not be admitted, and will receive an additional detention for not serving.
Students must report to Room #109 the first five minutes of lunch (Modern Languages area, Mr. Anderson's room, inside Room #108), and detention is held the following fifteen to twenty minutes.
Students fill out the "Letter of Apology" and have the detention teacher verify it. They then need to take it home and have a parent sign it. It will be turned in the next school day. It serves as the corridor pass and is the only proof of having served detention. If it is not turned in the next school day with a parent signature, not only will detention have to be served again, another detention will be added as well. When leaving detention, students must go directly outside through the front doors of the main building.
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