Spanish as a Second Language

2019-2020
Library 2nd floor

My name is Karen Schoonewolff this is my eight year at COJOWA and my fifth as SSL teacher; I’m Professional in
Linguistic and Literature from Cartagena University and I have an International Master´s Degree in Teaching Spanish
Language and Culture from Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca (Spain). I enjoy teaching language and its communicative
process. I’m aware of the importance of learning a second language, so the kids can understand a different culture and
have more opportunities in their future. I’m sure this will be an awesome year.

Contact Information:
Ms. Karen’s e-mail:
karen.schoonewolff@cojowa.edu.co
Our Web Page:
sslelementary.weebly.com
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions/concerns. You can follow us on Weebly.

What is SSL about? In SSL we work based on the students individual

SSL Program at COJOWA is based on the Common
European Framework of Reference for Language
Standards. The CEFR is described as a guideline
used to determine achievements of learning according
to levels. The CEFR is divided into 6 levels of
knowledge:
• A1-A2: Beginners
• B1-B2: Intermediate
• C1-C2: Advance
At COJOWA, we are looking after achieving an
Intermediate level of knowledge (B1), which means
the child is able to understand and communicate in
Spanish at an Intermediate level and is ready to
attend a regular Spanish class. In SSL Elementary
these levels are divided into sublevels, the student
could fit in any of these categories and will advance in
order to get a B1.2
needs, so they can growth depending of their Spanish
knowledge.
SSL Curriculum
Reading – Writing and Vocabulary
We work with the program Learning A-Z in Spanish,
where the kids are reading a variety of books. At the
beginning they will read books with basic vocabulary,
organized by patterns in order to practice new vocabulary
Sight Words (P.U.F) and pronunciation. They have the
opportunity during the week to build their own dictionary
of new words that they can modify and study during the
year. Also, during the year, kids will be working following
Balanced Literacy, this will help to enhance strategies for
reading and writing in Spanish.
Regarding the writing skills, kids will use different
strategies to write about themselves and the activities
they do. Every Monday they write about their weekend
using common past tense verbs. Different type of writing
will be introduced in each trimester, the idea is that some
of them can work in SSL class about what their
classmates are working in regular Spanish classes.
The vocabulary will be introduced with games and
activities that allowed students to learn and apply their
learning.
Speaking
Speaking will be developed through all the activities in
the classroom. Kids will participate in lessons where
they have to use their new vocabulary (Practice).
Also, kids will be developing projects related to the
topics that are taught in the classroom where the main
goal will be to include authentic materials in real
communicative situations. We will be using a program
known as Mondo, where kids build sentences and
new vocabulary by using pictures. The kids will be
encouraged to speak in Spanish during the entire
class.
Culture
During the school year students will be learning about
Colombia and other Hispanic countries, in this way
they can be able to recognize characteristics, places,
gastronomy and interesting facts about Spanish
speakers’ countries. Also, they can make
comparisons with the place where they born.
Class Schedule
Each kid has its own personalized program depending
on his own needs. Intensity of classes depends on
kid´s level of performance. SSL classes are held
during kid’s Spanish/Sociales de Colombia and
Values classes. Some students will share attendance
with regular Spanish classes, but they will be grade by
SSL.
Trimesters dates 2019-2020
Trimester 1: August 12, 2019 - November 20, 2019.
Trimester 2: November 21, 2019 - March 9, 2020.
Trimester 3: March 10, 2020 - June 11, 2020.
Topics included during the school year (Each
student could begin with any of these contents
depending of their Spanish level. The topic might be
the same but the level of difficulty will increase)
A1-A2
1st Trimester:
1. Saludos/despedidas (Greetings and farewells)
2. Expresar gustos (likes/dislikes)
3. El Alfabeto (The alphabet)
4. ¿Cómo me siento hoy?- Adjetivos descripción
estado anímico. (Feelings)
5. Números (Numbers)
6. Hora (The time)
7. Presentarse y Expresar info básica (Nombre,
edad, ciudad de residencia, lugar de nacimiento,
nacionalidad) (Introduce themselves and express
basic information)
8. Interrogativos: ¿Cómo/ de donde / cuántos?
¿Dónde, qué quién? (WH Questions)
9. Meses/días/estaciones/Clima (months, days and
seasons)
10. Descripción Física – adjetivos (Physical
description – adjectives)
11. Verbos –ar (Verbs in present)
12. Artículos (definidos e indefinidos) (Articles)
13. Letras B, E, C, H, M, I, Q, J, R, A
14. Colombia y los países hispanohablantes
(Colombia and the spanish speaking
countries)
2nd Trimester
1. Presentes indicativo (verbos irregulares)
(Irregulars verbs)
2. Comparativos y superlativos (Comparatives and
superlatives)
3. Cuerpo humano (The body)
4. Prendas de vestir y colores (Clothes and colors)
5. Enfermedades-síntoma. En el médico (at the
doctor)
6. La Familia-Árbol genealógico (The family)
7. Profesiones (The professions)
8. Adjetivos Vs. Sustantivos
9. Verbo IR (Presente/pasado/futuro)
10. Rutinas (routines)
11. Adverbios de frecuencia (Adverbs and
expressions of frequency)
12. Ir al restaurante (Going to the restaurant)
13. Letras G, U, O, T, V, D, F, L, LL.
 14. Expresar preguntar por la cantidad y precio (Ask Grading Scale: The students are assessed based on
for quantity and prices) the Grading 4-point scale. As it shows in the next chart:
15. Colombia y los países hispanohablantes
(Colombia and the spanish speaking countries)
3rd Trimester
1. Las vacaciones (Vacations)
2. Expresar acciones pasadas (To express past
events)
3. Expresar gustos y preferencias (Show likes and
preferences)
4. Expresar posesión (Possessions)
5. Lugares de la casa y el colegio (Places)
6. La escuela (The school)
7. Lugares de la ciudad. (Places of the city)
8. Direcciones (Directions)
9. Utilizar expresiones me parece que…, creo
que…, pienso que…, para mí… (Using
expressions I think… I believe…)
10. Futuro morfología y usos (Future) Homework
11. Gerundio (Present Continuous) Students will have no homework, at least they need to
12. Actividades de ocio (Entertainment) reinforce some topics. Part of homework could be record
13. Colombia y los países hispanohablantes one of their books in Raz Kids, so they can practice
(Colombia and the spanish speaking countries) fluency in Spanish.
14. Letras Z, Ñ, Y, R, RR, Q, GU, C/S
15. Conocer modismos en español. (Spanish Rules
idioms) We are using school wide behavior expectations and
16. Combinaciones de silabas br, bl, cr, cl, pr, pl. values called REACHES, REACHES Grades are:
(Sillables combinations) Almost Always (++) Sometimes (+) Rarely (-):
Responsibility (Responsabilidad)
Assessment & Grading Policy Empathy (Empatía)
Assessment will consist in Students’ performance, Oral
Assertion (Asertividad)
presentations, Projects, Classroom assignments, and Cooperation (Cooperación)
Quizzes-exams. All these based in two categories: Honesty (Honestidad
• Vocabulary and Grammar
• Communication Skills
Excellence (Excelencia)
Self-control (Se autocontrolarme)
Resources
Ideas or suggestions to succeed in your area
• Topics from Prisma, Ed. Edinumen. If you, as a parent, speak Spanish practice with your kid.
• Webpages He/she will benefit from all the interaction and stimuli.
• Games. Allow the kid to watch Spanish speaking programs or
read Spanish books/magazines, that will help him/her
increase his/her vocabulary.