Dear Parents and Guardians:

Bienvenidos!  I would like to introduce myself as your student’s Spanish teacher this school year.  I look forward to working with your son or daughter as they begin or continue learning Spanish.   

My Master's degree in Foreign Language Education in Spanish is from Auburn University.  I am trained in and practiced communicative language teaching (CLT).  In class, we will focus on understanding and communicating in Spanish by exchanging real-life messages while building vocabulary, grammatical structures, and other skills.  We will also explore Spanish culture by working with authentic Spanish texts, ads, music, videos, and more.   

I speak in Spanish over 90% of the time in class by carefully monitoring what I say using visual aids, props, and/or gestures.  Students will not always understand things word for word, which is OK as long as the message is understood.  I aim to communicate messages that students can understand, not frustrate them.  To ensure active listening and comprehension during class activities, students earn points (“pesos”) when they participate, which make up a large part of the student’s overall grade.  This helps me and them to assess their progress.

In assessment, I believe in testing what and how you teach.  Because students will practice and participate in class listening, reading, writing, and speaking activities, these skills will be tested similarly.  We will also have speaking tests, portfolios, and traditional paper-pencil tests.

Our classroom rules are to be respectful, responsible, and ready to learn.  My classroom management consists of several strategies to keep students safe, engaged, and on-task. Students are responsible for their own behavior and will experience the natural consequences of their decisions.  We will work together as a classroom community to support each other.  We will have high expectations of ourselves and others, and our behavior will serve as an example to others.

The best way to ensure your student's success is to work together and communicate often.   If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by phone or e-mail. Sign in to Remind to get information about class assignments and activities.

I look forward to meeting you at the Open House!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Wyatt