Foreign Languages: Rosetta Stone & Global Voice Club

Rainshadow Community Charter High School – Fall 2010 Course Syllabus

Joe Ferguson *** joe@rainshadowcchs.org *** www.joerainshadow.weebly.com
Course Description: This course is designed to give students an introduction to learning a foreign
language at Rainshadow Community Charter High School. Students can choose to learn Spanish
(level 1 or 2), Italian, French, Portuguese, Japanese, or Russian by utilizing the powerful Rosetta
Stone software. They can also choose learning other foreign languages on a variety of online learning
programs. By learning a foreign language, students will gain an appreciation and understanding of the
diverse cultures that exist in our world.
Course Aims and Objectives for this Semester:
Upon completion of this semester course of study, students will be able to…
- engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and
exchange opinions in a foreign language.
- understand and interpret spoken language on a variety of topics.
- understand the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
- use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
- show interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and
enrichment.
- develop an interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal enjoyment and
enrichment.
- understand how diverse cultures and languages enhance our quality of life.
Requirements:
- Participation in classroom activities every day.
- Completed portfolio of projects and assignments (see requirements below).
- Completion of major student-driven projects and presentations.

Week / Dates Monday - Thursday

1) Aug 30 - Sept 2 Welcome back to school! New rules and expectations. Intro to language project.
2) Sept 6-9 Basic translating skills for foreign languages. No School Monday (Labor Day)
3) Sept 13-16 Intro: Rosetta Stone & language learning. Other learning options.
4) Sept 20-23 Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Thursday (Professional Development)
5) Sept 27-30 Rosetta Stone language learning. How to learn language through immersion.
6) Oct 4-7 Rosetta Stone language learning. Cultural aspects of foreign languages.
7) Oct 11-14 Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check.
8) Oct 18-21 Rosetta Stone language learning. Parts of speech and similarities between languages.
9) Oct 25-28 Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Monday (Professional Development)
10) Nov 1-4 Rosetta Stone language learning. Developing fluency and confidence.
11) Nov 8-11 Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Thursday (Veterans Day)
12) Nov 15-18 Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check.
13) Nov 22-25 Rosetta Stone language learning. No School Thursday (Thanksgiving)
14) Nov 29 - Dec 2 Rosetta Stone language learning. Developing cultural understanding.
15) Dec 7-10 Rosetta Stone language learning. Developing fluency.
16) Dec 13-16 Rosetta Stone language learning. Writing and translation.
17) Jan 3-6 Rosetta Stone language learning. Progress check.
18) Jan 10-13 Rosetta Stone language learning. Coming near the end. How far are we? What’s next?
19) Jan 17-20 Last class. Course reflection. Updating your Rainshadow Portfolio. No School Monday
(Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Grading Policy and Assessment: This club course of study is worth approximately 1500 points. The points
earned in this class will be averaged into your interdisciplinary (ID) project based class for the semester.
Point Breakdown:
Attendance and Participation – 1000 points
Completed Additional Projects – 400 points
Completed Rainshadow Online Portfolio – 100 points
Portfolio Contents: You will submit components from this course into your Rainshadow portfolio that will
showcase your work for the full semester course of study. Your portfolio will contain your best work from this
class and will be a demonstration of your skills and growth as a Rainshadow CCHS student. It will be expected
that your projects and other pieces of work from this class will be components of your portfolio.

Foreign Languages: Rosetta Stone & Global Voice Club

Foreign Language Curriculum Standards: State of Nevada
1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and
emotions, and exchange opinions.
2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics.
3: Students present information, concepts and ideas to an audience of listeners
4: Students understand the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture
studied.
5: Students understand the relationship between the products and perspectives of the culture
studied.
6: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign
language.
7: Students understand the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and
their own.
8: Students understand the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and
their own.
9: Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
10: Students show interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal
enjoyment and enrichment.
11: Students develop an interest in continuing the study of the foreign language for personal
enjoyment and enrichment.