The language teaching community agrees that learning language and culture are inextricably connected. Thus, this course focuses on developing students’ Spanish- language proficiency through modes of communication that reflect real life communication in the varied cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.  By employing interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communicative modes in Spanish, students will explore the ideas, values, beliefs and other cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking peoples across the world and how these aspects work together to affect human experience.

Skills and Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have developed solid competencies in each of the five goal areas (the five C’s): Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. Main objectives include:

1. Ability to comprehend and respond to basic conversational patterns

2. Proficiency and knowledge of basic grammatical structures and terminologies

3. Basic proficiency in reading and writing the language

4. Knowledge of significant cultural practices and historical events from the Spanish-speaking world

5. Ability to use technology for e-mail and research of selected topics in Spanish

6. Ability to use the Supersite for oral and written practice of Spanish

Specific outcomes of the course are the following:

·         Talk about daily routines and personal hygiene, reassure someone, tell where you went

·         Talk about food, order at a restaurant, discuss familiar people and places

·         Talk about celebrations and personal relationships, express congratulations, ask for the bill in a restaurant, express gratitude

·         Discuss medical conditions, talk about parts of the body, talk about health and medical visits.

·         Talk about using technology and electronics, talk about car trouble, use common expressions on the telephone, say how far away things are

·         Welcome people, show people around the house, give instructions

·         Describe and illustrate aspects of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and make comparisons between these cultures and their own culture(s) using basic linguistic structures and vocabulary in the target language.

·         Evaluate their own values, behaviors and worldviews on the socio-cultural topics presented and compare these to those of Spanish-speakers.

Grading

Course Grade: The following components make up the course grade. The number of quizzes and graded homework assignments will vary according to the discretion of the instructor.

Table 1:

Table 2: Total percentages for final grade.

Homework and Quizzes

Online homework assignments will be made from the VHL Central Supersite daily. These assignments include written, audio and video activities. Each assignment is to be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the due date. Homework completed after the deadline will not be accepted. Failure to turn in the homework on time will result in a grade of zero for the given assignment. Also, you will have at least two writing assignments this semester that will count towards your homework grade. Additional details about the writing assignments will be provided by your instructor.

Frequent quizzes based on homework and class work will be given. Graded homework and quizzes will contribute 15% to your final grade. No late work is accepted and no make-up quizzes are given. The lowest two grades from this category will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Attendance

You are required to be in class for the entire 50-minute period. Arrive on time. You may be counted absent if you are more than 10 minutes late for class or if you leave class early.

Absences due to official university functions or documented illness will be dealt with on an individual basis and should be discussed with the instructor outside of class time. There are no “excused” absences from regular class periods and the instructor will take attendance every day. Each absence lowers your attendance grade. The attendance grade is calculated by dividing the number of days that you are in class by the number of days that the course meets. (Example for 2 absences out of a total of 57 class days: 55/57 = .9649…= 96.49%). The attendance grade contributes 4% to the final course grade.

This syllabus serves as notice that you may be dropped from the class without further notification if you are absent more than six times. A Conduct and Attendance Referral may be sent to the Dean of Students upon the fourth absence. If you decide to drop the course, you must follow university procedure for dropping a course in order to receive a W.  If the instructor drops you, you will receive a WF or F.

Participation

Active participation in class in Spanish will be awarded by the instructor in the form of puntos de participación. At the end of the semester, you should have 100 puntos for a 100% in participation.  Puntos de participación are awarded for your active participation in classroom activities in Spanish and for your interaction with the instructor in Spanish. Do not worry about speaking perfect Spanish; just speak. Accuracy will come with practice. Your participation grade contributes to 6% of the course grade. Attendance and participation together count for 10% of the course grade.

Language Laboratory

You will take a listening comprehension quiz in the Foreign Language Laboratory in Bea Wood 127/128. There are a total of six lab quizzes to complete, one for each lesson covered this semester. Please give your MSU Student ID to the lab attendant in order to receive your quiz. You will receive a quiz and a Scantron. You are not allowed to use books, notes, or any other materials when completing the quiz. Also, do not write on the quiz. Please sign out at the lab attendant’s desk in order to retrieve your student id. Make-up and/or late quizzes are not permitted. Your lowest lab grade will be dropped at the end of the semester. Please note the due dates below. A schedule of lab hours will be posted on D2L as soon as it is available.

Exams

There are three major exams, one every two chapters. Each exam consists of a multiple choice, matching, and/or true false portion and a written/short answer portion. Each portion is worth approximately 50% of the exam grade. Each major exam contributes 15% to the final course grade. You will be allowed one class period (50 minutes) for each major exam.

Final Exam

The comprehensive final exam covers all materials studied during the course. The exam consists of a multiple choice, matching, and/or true false portion and a written/short answer portion. Each portion is worth approximately 50% of the exam grade. The Final Exam contributes 20% to the final course grade. The Final Exam for this course is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. Location: TBA

Projects Required

The Personal Reflection Essay serves as an assessment of the student’s performance of the core curriculum objectives in the specific context of this course.  I will provide information concerning the presentation, formatting and grading of this project later in the semester. The subject of the essay will be a cultural topic or topics assigned by the instructor according to the instructor’s preference.  The cultural topic will present the student with an ethical dilemma or issue for resolution. Students should demonstrate that they have adequately researched and considered the topic in the framework of the core curriculum objectives.

The core objectives for the Language, Philosophy and Culture Foundational Component Area are addressed in this course according to the following descriptions.  A global assessment rubric will be used for measuring students’ mastery of these core objectives in the context of the Personal Reflection Essay.

Critical Thinking Skills: Students will demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.

Communication Skills: Students will demonstrate effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication.

Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical-decision making.

Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.

In responding to the topic, students must identify their core beliefs and the origins of those core beliefs, recognize the ethical issue(s) presented and the relationships between issues, state a position on the issue(s) and connect their position to implied actions and consequences^[1].  In other words, students must answer the following questions in their essays:

• What ethical issue(s) are presented? Identify these.
• What is your opinion or position about the issue(s)?

• How did you come to hold this opinion? Identify your core beliefs and their origin.
• What can/will you do personally concerning the issue?
• What are the implications of your opinion and the consequences of actions that you take or do not take regarding the issue?

Attendance

You are required to be in class for the entire 50-minute period. Arrive on time. You may be counted absent if you are more than 10 minutes late for class or if you leave class early.

Absences due to official university functions or documented illness will be dealt with on an individual basis and should be discussed with the instructor outside of class time. There are no “excused” absences from regular class periods and the instructor will take attendance every day. Each absence lowers your attendance grade. The attendance grade is calculated by dividing the number of days that you are in class by the number of days that the course meets. (Example for 2 absences out of a total of 57 class days: 55/57 = .9649…= 96.49%). The attendance grade contributes 4% to the final course grade.

This syllabus serves as notice that you may be dropped from the class without further notification if you are absent more than six times. A Conduct and Attendance Referral may be sent to the Dean of Students upon the fourth absence. If you decide to drop the course, you must follow university procedure for dropping a course in order to receive a W.  If the instructor drops you, you will receive a WF or F.

No late work accepted.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.