Course Description

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.

Textbook, Instructional Materials and Minimum Technology Recommendations

1.   The following package is required for all courses. These materials will be used for both SPAN 1134 and SPAN 1234: Aventuras, 5th edition ISBN 978-1-68004-972-5: Full color, loose leaf, 3 hole punched (binder ready) version of Aventuras 5th edition with full VHLcentral.com supersite plus & websam technology. Please note the code with this package lasts for 36 months. Please contact your instructor or World Languages & Cultures at 397-4309 if you have any questions.

2.   1 package of long Scantrons

3.   The following technology recommendations are taken from the Student Life Subcommittee Report of the MSU Task Force to Return to Campus Report:  https://msutexas.edu/return-to-campus/_assets/files/return-to-campus-taskforce-8-4-20.pdf

 Chromebooks are not recommended as they will not work with D2L.

Study Hours and Tutoring

Approximately one hour of study daily is suggested for success in this course. You are welcome to come to my office or meet with me via Zoom or Skype when you have questions about topics presented in class. Before you visit for me for tutoring, please make sure you have watched the tutorials/presentations at the VHL Central Supersite. Typically, tutoring is also available for free with our departmental tutor and/or with the MSU Tutoring Center (McCullough Hall). As soon as I have information about these tutoring options, I will share them with you.

Student Handbook

Refer to: Student Handbook 2017-18

Academic Misconduct Policy & Procedures

Academic Dishonesty: Cheating, collusion, and plagiarism (the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work not the individual’s to whom credit is given). Additional guidelines on procedures in these matters may be found in the Office of Student Conduct.

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.

Attendance

I will be taking attendance using a seating chart and assigned seating as required by the MSU Taskforce to Return to Campus: https://msutexas.edu/return-to-campus/_assets/files/return-to-campus-taskforce-8-4-20.pdf:

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.

Quizzes in D2L (Desire-To-Learn)

A weekly quiz based on homework and class work will be given each week in D2L (Desire to Learn). These quizzes are to practice vocabulary and concepts learned and are to be taken without notes or the textbook. They are like mini-exams to help you with the difficult work of memorizing a great amount of vocabulary and grammar concepts.

These quizzes will become available Fridays by 5:00 pm and will be due by 8:00 am on Monday (See course Schedule pp. 11-13). These quizzes will contribute 7.5% to your course grade. No late work is accepted, and no make-up quizzes are given. Your lowest grade in this category will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Homework Assignments

Online homework assignments will be made from the VHL Central Supersite. Please check the site everyday. These assignments include written, audio and video activities. Some of the assignments are for the presentation of vocabulary and/or tutorials for grammar topics. The purpose of these assignments is to help you learn the material, so you should use all the VHL resources (vText, vocabulary cards, etc.) to complete these “homework” type activities.

Each assignment is to be completed by 8:00 am 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. For each lesson in the VHL Central Supersite an average of all the homework assignments for that lesson will be recorded in the D2L course gradebook. These lesson grades contribute 7.5 % to your course grade. You are welcome to work ahead in the online program. No late work is accepted, and no make-up work is given. Your lowest grade in this category will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Participation

Participation is based upon your use of Spanish in the face-to-face classroom and/or via recorded chats with classmates and/or with an online avatar at the VHL Central Supersite. Don’t worry about speaking perfect Spanish. Accuracy will come with practice and repetition. I will record points for participation in the face-to-face classroom when you volunteer to answer questions or you participate in conversations in Spanish with a classmate. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we won’t be moving around the classroom, so these types of face-to-face paired conversations may be limited. However, you will have ample opportunities to earn participation points toward your grade using the VHL Central Supersite Partner and Virtual Partner Chats. These chats are due weekly by Monday at 8:00 am, but you can complete them any time prior. I will assign at least two partner or virtual partner chats each week, but sometimes there will be more.

The virtual partner chats are designated with this icon:  

The partner chats are designated with this icon:

The virtual partner chats are completed on your own with an online “avatar” asking you questions. The partner chats are completed with one of your fellow classmates. Each chat can earn you 10 points toward a 100 for the Participation Grade category. Your Spanish does NOT have to be perfect, but please follow the directions and answer all questions in complete sentences in Spanish.

Language Laboratory

You will take a listening comprehension quiz in the Foreign Language Laboratory in Bea Wood 127/128. There are six lab quizzes to complete, one for each lesson covered this semester. Please show 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. 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. Also, please be aware that due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be fewer seats available in the Language Laboratory. Please plan ahead to avoid missing a deadline.

Personal Reflection Essay

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?

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 Saturday, December 5, 2020, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. The Final Exam will be given via D2L Assessment and will be accessible to students for a 24-hour period beginning December 4, 2020 at 11:59 pm and ending December 5, 2020, at 11:59 pm. You will have a 2-hour block in which to complete the exam once you have accessed it. No notes, textbooks, phones, websites, friends etc. should be used. Please do your own work and adhere to the MSU Student Honor Creed.

Extra Credit

No extra credit assignments are given to individuals that are not offered to the entire class. All extra credit assignments will be offered at the discretion of the instructor.

Grading

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.

Midterm Progress Report

In order to help students keep track of their progress toward course objectives, the instructor for this class will provide a Midterm Progress Report through each student’s WebWorld account. Midterm grades will not be reported on the students’ transcript; nor will they be calculated in the cumulative GPA. They simply give students an idea of where they stand at the midpoint of the semester.  Students earning below a C at the midway point should meet with the instructor and/or take advantage of tutoring options.

Attendance

I will be taking attendance using a seating chart and assigned seating as required by the MSU Taskforce to Return to Campus: https://msutexas.edu/return-to-campus/_assets/files/return-to-campus-taskforce-8-4-20.pdf:

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.

Late Work 

No late work is accepted.

Make Up Work/Quizzes/Exams

No make-up work is accepted, and no make-up quizzes will be offered.

If you know you will miss an exam due to an official university function, please make arrangements with your instructor prior to the absence and as soon as possible.  If you are absent from an exam, you must present documented proof of illness or university activity to your instructor before an early or make up exam will be scheduled.

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.