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:

·         Introducing yourself, greeting and saying goodbye to friends, learning courtesy expressions, talking about yourself and others, spelling your name, performing simple math problems, asking and telling time

·         Describing your university and classroom, exchanging information about courses of study, talking about the calendar and dates, asking and responding to simple questions

·         Talking about your family and friends, describing yourself, other people and things, saying how old you and others are, talking about things that belong to you and others

·         Talking about pastimes, weekend activities, and sports, talking about what you are going to do, planning activities, extending invitations, apologizing

·         Talking about your vacation plans, describing a hotel, talking about how you and others feel, negotiating and paying for items, describing your daily routine

·         Describing and illustrating aspects of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and making comparisons between cultures using basic linguistic structures and vocabulary in the target language.

·         Evaluating personal values, behaviors, and worldviews on the socio-cultural topics presented and comparing these to those of Spanish-speakers.

Attendance

You are required to be in the classroom 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. 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:

Attendance via Zoom, if required due to a documented positive COVID-19 test, documented requirement for quarantine or isolation due to possible exposure and/or for another medical reason that has been approved by the office of Disability Services and/or Student Affairs, will be credited equally as attendance in the physical classroom, but only if documented and approved. Please see the links provided under Grading on page 4 of this syllabus for more information.

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 5% to the final course grade. The attendance grade contributes 5% to your 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 to receive a W.  If the instructor drops you, you will receive a WF or F.

Participation

The participation grade contributes 10% to your course grade and 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. Don’t worry about speaking perfect Spanish. Accuracy will come with practice and repetition. Each week you will complete a participation self-assessment based on the frequency that you respond to my questions in Spanish and on your participation in optional pair activities with another classmate. Please see the following example:

Name_______________________               Class_________________  Date___________

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. You can find a list of all partner and virtual partner chats, including references to the textbook pages where they appear, under General Course Documents on our D2L page. These are also viewable in the Calendar view at the VHL Central Supersite

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 5 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.

Quizzes in D2L (Desire-To-Learn)

A quiz based on homework and class work will be given most weeks in D2L (Desire to Learn). These quizzes are to practice vocabulary and concepts learned and are to be taken without notes, the textbook or any other resource. 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 Friday by 5:00 pm and will be due by 8:00 am on Monday. Please see course calendar for specific due dates and exceptions. 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.

Core Curriculum Assessment

One of the D2L Quizzes will also serve as an assessment of the student’s performance of the core curriculum objectives in the specific context of this course (see Core Curriculum Assessment Quiz in the course calendar below). The short answer quiz will be based upon a film that I will assign for independent viewing later in the semester. The film will present the student with an ethical dilemma or issue for resolution. In their responses, 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:

• 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].

Homework Assignments

You will have almost daily (due MTRF) homework assignments on the VHL Central Supersite. 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 (see calendar/dashboard in VHL Central Supersite). Homework completed after the deadline will be accepted but with a 5% penalty assessed for each day past the original due date for that 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. Once the lesson grade has been recorded in the D2L gradebook, no late work will be accepted. These lesson grades contribute 7.5 % to your course grade. You are welcome to work ahead in the online program. Your lowest grade in this category will be dropped at the end of the semester.

Language Lab Quizzes

You will take six listening comprehension quizzes in the World Languages Laboratory in Bea Wood 127/128. The quizzes are based on videos related to the vocabulary, grammar and cultural concepts presented in each lesson. You may preview these videos at the VHL Central Supersite and you will need to access the site in the Language Laboratory to complete your quizzes.

Please show your MSU Student ID to the lab attendant 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.

Exams

There are three major exams, one every two lessons. 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 Monday, April 26, 2021, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The location for the exam will be announced during the last week of classes.

Attendance

You are required to be in the classroom 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. 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:

Attendance via Zoom, if required due to a documented positive COVID-19 test, documented requirement for quarantine or isolation due to possible exposure and/or for another medical reason that has been approved by the office of Disability Services and/or Student Affairs, will be credited equally as attendance in the physical classroom, but only if documented and approved. Please see the links provided under Grading on page 4 of this syllabus for more information.

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 5% to the final course grade. The attendance grade contributes 5% to your 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 to receive a W.  If the instructor drops you, you will receive a WF or F.

Late Work 

No late work is accepted with the exception of homework assignments completed in the VHL Central Supersite Individual assignments are accepted with a 5% late penalty per day until the last due date for that lesson’s assignments. Please see the calendar at the VHL Central Supersite

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.

Obligation to Report Sex Discrimination under State and Federal Law

Midwestern State University is committed to providing and strengthening an educational, working, and living environment where students, faculty, staff, and visitors are free from sex discrimination of any kind. State and federal law require University employees to report sex discrimination and sexual misconduct to the University’s Office of Title IX. As a faculty member, I am required to report to the Title IX Coordinator any allegations, personally observed behavior, or other direct or indirect knowledge of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination or sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking, involving a student or employee. After a report is made, the office of Title IX will reach out to the affected student or employee in an effort to connect such person(s) with resources and options in addressing the allegations made in the report. You are also encouraged to report any incidents to the office of Title IX. You may do so by contacting:

Laura Hetrick

Title IX Coordinator
Sunwatcher Village Clubhouse
940-397-4213

laura.hetrick@msutexas.edu

You may also file an online report 24/7 at Maxient 

Should you wish to visit with someone about your experience in confidence, you may contact the MSU Counseling Center at 940-397-4618. For more information on the University’s policy on Title IX or sexual misconduct, please visit MSU Texas Title IX

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.