Syllabus

Here is the syllabus in case you don´t see it in learningsuite.


 * Participation Grade **

Your participation grade is all self-evaluated using the "Informe" found under the "Exams" tab of this website. The Informe is composed of five sections. (Everything listed in this posting is available in the syllabus or in the Introduction of your textbook.)
 * Asistencia (Attendance) **

This section has you check when you attend class. If you arrived to class less than five minutes late and stay until the end of class, you can check the box and award yourself all five points.

If you are absent one class period, you may make it up by attending another teacher's class. For example, if you miss the second day of Lesson 3, you may attend another day of Lesson 3 with a different teacher. If you choose to do this, you must get the teacher to sign and date a sheet of paper, so that I have evidence that you attended the alternate class. You can only make up seven (5) total absences this way. Remember as well, that you can only have three (3) unexcused absences before your grade starts to be affected. Although you give your own participation grade, it is important to know that I also keep track of attendance. Remember to be obedient to the honor code.


 * Manual para estudiantes [Actividades Escritas] (Workbook) **

It is expected that you complete the entire workbook over the course of SPAN 101. After each lesson, you will score your completion of the workbook. If you did everything, you may award yourself five points. If you completed half of the workbook exercises, give yourself half points. I may ask you to hand in some of your workbook. In this case, you will receive homework points separate from your participation points. Be sure to complete the entire workbook and all of the assignments.


 * Manual para estudiantes [Actividades Auditivas con Online Media] (Online Media Activities) **

At the end of every workbook section, you will find a section titled "Actividades Auditivas". You will complete these exercises by following the link titled "Online Media" in the "Important Links" tab of this website. Select the correct language, workbook, chapter, and file (there is usually only one file per chapter). The audio will then start playing. You should listen to the file to fill in the blanks found in the workbook. These activities increase your hearing comprehension. There are also several sections where you will be asked to repeat words, phrases, or sentences. This will help increase your pronunciation accuracy. Be sure to complete the whole section. It should not take more than 45 minutes for each lesson. It may seem like a lot of work, but it will only take about 7 hours of time through the whole semester. These activities are extremely beneficial to your ability to speak Spanish.

Learning Web is an interactive program meant to help in your reading and listening comprehension. You need to visit the link titled "Learning Web" in the "Important Links" page. At the bottom of the Learning Web website, you will find a link to install the software on your computer. Once you have it installed and open, select "Hablame" and the current lesson. Use this program to read and listen. Once you can read the dialogs and escenas, listen to them to see if you can understand everything that is being said. If you do not, click on the line to hear it again. Follow along until you can understand everything being said. Sentences like the ones used in Learning Web will be used on the tests. You must do one hour of practice every chapter. This is worth another five points
 * Learning Web **

**Laboratorio de conversación (Conversation Lab) **

Starting in the third week of class, you will be able to attend conversation lab. This will give you the opportunity to practice Spanish with a native Spanish speaker. It is required that you do at least two hours of conversation lab per unit. If you complete it, award yourself 15 points for each lab. If not, then write a zero. More details on these labs will be available later. Until the third week, you need to replace this hour of practice with an additional hour of practice with a classmate or friend. For more info, see this letter from the Conversation Lab Coordinator: 101-2 letter.doc

**Práctica oral con compañeros (Oral Practice with Colleagues) **

This section is simple conversation practice with a classmate or friend. Each lesson/chapter, you are required to speak Spanish for one hour. You may do dialogs from the book or unscripted speech. Bring a dictionary. It is good to practice new sentences and words. If you are unsure about how to say something, write it down and bring it to class or conversation lab. That way, you can learn what YOU want to say, and not just what I want you to be able to say. For each hour you speak Spanish, award yourself ten points.

**Trabajo adicional (Additional Work) **

Each unit, I will give you some activity that you can complete in order to gain 5 extra credit points. It could be a cultural activity or a worksheet. If you complete it, award yourself five extra credit points.