SPAN 101-602 Tuesday 3:30 - 6:15 PM at The Early Childhood and Adult Learning Center

SPAN 101-603 Wednesday 3:30 - 6:15 PM at Butler Co. Adult Education Learning Center

Office hours: Tuesday/Wednesday after class by appointment at the same class location.

Alfonso.casana@wku.edu

Contact phone 270-781-2381 Ext. 140

Modern Language Mission Statement: "Through coursework, experience abroad, and other cultural encounters, the Modern Languages Program cultivates communicative skills and cultural awareness that prepare students at Western Kentucky University to be more knowledgeable and sensitive citizens of the global community".

1. Develop basic communication skills in Spanish. After successfully completing the course, students will be able to greet people, make introductions, count, spell, describe and discuss daily activities about family, friends, weather as well as ask and answer simple questions in present tense.
2. Enrich student's vocabulary in Spanish and reach better understanding of the basic Spanish grammar terms.
3. Gain some knowledge about cultural traditions in Hispanic countries and be able to identify countries’ locations and their capitals in Latin America.

Required Text and materials: Sol y viento Beginning Spanish by Bill VanPatten, Michael J. Leeser, Gregory D. Keating, and Esperanza Román-Mendoza, McGrawHill, 2005. Student registration in Quia book online is required. The instructor will guide and provide you a code number for your registration. Accompanying Interactive CD-ROM is optional.

The interactive activity CD-ROM: Sol y viento textbook comes with an exciting interactive program designed to provide you with further practice in the four language skills. Students could use this new multimedia resource to better prepare themselves for class and to acquire better understanding of the Spanish language and culture.

An English-Spanish, Spanish-English dictionary is recommended.

Other supplies: 2x3 inches lined Index cards.

Method: Class time is mainly for discussion and practice of assigned materials. Students must prepare thoroughly outside of class by reading assignments, working online Quia assignments, looking up unfamiliar words, marking passages that present difficulties (in order to ask instructor for clarification), and becoming familiar with the new vocabulary. The instructor will assess preparation with short quizzes and Quia book scores. Students are expected to bring a bilingual dictionary to class everyday, along with their textbook and with their homework done in the format as requested by the instructor.

Presentation 10%

Homework/ Quia book assignment 10%

Announced/Unannounced quizzes 20%

Midterm Exam 20%

Final Exam 20%

Class participation: Participation grade is based on your positive attitude and cooperation, not only with the instructor but also with your classmates. It is very important to ask questions on anything that you do not understand. I highly respect students who make this effort. Because of the nature of this course, it is essential that you attend class. You are expected to attend class and participate. Your 20% grade on this item will be based on how well and how much you use Spanish, your preparation for class, your cooperation in pair and group, and your respect and attitude towards your classmates and instructor. Cell phones and PDAs are to be turned off (not silenced) and placed out of view, along with any notes.

Attendance: Class attendance is not optional. Students are allowed two absences for any reason during the semester. Beyond two, students will lose three points per absence from their final grade. No exceptions! Any adjustment to this policy will be at the instructor’s discretion and only when legitimate documentation is provided for all absences.

The instructor should be notified in advance of any unavoidable absences. In the event that it is necessary to miss class, it is the responsibility of the student to find out what was covered and to learn the appropriate material. Upon returning to class students are expected to be fully prepared: ready to participate, turn in assignments, and take quizzes or exams as scheduled.

Late arrivals are disruptive so DO NOT ARRIVE LATE. Extra time will not be given to students arriving late to an exam or quiz.

Presentation: Each student is required to prepare a presentation on a Hispanic culture related topic. Visual aids are required. Presentation should not exceed five minutes. It is advised to discus with your instructor the draft of your presentation at least week before the presentation. Students will be graded according to the information presented, the way the information is offered, use of stage, the quality of the visual aids or power point tools, and handouts provided to classmates.

Homework/Quia book assignments: Assignments are given from Quia book online, textbook, and handouts. There are also some writing assignments. Class work is due at the beginning of the class period if other deadline is not agreed upon. No late work is accepted for credit. Portions of the assignments can be included on quizzes or exams.

Announced/Unannounced quizzes: They are given over homework and class material at any time. Two of the lowest quiz grades will be dropped.

Exams: Exams are given only at the scheduled times, except at the discretion of the instructor. Any such request should be discussed at least one week in advance. Students who arrive late are not given extra time nor are oral sections repeated. Sections of listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing can be included on both exams.

Spanish 101 covers the Preliminary Lesson to Lesson 3A of Sol y viento. There will be a total of two exams covering the Preliminary Lesson, Lessons 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and Lesson 3A. See the tentative class schedule for exam dates and material to be covered. Please note that make-up exams will NOT be given.

In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in Downing University Center.

Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

100 - 90 A

89 - 80 B

79 - 70 C

69 - 60 D

59 and below F

The following schedule is tentative. The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the course and the syllabus as necessary.