SYLLABUS FOR SPA 101.02A
Spring 2008
Horario y (Martes) Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. 160
lugar: (Jueves) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m. 342
Profesor: Dr.
Lawrence Rich
Oficina: AA252
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences
Teléfono: (Oficina)
(703) 933-3986 (To speak with me
or leave voice mail)
(Oficina)
(703) 845-6241/2 (To speak with an
office assistant)
(Casa) (202)
332-3490 (My home, but only for
extreme emergencies)
Correo
electrónico: lrich@nvcc.edu
Página de
Internet: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lrich
Blackboard: http://bb7.vccs.edu
Horas de
Oficina: MW
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.
TTh
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
I. COURSE MATERIALS
The following are required for SPA 101:
1. Destinos
(Second edition of the alternate edition).
Van Patten, Marks, & Teschner.
McGraw Hill, 2002 or 2003. The
book comes with 7 shrinkwrapped audio CDs for the textbook exercises. (“Listening
Comprehension CD program to accompany DESTINOS.”)
2. Destinos,
Workbook/Study Guide I, Lessons 1-26.
McGraw Hill, 2002 or later.
3. Audio
CD Program to accompany the Destinos workbook.
The “Audio CD Program
to accompany DESTINOS” is needed to complete the workbook exercises of Destinos. It is sold in two parts: Part
I (Lessons 1-26) and Part II (Lessons 27-52).
For this class, you need only
Part I. Do not confuse these
CDs with the CDs that accompany your textbook. I
recommend that you buy the Audio CD program for the workbook at the campus
bookstore, as you will need to use the CDs outside of class and at home. But if you do not want to purchase them, you
have two other options:
a) You may get free copies of the workbook CDs
made by bringing one or two sealed, blank, 90-minute audiotapes (normal, not
high-bias) to the Testing Center, Room 332, and filling out a request
form for duplication. (Please read the list of acceptable tape brands posted
outside room 332 and fill out the required slip). If you choose this option,
have
your copies made as soon as possible. Do not wait until it is too late! (Your
first workbook exercises must be handed in on Thursday, January 31). There is a limit of 2 tapes per request. Make sure you use
the correct request form, the one marked “Second Edition of the Alternate
Edition”).
b) Cassettes (made from the workbook CDs) may
also be borrowed and listened to in Room 332.
To borrow them for use in Room 332, you must present your NVCC ID card.
4. A bilingual
(English-Spanish/Spanish-English) dictionary. I strongly recommend the Larousse pocket
edition, but you are free to choose another one.
5. Videos
(Lessons 1-11) All students in
this class must
view the accompanying video for each chapter/episode of Destinos. Each video must be viewed at least three
times: once in class, and at least twice at home or in the library.
You should not buy the videos. They are very
expensive, and there are other ways of viewing them outside of class:
a) You may view the videos in the NVCC Alexandria
campus library. There are also a few circulating
copies which may be checked out for viewing at home, but due to the large
number of Spanish students, they are seldom available.
b) The Extended
Learning Institute (ELI) airs the Destinos videos on certain cable
networks that carry the NVCC ELI broadcasts.
Check the video schedule at http://eli.nvcc.edu/tvschedule.htm
and then click on “Broadcast Schedule Spring 2008.” Note that you have the option of either
recording all the episodes overnight from 11:59 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (see schedule
for dates) or individually on Sunday mornings from 8-8.30 a.m.
c) Students may contact their local public
library, some of which have the Destinos videos.
d) If you have a DSL modem, you may view all the episodes
free of charge online (after registering with a password) at http://www.learner.org/progdesc/series75.html
I strongly recommend that you use the
following text:
This book is an invaluable aid for students
whose knowledge of English grammar may well be inadequate for this class. It is available in the bookstore, or can be
purchased from an online bookstore like http://www.amazon.com. There are also three copies in the
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This course is for students who have had little
or no experience with spoken and written Spanish. Those who
have never studied Spanish or another foreign language before will have to put
in a
In this course there is an equal emphasis on
listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, you will be able to
use the present tense in Spanish, both orally and in writing to:
a) describe yourself and others
b) communicate your desires, likes, and dislikes
c) participate in a simple conversation (and/or
respond to questions from others) about basic topics including time, dates,
family, work and study
In addition, you will learn about various aspects
of Spanish culture, including the history, geography, music and art of
Note: Try to make use of the many resources
available to you both at NVCC and in your local community. For example, the World Wide Web has many useful sites for beginning Spanish students
(e.g. www.studyspanish.com), some of
which are available on your class BLACKBOARD (see below). Remember that you can always make the class
more interesting by bringing in Spanish materials that you come across outside
the classroom (such as brochures, newspapers, words to a song, a website) to
share with the class.
III. CLASSROOM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1) ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION. You
must attend all classes and participate!
Remember that participation and completion of the DESTINOS workbook
together represent 20% of your final grade (see below). As is clearly stated on p. 28 of the 2006-7
NVCC catalogue:
“It is your responsibility to inform your
instructor prior to an absence from class... You are responsible for making up
all course work missed during an absence.
In the event of unexplained absences … your instructor will administratively withdraw you from the
course.”
In addition to missed course work, missing a
class will often mean missing a short quiz and missing important announcements
concerning homework, quizzes, tests, and Spanish-related events.
a) I
will accept only two unexcused absences (i.e. two class periods) during the semester.
For each unexcused absence after the second I will lower your final attendance
grade by 15%. Coming late or leaving
early will result in a lower participation grade, so I urge you to be punctual.
b) More
than four unexcused absences will automatically result in a grade of F.
c) Seven
(7) or more absences, (whether excused or not), will automatically result in a
grade of F.
d) EXCUSED/UNEXCUSED? It is
ultimately my decision to record an absence as excused or unexcused. If the student's absence on a test date is
recorded as unexcused, s/he will receive a grade of 0 for the missed
quiz/test/exam, and will NOT have the right to a make-up.
I will only record an absence as excused if it is
due to an absolutely
unavoidable and urgent circumstance: eg. a serious illness or a court
date. ABSENCES DUE TO WORK-RELATED COMMITMENTS OR PERSONAL HOLIDAYS WILL NOT BE EXCUSED, AS STUDENTS WHO
REGISTER IN THIS COURSE ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE A PRIOR COMMITMENT TO ATTEND ALL
CLASSES. As class is only given
twice a week, please try not to make medical appointments that conflict with
your class schedule.
e) LATE
Any student who comes more than 20 minutes late to class will be
recorded as having missed 1/2 (half) of a class period. (i.e. Two times late will be the equivalent
of one complete absence.) Note that
attendance will also be taken after the class break.
f) I will administratively withdraw (W) any student
who fails to attend class by Thursday, January 31, 2008.
If you will not be able to attend a class, it is
your responsibility to notify me as soon as possible (see
above). If
you have any doubts about being able to attend every class, I recommend that
you change to audit status by the deadline, or
withdraw from this course and plan to reenroll at a later date.
g) Please remember to turn off your cell phone
in the classroom, or it will distract both the other students and the
instructor.
2) PREPARATION. In addition to attending class, I require
that you come to each class prepared with your assigned homework (whether it be
orally prepared or written), your DESTINOS textbook and workbook, a 3-ringed
binder with ample notepaper, your syllabus, and a bilingual
(English-Spanish/Spanish-English) dictionary. Remember to refer to this syllabus constantly
to confirm test and examination dates.
Do not forget to copy all homework (“la tarea”)
from the classroom blackboard before the class starts. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get this information either from me
(if possible) or from a classmate.
“I wasn't in class” is NOT a valid excuse for missing homework or not
being prepared for a quiz/test/exam.
3) BLACKBOARD
BLACKBOARD is a web-based teaching & learning
resource to which each student in this class will have access throughout the
semester. After approximately 2-3 weeks, I will have all students enrolled in
BLACKBOARD and demonstrate how to use it.
Once you are enrolled, you must
enter BLACKBOARD at least twice a week. BLACKBOARD is an invaluable aid for you, as it
contains important resources for use at home and outside of class, in addition
to announcements concerning the class and examinations. If you do not have a personal computer either
at home or at work, you must find the time to use the computers at NVCC or at
your local public library.
4)
5) POLICY ON SPEAKING ENGLISH IN CLASS
(“Spanish only”).
For effective learning, no English should be
spoken in a Spanish language class.
Therefore I require that all of you make a sincere attempt never to
speak in English unless otherwise instructed.
Only Spanish will be spoken during approximately 75% of
the class period.
There are three exceptions:
a) Before and after each class we may briefly
exchange announcements and questions about the homework or other class-related
matters in English.
b) When the explanation of a class activity or a
grammar topic requires it, we will switch to English for a few minutes.
c) When discussing the cultural aspects of a DESTINOS
video-lesson, I will reserve approximately 10-15 minutes for discussion and
questions in English.
6) WORKBOOK
Destinos is a Spanish course specifically designed for self-study and/or
distance learning. It is essential that ALL the workbook exercises be
completed on your own. I
require the following:
a) After completing all the exercises in a
workbook lesson (including the Worksheets and Self-Test at the back of the
workbook (pp. 282-303), you must self-correct your answers using the
answer key provided at the back of the book (pp. 335-337). Your corrections must be made in a
different color ink. If
and when a correction is needed, it must be written alongside or above the
incorrect answer. (Not all the
exercises are provided with an answer key).
Note that certain exercises require a
“worksheet.” These worksheets can be
found at the back of your workbook.
b) Please
do NOT remove any pages from the
Workbook.
c) Your
workbook must be handed in on all test days (see calendar below), and on
the day of the final exam. I
will review your workbooks while you are taking the test and enter either a
check mark (if it has been completed), a check minus, (if it is
incomplete or lacks self-corrections), or a zero, (insufficient) and/or written
comments. You will only receive full credit
(100%) for your workbook if it has been completed and self-corrected. Your final workbook grade will be recorded as
a percentage of 100 after it is handed in on the day of the final exam.
d) You must write clearly and distinctly in your
workbook, and NOT remove any pages.
I must be able to read what you have written, so
please avoid sloppy penmanship. If your handwriting is poor, I suggest that
you write in capital letters.
7) QUIZZES, TESTS and EXAMINATIONS
Major tests and examinations will be given on the
dates specified below, although the latter may occasionally have to be modified
to make up for snow days or other unpredictable/unavoidable circumstances (eg.
fire drills). In addition to the chapter
tests (pruebas), the mid-term exam, (examen de medio curso) and the final exam
(examen final), short quizzes (pruebas cortas) will be given. Please note that I will NOT give a make-up
quiz, chapter test or exam unless
the student's absence on the designated test day is in my opinion justified,
and has been recorded as excused (see EXCUSED/UNEXCUSED? above).
a) QUIZZES (Pruebas cortas). Approximately 12-15 short quizzes, generally
lasting 8-10 minutes, will be given at the beginning of almost every
class. If you come late to class you will miss the quiz. These quizzes will always be announced one
class period beforehand, and their descriptions can be found on
Blackboard--->Assignments--->Pruebas cortas.
b) TESTS (Pruebas). Three chapter tests will be given:
PRUEBA #1 will cover Lessons 1 and 2.
PRUEBA #2 will cover Lessons 3 and 4.
PRUEBA #3 will cover Lessons 7 and 8.
c) EXAMINATIONS (Exámenes). A mid-term and a final examination will be
given.
El EXAMEN DE MEDIO CURSO
will cover Lessons 1-6.
EL EXAMEN FINAL will cover Lessons 1-11.
8) PORTFOLIO
As part of the course requirements, each student will submit his/her 3-ring binder to the professor on the day of the final examination. The binder must include: a) all notes taken during the semester in class, including a record of all assigned daily homeworks (“tareas”) with their corresponding dates included; b) all quizzes and exams which have been corrected and returned to the student; c) all written assignments (other than those in the workbook) which have been corrected and returned to the student. This applies to class activities as well.
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
To do
well in this course, I offer the following advice:
* Relax and do
not be afraid to make mistakes.
Making mistakes is both normal and inevitable
when
learning a language. Never feel
embarrassed about this.
*
Listen to your classmates and
the teacher. Good language learners know how to listen. The first
and most important step in learning a language
is being able to process aural/auditory input.
* Take
written notes. (They are for your portfolio).
*
Participate in every class. Remember that this is an important part of
your final grade. It is
essential that you work cooperatively with your
fellow students when doing a group exercise.
*
Complete all your workbook exercises. In addition to being a
required part of this course, I
also use
the workbook for tests and exams! If you
complete your workbook in a timely manner,
you will
learn much more, be better prepared for class, and do better on tests and
exams.
* Use
learning strategies that work for you. If time permits, I will discuss a few learning
strategies with you during the semester.
Remember that not all students learn in the same way.
* Make
good use of BLACKBOARD (see above).
* Record yourself when practicing speaking. You may
use the digital recording facilities in the
* Use your Spanish whenever possible. There are
many Spanish-speaking students at NOVA to
practice
with.
V. EVALUATION
I will assign numerical grades to each of the
following tasks to calculate your final course grade:
Attendance, participation, and preparation 10% 90-100 = A
Workbook 10% 80-89 = B
Short quizzes (Pruebas cortas) 10% 70-79 = C
3 Chapter Tests (Pruebas, see dates below) 25% 60-69 = D
Mid-term examination (Examen de medio curso) 15% 0-59 = F
Final examination (Examen final) 25%
Portfolio 5%
To calculate these percentages, I use a computer program. If you wish to know your current class grade
at any time during the semester, make an appointment with me and I will be glad
to provide you with this grade.
VI. WITHDRAWALS
A withdrawal without a grade penalty and/or a
change of academic status from credit to audit MUST be completed at the Office
of Admissions and Records. You are
responsible for this change, so if you fail to officially withdraw, all uncompleted
work will be assigned a grade of F. Remember that the last date for withdrawal
without a grade penalty or to change to audit status is Monday March 31, 2008.
VII. SPECIAL NEEDS AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Please come to me as soon as possible to address
any special learning problems (dyslexia, ADD, etc.) If you are seeking accommodations based on a
disability, your condition must
first be professionally documented. You are required to provide a disability
data sheet, which can be obtained from the counselor for special needs in Room
148 of the Bisdorf building. Students
with learning disabilities should enroll in SPA 199 (Supervised Study: Language
Learning Strategies), a one-credit course which helps students acquire
strategies for learning Spanish. Contact
Dr. Margarita Hodge (Room 252, Tel: 703-845-6586), the instructor of this
course who is a specialist in language learning difficulties.
VIII. TUTORING
All language students are entitled to one hour of
free tutoring a week from a NVCC student who is also a native speaker of
Spanish. If you feel you need extra
help, go to the Student Services office in Room 148 and request a tutor.
IX. CLASS DATES
CAPÍTULO = Chapter
PRUEBA = (Chapter) Test
EXAMEN = Examination
EXAMEN DE MEDIO CURSO = Mid-Term
Examination
REPASO = Review
MARTES 15 de enero Introducción a DESTINOS y Lección 1
JUEVES 17 de enero Lecciones 1 y 2
MARTES 22 de enero Lección 2
JUEVES 24 de enero Lección 2
MARTES 29 de enero Lección 2
JUEVES 31 de enero PRUEBA #1
Lección 3
MARTES 5 de febrero Lección 3
JUEVES 7 de febrero Lección 3
MARTES 12 de febrero Lección 4
JUEVES 14 de febrero Lección 4
MARTES 19 de febrero Lección 4 y repaso
JUEVES 21 de febrero PRUEBA #2
Lección 5
MARTES 26 de febrero Lección 5
JUEVES 28 de febrero Lección 5
MARTES 4 de marzo Lección 6 y repaso
JUEVES 6 de marzo Repaso
MARTES 11 de marzo NO HAY CLASE (Vacaciones de primavera)
JUEVES 13 de marzo NO HAY CLASE (Vacaciones de primavera)
MARTES 18 de marzo Repaso
JUEVES 20 de marzo EXAMEN DE MEDIO CURSO (Lecciones 1-6)
MARTES 25 de marzo Lección 7
JUEVES 27 de marzo Lección 7
VIERNES 28 de
marzo Last date to withdraw without grade penalty
and/or
change to audit
MARTES 1 de abril Lecciones 7 y 8
JUEVES 3 de abril Lección 8
MARTES 8 de abril Lección 8
JUEVES 10 de abril PRUEBA #3
Lección 9
MARTES 15 de abril Lección 9
JUEVES 17 de abril Lección 9
MARTES 22 de abril Lección 10
JUEVES 24 de abril Lección 10
MARTES 29 de abril Lección 11
JUEVES
1 de mayo Lección
11 y repaso
MARTES 6
de mayo EXAMEN
FINAL
8.00
a.m. – 10.45 a.m.