WESTERN NEVADA COLLEGE

SPAN 111 W01/W02 (Spanish 111 First Year Spanish 1)
COURSE SYLLABUS FALL 2007

last updated 6-22-07

Number of credits: 4

Transferability of course within Nevada: Transfers as SPAN 111 to all Nevada colleges and universities.

Linkage of course to educational program mission and outcomes: This course is designed to allow students to meet the following A.A./A.S./A.G.S and/or General Education outcomes:

• College-level writing skills
• Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate critical thinking skills
• Appreciate the value and importance of diversity

Instructor: Maxine Cirac
Phone: (775) 445-4281
FAX: (775) 445-3141
E-mail: mcirac@wnc.edu
Office: Bristlecone 350 L

Office hours:

Monday, 1.00-2.00 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday 4.00-5.00 p.m.

Required Textbook and Materials

You will need to purchase the following:

• VanPatten, Leeser, Keating. Sol y viento: En breve (textbook). McGraw-Hill.
• Sol y viento: En breve Online manual de actividades (This is an online resource for which you will purchase an access code that is good for both the fall and spring semesters.)
• Sol y viento Instructional Version Video (DVD or VHS)

This is a new series, and the WNC bookstore cannot sell used texts this semester.

The WNC bookstore will sell the first two items bundled together with a "free" Harrap's Spanish/English Dictionary.
Combination package ISBN (at WNC bookstore only): 9780078143540

The video will be sold separately, and only the DVD version will be available at the WNC bookstore although the VHS version can be purchased elsewhere, such as on Amazon.com or Walmart.com.

• Sol y viento Instructional Version video on DVD
  ISBN 007319782-3

If you want to buy these materials separately, here is the information you will need:

• Sol y viento: En breve (textbook), by Bill VanPatten
  ISBN 0073513199
• Sol y viento Instructional Version video on DVD
  ISBN 007319782-3
• Sol y viento Instructional Version video on VHS
  ISBN 0072862971
• Sol y viento: En breve Online manual de actividades (powered by Quia™)
  ISBN 0073280941

1. COURSE INFORMATION

This course is taught over the Internet. Class begins Monday, Aug. 27, 2007 and ends Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. It is critical that you buy the text and the access code for the Online learning manual, before the first day of the semester.

2. COURSE DESCRIPTION

From WNC catalog: Develops language skills through practice in listening, speaking, reading, writing and structural analysis. Includes an introduction to Spanish culture.

3. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Spanish 111 (W01/W02), the first semester of first year Spanish, is designed to help students acquire beginning communication skills within a culturally significant context. Emphasis is given primarily to reading and writing skills; however, oral/aural skills are integrated through the use of audio and video components. We will be covering the Lección Preliminar-Lección 4 of Sol y viento. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to:

• Be able to write basic Spanish in the present indicative tense incorporating vocabulary and other grammatical points learned over the semester.
• Be able to understand some Spanish spoken slower than normal pace and develop skills and coping strategies for filling in the gaps.
• Gain cultural knowledge and awareness about the areas of the world in which Spanish is spoken.

4. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

GRADING and TESTING

Your grade for the course will be determined in the following manner:

Grading Scale:

Note: The instructor reserves the right to withdraw a student from the course at the end of the first week if the student has not done at least one of the following: 1) accessed the WebCT course, 2) e-mailed the instructor, or 3) called the instructor. The instructor may also withdraw a student who has failed to access the course or contact the instructor for two weeks or longer at any time during the semester.

The grade of F will be assigned only if a student has failed to officially withdraw from the course and is failing the class. A student may withdraw from the class at any time during the semester until Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. If a student fails to officially withdraw from the class and has a passing grade at the time, the student will receive a W (withdrawal).

Midterm/Final Exam

Both the midterm and final exams will be held on-site at the Carson campus (if you live in the Carson area) or at one of WNC’s other campuses/centers (Douglas, Fallon, Yerington, Hawthorne). If you live out of state, you will need to take the exams proctored at your local library or at a high school or college. We can generally make the arrangements together. If you will not be taking the exams in Carson, you will need to contact the center in order to set up a time to take the test with a staff/faculty member present. Both tests are to be taken without books or notes.

Writing Assignments

Topics and directions are posted under Learning Modules. Each assignment shall be two pages in length and a minimum of 200-300 words (typed, double-spaced).

Chats (Horizon Live Classroom)

There will be 2 hours a week of Horizon Live Classroom audio chat offered and you must participate in 30 minutes a week. If you miss a week, feel free to "double up" on other chats. You need not make a commitment to one chat time in particular. Simply make whichever chat most suits your schedule. Proposed chats are on my schedule. Please let me know as soon as possible (by Monday, Aug. 27, 2007) if no chat works for you, and let me know what other good blocks of time work for your schedule. You will need a headset (or a microphone and speakers) to participate in the audio chats. Before you can participate, you will have to run a browser check and software installation (at no cost) through Horizon Wimba Live Classroom.

Assignments/Participation/Effort

All assignments are due 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Fridays unless otherwise noted. You are to follow the schedule and submit all work accordingly. I shall check that you completed the work, but I shall not consider the scores. It becomes suspect if a student consistently gets high scores on work done over the Internet and then fails the midterm and final exams on-site. It is to your advantage to be honest, therefore study and when you feel ready, close all books and notes and do the workbook and lab manual and any other assignments without any crutches.

The Sol y viento: En breve package has great features, so please take advantage of them. ALL assignments must be completed in order to receive any credit at all! I will also assign activities from the text on a regular basis that I will correct, but not grade. Text assignments should be submitted as WebCT e-mail attachments.

Oral work is an integral part of this language program. Each chapter has corresponding audio work/activities to listen to and to do that accompany both the text and the workbook and lab manual. Your work with the audio portion of the series will help to tune your ear to the language as well as help you with your pronunciation.

5. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Acts of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, falsifying research data or results, or assisting others to do the same will not be tolerated and will result in an F grade. Policies regarding student conduct can be found in the college’s catalog. If I have any doubt that a student is cheating in any way, I reserve the right to require supplementary examinations that are either proctored or given on-site.

6. SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

WNC has a lot of support for students. There is generally a Spanish tutor available in the Carson Academic Skills Center, disability services for those who need special accommodations, a range of counseling services and support, great librarians, financial aid, student health insurance and much more. Visit the college's web site and/or ask me!

7. COMMUNICATION WITH INSTRUCTOR

All students are highly encouraged to contact me through WebCT e-mail, by phone and in person at any time during the semester. In fact, my WebCT e-mail takes priority over my other mail and I check it several times a day, Monday-Friday. I can also be reached through my college e-mail address (mcirac@wnc.edu).

One of the things that can ruin your experience in this course is the failure to communicate. I need to hear from each and every one of you on a regular basis and you should expect to hear from me. This is one of the reasons live chat is mandatory and why postings on discussions are invaluable. If you feel you are getting behind or a bit lost, don't hesitate to bring it to my attention. Check in every day to WebCT for announcements and new postings.

Other important things about this course!

This is NOT a self-paced course! While we do not meet in a classroom for 4 hours a week, the class follows a schedule just like a traditional on-site class. Expect to spend at least as much time in an on-line class as you would in an on-site class. Spanish 111 students usually spend 10-12 hours a week outside of class time working on homework assignments. In order to succeed in this course, you should:

• be a self-motivated and independent learner
• have reliable access to the Internet
• have basic word processing skills
• have some familiarity with a web browser and e-mail
• have good time management skills
• have a desire to succeed in your learning experience
• be excited about technology