COURSE DESCRIPTION
Credit Hours: 4
Classroom Contact Hours per week: 4
Laboratory Contact Hours per week: 0

This class fosters understanding of Spanish-speaking people through cultural comparison and development of written and spoken communication. No prerequisites. Students must receive a grade of C or better in order to continue with Spanish 1412.

COURSE RATIONALE

In addition to offering the fundamentals of the Spanish language, this course is intended to fulfill one semester of the foreign language requirement as needed for Associate Degree plans and transfer credit to four-year institutions. The number of courses required varies from discipline and institution.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION/HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT

If you are not sure if this course is the correct level for you, please talk to your professor.  You can earn college credit without taking this course by exploring all your options. You could easily be placed in the appropriate level, which could save you time and money.  You can earn credit for this course with the following:

• High School AP or IB scores
• Course Challenge Exams (ACCs in house exams for all languages)
• The CLEP National Exam (French, German, and Spanish only)

Please be aware that there is not a financial penalty incurred for a level change at ACC. Please visit our departmental website for more information or talk to your professor:  http://sites.austincc.edu/fola/credit-by-exam/

COURSE GRADE BREAKDOWN

A = 89.5–100%     B = 79.5–89.4%     C = 69.5–79.4%     D = 59.5–69.4 %     F = below 59.5%

ORIENTATION QUIZ & SELF-INTRODUCTION

• The Orientation Quiz is one of the first two assignments for the entire course. After you have read through the Start Here button in Blackboard, you will be ready to take this quiz.  You must score a 70% on this quiz.  This is worth 2.5% of your grade.
• The Self-Introduction is the second of the first two assignments and is due when the Orientation Quiz is due.  This is worth 2.5% of your grade.
   

PARTICIPATION
Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students.  If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class. This is worth 5% of your grade.  Here are more participation guidelines:

• Students are responsible for preparing the material. Language acquisition is a skill that must be practiced daily. You must maintain an online presence by completing your work as recommended by the due by date.
• The material to cover in each session is indicated on the calendar, and you must study it to effectively learn Spanish. You can see how being prepared and maintaining an active online presence are closely linked.  If you remain active online, then you will stay current with the material covered.
• There is a Participation Rubric Self-Assessment that you must fill out during the last week posted.  I reserve the right to override this grade.
   

HOMEWORK WORKBOOK/VIDEO MANUAL/LAB MANUAL

You must complete the assigned workbook exercises for each chapter to earn full credit by each due by date. This is 20% total of your term grade.

• Please refer to your VISTAS Supersite in Activities or the Calendar for items due.
• There is one homework due date for each of the five lessons covered.
• Each homework assignment is worth 4% of our term grade.
• All homework is due on the last day of the chapter by 11:59 PM. 

PARTNER INTERVIEWS
The partner interviews will take place at the end of the semester with a partner and with me as indicated on the calendar portion of the syllabus.  This is worth 10% of your grade.

• Unless otherwise indicated, I will conduct the partner interviews over Zoom.
• All the questions come from the Preguntas Personales posted in each lesson’s content folder in the Read section. There are five total sets of questions.
• You will find the translations broken up into days in my PowerPoints posted in the Watch & Listen section.
• Please sign up for a 10-minute time slot for Thursday, August 3rd from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.

QUIZZES

There will be five small quizzes over the course of the semester to check your progress. This will be worth 10% of your term grade. This breaks down into each quiz being worth 2% each.

• These will be administered with a due by date that aligns with the Lesson deadline in Blackboard. Nothing needs to be downloaded for this.
• These are short five item quizzes that have three attempts each.
• Blackboard will hold on to the highest score. 

TESTS

Throughout the course of the semester there will be two regular tests. Each test is worth 15% of your grade for an overall total of 30% of your grade.

• Tests focus on you producing the answers. No more than 10% of any major assessment will be multiple choice, reserved for reading comprehension.
• Test 1 focuses on culture, grammar, and vocabulary acquired in Lessons 1 & 2
• Test 2 focuses on culture, grammar, and vocabulary acquired in Lessons 3 & 4
• Verb Drills are accepted for up to five extra credit points if handed in by each of the corresponding Test 1 and Test 2 due dates for tests only.
• The Read folder in the Lesson 2 & Test 1 folder & the Lesson 4 & Test 2 folder will have a comprehensive Test Review document that mirrors the experience of the Test.
• There will only be a possibility of a make-up tests or exam due to a very unusual circumstances and only if the instructor is notified before the time of the tests or exam window is open.

FINAL EXAM
You will have only one final exam worth 20% of your term grade.

• The final exam is cumulative, which means all material from Lessons 1 through 5 is fair game.
• Please review any feedback received for Tests 1 and 2 as well as the information covered in Lesson 5.
• There will be a Test 3 Review document posted in the Lesson 5 folder, but you are NOT taking Test 3. The Review document is simply an additional source to help you review for the Final Exam.
• The Read folder in the Interviews & Final Exam folder will have a Final Exam Review.

General Test & Final Exam Guidelines:

• Test 1, Test 2, and the Final Exam must be taken online by downloading the Respondus Lockdown Browser at home or in your preferred study space.
  Please note that I do not require a camera as I do not have the monitor enabled.
• You will have one attempt at each Test and the Final Exam.  
• The Tests and the Final Exam must be completed by the posted due by dates.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY

In this online format class, our primary objective is to learn to communicate in Spanish. We will study vocabulary words and grammar rules with this end in mind. We will practice developing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The Workbook and written assignments will be helpful in developing these two skills. The audio activities in the Student Activities Manual (SAM) and the Supersite will aid you in the comprehension and pronunciation of Spanish.

If you are new to Distance Education, please review the ACC Distance Education General Information available at https://online.austincc.edu/faq/  Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration. Although we do not meet as a class on campus, you will be required to complete work according to a schedule. You should be prepared to spend a minimum of at least 12-16 hours per week studying and doing assignments to prepare for class. It is best to study a little each day. Students will use the Blackboard (Bb)learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and collaboration.

COURSE POLICIES

ATTENDANCE POLICY 
Please note that this is an asynchronous course. This means that there are no required class meetings. I will hold an optional session on Tuesdays.  Participation in these sessions will not affect your participation grade in any way.  Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students.  If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.

WITHDRAWALS
It is your responsibility to ensure that your name is removed from the rolls should you decide to withdraw from the class.  As the instructor of your course, I do reserve the right to drop you should it be necessary for lack of adequate progress in the course.  If you decide to withdraw, you should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date.
 

• The last day to withdraw without a W on your record is Friday, July 8th.
• The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is Monday, August 1st.   
  You are strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

INCOMPLETES 
If there is a documented extenuating circumstance after the last day to withdraw, then you may be eligible for an incomplete. The student must be in good standing and have a C or higher. The student must consult with the instructor and the final decision will be at the instructor’s discretion. 

1. Prior to the end of the semester in which the I is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.
2. The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.   
3. The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.  
4. Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.  
5. When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F. 

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Operational areas of ACC campuses and centers are fully open and accessible through all public entrances.  While some health & safety protocols are no longer mandatory, the college encourages its staff, faculty, and students to be mindful of the well-being of all individuals on campus.  If you feel sick, feverish, or unwell, please do not come to campus.

Some important things to remember:

• If you have not done so, ACC encourages all students, faculty, and staff to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available throughout the community. Visit www.vaccines.gov/ to find a vaccine location near you.
• If you are experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms, please get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible before returning to an ACC facility. Testing is now widely available.
• If you test positive, please report it on the ACC self-reporting tool located here.
• ACC continues to welcome face masks on campus.  Per CDC guidelines, face masks remain a good way to protect yourself from COVID-19.  The college cannot mandate indoor masking, but is encouraging it during this spike in cases as a result of the Delta variant.
• The college asks that we all continue to respect the personal space of others. We are encouraging 3 feet of social distancing.
• Please be sure to carry your student, faculty, or staff ID badge at all times while on campus.

Because of the everchanging situation, please go to ACC’s Covid website at https://www.austincc.edu/coronavirus?ref=audiencemenu for the latest updates and guidance.

COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS

By college policy, there shall be no copying of or from copyrighted works intended to be “consumable” in the course of study or of teaching. These include workbooks, exercises, standardized tests and test booklets and answer sheets and like consumable material. Copying shall not substitute for the purchase of books, publishers’ reprints or periodicals.

REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS (Valid for SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312)

Please check your Blackboard (Bb) course for specific information as it pertains to our course.  There is a textbook tab on the left-hand side of our course. If you have any questions regarding the purchasing information, please email me directly. Here is some general textbook information:
Vistas, 6th ed., Blanco and Donley, Vista Higher Learning.

• There is a Vistas package available at the ACC Bookstore (ISBN 9781543304398), which includes a loose-leaf textbook and the Supersite Access Code.
• This textbook is used in all four semesters of our Spanish program.
• When you purchase the Supersite Access Code, it will be valid for 36 months. It is imperative to keep track of the Access Code.
• Students use the code to access online materials at https://www.vhlcentral.com

CALENDARIO

Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester.  Any changes will be announced in class and posted as a Blackboard Announcement/email.

LESSON 1 (Monday, July 3rd – Sunday, July 9th by 11:59 PM)

LESSON 2 & Test 1 (Monday, July 10th – Sunday, July 16th by 11:59 PM)

LESSON 3 (Monday, July 17th – Thursday, July 20th by 11:59 PM)

LESSON 4 & Test 2 (Friday, July 21st – Sunday, July 30th by 11:59 PM)

LESSON 5 (Monday, July 31st  – Thursday, August 3rd by 11:59 PM)

INTERVIEWS, FINAL EXAM & PARTICIPATION
(Thursday, August 3rd – Sunday, August 6th 11:59 PM)

Deadlines at a Glance
(all deadlines are due by 11:59 PM)

GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the general education component of an associate’s degree, students will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
• Interpersonal Skills - Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
• Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices.
• Personal Responsibility - Identifying and applying ethical principles and practices; demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility.
• Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this course is to develop competencies that align with the general education goals of critical thinking, interpersonal skills, civic and cultural awareness, personal responsibility, and written, oral and visual communication, in the Spanish language, at an appropriate level. The ability to understand and communicate and comprehend Spanish will develop along with the knowledge of the vocabulary, grammatical structures of the language, and exploration of how culture shapes communication. Two to three hours a day should be dedicated for the study of Spanish (at least two hours outside of class for each hour in class). If you feel you need extra help, you can find a Spanish tutor at the Tutoring Labs on all major campuses. This service is free to ACC students.

At the end of one semester of Spanish 1411, students should be able to do the following:

CRITICAL THINKING
 

• comprehend a passage in the Spanish language using a variety of reading or listening strategies
• answer questions and draw inferences about passages
• synopsize and synthesize the information from passages heard or read
• make comparisons and find contrasts among the different Hispanic cultures and your own 
• reflect on what was read or heard and mention some of its implications and applications
• evaluate the information

TEAMWORK (Interpersonal Skills)
 

• complete a variety of language-based activities working in pairs and small groups.
• demonstrate the ability to negotiate meaning to complete language-based activities
• demonstrate the ability to work in groups to achieve a common goal
• demonstrate the ability to consider different points of view and work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (Civic and Cultural Awareness)
 

• compare and contrast different perspectives on cultural issues, customs, and traditions after reading or listening to passages in the Spanish language
• demonstrate some intercultural competence by correctly using formal and informal speech, changing registers as needed, and using gestures
• mention some differences among the Spanish-speaking countries

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

• show time management skills by successfully complete tasks on time
• acquire effective study habits for language learning

COMMUNICATION (Written, Oral and Visual Communication)

• show effective written and spoken communication in Spanish at the appropriate level using a variety of strategies and adopting the appropriate type of speech.
• use listening strategies such as listening for the main idea and for specific details and asking for clarification.
• exhibit conceptual understanding and control of courtesy expressions and appropriate kinesics when speaking in Spanish
• interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication

DISCIPLINE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR SPANISH

At the end of the fourth semester of Spanish, students should be able to:
 

• utilize a variety of reading strategies to increase understanding of written material and state the main idea and some details of a text based on familiar material or authentic literary works
• utilize a variety of listening strategies in order to increase understanding of oral speech and state the main idea and some detail when listening to a passage on familiar material or authentic selections; maintain simple conversations on a variety of topics (including descriptions, comparisons, recommendations, narrating in the past, expressing likes and preferences, making hypothetical statements, talking about the future) while demonstrating awareness of the sequence of tenses and use of prepositions and articles
• compose organized short compositions on a variety of topics (including descriptions, comparisons, recommendations, narrating in the past, expressing likes and preferences, making hypothetical statements, talking about the future) while using connectors and transitional words
• perceive and identify cultural contrasts and demonstrate some knowledge of Hispanic writers, painters, film-makers, movies and literary works