Spanish Methods
CURR 5495
Fall 2013
COE Mission:
We prepare teachers, leaders, and
counselors who
embrace equity, inquiry
and innovation.
COE Student Resource Office
Office Hours
8:00am-5:00pm M-F
Contact
education@uccs.edu
Phone: 719-255-4996
Fax:
719-255-4110
Columbine Hall
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
http://www.uccs.edu/~coe/
Professor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Hours:
Stephanie E. Dewing, Ph.D.
Columbine 3041 (3rd floor)
719-255-4170
sdewing2@uccs.edu
by appointment
Required Textbooks:
Shrum, J. & Glisan, E. (2010). Teacher’s handbook:
Contextualized language instruction (4th ed.). Boston: Thomson
Heinle.
Additional Resources (or Recommended Textbooks):
• Monolingual Spanish dictionary
• Bilingual Spanish-English dictionary
• Additional resources will be found in Blackboard course
shell
Course Format: This online course consists of audio and
visual media, readings from required text and supplementary
journal articles, threaded discussions, technology-mediated
interactions, and activities.
Course Overview: Secondary Spanish Methods gives an
overview of instructional theory, methods, and materials in
Spanish and helps students develop teaching strategies and
lessons that address the Colorado model content standards.
Course Expectations:
1. Navigating the course website:
It is very important for everyone to become familiar with how the course website operates and
how the particular features function. The more you engage in the opportunities presented, the
easier it will be for you to navigate this course.
2. Preparation:
Your preparation should include a careful, critical reading of assigned materials so that you each
bring your questions and insights to the class discussions. Your membership in this class through
your reading, your writing and your sharing is valued and essential. Timely completion of
required readings and assignments, and participation in the online discussions and activities is
expected, and is indicative of your professional attitude and behavior. There is no substitute for
actual quality interaction with your peers.
This is a graduate level course. As a graduate student, you are expected to demonstrate thinking
and work that is in concert with graduate school expectations. All of your assignments will carry
an expectation of graduate level thinking, understanding, and scholarship. As a teacher and as a
student, you will be expected to model appropriate English grammar and spelling. Please review
and revise your work before posting. Your written word is what you are evaluated on in an
online setting; it is imperative that you proofread.
3. Course Materials and Assignments:
This syllabus is your guide to the course, the contract with your instructor and your set of rules
for the course. Carefull read and familiarize yourself with the contents of this syllabus during the
first week and use it as a reference before you turn in any work. If you have any questions,
please ask your instructor. These assignments are designed to assist you in preparing for active
participation in the learning activities, to use writing as a tool for learning, and to develop skills
that will be needed to communicate in writing with individuals in the school setting.
4. Evaluation Process:
There will be a number of evaluations as a usual part of this course. Furthermore, your
performance with the various assignments will indicate your level of understanding of the
concepts and the methods, and of your degree of preparedness to effectively engage students in
language and literacy processes. Your final reflection of your learning is an important component
of this course.
5. Academic Honesty
As a member of the CU-Colorado Springs academic community, please adhere to the following
guidelines: (a) reference all work; (b) do not use projects from previous courses; and (c) do not
plagiarize. Please also see UCCS Academic Ethics Code below.
Course Objectives: Upon mastery of the course the candidate will demonstrate the following
abilities (aligned with the Performance Based Standards for Colorado Teachers):
1) Design short and long range standards-based instructional plans. [5.03.1]
2) Develop valid and reliable assessment tools for the classroom. [5.03.2]
3) Assess, compare and contrast the effect of various teaching strategies on individual student
performance relative to content standards. [5.03.4]
4) Provide effective verbal and written feedback that shape improvement in student
performance on content standards. [5.03.6]
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5) Ensure that instruction is consistent with school district priorities and goals, the Colorado
Model Content Standards, and the 1999 Colorado Accreditation Program. [5.03.6]
6) Utilize content knowledge to ensure student learning. [5.04.1]
7) Apply expert content knowledge to enrich and extend student learning. [5.04.3]
8) Understand the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning (e.g. critical and
creative thinking, problem structuring and problem solving, intervention, memorization and
recall) and ensure attention to these learning processes so that students can master content
standards. [5.05.5]
9) Employ a wide range of teaching techniques to match the intellectual, emotional and social
level of each student, and choose alternative teaching strategies and materials to achieve
different curricular purposes. [5.06.1]
10) Design and/or modify standards-based instruction in response to diagnosed student needs,
including the needs of exceptional learners and English language learners. [5.06.2]
11) Apply technology to the delivery of standards-based instruction. [5.07.1]
12) Evaluate his/her own performance and access the professional development options
necessary to improve that performance. [5.08.5]
Technology Competencies: It is expected that students begin our program with foundational
technology skills that include digital word processing, digital and online formats (e.g.
Blackboard) and using online research databases. Knowledge of the use of technology-supported
multimedia, such as PowerPoint and other audio/video resources, is expected. Students who need
assistance with building technological skills should speak with their professor to learn about
technology resources in the COE and at UCCS.
Using your UCCS email account is a requirement of this course due to digital delivery of course
content. All students must obtain a UCCS email address and check it regularly (every day) so as
not to miss announcements. If your UCCS email address is not your primary one, please have
emails from UCCS rerouted to the one you check daily.
Attendance, Preparation, and Participation: Students are expected to maintain high standards
of ethical and professional conduct. This includes being adequately prepared, contributing to
class discussions, submitting high caliber work and representing your own work fairly and
honestly. As an important member of a classroom community, attendance and punctuality is
mandatory. You must actively engage in class and group work to maximize your learning in this
course.
Professional Behavior:
Professional behavior is necessary for you to be a successful member of a learning community.
Please monitor your participation in class discussions and group work and find ways to
contribute intelligently to the discussion without silencing others. All written assignments must
be computer generated unless otherwise indicated by the professor. Professional behavior will be
expected in your future teaching/counseling career and is often the hallmark of career success.
Diversity Statement: The faculty of the College of Education is committed to preparing
students to recognize, appreciate, and support diversity in all forms – including ethnic, cultural,
religious, gender, economic, sexual orientation and ability – while striving to provide fair and
equitable treatment and consideration for all. Any student who believes that he/she has not been
treated fairly or equitably for any reason should bring it to the attention of the instructor,
Department Chair or the Dean of the College of Education.
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Accommodations: The College of Education wishes to fully include persons with disabilities in
this course. In compliance with section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
UCCS is committed to ensure that “no otherwise qualified individual with a disability … shall,
solely by reason of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity…” If you are a student with a
disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to
contact and register with the Disabilities Services Office, and provide them with documentation
of your disability, so they can determine what accommodations are appropriate for your
situation.
To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the Disability Services
Office as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and disability
accommodations cannot be provided until a “Faculty Accommodation Letter” from the
Disability Services office has been given to the professor by the student. Please contact
Disability Services for more information about receiving accommodations at Main Hall room
105, 719-255-3354 or dservice@uccs.edu .
Military Students: Military students who have the potential to participate in military activities
including training and deployment should consult with faculty prior to registration for any
course, but no later than the end of the first week of classes. At this time, the student should
provide the instructor with a schedule of planned absences, preferably signed by the student's
commander, in order to allow the instructor to evaluate and advise the student on the possible
impact of the absences.
In this course, the instructor will consider absences due to participation in verified military
activities to be excused absences, on par with those due to other unavoidable circumstances such
as illness. If, however, it appears that military obligations will prevent adequate attendance or
performance in the course, the instructor may advise the student to register for the course at
another time, when she/he is more likely to be successful.
Student Appeals:
Students enrolled in programs or courses in the College of Education may access the COE
Appeal/Exception Form at:
http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/coe/studentresources/AppealsForm2009.pdf. This form is to be
used for an appeal when a student is:
(1) denied admission to professional education program
(2) denied permission to student teach or complete professional internship
(3) removed from a professional education program or internship
(4) denied permission to graduate due to missing requirements
(5) requesting an exception to specific policies, procedures, or requirements
(6) requesting a grade change
This form is not to be used for requests to take classes out of sequence or to take a class without
the proper prerequisites. Such requests should be initiated with the department chair.
UCCS Student Code of Conduct:
The purpose of the Student Code of Conduct is to maintain the general welfare of the university
community. The university strives to make the campus community a place of study, work, and
residence where people are treated, and treat one another, with respect and courtesy.
http://www.uccs.edu/~oja/student-conduct/student-code-of-conduct.html
UCCS Student Rights and Responsibilities:
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http://www.uccs.edu/orientation/student-rights-and-responsibilities.html
UCCS Academic Ethics Code:
http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/vcaf/200-019%20StudentAcademic%20Ethics.pdf
Assignments (graded activities):
It is important for teachers, and language teachers in particular, to be able to write well
themselves. You will be role models for your students, and they and their families will expect all
communications from you to be accurate. You are expected to demonstrate a high level of
proficiency in all oral and written work. Therefore, all of your assignments should reflect the
high standard of excellence in literacy expected of teachers and other educators. All written
assignments must be typewritten/word processed. Please proof read all of your work before
you submit it. The general assignments are listed below.
A. Introduction. An initial activity is to post a “Who I Am” PowerPoint in the course
using a threaded discussion forum. The bios will help everyone to get acquainted as
well as become accustomed to the functions and operations of Blackboard. I look
forward to meeting all of you and working with you this semester. (25 pts.)
B. Weekly Discussion Forums - Your reading, thinking, and experiences are valued
and essential. Regular contributions to the discussions are critical. In a course of this
sort in a face-to-face classroom, there is a great deal of discussion based on the
readings and experiences of the class participants. In light of our online format, we
will foster the same sort of discussion using the discussion forum each week. Please
post your initial response by Friday evenings and respond to at least 2 colleagues’
posts by Monday at 10am. Participation is required each week. However, I will
choose 10 of the 16 weeks to assign points. (75 pts. = 5 pts x 15 wks)
C. Lesson/Unit Planning. As a part of daily practice, you will be writing lesson and unit
plans tied to Colorado standards. In these lessons you will create engaging activities,
incorporate research-based strategies and technology (when possible), and pay careful
attention to assessment. As part of this course, you will design 2 lessons that focus on
a particular aspect of Spanish teaching (grammar, literacy, listening/speaking,
content-based instruction, culture, etc.). You will present/demonstrate your lessons
with your classmates. Specific guidelines will be posted on Blackboard. (100 points =
50 pts. x 2 lessons/demonstrations)
D. Journal/Reflections
Initial Journal Reflection: For this class, in Week 1, you will write your initial
ideas about Spanish language teaching and learning. What are you comfortable
with? Do you have favorite “go-to” strategies or activities yet? What are your
greatest concerns? In what ways do you hope this course will support your efforst
at being the best Spanish teacher you can be? (25 pts.)
Mid-semester journal: Take stock of where you are mid-way through the course.
Based on readings and activities and discussions, what have you tried in your
classroom that has worked well? What have you needed to change and why?
Looking forward, what additional ideas do you hope to gain? What questions do
you have? (25 pts.)
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Self-evaluation/ Final Reflection: Take a look at your first two journal entries
and think about your growth over the semester. Reflect upon your experiences
and write a short reflection paper about what you have learned. What questions
do you still have? (25 pts.)
E. List of Resources. I want this course to be practical. You are teaching Spanish and
need a solid list of resources that will be useful to you in your daily lesson planning
and teaching. Throughout the semester I want you to build a list of resources. These
can include websites, videos, articles, books, graphic organizers, games, activity
guides, etc. You should have at least 10 by the mid-way point and 20 by the end of
the semester. The way you compile the list is up to you. It can be a bulleted list, an
excel spreadsheet, a website/blog, a google doc, an a-z guide, etc. (75 pts = 25 pts. at
mid-way point; 50 pts for final list)
Grades: Grades will be based on your projects, on your timely completion of the written
assignments, and on your participation in the discussions and the activities. The mechanics of
writing including spelling, punctuation, and grammar WILL affect your grade. Before you
submit anything as a final draft, be sure that it is a final copy. That is, be sure to proofread, spell
check, edit, check for logic and readability, grammar, etc. The Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association (APA) must be used to guide your mechanics and citations.
Reading your work out loud before you do your final draft is a good way to edit it. You may
also make appointments at the Writing Center for help. All work must be typed, double-spaced
and on time. Late assignments will be penalized 10% for each day past due. Each assignment
will be awarded points based on criteria that fit the nature of the task. You can expect to receive
a grade/feedback within 7 days of its due date. Grade points for this course are weighted as
follows:
Grading Assignments and Points:
Introduction (Who I Am PowerPoint)
Online Discussions (5 pts. X 15 weeks)
Lesson Plan/Teaching Demo 1
Lesson Plan/Teaching Demo 2
Initial Journal
Mid-semester Journal
Self-Evaluation/Final Reflection Journal
List of Resources (mid-semester/ 10 resources)
Final List of Resources (20)
TOTAL
25
75
50
50
25
25
25
25
50
350 points
Grades will be computed as follows:
A = 94% to 100%
A- = 90% to 93%
B+ = 87% to 89%
B = 84% to 86%
B- = 80% to 83%
Please note that students who earn a grade of C or less must
repeat the course.
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CURR 5495 Online Schedule: Course Planning, Assignments and Assessments
*Syllabus is subject to change WITH notice
TH = Teacher’s Handbook (text)
Week/
Dates
Topic(s)
Readings/Assignments/Activities
Week 1
8/26 – 9/4
Course Introduction &
Overview
1.
2.
3.
Getting to know one another
4.
Ice Breakers
Week 2
9/4 – 9/9
*No class
9/2-3 for
Labor Day
Becoming familiar with the
profession
Week 3
9/9 – 9/16
Week 4
9/16 – 9/23
Read Syllabus (carefully)
Write Initial Journal Entry (due: 9/4 by 10am)
Post Introductory “Who I Am” PowerPoint (due: 9/4 by
10am)
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion (post initial
response by Friday evening 9/30; respond to colleagues
typically by Monday at 10am, but this week is Labor Day;
so respond to colleagues by Wednesday, 9/4 at 10am)
1.
2.
Read TH Preliminary Chapter
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Input, Output and Interaction in
Language Learning
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 1
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Standards for Foreign
Language Learning
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 2
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 3
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Professional Organizations
Planning Instruction to Address
Goals of Standards
Week 5
9/23 – 9/30
Integrated Language Instruction
Lesson Planning
Week 6
9/30 – 10/7
Teaching demo #1
1.
2.
3.
Brainstorm activities/resources
Week 7
10/7 – 10/14
Week 8
10/14 – 10/21
Age and Language Learning
Compiling Resources
Reflections
1.
Prepare and Present Teaching Demo #1
Review TH Chapters 1-3
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
2.
For Elementary Spanish Teachers: Read TH Ch. 4
For Secondary Spanish Teachers: Read TH Ch. 5
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
1.
2.
3.
Submit List of Resources (at least 10)
Write Mid-Semester Journal
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Week 9
10/21 – 10/28
Using an Interactive Approach
to Teaching Listening/Reading
(Interpretive Mode)
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 6
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Week 10
10/28 – 11/4
Teaching Grammar
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 7
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Story-based Approaches to
Teaching Grammar
TPRS
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Week 11
11/4 – 11/11
Developing Interpersonal and
Presentational Communication
(Speaking/Writing)
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 8 & 9
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Week 12
11/11 – 11/18
Addressing Diverse Needs of
Learners
1.
2.
Read TH Ch. 10
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Week 13
11/18 – 11/25
Language Assessment
1.
2.
3.
Read TH Ch. 11
Work on Teaching Demo #2
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
Lesson Delivery
Happy Thanksgiving! (No class 11/27 – 12/1)
Week 14
12/2 – 12/9
Teaching Demo #2
Technology in Language
Teaching and Learning
Week 15
12/9 – 12/16
Sharing of Resources
Final Reflections
1.
2.
3.
Prepare and Present Teaching Demo #2
Read TH Ch. 12
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion
1.
2.
3.
Course Wrap-up/ Conclusion
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Write Final Reflections
Present Final List of Resources (at least 20)
Contribute to Weekly Threaded Discussion