WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY
Department of Humanities
Silver City, New Mexico
SPAN 151 – CRN10153 & 10751: Beginning Conversational Spanish I
Fall 2010
Mondays 7:00 – 9:45 p.m.
ITV—connecting Deming & Truth or Consequences
Instructor: Dr. María Eugenia Trillo
Office: Bowden Hall 113
Office Phone: 538-6526
Departmental Phone: 538-6525
Fax: 505-538-6535
E-mail: trillom@wnmu.edu, metrillo2002@yahoo.com
Office Hours:
Virtual Office Hours: Mondays 7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
COURSE CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION: For non-native speakers of Spanish; simple
conversation, designed primarily to give students extra practice in the oral use of the language;
not open to Spanish-speaking students except by consent of the instructor. Credit hours: 3.
EXTENDED COURSE DESCRIPTION: Although aural-oral skills are emphasized in this
course, reading and writing skills will also be taught through vocabulary-building exercises.
Grammar will be taught using traditional and non-traditional approaches with the purpose of
having students learn to listen, speak, read and write at a basic beginner’s level by the end of the
semester. Role-playing will be the means for learning and practicing the basic vocabulary needed
for given situations, in other words, this will be a task-based approach learning environment.
Students will also be introduced to some cultural concepts operative in the Spanish-speaking
countries.
Disability Services at WNMU:
Services for students with disabilities are provided through the Academic Support Center’s
Disability Services Office in the Juan Chacon Building, Room 220. Some examples of the
assistance provided are: audio materials for the blind or dyslexic, note takers, readers, campus
guides, audio recorders, a quiet testing area, and undergraduate academic tutors. In order to
qualify for these services, documentation must be provided by qualified professionals on an
annual basis. Disability Services forms are available in the Academic Support Center. The
Disability Services Office, in conjunction with the Academic Support Center, serves as Western
New Mexico University's liaison for students with disabilities. The Academic Support Center’s
Disability Services Office can be contacted by phone at 575.538.6400 or e-mail at
matterr@wnmu.edu.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:
Hershberger, R., Navey-Davis, S, Borrás, G.A. (2008). Plazas: Lugar de encuentros. 3rd ed.
USA: Thomson Heinle. ISBN: 978-1-4282-0504-8. {4th edition is fine also}
**Don’t forget that you may also use RENT-A-TEXT by going to the WNMU Bookstore
online.
Another option for book purchases is through http://www.betterworldbooks.com/
....a friendly place that supplies you with “reasonable-cost” books, carbon free shipping and
funded portions of your purchase go to literacy worldwide so that your purchase helps us help
others.
COURSE INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to have students:
1) Learn basic vocabulary in Spanish in order to facilitate listening and speaking
comprehension;
2) Learn some of the basic verbs, their meanings, their structure and use in the present tense
and its various functions: present, historic present, present progressive, and the
paraphrastic future;
3) Learn the basic grammatical components of the Spanish language;
4) Learn to speak at a basic level so that a sympathetic native speaker may understand;
5) Learn to listen and comprehend the discourse of a native speaker who works to
communicate with a non-native speaker of the Spanish language
6) Learn to read and write Spanish at a basic level
Student Learning Outcomes--By the end of the semester, students will be expected to
demonstrate the ability to:
1) Introduce oneself and others
2) Describe self and others
3) Greet, take-leave, excuse oneself, express condolences and empathy
4) Order a meal in a Spanish-speaking environment
5) Give phone number, address
6) Understand the gist of a basic conversation
7) Interact with a native speaker of Spanish who is sympathetic to someone who is learning
Spanish at a basic level
8) Ask questions and respond to such
9) Know the colors, numbers from 0-1000; dates, to tell time, days of the week & months,
seasons of the year
10) To follow directions to and from a map
11) The names of a minimum of 500 items
12) A minimum of 45 verbs useful for basic conversational purposes
GRADING SCALE:
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
90-100% = A
Attendance, Participation, Homework
15%`
80-89% = B
5 Quizzes @ 5% ea.*
25%
70-79% = C
2 Tests @ 10% ea.*
20%
60-69% = D
Midterm Group Project
10%
On-site poster presentation
10%
Presentación oral final (Oral delivery @ 10%;
written & audio-visual materials @ 10%)
20%
*Note: Pop quizzes and tests are administered and averaged for the final grade.
Resources available to you: We all want your success in this course, so please take advantage
of these resources. When you find a resource not listed here, please share it in class.
1)
Your instructor—I am delighted when you as an individual or a group of students want to
meet with me. Even if this is a course that is delivered through an ITV format and, is also webenhanced through the use of Blackboard, I am still available to your through email, phone and
when I go to visit you on-site. Please make sure you take advantage of these one-on-one learning
opportunities.
2)
Spanish Survival Buddies—You will be grouped with a few of your classmates to form a
study group. Just like in swimming classes, you and your buddies are responsible for one
another’s success in the class. You will need to keep in touch through e-mail, phone and face-toface. If one of you has to be absent from class, you need to contact your buddies to see what you
have missed and to get handouts. Your buddies are just as responsible for you as you are for
them. Some class assignments will need to be completed in your Spanish Survival Buddy group.
3)
Friends, relatives and fellow classmates—Since we live in the southwest and in a state
that has Spanish as one of its official languages, you are encouraged to use Spanish on an
everyday basis with everyone around you. You will also become more aware of the use of
Spanish in standard/academic form and in popular vernacular, both of which are acceptable for
conversational purposes. Your instructor will talk about the differences in various forms of
Spanish used in our community and in the world. NOTE: Be careful not to have your Spanish
tutor, your friends, relatives, classmates, significant others or electronic resources do your work
in Spanish for the purpose of turning it in for a grade. This is considered plagiarism, otherwise
known as academic dishonesty. Please see the section on Plagiarism in this syllabus. It is serious
business and you are warned twice in this syllabus not to fall prey to such practices.
4)
Spanish websites should also be explored and used to augment instruction in the
classroom. Visit http://www.StudySpanish.com for pronunciation drills, grammar and
vocabulary building activities. As you find new sites by doing “goggle” searches, do bring this
information to share with others in the classroom.
5)
Explore this useful and unique website: www.yabla.com because it will help you build
your listening and reading comprehension skills. The demo videos are free and fun!
Absenteeism policy: Since this is a performance course and we only meet once a week,
students are required to attend every class to receive the necessary input from the instructor and
the other students. There will be limited use of the English language in the classroom. Students
are expected to do their best to speak, listen to, read and write Spanish in the classroom; the
instructor will serve as a facilitator and guide in conversations, and as a lecturer on given topics.
More than ONE unexcused absence (see Student Handbook) during the semester will
necessitate a reduction of the semester grade by 10%. This means that if you have more than one
unexcused absences during the semester, regardless of the reason, you will not be able to earn
more than a “B” as a final grade.
Please note: Student athletes and other students with institutional travel demands should
inform the instructor of scheduled absences and should turn in due work before being absent
from class. Students in this category are still expected to keep up with the class. See me after
class so that we may discuss your work.
Dropping the course: Students who stop attending class will receive an “F” for the course--if
the student has not officially withdrawn from the course in timely fashion. The instructor will
NOT drop you automatically. It is the student’s responsibility to do the necessary paperwork and
follow-up to be officially dropped.
Classroom Behavior: Since this is a university, proper behavior becoming an adult in an
academic setting is required. Consideration of others, respect for self and others, patience and
tolerance, cooperation, and a sense of humor make for a wonderful learning environment for
everyone. Belligerent, intimidating, rude, inconsiderate and otherwise disruptive behavior, such
as libelous or slanderous remarks will not be tolerated. The instructor will warn you only once;
subsequently, I will ask you to leave the class and will drop you from the class roster. Your
transcript will read “WF” (Withdraw/failing) for this course. I will also initiate a student incident
report that will stay on your record for having created an inhospitable learning environment for
others.
Plagiarism: There are serious consequences for cheating of any kind, stealing intellectual
property, misrepresenting oneself, and other such activities. The instructor will illustrate in class
what is considered academic dishonesty. The instructor reserves the right to take disciplinary
action against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty. The consequence for
plagiarism is: receiving an “F” for the course, regardless of the grades received previously in the
course. For further information, refer to Academic Honesty in your catalog and in your Student
Handbook.
SPAN 151--TENTATIVE WORK SCHEDULE—Fall 2010 (changes will occur due to
unforeseen circumstances; instructor reserves the right to make changes as may be necessary, in which
case, a revised work schedule will be provided).
Scheduled
Class Date
23 Aug.
Focus in class
Assigned Homework
Introductions; syllabus;
greetings & leave-takings; intro
to Trillo’s Basic Set of Action
Verbs; practice pronunciation;
TENGO 15 años; # 0-15 &
telephone Numbers; Spanish
Survival Buddies established;
Review previous concepts;
colors; #0-15 reviewed; basic
body parts (human & animal)
& description of physical traits;
Q & A (syntax); SER;
pronunciation; Hay/ay/ahí
NO CLASS==work on
Blackboard; KNOW comer,
bailar, escuchar, mirar,
beber, caminar, correr, ser,
trabajar, nadar, escribir,
tener.
Become familiar with Mustang
Express email and Blackboard;
13 de sept.
QUIZ 1: 10 verbs; Q & A
20 de sept.
More Basic Verbs (meaning,
action & pronunciation); Me
gusta; No me gusta… creating
sentences with temporal
phrases; colors, days of the
week; ocupaciones + SER;
Describing self & others
Temporal phrases; months;
telling time; weekday activities;
Me gustan…; food items;
ESTAR + location vocab
Quiz 2: Location; time Skits:
En la cafetería y en la
biblioteca… IR; ir a… Review
for Test 1;
Blackboard assignments for C. 2;
listen to CD & read
corresponding text
30 de agosto
6 de sept. =
Día del
Trabajo =
día feriado
(holiday)
27 de sept.
Due date
Study vocabulary;
Brief bio—mail to
trillom@wnmu.edu
P9 (beginner students);
P11(advanced students)
Work on Blackboard = Do
Review all material; practice
pronunciation & spelling of 21
countries; capitals of 21; colors;
TENER; age; describing self;
SER; temporal phrases; work
with www.yabla.com
Prepare Skits with 20 Action
verbs (partners only)
Have phrase cards & vocab
collage ready to use as prop
29/08
email to
trillom@wn
mu.edu by 6
de sept.
email signed
agreement
form to
trillom@wn
mu.edu
4 de oct.
11 de oct.
18
25
1 de nov.
8 de nov.
15 de nov.
22 de nov.=
vacaciones
de Día de
Acción de
Gracias
28 & 29 de
nov.
6 de dic.
SPAN 151
TEST 1: Voc. Action +
Reading/Listen.Comp.;
Action Verb Skits + Describe
Self; Writing: “Cuando voy
de viaje…”
TENER que + Inf.; more
adjectives; describing other
ocupaciones; reading; present
tense of regular ER/IR verbs
Regular CVF: - AR present;
possessive pronouns; mi
familia
--ER/IR verbs in dialogues;
reflexive verbs
Test 2: Midterm Group
Project
Collage: Voy a comprar…
QUIZ 4: AR/ER/IR verbs in
action—poster presentations
NO HAY CLASES
DURANTE ESTA SEMANA.
Quiz 5: Vocabulary/reading;
ON-SITE POSTER
PRESENTATIONS
FINAL ORAL SOLO
PRESENTATIONS
Agreement Form
email completed Verb Charts to
trillom@wnmu.edu with your
name, SPAN 152 & learning site
Bring photo of self/other to
describe
Mi viaje a…HO;
Quiz 3: on Blackboard
Verb charts: AR present
COMO SEGUIR
INSTRUCCIONES: haciendo
Calaveras, papel picado, pan de
muerto
Script for collage pres.
(see Guidelines for Poster
Presentation) on Blackboard
work on food vocabulary in C.6;
post “Food Patrol Report” in
Assignments;
Name (please print):____________________________________________________
By accepting admission to Western New Mexico University, each student makes a commitment
to understand, support, and abide by accepted standards of academic honesty and integrity
without compromise or exception. Violations of these standards will not be tolerated.
Each student is expected to observe standards of honesty and integrity. In all academic work
completed at WNMU. Students will be penalized for infractions that include, but are not limited
to, the following: representation of the work of others as one’s own, failure to cite sources,
unauthorized assistance in any academic work, obtaining and/or using tests unless distributed by
the instructor, or copying the work of another.
Any infraction of academic honesty and integrity shall result in an automatic failure of
the course. (WNMU catalog)
When you are certain you understand what these standards are all about, and the consequences of
violating these standards, sign the statement immediately below and turn in to your instructor (by
the end of the first week of class):
I have read and subscribe to the accepted standards of student academic honesty and
integrity.
_______________________
(Date)
_______________________________________
(Student Signature)
Study this syllabus carefully and in great detail. Write out any questions you may have about
anything described in the syllabus and ask me. When you are certain you understand everything
in the syllabus, sign the statement below:
I have read and understand the syllabus for this course.
______________________
(Date)
______________________________________
(Student Signature)
ACTFL guidelines: Listening--Novice
Novice-Low
Understanding is limited to occasional isolated words, such as cognates, borrowed words,
and high-frequency social conventions. Essentially no ability to comprehend even short
utterances.
Novice-Mid
Able to understand some short, learned utterances, particularly where context strongly
supports understanding and speech is clearly audible. Comprehends some words and
phrases from simple questions, statements, high-frequency commands and courtesy
formulae about topics that refer to basic personal information or the immediate physical
setting. The listener requires long pauses for assimilation and periodically requests
repetition and/or a slower rate of speech.
Novice-High
Able to understand short, learned utterances and some sentence-length utterances,
particularly where context strongly supports understanding and speech is clearly audible.
Comprehends words and phrases from simple questions, statements, high-frequency
commands, and courtesy formulae. May require repetition, rephrasing, and/or a slowed
rate of speech for comprehension.
ACTFL guidelines: Speaking--Novice
General Description
The Novice level is characterized by the ability to communicate minimally with learned
material.
Novice-Low
Oral production consists of isolated words and perhaps a few high-frequency phrases.
Essentially no functional communicative ability.
Novice-Mid
Oral production continues to consist of isolated words and learned phrases within very
predictable areas of need, although quantity is increased. Vocabulary is sufficient only for
handling simple, elementary needs and expressing basic courtesies. Utterances rarely
consist of more than two or three words and show frequent long pauses and repetition of
interlocutor's words. Speaker may have some difficulty producing even the simplest
utterances. Some Novice-Mid speakers will be understood only with great difficulty.
Novice-High
Able to satisfy partially the requirements of basic communicative exchanges by relying
heavily on learned utterances but occasionally expanding these through simple
recombinations of their elements. Can ask questions or make statements involving learned
material. Shows signs of spontaneity although this falls short of real autonomy of
expression. Speech continues to consist of learned utterances rather than of personalized,
situationally adapted ones. Vocabulary centers on areas such as basic objects, places, and
most common kinship terms. Pronunciation may still be strongly influenced by first
language. Errors are frequent and, in spite of repetition, some Novice-High speakers will
have difficulty being understood even by sympathetic interlocutors.
Downloaded on 09/20/2006 from the ACTFL Guidelines:
http://www.sil.org/lingualinks/LANGUAGELEARNING/OtherResources/ACTFLProficiencyGu
idelines/ACTFLGuidelinesSpeakingNovice.htm