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SYLLABUS
SPANISH 101
UW-MADISON
EVENING VERSION
Fall 2012
Instructor:
Office: ________ Office Phone: ____________
Email: ___________________________
Office Hours: ____________________________
Texts:
1) Selected Materials from Puntos de Partida. 9th ed. Dorwick, et al. McGraw-Hill, 2011.
Recommended:
2) English Grammar for Students of Spanish 5th Edition, Emily Spinelly, The Olivia Hill Press
Course Description and Objectives: Spanish 101 is the first course in a two-semester sequence of
beginning Spanish. It is designed for the student with little or no prior knowledge of Spanish. The goal of
the course is for students to use their newly-acquired skills to communicate in Spanish in a realistic and
culturally appropriate fashion with emphasis placed on speaking, listening, reading and writing. All
classes will be taught in Spanish.
Speaking a foreign language is an acquired skill that requires a great deal of consistent practice to
become proficient. You are expected to work conscientiously on a daily basis in class and at home.
Every day, you will have some assignments that will allow you to reinforce and practice what you have
learned in class and others that will help you come to class prepared the following day. Attendance,
preparation and participation in class are of utmost importance and you are expected to be in class and
participate every day. Based on these premises, the basic requirements for Spanish 101 are as follows:
Method of Evaluation:
Grading Scale:
Chapter Tests
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Oral Final Exam
Homework, Oral Presentations and Writing Exercises
Participation/Attendance
20%
20%
25%
10%
15%
10%
The grading scale for all Spanish 101 classes is as follows:
A ........... 92-100
AB ........ 89-91
B ........... 83-88
BC ........ 80-82
C ........... 71-79
D ........... 65-70
F ........... Below 65
Chapter Tests: (20% of the final grade) There will be four (4) chapter tests during the semester.
**PLEASE NOTE: There will be NO make-up tests for ANY reason, including situations such as
illness or required participation in a university-sponsored event. In order not to penalize those who miss a
test, the lowest of all test scores will be dropped for all (i.e. a zero for the missed test), and the remaining
three (3) averaged. Test dates appear on the Calendar in this syllabus. Please check exam dates
carefully to avoid foreseeable conflicts later.
Midterm Exam: (20% of your final grade) The Midterm Exam will be comprehensive, and it will take
place during two days (Part I and Part II) during normal classroom hours. Midterm Exam dates appear
on the Calendar in this syllabus. Please check exam dates carefully to avoid foreseeable conflicts
later. Midterm Exam: Thursday October 18 and Monday October 22 during your class.
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Final Exam: (25% of your final grade) The Final Exam will be comprehensive and will be given on the
following date: Friday, December 21 @ 2:45 pm.
Oral Final Exam: (10% of your final grade) The Oral Final Exam will be given during weeks 14 and 15.
The oral final is designed to evaluate the speaking and listening skills practiced throughout the semester.
More detailed information about the oral final will be provided toward the end of the semester.
Homework, Oral Presentations and Writing Exercises: (15% of the final grade)
Homework will consist of exercises from your texts, workbook, supplementary materials, electronic lab.
manual and any other activities the instructor deems appropriate. It will be given on a daily basis, and is
an integral part of the course. All written homework should be completed in a clear and organized
fashion. Exercises from the Connect must be completed online on time in order to receive credit. All
homework (electronic and otherwise) is due when the instructor indicates, and not thereafter. No late
homework will be accepted.
***Although the class meets on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, you will also be required to turn
in homework electronically on Wednesdays and Fridays. This is to help students organize the time they
spend practicing Spanish for more effective learning.
Oral Presentations: There will be a minimum of two (2) in-class oral presentations (individually or in
group) throughout the semester.
Writing Assignments: Beginning with the third week of class you will begin writing short compositions.
These essays offer 101 students the opportunity to be creative and to gradually develop and improve their
written skills during the semester. These will be assigned either as homework or done during class. There
will be a minimum of 4 writing assignments throughout the semester. All writing assignments are due
when the instructor indicates and no late assignments will be accepted.
Participation and Attendance: (10% of the final grade)
Participation: Active participation is a must for any successful language learner. You will be awarded
up to 10 points for participation per week. Active participation consists of using Spanish in class at all
times, volunteering answers, answering questions as accurately as possible, as well as staying on task in
pair and group work. If you are absent from class you cannot participate, so you will receive no points
for participation on the days that you are absent.
***Tardiness will automatically drop your participation grade an additional 0.5 point per day
Attendance: You are expected to be in class every day. Regular attendance provides you with the
practice that is essential to master a foreign language. You earn up to 5 points (5%) for attendance (you
will be graded once at the end of the semester). All absences count! No absences will be excused, but
you are allowed to miss a maximum of 3 days for any reason without losing attendance points.
If you participate in UW-sponsored events that may prevent you from attending class from time to
time, you must inform your instructor on or before September 14, 2012 and submit a letter to him/her,
written on UW letterhead and signed by your supervisor or coach. The letter must include your name, the
entire season's schedule and your responsibilities in it. You must use your 3 allowed absence days for
these events first. However, further event-related absences will not affect your attendance
grade. NOTE: all other non-event absences DO count.
Your attendance grade will be awarded as follows. (All absences count!)
***Each 15 minute period of class missed = 1/6 of an absence (includes leaving class early)
0-3 absences=5 pts. / 4 absences=4 pts. / 5 absences=2 pts. / 6 absences=1 pt. / 6+ absences=0 pts.
Students with special needs: Students who require special accommodations should talk with their
instructor during the first week of class so that the instructor can make all necessary arrangements
and/or accommodations.
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Miscellaneous:
 Students who will be absent from class due to religious holidays must inform the instructor of
the specific dates of these absences within the first two weeks of class.
 Electronic devices: ALL electronic devices (including phones, laptops, translators, etc.) must be
turned off and put away during class unless specific previous arrangements have been made
with your instructor.
 Talk to your instructor if you have questions, difficulties or concerns as early as possible!
 Incomplete(s) may be given with approval of the course coordinator only and solely in case of
emergency or extenuating circumstances. To be eligible to receive an incomplete, the student must
have completed at least 80% of the coursework as explained in the syllabus (this includes
attendance and participation).
Academic Honesty: (see http://students.wisc.edu/saja/misconduct/UWS14.html )
Academic honesty requires that all course work a student presents to an instructor honestly and
accurately indicates the student’s own academic efforts. It is inappropriate to engage in any activity that
might constitute academic misconduct. Some examples include but are not limited to:
o Cutting and pasting from the web without proper citation.
o Paraphrasing from the web or other sources without crediting the source(s).
o Using another person’s ideas, words or research and presenting it as one’s own. (This
includes help from friends, tutors, family and computer-based).
If you have any questions regarding this issue (such as what kind of help from a friend, tutor, etc. is / is
not acceptable) read the enclosed document (last page of syllabus) and consult with your instructor
before handing in work that is not entirely your own.
Additional Useful Information:
Spanish 101 Coordinator :
Prof. Adriana Fonseca (afonseca@wisc.edu)
Office: 1070 Van Hise / Office Phone #: 262-9663 (Main office: 262-2093)
Office Hours: Wednesday 12:30-2:30 and by appointment.
Spanish Department Web site:
http://spanport.lss.wisc.edu
Connect:
http://www.connectspanish.com
Spanish 101Calendar: Fall 2011
Week
Day
Date
Material
1
T
R
Sept. 4
Sept. 6
Course Intro/Capítulo 1
Capítulo 1/ Quiz over syllabus content
Special needs Students and Athletes: talk to your instructor NOW!
2
M
T
R
Sept. 10
Sept. 11
Sept. 13
Capítulo 1
Capítulo 2
Capítulo 2 Athletes must submit official letter by TODAY!!!!!
3
M
T
R
Sept. 17
Sept. 18
Sept. 20
Capítulo 2
Chapter Test #1: (Caps. 1 y 2) /Repaso antes (Review before)
Capítulo 3
4
M
T
R
Sept. 24
Sept. 25
Sept. 27
Capítulo 3
Capítulo 3
Capítulo 3
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5
M
T
R
Oct. 1
Oct. 2
Oct. 4
Capítulo 4
Capítulo 4
Capítulo 4
6
M
T
R
Oct. 8
Oct. 9
Oct. 11
Capítulo 4
Chapter Test #2 (Caps. 3 y 4) /Intro – Capítulo 5
Capítulo 5
7
M
T
R
Oct. 15
Oct. 16
Oct. 18
Capítulo 5
Capítulo 5
Midterm Exam part I (Cap. 1 – Cap. 5) /Repaso antes
8
M
T
R
Oct. 22
Oct. 23
Oct. 25
Midterm Exam Part II (Intro – Cap. 6)
Capítulo 6
Capítulo 6
9
M
T
R
Oct. 29
Oct. 30
Nov. 1
Capítulo 6
Capítulo 6/Capítulo 7
Capítulo 7
10
M
T
R
Nov. 5
Nov. 6
Nov. 8
Capítulo 7
Capítulo 7
Chapter Test # 3 (Caps. 6 y 7) /Repaso antes
11
M
T
R
Nov. 12
Nov. 13
Nov. 15
Capítulo 8
Capítulo 8
Capítulo 8
12
M
T
R
Nov. 19
Nov. 20
Nov. 22
Capítulo 8
Capítulo 9
Thanksgiving Holiday
13
M
T
R
Nov. 26
Nov. 27
Nov. 29
Capítulo 9
Capítulo 9
Capítulo 9
14
M
T
R
Dec. 3
Dec. 4
Dec. 6
Chapter Test #4 (Caps. 8 y 9) /Practice for Oral Interviews
Practice for Oral Interviews
M
T
R
Dec. 10
Dec. 11
Dec. 13
Oral interviews
15
Oral interviews
Review/Oral interviews
Review Last Class DAY
FINAL EXAM - Friday, DECEMBER 21st @ 2:45 P.M.
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Using a Tutor in Spanish and Portuguese
More than anything, a tutor can explain grammar or readings that you do not understand.
You can practice your mastery of new concepts, verb forms and vocabulary with your tutor by having him
or her verify the accuracy of your responses.*
Use your tutor for more guided practice activities from your course materials that your instructor might
not have had time to cover with the class, in addition to more pronunciation, speaking, and listening
activities.
Always use vocabulary from the text you are studying. Make your tutor aware of your text and its
explanations, so that s/he understands exactly what you are supposed to be learning.
Words of caution
Your tutor is not permitted to
1) check over and/or correct any written assignments that you are required to hand in to class
for a grade —including homework, compositions and journals/essays.
2) write your assignments for you

Do not come to depend too much on your tutor. Remember that while participating in class and
taking tests, you will not have access to your tutor. You need to be able to master and absorb the
material on your own. Your tutor can help you do this but s/he cannot do it for you.

If you have a tutor who is from outside the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Tutor list, the
tutor may or may not know how to explain the language to you (even if s/he is a native speaker).
S/he may supply you with answers that are not in accordance with the text used in the course, or
that are simply wrong. Many speakers of a language are not trained to teach another person how to
write their native tongue.

If the work you submit as your own appears not to be yours (or seems to be that of your tutor) you
will be asked to explain your answers. Failure or inability to do so may lead to an investigation of
academic misconduct.
*For those studying Spanish grammar and who may not understand all the explanations in the text, there
is also a helpful website which explains grammar in very simple terms. You may wish to check it out:
studyspanish.com/tutorial.htm. Also, a helpful reference book is English Grammar for Students of
Spanish by Emily Spinelli.
−Adapted from a document prepared by Jeff Kirsch