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Prof: Sadie Nickelson-Requejo
Office: Wyatt Hall 244
Phone: 879-2978
Class time and location: Section F - MWF 11-11:50 JO 206; T JO302
Section H - MWF 12-12:50 JO204; T 12:30-1:20 JO302
Section J – MTWF 2-2:50 JO213
Office Hours: M 3-4 pm; F 10am-10:45 & by appointment
E-mail: sadienickelson@yahoo.com
http://www2.ups.edu/faculty/srequejo/
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Course Objectives:
The goal of this course is to learn communication skills in Spanish, which include conversation with others, expression of ideas in writing, and reading and understanding what others have written. Students will cover Chapters 1 through 8 and will participate in a variety of activities to facilitate their language practice both in and out of class.
Required Materials:
1) Nexos textbook,
2) wkbk & lab manual (online version http://books.quia.com/books/students.html
– a cd-like packet with a code inside for QUIA),
3) student audio cd that accompanies the textbook,
[4) *A Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary]
QUIA: http://books.quia.com
Class materials and communication will be organized on QUIA. Each 101 student must enroll himself/herself in QUIA (instructions below) and check on a daily basis for updates, assignments, and additions.
Suggested Resources:
*Nexos student website. http://college.hmco.com/languages/spanish/long/nexos/1e/students/index.html
It contains practice exercises, flashcards (require shockwave), and other activities.
*English Grammar for Students of Spanish by Emily Spinelli – This book clears up common confusion with grammatical points and is available in the
University Book Store.
* Puntos de Partida website: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072873949/student_view0/
*Extra practice activities by topic: http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/index.php
Course Requirements
Participation: Students are to be prepared upon arrival with their assignments completed. Confusion about the assignment is not an excuse for not having fulfilled responsibilities. Students are expected to be “mentally engaged” in the lesson at hand, and ready to contribute to classroom discussion. Late arrivals and chatter during class are distracting to others, and are unacceptable. Spanish will
be the language of communication in the classroom. Your effort to use Spanish, your willingness to contribute, and your attitude will determine your participation grade. Allow yourself to take risks and make mistakes, and be sure to maintain a positive attitude.
Attendance: Because of your limited opportunities outside the classroom to practice Spanish, daily oral communication in class is key in the improvement of your language skills and your grade. You are allowed 4 absences, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON. Illness, family emergencies, oversleeping, extracurricular activities, etc. are all included in the various reasons for absences. Each additional
absence will result in a 1% reduction in your final grade. In the case of your absence, it is your responsibility to keep up with assignments. If something is due, use whatever means necessary to turn it in by class time ON THAT DAY. Check QUIA’s announcements page for assignments and contact a classmate to get any additional information missed in class.
Homework: There will be homework everyday. You are responsible for carefully & promptly completing the work and coming to class prepared. QUIA assignments will be completed online, and textbook assignments should be written out on loose leaf and stored in a binder. Homework may or may not be collected. Be ready. Studying and reading for the next day’s lesson is crucial, and thus being unprepared in class signifies to the instructor that you have not completed your homework. Stay on top of assignments & ask questions as soon as they arise. No late work.

Quizzes: Quizzes may be announced or unannounced, so be sure to keep up with the work and study everyday! There will be no make up quizzes, however your lowest quiz score will be dropped. If you miss a quiz, that quiz will count as your dropped score.
Mini-presentations: There will be four short presentations assigned throughout the semester based on the cultural matter we are covering in each chapter. The presentations will require research and preparation outside of class. Guidelines to follow.
Writing Assignments: There will be 5 main writing assignments throughout the semester. These will be short at-home writings focusing on the grammar we are covering at the time, and the specific topics will be announced. Assignments must be typed, and double-spaced so that I may make comments between the lines. Late work will not be accepted.
Tests (2): There are two tests tentatively set for Friday Oct. 2nd (Chapters 1-4) and Monday, Nov. 9 th (Chapter 6 and part of 7).
There are no make-ups.
Midterms (2): The first midterm will cover chapters 1-5 and will tentatively be held on Wed., Oct. 14th. The second midterm will be held on our last scheduled class day (Wed. Dec. 9 th ) and will cover chapters 6-8. There are no make-ups.
Extracurricular Participation: As you know, learning a language does not take place entirely inside the classroom, and there are many opportunities for you to improve your linguistic abilities outside of class. At the same time, knowledge and appreciation of
Hispanic culture is an important component of your language-learning experience. Therefore, part of your final grade will be determined by your participation in extracurricular events related to Hispanic language and culture. I ask that you attend three events during the semester to receive full credit for extracurricular participation. This component of your grade may be fulfilled by attending the Spanish conversation hour which is held weekly or by attending other events related to Hispanic culture that I will announce throughout the semester. If you would like to attend an event that you deem relevant to Hispanic culture and that I do not announce in class, please consult with me beforehand to determine if this event is acceptable for credit. Following your participation in these events, you will be required to submit a one-page typed reaction statement regarding your experience. Details to follow.
Grading:
Participation 5%
Extracurricular participation and reaction statement 5%
Quizzes:
Homework:
Writing assignments
Tests (2):
Midterms (2):
10%
15%
15%
20%
30%
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism is a serious offense. The University takes this matter very seriously, so if you have not already done so, please familiarize yourself with the pages regarding academic honesty in The Logger. Please note that internet resources are included in the academic honesty code. Online translators are forbidden. Academic dishonesty results in an automatic zero for the work and it is reported to Registrar.
Additional help:
*There are free tutors available by appointment in the Center for Writing and Learning in Howarth Hall. Their schedule for the semester will be posted outside my office.
*Getting to know your classmates and forming study groups certainly helps. It is a great way to reinforce material, practice oral skills and prepare for tests.
*Also, the Spanish House (1122 N. Lawrence St.) offers a weekly conversation hour. The hour is run by students and is a fantastic opportunity to interact with students from all different classes and levels of Spanish. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun, and thus is perfect for those students who tense up in class. I will announce their schedule as soon as it is confirmed.
Students with disabilities: Students in need of special attention please contact the Coordinator of Disabilities Services for Writing
& Learning at (253) 879-3395 or TDD (253) 879-3399 so we can devise the best possible plan for a productive, exciting semester.
*As a courtesy to others, cell phones and all other beeping/musical/distracting devices must be turned off before entering the classroom.*
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(Sections F, H, & J – Be sure to enroll in your proper section)
Creating a Quia Account
If you do not have an account, you need to create one. To do so, follow these steps:
Go to http://books.quia.com and click Students, then click Create a new account.
Select a username and password and enter your information, then click Submit.
Note: Remember to write down your username and password and be sure to select the correct time zone. Also, please enter a valid e-mail address so we can send you your password if you forget it.
Entering the Book Key and Course Code
Enter the book key and course code to complete the enrollment process. You may need to purchase a book key, you may already have a book key that you purchased separately, or you may already have activated the book for a previous course. Depending on your situation, use one of the procedures below. The course code is listed at the top of this page.
Once you have completed this step, the system lists the course and book on the Student
Workstation home page. To enter additional books, enter a book key in the Enter book key field and click Go.
Note: Book keys can only be used once. Your book key will become invalid after you use it.
I need to purchase a book key
Go to http://books.quia.com and log in.
Click Bookstore at the top of the Student Workstation window.
Enter search criteria for the book and click Search.
Locate the book in the search results and click Buy.
Enter the course code, BENRT464, and click Next.
Proceed through the purchase process.
I already have a book key
Go to http://books.quia.com and log in.
Enter the book key in the Enter book key field at the top of the Student Workstation window and click
Go.
Click Confirm to confirm your registration information.
The system displays the Student Workstation and lists the book under the My books heading.
Beside the book listing, enter the course code, BENRT464, in the Enter course code field and click
Go.
Select a class section (F, H, or J) and click Submit.
Using Quia
To access your Student Workstation in the future, go to http://books.quia.com and log in.
Here, you can open your book, submit activities, view your results, and view your instructor's feedback. If you have any questions, contact Quia Support at http://books.quia.com/support.html