Course Syllabus

               Bienvenidos / Welcome to my Spanish 1 Class

In this interactive and engaging class there will be many opportunities to use Spanish in a creative way. Your active participation is the key to your learning and will help making the class satisfying, successful and, hopefully, fun.

At home students will focus on the grammar and vocabulary content from the Vistas textbook using the SuperSite online program. I incorporate the textbook content into our in-class listening, speaking, reading and writing activities.

When we meet in class I often use a technique based in Comprehensible Input instruction. The goal is to make new language structures both understable and very interesting. It's a cooperative teachnique that is most successful when students fully participate in the co-creation of spoken and written narratives.

During class it's important that students indicate to me when they don't understand something I am saying. There is an easy signal I will show you in our first class that means "Profe, I don't get it! Please slow down/repeat so I can understand." Even if you are a shy person, please use the signal right away. Why? It helps you, it helps me be a better teacher (by not going too fast) and it helps other students who also may not understand. ¡GRACIAS!

I look forward our semester together. ¡Nos vemos en clases! See you in class!

Syllabus for Elementary Spanish 1

Profe. Benjamin Lev      blev@santarosa.edu

There will be a quiz on the syllabus, so please read it!

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Assuming good attendance, homework, and active participation, you will be able to:
1. Use the simple present, present progressive and preterit tenses, including high-frequency irregular verbs, subject and

object pronouns, and adjectives.
2. Initiate and maintain simple conversations in Spanish on everyday topics
3. Comprehend and respond to short messages and questions in spoken Spanish.
4. Write coherent paragraphs containing descriptions of people, places, and everyday activities.
5. Use appropriate vocabulary for greetings, school-related items, family members, clothes, food, etc
6. Read and comprehend the main ideas presented in level appropriate Spanish texts and magazine articles. 7. Demonstrate cultural awareness and insights about the Spanish-speaking world

TEXTBOOK

We will be using VISTAS textbook with its online Supersite (for homework assignments). You can buy it at the SRJC bookstore or online. Go to this link and click on VISTAS Spanish 1: http://vistahigherlearning.com/store/santarosa.htm/ Set up your online VISTAS account, find "Santa Rosa Junior College", find me "Benjamin Lev" and link to my class section.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

You will also need: 1) Three ring binder 2) Journal or notebook, not loose leaf 3) Spanish-English dictionary or app (I recommend WordReference) 4) We will read a short novel written for Spanish 1 students. It will cost $7.

CLASS PARTICIPATION

This is a highly interactive class. Join in! It's the key to learning a language.

TESTS AND EXAMS

There will be quizzes or exams for each of the chapters. Some quizzes in class will be unannounced.

GRADING

25% Attendance and active participation
25% Homework on VISTAS online website (Supersite)
25% Exams, announced and unannounced
25% Final Exam and Project

Grade for the course:  A=90%+ B=80-89% C=70-79% D=60-69% F= below 60%

CLASS POLICIES

1) I use SRJC email to communicate, so students need to check their email every few days and respond.
2) Texting: Please turn off your cell phone and put it away during class. No texting, no ear buds, gracias.
3) Attendance: Please be on time. Each unexcused absence will lower your participation/attendance grade. Let me know by email if you're sick or ill (an excused absence). You are responsible for missed classwork and homework--contact people in your "familia" for missed work. You will have to do an extra assignment to make up the absence. If you miss 3 or more classes you may be dropped.
4) Conduct: Respect the rights of other students and the instructor. If you violate the Student Conduct Code you may be suspended from 2 classes and referred to the Vice President of Student Services for discipline.
5) Students may not speak English without permission. My goal is to speak to you 90% of the time in Spanish. Occasionally for directions or explanations I will briefly use English. Students may not chat or blurt out in English. You may ask clarification (¿Cómo se dice XYZ en inglés?) or for permission to speak English (¿Me permite hablar inglés?). Disruptions or use of English will lower your participation grade.
6) Homework: I accept late homework for a reduced grade, but not if it's always late. Talk to me if there’s an issue.