Course Syllabus

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🔑 Course description

Introduction to Spanish grammar and development of all language skills in a cultural context with special emphasis on interpersonal communication.

🥅 Objectives

I believe all my students can achieve great things. Here are some of the goals I have for you. You will:

  • be able to communicate with others in simple yet effective Spanish;
  • know more about how the Spanish language works and how phrases are put together;
  • be able to listen, speak, read, and write basic Spanish;
  • understand how Spanish-speaking cultures are similar and different from your own culture(s);
  • increase your ability to communicate speaking and writing; and
  • feel safe to experiment with language.

🎯 Student Learning Outcomes

  • Use the simple present, present progressive and preterit tenses, including high-frequency
     irregular verbs, subject and object pronouns, and adjectives.
  • Initiate and maintain simple conversations in Spanish on everyday topics using statements and questions with appropriate pronunciation.
  • Comprehend and respond to short messages and questions in spoken Spanish.
  • Write coherent paragraphs containing descriptions of people, places, and everyday activities.
  • Use appropriate vocabulary for greetings, school-related items, family members, clothes, food, days, months, weather, clock times, numbers, and colors.
  • Read and comprehend the main ideas presented in level appropriate Spanish texts and magazine articles.
  • Demonstrate cultural awareness and insights about the Spanish-speaking world as well as the Spanish-speaking communities in the United States.

Current SPAN 1 Course Outline of Record

📖 Required online textbook

This is a zero cost course. You do not have to purchase any textbook or workbook for this course.

We will use an open-source free textbook Naveguemos with a companion homework system called ADAPT.

Note: All students activate access to our homework system ADAPT by the end of the first day of class.

👨‍🏫 Teaching approach

This course emphasizes Spanish for meaningful communication and cultural understanding. The online spaces will be a place to practice and experiment through a range of activities and gain confidence in using the language in meaningful situations. Interactive activities with your classmates will reinforce grammar and vocabulary studied and practiced by you previously via the textbook. Assessment will mirror activities found in the textbook and those provided by the instructor.

🏫 Class format

This course emphasizes Spanish to help you communicate and understand other Latino cultures. The physical and online spaces will be a place to practice and experiment through a range of activities. Special emphasis will be using the language in meaningful situations. Interactive activities with your classmates will reinforce grammar and vocabulary studied and practiced by you previously online. Graded assignments will be similar to activities found in the textbook and those we do together in class.

🔒 Privacy and personal information

One of my goals with this class is for you to be able to talk about yourself and other important people in Spanish. For that reason, many of the conversation prompts and activities focus on sharing personal information. I do this so the class is more relevant and personal. It will also help you feel more comfortable talking about yourself in Spanish.

You can always choose to provide accurate information or invent information for the sake of the question to protect your private life. Also, if a question is not relevant to you or perhaps is a question that you feel extremely uncomfortable talking about (triggering), you can talk about something else related to the topics we are currently learning. Always ask me for alternates when you need them.

Any work you do using online tools (Canvas, Padlet, Google Docs, etc.) is not accessible to the public. However, it will be available to the members of the class. Please do repost any course content.

✨ Previous experience with Spanish

Students come to this class with various levels of experience with the Spanish language. There is something for each of these students, but it is helpful to understand how this class will and will not meet specific needs and expectations.

👶 I have never taken Spanish before

This is the class for you! It is specifically designed for students who do not have prior experience with Spanish. College Spanish is ambitious, covering many topics in a short amount of time. This can feel really fast. For that reason, it is really important to keep up with the course schedule. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time outside of class studying and meeting with the tutors and your professor. While that might sound like a lot, many of my never-taken-Spanish-before students do quite well. You can too!

🧑 I have taken some Spanish before

You are welcome to take this class! You may want to speak with a counselor to make sure you are getting the credit you need, especially if you are planning to transfer. While many of the topics may be review, be prepared for new ones you have not seen before. Keep your study skill sharp all semester long. Most students enjoy the pair and group activities since they give you practical experience using the language.

🧓 I already speak Spanish (or Spanglish)

You are welcome to take this class as well. Many students take this class to help focus on the structure of language. The online workbook for the course (Connect) can be quite helpful with that goal. Since you probably have more developed conversation skills, you may find many of the activities repetitive or that the language (vocabulary) is different from what they are used to. However, since these activities focus around learning about others, this may be interest. That said, this class is not well-suited for developing literacy skills in Spanish, eg. spelling, accent, and writing. We do offer classes specifically for Spanish-speakers, SPAN 40 and 41. Please talk with me and/or your counselor to see how these classes can fit into your educational plan.

🎓 Academic expectations

This is a five-unit class which requires significant work. You may need to spend a quite a bit of time and energy outside of class sessions in order to learn the language and meet all academic requirements.

This course is a college-level CSU and UC transferable course. There are certain requirements and expectations that are part of this class. It is challenging, academically and intellectually. This class may be different from other classes you have taken in the past in high school level or even at other colleges/universities.

I have confidence that you can meet these requirements and expectations. If you are having difficulties, please speak with me and/or a counselor as soon as possible. We are all here to help you be successful.

🏃‍♀️ Pacing and time commitment

We will be covering a full semester of college-level Spanish in six weeks. That is 24 grammar topics and at very least 700 words. You may need to dedicate a number of hours into personal study, completing assigned work, and being available for online sessions and activities.

This accelerated pace may not be appropriate for all learners. If you have questions about the fit of this class for your specific needs and goals, please contact me.

⚖️ Personal responsibility and accountability

Any college class requires you to be responsible and accountable for your learning. It is highly recommended that you plan out on how to you will complete your assignments to avoid waiting until the last possible minute. Furthermore, you may want to complete work well before the due by dates to give yourself adequate time and to avoid unforeseen technical or other issues.

If you have any issues or problems, please reach out promptly (within one day of the issue if possible) to talk about options and support for you.

Technical issues

We use online tools for our learning. While they are usually reliable, problems do happen. When issues occur, please work with technical support. Links to support are provided on our class Canvas homepage.

If you are having any difficulties or are not sure where to start, I can help direct you to the appropriate services you might need.

Something unexpected came

It is not unusual for unforeseen events to happen that impact your studies. This could be illness, homelessness, personal or family conflicts, work, etc. When something like this happens, do not assume that there is nothing that cannot be done. We can work together to find an equitable solution that supports you during these times.

Please reach out to me when situations arise to discuss your options. Often, we can work out accommodations that will allow you to finish the class without having to withdraw or fail. I can also help you connect with campus support resources.

Please do not wait until the end of the term to discuss issues when there may not be time or resources to resolve issues.

🦾 Accommodations

All students have the right for equitable access to class content and participation in class. If you need disability-related accommodations for this class, please provide the Authorization for Academic Accommodations (AAA letter) from the Disability Resources Department (DRD) to the instructor as soon as possible. You can contact the DRD at (707) 527-4278 or disabilityinfo@santarosa.edu. Any other accommodations are subject to instructor discretion, campus policies, and legal considerations; please contact the instructor to discuss.

If you need captioning for Zoom web conferencing sessions, please contact me before the start of the course to coordinate with the DRD office

📱 Communication

Communication with my students is very important to me. In my opinion, good communication is the base of a healthy student-professor relationship that supports your learning and success.

Preferred communication methods

I prefer texts for quick questions and email for more extensive or involved questions.

Since I teach many classes, please include your name and class (eg. SPAN 1 MW 10 am or SPAN 3 online) to help me identify you.

When writing email, please include the course number as well brief informative subject line (eg. “SPAN 1 Questions about next quiz” vs. "Hola") to help me prioritize my responses to many messages.

Response time

Responses will occur within the next business day (Monday-Friday). Email received after 5:00 pm on Fridays may not be answered until the following Monday.

I tend to stop looking at my phone around 7:30 pm, so consider that when reaching out via text. I tend to answer email in the mornings. If you have not heard back from me within three business days, please feel free to send a follow up message. While rare, sometimes messages do fall between the cracks.

🕰 Instructor availability

I have student (office) hours every week. This is time dedicated to you and I would love to see you.

I have both in-person and remote meeting options. Please check in Canvas under the “Schedule an appointment” to see days and times available. If those times do not work, please contact me with days and times you are available to coordinate another time.

I am available for contact during normal business hours (9:00 am–5:00 pm) Monday through Friday. I have many teaching and professional commitments during the workday so responses will rarely be instantaneous. Early morning hours and late evenings can be made available for students, but please request these appointments with a few days so I can coordinate with my family.

Generally, I am not available during weekends for meetings or appointments; particularly, I reserve Sundays for family and do not answer email or schedule appointments that day; I appreciate you helping me keep a healthy work-life balance.

✅ Setting yourself up for success

Time with the language is the most important factor when learning a language. You will learn best as you spend time during and outside class practicing and reviewing the course content (grammar, vocabulary, readings, etc.) indicated in the syllabus. Think of assignment due dates as a milestone for completing work by a specific day.

All activities for the semester are available from the beginning of the course to give you more flexibility in balancing personal, work, and academic matters. You are encouraged to work ahead.

Some things students have done in the past that helped them included:

  • making a personal study plan
  • practicing a bit every day
  • attending all Zoom sessions
  • practice Spanish with a family member, friend, coworker, etc.
  • do extra work in the Naveguemos textbook
  • ask the professor for additional learning materials adapted to your needs
  • use other free Spanish study tools like Duolingo, conjuguemos.com, etc.
  • creating study groups
  • meeting with our class tutor
  • arranging an appointment with your professor
  • completing quiz corrections
  • watching media in Spanish on Youtube, Netflix, Hulu, etc.

🏛 Resources

The college offers many resources to help you be successful. Some include:

💯 Grading

Grading is weighted according to categories.

Grading criteria
Category Percentage
Preparation, practice, and review [ADAPT] 25%
Interaction and communication [Zoom] 25%

Quizzes (4)

25%

Proyecto cultural

5%

Final exam
  • Composition
  • 5%
  • Oral
  • 5%
  • Comprehensive
  • 10%

The course gradebook can be found in Canvas and will be updated at the end of each chapter.

Note: The gradebook on the ADAPT website does not show your final grade in the course; go to Canvas for this information. Grades are transferred from ADAPT after each quiz is graded.

There are no make-ups for late or missed work unless. Additionally, extra credit is not offered.

📅 Activity availability

Most activities are available from the beginning of the course to allow you more flexibility in balancing personal, work, and academic matters while completing assigned work on time. You are always welcome and encouraged to work ahead of the assigned due dates. You can see due dates on the ADAPT Dashboard and the Canvas To Do list and Calendar.

📨 Turning in work and late policy

Work is turned in via Canvas and through the ADAPT homework system. I do not accept work via email.

If late work is accepted, an automatic penalty will be applied.

Generally, no late submissions, substitutions or makeup work will be accepted. Exceptions may occur due to documented personal or family illness or extraordinary circumstances; all exceptions are subject to instructor discretion and relevant college policies.

While I do provide flexibility and accommodations for technical issues, I do expect you to work with technical support resources to resolve these issues promptly. If issues are not resolved, all late policies will apply.

🕔 Late policy

We have frequently due dates to help all students have knowledge about the same material for the activities we do in class.

Generally, late submissions, substitutions or makeup work will not be accepted.

If late work is accepted, an automatic penalty will be applied either through Canvas or Connect. Exceptions may occur due to documented personal or family illness or extraordinary circumstances; all exceptions are subject to instructor discretion and relevant college policies; please contact me to discuss your particular situation.

Extra credit policy and quiz corrections

Extra credit is not provided. I feel there are other more effective ways for students to master the material than generating extra graded work for you and me. Also, generally I receive requests for extra credit at the end of the semester where lasting learning really is unlikely. If you are struggling with completing work or understanding any content, please reach out to me and/or a tutor for support.

One option for recuperating points is through quiz corrections. This can give you up to half-credit back. Please contact with me about setting up a meeting to discuss requirements. I require students to meet with me once before they are approved for quiz corrections. This meeting helps me provide you with personalized help.

📤 Grading timeframe

Generally, you can expect assignments to be graded within a week of submission. During busy times of the year (mid-terms, finals), I will prioritize grading certain high point assignments first (such as quizzes or compositions) before other work (such as culture assignments or other low-point assignments). Any approved make-up work will have lowest grading priority and it may be multiple weeks before it is updated.

ADAPT: Preparation, practice, and review 

💡 Preparation, practice, and review

These are the exercises that you will complete on the ADAPT homework system. They are spaced throughout the week to help you engage with Spanish a little bit each day. While cramming may allow you to get through the work, you will have better retention and learning if you do a little work every day. 

⚙️ Preparation

Since we will not spend much class time in lecture, it is important that you review the textbook and the interactive activities found there. You will be assigned sections of the textbook to read and review outside of class time. These readings often will include interactive activities for you to test your knowledge. This activities are not graded to give you the ability to try things out and notice where you may have questions.

🔄 Practice

These are follow up activities that are completed after your preparation in the ADAPT system and our in-class sessions. They are designed to increase your abilities with the language. These exercises are graded though you are welcome to redo them to improve your grade until the due date. These exercises are due generally on Fridays (at 11:50 pm PT). Any late work will be penalized ten percent for each day late.

🌐 Review

Reinforce what we have covered in class and prepare you for the quizzes. Review will be due before chapter quiz and will receive a letter grade. You are welcome to repeat exercises to improve their overall grade until the due date, generally Sundays (at 11:59 pm PT). Any late work will be penalized ten percent for each day late.

The following table summarizes the information discussed previously:

Assignment type overivew

Details 

Preparation

Practice

Review

Due by (recommend working ahead)

Mondays and Wednesdays by 11:59 pm

weekly, Saturdays by 11:59 pm

Sundays by 11:59 pm

Grading

completion

points

points

Late work

not accepted

-10% daily

-10% daily

🗣 Interaction and communication

Using the language to interact with other classmates is a fundamental to learning and improving language skills. Your participation in this course is vital not only for your success, but the success of your classmates. Research and experience have shown that engaging with classmates, instructor, and course content through various activities is key to improving your language abilities.

There will be two mandatory one-hour video conference sessions per week. These sessions will be facilitated using Zoom. Any missed interaction or communication assignments or online sessions will negatively affect the category grade and cannot be made-up or substituted with other work. With prior arrangement with and email confirmation from the professor, a student may miss one Zoom web conferencing session without impacting the grade.

When participating in Zoom web conferences, please find a quiet, uninterrupted space where you can give your full attention to the presentations, conversations, and activities. You are strongly encouraged to use a headset to reduce echos and feedback. Please do not participate in Zoom while operating a vehicle or other situation which will require your divided attention; treat it as normal class time and be prepared to be actively engaged the entire course time.

📝 Quizzes

Comprehensives quizzes will be administered related to monitor language development. Questions will reflect the format of exercises done in the ADAPT website as well as the interactive activities in Canvas and Zoom. Before taking a quiz, you should complete all preparation, practice, and review exercises for that particular chapter. You are welcome to review non-assigned exercises in ADAPT or the optional documents in the Files tool in Canvas. These quizzes are timed and must be completed once they are opened. Due dates for major quizzes are listed in the course schedule and in Canvas.

Note: Quizzes are given in Canvas via the honor system. Students shall not consult other websites—including ADAPT or our course textbook Naveguemos—, people, or other resources while taking the quiz. Submission of a quiz implies that you have agreed that the work submitted is of your own authorship and you have not consulted any other sources. This includes the use of any online translators, artificial intelligence tools, or other electronic resources. Not following these guidelines may result in not only a failing grade on the quiz, but additional administrative action that could include failing the entire class, academic probation, or suspension. Please uphold the confidence I have in your honesty and integrity.

📑 Final exam

The final exam will have three parts. These activities will happen towards the end of the term and will be cumulative from all materials covered during the semester. While more details will be provided later, generally the exam will have a/n:

  • Composition: a timed-writing assignment with revisions after it is reviewed by the professor
  • Oral exam: a partner activity where you both have a conversation focused on speaking
  • Written exam: a comprehensive exam focused on the core vocabulary and grammar for the term

👩‍💻 Technical requirements and tools

  • Computer, tablet, or smartphone with a functioning microphone and web camera
  • Reliable high-speed broadband or mobile internet connection capable of uploading video and participating in live video conferencing
  • Headphones (optional) to reduce audio feedback during interactive sessions

Additionally, you must have the latest versions of the following software on your computer and/or device:

Note: While most of the activities for this course can be completed either on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, there are a few activities on ADAPT (mostly grammar videos) that only can be completed using a computer.

🤦‍♀️ Plagiarism: online translators and AI

Learning a language as an adult causes many to feel a lot of anxiety. They feel especially nervous about making mistakes. As beginning language students, it is normal to use the language outside of accepted norms, eg. “saying it wrong.” However, using the language “incorrectly” is actually part of learning it. As your professor, I am not expecting perfect language.

For some students this "insufficiency" creates great anxiety. We are fortunate that today there are many tools to assist you in learning a new language. One of these are online bilingual dictionaries. These allow you to look up individual words and phrases and expand your vocabulary to express the things you want to talk about. Links to some dictionaries are listed on the main page of the course Canvas site and you are encouraged to use them often.

However, some electronic tools are not appropriate for learning in our class. For example, some students use electronic translators to complete work. However, using an electronic translator does not allow your brain to learn the language. In fact, it can keep you from making progress.

Some students are using AI to complete in their learning. When they provide correct information (which sometimes they do not), can provide new and customized ways to enhance your learning. As your professor, I am still learning how to use these tools to help you learn. At this point, you are welcome to use AI to help you learn concepts and practice. Additionally, you can use prompts to create interesting reading materials for you.

However, you should not copy AI-generated answers to complete your required work. This applies whether it is an entire text or just a phrase. The same applies to online translators. Either case is considered to be plagiarism.

Work suspected to be generated in part or completely using an electronic translator or AI may have various consequences, including no credit for the assignment, failing of the class, and possible referral to student affairs.

🛡 Other important college policies

Furthermore, you are responsible to be aware of important University policies, such as: adding and dropping courses; academic integrity such as cheating and plagiarism; grade appeal procedures; accommodations for students with disabilities; and the diversity vision statement. These are outlined at the Student Conduct page and Frequently Asked Questions and Policies page. You may want to speak with a counselor about any concerns you may have. I am happy to direct you to appropriate campus services.

😫 Grievances

It is hoped that any concerns or complaints can be addressed directly with me. Those which cannot be resolved may be directed to the department chair, Sara Stallard at sstallard@santarosa.edu.

Course schedule

The document below provides a schedule for the course synchronized with our in-person sessions. It is subject to change due to class need. Any schemes will be communicated during class and posted to Canvas.

SPAN 1 24F short-term Horario.pdf

Course Summary:

Date Details Due