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Course Syllabus

Course Information
(course number, course title, term, any specific section title)

SPAN 1312. 001

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

COURSE SYLLABUS
FALL SEMESTER, 2006

SCHOOL: Arts and Humanities

COURSE TITLE: Beginning Spanish

COURSE NUMBER: SPAN 1312. 001

CREDIT HOURS: 3

COURSE HOURS: Days: M, W, F

Time: 2:OO PM- 2:50 PM.

Professor Contact Information

(Professor’s name, phone number, email, office location, office hours, other information)

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. María A. Engen

OFFICE HOURS: M., W., F. 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and by

appointment
Office: JO. 5.203
Phone number: Ext. 2054
E-mail: engen@utdallas.edu

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Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

(including required prior knowledge or skills)

N/A

Course Description

This course is designed to develop a balance and solid

foundation of Spanish, utilizing the four language skills
(listening, speaking, reading and writing). The course will be
conducted largely in Spanish, giving importance to oral practice
from the start with the help of CD-ROM. . The students will also
become acquainted with the Hispanic-speaking world through
its culture, civilization and literature while the everyday
idiomatic Spanish will also be emphasized.

There will be sufficient class practice and written work to fulfill

the objectives of the course by means of a CD-ROM package
and Workbook.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

1. To develop sufficient linguistic skills in Spanish in order to

communicate at an elementary level upon completion of this
course.
2. To gradually grow in all language skills (listening, speaking,
reading and writing).
3. To understand and appreciate the culture and the language of
the Spanish-speaking countries and their peoples.
4. To strengthen the knowledge of grammatical concepts in
general and increase English vocabulary by comprehending
and adopting words of Latin origin via Spanish.
5. To widen the student’s intellectual perspectives, open
avenues for new areas of study and research applicable to
other courses in the context of the School of Arts and
Humanities, and gain new perspectives of one’s own culture.
6. Lastly, to sharpen thinking analytical and problem solving
skills.

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Required Textbooks and Materials

Andújar, Julio L. and Robert J. Dixson. Work in Everyday

Spanish: A Comprehension Grammar review. Upper saddle river,
NJ: Prentice hall, 2004

Brown, Margaret C. and Kathleen C. Moore, Spanish for Life,

Boston: Heinle and Heinle, 2000.

Suggested Course Materials

Given the nature of language learning acquisition, which is a

slow process, I recommend that you work on the assigned
sections of your Workbook on a daily basis, reinforcing the
concepts taught in class. These exercises will also help
students be prepared for class.

HELPFUL TIPS THAT MAY HELP YOU STUDY A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE

***A foreign language MUST be study differently than academic

subjects. Memorization, everyday study and practice are needed
***
-Study several 15-20 minutes sessions. This works better than a
continuous hour of study per day.

-Use “Post-it” notes around your home, office, etc.

-Quiz yourself: * Write lists ENGLISH/SPANISH
* Cover the Spanish, look at the English and rewrite the Spanish.
Then check yourself.
- Write flashcards
- Listen to RADIO KESS _”LA FABULOSA” 1270 AM
KHCK – ‘PURO LATINO’ 99.1 FM
KLNO ‘ESTEREO LATINO’ 94.1 FM
CARACOL RADIO- COLOMBIA

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- Watch Univision cable/TV Channel 23

Telemundo KFWD Channel 52
Channel 25 in Dallas
Channel 14 in Denton

- Get magazines, newspapers videos in Spanish (Public Library)

- Look for involvement with the Hispanic Community in Dallas.
You may be able to get extra credit towards your final grade.
- Look for Spanish native speakers, learn from them!!!
- Campus Hispanic Association (CHISPA) meetings on campus.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)

FALL SEMESTER 2006

SPAN 1312 SEC. 001
M-W-F 10:00 – 10:50 PM
CLASS PLAN - SFL (Spanish for Life) Workbook in Everyday Spanish

AUG F 18 Introducción – Capítulo preliminar, SFL, 2 I, II, III

M 21 Preliminar IV
W 23 Capítulo 1, SFL, 16, I, II
F 25 Cap. I, III ,IV and Cap. I, A Ver Si Sabes – Vocabulario activo 34
– 37.
M 28 Cap. 1, Repaso. Preguntas.
W 30 Capítulo 2. SFL, 38, I, II
SEP F 1 Cap. 2, III, IV

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M 4 Labor Day
W 6 Cap. 2, A Ver Si Sabes. Vocabulario activo, 56 – 59
F 8 Más preparación para el examen. Diálogos (WT)
M 11 Exam I, Preliminar Capítulos 1 y 2 en SFL y SFLW
W 13 Capítulo 3, SFL, 60, I
F 15 Cap. 3, I
M 18 Cap. 3, II
W 20 Cap. 3, III, IV
F 22 Cap. 3, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario activo, 79 – 81
M 25 Capítulo 4, SFL, 82, I
W 27 Cap. 4, II
F 29 Cap. 4, III
OCT M 2 Cap. 4, IV
W 4 Cap. 4, V
F 6 Cap. 4, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario activo, 101-103
M 9 Examen II, Capítulo 3 y 4 en SFL y SFLW
W 11 Capítulo 5, SFL, 104, I
F 13 Cap. 5, II
M 16 Cap. 5, III
W 18 Cap. 5, IV
F 20 Cap. 5, IV
M 23 Cap. 5, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario activo, 127, 129
W 25 Capítulo 6, SFL, 130, I, II
F 27 Cap. 6, III
M 30 Cap. 6, IV
W 1 Cap. 6, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario activo 151-153

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F 3 Preparation for the Exam

M 6 Examen III, Capítulos 5 y 6 en SFL
W 8 Capítulo 7, SFL, 154, I – II
F 10 Cap. 7, III
M 13 Cap. 7, IV
W 15 Cap. 7, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario activo 175-177
F 17 Capítulo 8, SFL, 178, I, II
M 20 Cap. 8, III
W 22 Cap. 8, IV
F 24 Thanksgiving Holiday
M 27 (Last day of class) Cap. 8, A Ver Si Sabes, Vocabulario Activo,
198-201
DEC F 1 Final Exam. Time 8:00 A.M.
Capítulos 7 y 8 en SFL
F 8 Grades available on line http://www.utdallas.edu/SIS/

Grading Policy
(including percentages for assignments, grade scale, etc.)

COURSE EVALUATION:

Grading Scale
U.T. Dallas adopted the following grade scale for all
undergraduate students effective Fall 2000. Grades for courses
completed prior to Fall 2000 accrue point values as shown in the
appropriate catalog.

Grading Description Grade Points

Per Semester Hour

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A+ 4.00
A Excellent 4.00
A- 3.67
B+ 3.50
B Good 3.00
B- 2.67
C+ 2.50
C Fair 2.00
C- 1.67
D+ 1.50
D Poor 1.00
D- 0.67
F Failure 0.00
X Incomplete
CR Credit
NC No Credit

A student may withdraw from a course before the final drop date
listed in the Academic Calendar in which case W will be entered
on the student’s transcript.

Grade Point Average

Grade points are computed by multiplying the points for each
grade by the number of credit hours; for example, 4 (A) x 3
(hours) = 12 grade points.
A student’s grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing
the total number of grades points earned by the number of
semester hours for which a grade other than X, NC, or CR is
received. Only grades earned at U.T. Dallas are used calculating
the GPA.

Incomplete Grade (X)

A grade of Incomplete may be given, at the discretion of the
instructor of record for a course, when a student has completed
at least 70% of the required course material but cannot complete
all requirements by the end of the semester. An Incomplete
course grade (grade of X) must be completed within the time
period specified by the instructor, not to exceed the last day of
classes the following semester, excluding summer. Upon

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completion of the required work, the symbol X may be converted

into a letter grade (A through F) by the instructor. If the grade of
Incomplete is not removed by the end of the specified period, it
will automatically be changed to F. Extension beyond the one-
semester limit can be made only with the permission of the
instructor and the student’s college master (or the
Undergraduate Dean in the case of students without declared
majors). A student may not re-enroll in a course in which a grade
of X remains.
Students may obtain a petition/documentation form for an
Incomplete in the office of the student’s college master. The
form is to be submitted to the instructor from Whom the
Incomplete is sought. Students should be aware than an
Incomplete is only appropriate for work unavoidably missed at
semester’s end. Students should contact their school office for
school policies on Incompletes.

PERCENTAGES*
35% Attendance, class participation, performance and
preparedness.
65% Major tests (four) and other small tests (2).
*There will not be make-up tests for any reason.

Course & Instructor Policies

(make-up exams, extra credit, late work, special assignments, class attendance, classroom citizenship,
etc.)

PARTICIPATION GRADE- seventh factor*

To successfully complete this course, regular classroom

attendance is imperative as there are multiple skills to be
mastered. Your grade includes attendance, arriving on time and
staying the entire time, class preparation and preparedness.
ATTENDANCE IS RECORDED WHEN YOU SIGN THE
ATTENDANCE SHEET AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CLASS.
Students are expected to actively participate in Spanish during
communicative and written activities.

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HOMEWORK:
Students will be expected to do the exercises in their work
sheets at home after almost every class on the assigned pages
of the Workbook*

EXAM FORMAT: All tests will include the following elements:

1. Oral questions and/or dictations
2. Grammar sections.
3. Translation and vocabulary.
4. Comprehension sections on Culture readings.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Because learning a language is an active process, your
presence and participation in class are essential. Therefore, an
attendance policy is severely adhered. See percentages.*

Field Trip Policies

N/A

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of
each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student
conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided
to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules
and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI,
Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to
students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist
students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off
campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

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The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own
work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one
of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any
other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students
official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to
maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email
account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department
of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T.
Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle
withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any
student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade
of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a
serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted
in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is
not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a
written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s
decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate
Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision

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of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be
distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably
missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An
incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the
subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the
incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational

opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in
room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30
p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it
may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the
case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement
may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student
who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to
be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special
services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals
requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office
hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities
for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship
are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after
the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A
student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not

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be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within
the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose
of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and
instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information
regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given below.
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.
(http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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