Lake-Sumter Community College Course Syllabus
Course / Prefix Number SPN 1120 Course Title: Elementary Spanish I
CRN: 10469 Credit: 4 Term: Fall 2010
Course Catalog
Description:
The course employs four primary language-learning skill sets: listening, speaking, reading,
and writing in the study of Spanish grammar. The lessons in class are presented in a multi-
cultural context with frequent use of online content in order to foster an appreciation for the
cultures of Spanish speaking countries.
Frank Capellan Contact Information: capellaf@lscc.edu
Instructor:
Office Location: South Lake
Campus Office Hours:
See current faculty we page:
http:www.lscc.edu/faculty/main.
aspx?departemetn=all
Departements&userid=9
for current times/locations.
All students are required to use LakerMail for official college e-mail communications.
See the college webpage for instructions on activating LakerMail.
Prerequisites: None
Textbook and Other
Course Materials:
Arriba! 5th Edition
Technology and Online
Computer Access
Requirements:
LakerMail accounts will be used for official communications; many homework assignments will/can be
web-based in lieu of a “traditional” paper workbook.
Course Objectives:
(what the course will do)
We learn our first language to communicate with other people, and the reason for learning a second
language or third is the same. The foreign-language student also learns to perceive the world from
different perspectives and ultimately becomes more sensitive to other cultures, people, and issues.
Spanish is the language of Spain, Mexico, and of most countries in Central America, South America,
and the Caribbean, and it is rapidly becoming the second language of the United States. If you are
pursuing a career in business, health care, government, or social services, learning and knowing Spanish
will open the doors to many opportunities and will aid you in your search for employment. As you
continue learning Spanish during the semester, please take advantage of every moment to experience
the Spanish language and culture to the fullest.
Student Learning
Outcomes (SLOs)
Assessed in this Course:
(what the students take
with them beyond this
course)
Oral Communication: By the end of the course, students will be able to use basic Spanish in
spontaneous conversation at the Novice level. This means that students can communicate with words
and learned phrases within predictable areas of need. They can respond to basic questions on common
features of daily life. They can convey basic meaning to speakers accustomed to dealing with
foreigners. They can use some basic recombination of learned words and phrases, and they might begin
to create with the language in very basic terms. Vocabulary will be sufficient for handling simple,
elementary, and immediate needs for expressing basic courtesies. Specifically, by the end of Spanish I,
Students will have begun to cultivate an awareness of the culture and civilization of the Spanish-
speaking world.
Written Communication: By the end of the course, students will be able to write at the Novice
basic Spanish level, make use of proper Spanish grammar, language and cultural material presented in
class. By the end of Spanish I, students will be able to describe themselves and others, to write about
their daily and weekly activities in the present, to write and talk about the weather and the time of day,
to describe their families, and to ask basic questions.
Academic Integrity:
The successful functioning of the academic community demands honesty, which is the basis
of respect for both ideas and persons. In the academic community, there is an ongoing
assumption of academic integrity at all levels. There is the expectation that work will be
independently thoughtful and responsible as to its sources of information and inspiration.
Honesty is an appropriate consideration in other ways as well, including but not limited to the
responsible use of library resources, responsible conduct in examinations, and the responsible
use of the Internet. (See college catalog for complete statement.)
Important Information
for Students with
Disabilities:
Any student with a documented disability who requires assistance or academic
accommodations should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities immediately to
discuss eligibility. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) is located on the Leesburg
Campus, but arrangements can be made to meet with a student on any campus. An
appointment can be made by calling 352-365-3574 and specific information about the OSD
and potential services can be found at www.lscc.edu, then go to “Quick Links” and click on
Disability Services.
Privacy Policy (FERPA):
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR
Part99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s education records. In order for
your information to be released, a form must be signed and in your records located in the
Admissions/Registrar’s Office.
Attendance / Withdrawal
Policies:
Withdrawal Policies: To officially withdraw from a class, a student must complete and submit a
withdrawal form to the Admissions and Student Services Office prior to the official 70 percent point of
the semester(November 1st). Students who do not follow this procedure will not be officially withdrawn
and will receive a final grade for the class that takes into account the work completed with zero credit
for work that is missed or not completed. The instructor will not fill out drop forms nor assume
responsibility for delivering drop forms.
Attendance: The importance of daily attendance cannot be exaggerated. A major goal of the course is
spontaneous, oral communication—a skill that can best be developed, particularly at the early stages of
adult language learning, by active participation in the classroom. Since this course is student-centered
and interactive in its format, your presence is absolutely essential. You will not learn to speak, read,
write, and comprehend Spanish if you are chronically absent from the class. With that in mind, regular
class attendance is expected and encouraged. You may miss up to three (3) classes with no grading
penalty. These may include all medical excuses, religious holidays, job interviews, sports events,
weekend trips, etc. If you miss class you will be considered absent on that day. (Please see your
instructor if you will be absent more than 3 times.) HOWEVER, you may not miss any scheduled
evaluation (test) and/or homework. From the 4th absence on, you will be penalized 1/3 off your final
grade for each absence.
Withdrawal Deadline: Monday, November 1st 2010
Methods of Evaluation:
There will be four chapter tests, which will be administered in the classroom. The final assessment will
be a Special Project; you will receive more information about it in the early stages of the semester. All
tests are announced in the accompanying course syllabus. Out of the four exams that will be
administered, please note the following: There are no make-up exams.
1. Lesson exams (4) 20 %
2. Special Project 15 %
3. Community Practice 15 %
4. Homework and other assignments 15 %
5. Class participation 35 %
Grading Scale:
100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
59 or lower F
Course Calendar:
Date Class Activity Tests and Events
8-23/9-01 Leccion 1 Introduction
9-06/9-15 Leccion 2/3 Chacpter Test
9-20/9-29 Leccion 3
10-04/11-13 Midterm Week Chapter Test
10-18/10-27 Leccion 4
11-01/11-10 Leccion 4/5 Chapter Test
11-15/11-24 Leccion 5/6
11-29/12-04 Leccion 6/7 Chapter test
Final Exam 12/08
Special Project: Instead of a Final Exam, you are required to complete a special project in which you
apply the language skills you have acquired in Spanish during the semester. You will receive more
information regarding this project as the semester progresses. This is an ongoing project, which will
begin early in the term and culminate at the end of the semester. On the day scheduled for the Final
Exam, you will have the opportunity to present your project to the rest of the class. The contents will
need to reflect the language and culture learned during the course.
Classroom Rules and
Policies:
Homework: You will have a short written assignment before and after every class session.
Assignments are posted on the classroom board or via emails. Your instructor may assign other
exercises in addition to those posted in the classroom. More open-ended activities are included at the
end of your textbook that will be assigned, collected and corrected by your instructor; (the amount of
work to hand in will be left to the discretion of the instructor). If through the homework it becomes
apparent that you need additional help, be sure to contact your instructor immediately. Late homework
will not be accepted.
Before every class session, you are required to study carefully the material in the textbook, as well as
complete exercises and activities related to the material which will be covered in class. This will
increase your comprehension and enable you to participate effectively in class. If you do not study the
material before class, you will become a burden to your classmates who have studied.
Courtesy: All cell phones, text messaging, emails via smart phones and any electronic devise that
may disrupt the class are to be turned off before class begins. If for some reason you have an emergency
situation (such as a sick child at home) and must keep your cell phone turned on during a particular day,
please see your instructor before class to clear it with him.
Important information:
1. Students are responsible for handing in short written assignments periodically during the
semester. Your instructor will give you more information regarding these assignments. No
late homework will be accepted. Your instructor has the option of changing any stated
homework.
2. You are required to purchase the Arriba! 5th Ed textbook for our program at Lake-Sumter
Community College.
3. All Chapter exams will be administered at the end of every chapter scheduled for your
particular course section. THERE ARE NO MAKE UP EXAMS.
4. Final Presentation (Dec. 6-11) is Final Exam Week. Instead of a Final Exam, all SPN I
students are required to present their Final Projects during the day and time scheduled for the
final exam. During the final two weeks of classes, your instructor will let you know the
classroom where you will present your final project. Please mark your calendar ASAP.
There is no opportunity to present your final project at any other time. If you are absent
on the day of the final presentations, you will receive an F for the course.
Comments and Suggestions: This is a first-semester introductory Spanish course. However, as is
usually the case, some students may have slightly different levels of knowledge of the language. This
slight difference in levels of familiarity with Spanish should not intimidate anyone.
Violence Statement: Lake-Sumter Community College has a policy of zero tolerance for violence as stated in
College Board Rule 2.17. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with
Board Rule 2.17.
Syllabus Disclaimer:
Information contained in this syllabus is, to the best knowledge of this instructor, considered
correct and complete when distributed to the student. The instructor reserves the right, acting
within policies and procedures of Lake-Sumter Community College, to make necessary
changes in course content or instructional techniques without prior notice or obligation to the
student.