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Practical Spanish I

SPA301 – Monday & Wednesday 9:30 – 11:10am

Monday 9:30-10:30 (Full class)

Wednesday 9:30-10:15/10:25-11:10 (In groups)

Blended Synchronous/Asynchronous Online Course

Professor: Jeanne Heil Office: 310 Science Center Wing A

Email: jeanne.heil@maine.edu Cell: (330) 701-7099

Office Hours: Monday 10:30-11:30 {Or by appointment}

*If I don’t answer your email in 48 hours, contact Dana McDaniel (dana.mcdaniel@maine.edu)*

Syllabus Contents

➢ Course Description, Objectives, & Required Materials pp. 1-2

➢ Course Schedule p. 2

➢ Grade Breakdown, Late Policy, & Details of Graded Components pp. 3-5

➢ FAQ for Course Format p. 6

➢ Tutoring & Conversation Table p. 7

➢ University Policies & Campus Resources pp. 7-10

➢ Appendix: Course schedule in detail pp. 11-13

Course Description

Students will practice effective listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills in Spanish using a

communicative approach. Students who have successfully completed the course will

demonstrate emergent communication and critical thinking in Spanish. Taught in Spanish.

Prerequisite: Spa202 or Permission of Instructor (includes placement); Cr. 4

Objectives

The Practical Spanish I&II series are linked in that Practical Spanish I (SPA301) is a prep course

for Practical Spanish II (SPA302). Part 1 is a springboard into conversational and written skills

(emphasis on the former) that will be needed to practice critical thinking in Part 2. A strong

foundation in grammar is assumed for both courses.

1. Students’ level of spoken Spanish as measured by the ACTFL guidelines will increase at

least one level by the Oral Final with a minimum proficiency of Intermediate High.

Note: Intermediate High is the stated required level for the Spanish Praxis; a higher level

is recommended due to the timed nature of the test.

2. Students will display the ability to understand and produce written Spanish in a way that

is communicatively relevant and appropriate at the 300 level.

3. Students will gain incipient receptive knowledge of culture and linguistics pertinent to the

Spanish language.

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Required Materials

• Text: Repase y escriba (7th edition) from Wiley1

o Text will be reused in Span302 (SP2021), so keep that in mind when choosing

how to purchase/rent

o Do not buy a workbook because we won’t use it

• Access to reliable internet, most importantly to complete synchronous Zoom sessions

Plan del curso (Course schedule)

At a glance

Unidad + Semana(s) Páginas del libro Lectura Gramática

Introducción

Semana 1

n/a

Unidad 1

Semanas 2-4

pp. 1-26

Capítulo 1

La desesperación de

las letras

Pretérito

Pretérito e imperfecto

Unidad 2

Semanas 5-7

pp. 167-200

*Capítulo 7*

La Bestia: un viaje a

ninguna parte

Artículos + lo

A personal

Unidad 3

Semanas 8-9

pp. 53-82

Capítulo 3

Águeda Objetos indirectos

Aspecto perfectivo

Unidad 4

Semanas 10-12

pp. 84-116

Capítulo 4

Réquiem con tostadas Subjuntivo nominal

Unidad 5

Semanas 13-15

pp. 117-141

Capítulo 5

El amor en los

tiempos de Skype

In detail

See detailed course schedule on pp. 11-13 of this document. Included in the detailed schedule

are:

• Course dates

• Specific daily topic(s) and their page numbers

• Dates of in-class assessments (Presentations and Pruebas orales)

• Homework

For more information about the structure of the course, see the FAQ on Course Format on p. 6.

1 Dominicis, M. C. (2013). Repase y escriba: Curso avanzado de gramática y composición (7th ed.). New Jersey:

John Wiley & Sons.

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Grade Breakdown

Logistics

• Syllabus quiz 3

Written modality

• Vocab quizzes (5) 10

• Comprehension quizzes (5) 25

• Grammar quizzes (8) 16

Spoken modality

• Pruebas orales (2) 12

• Presentaciones (2) 6

• Participación en grupos 16

• Final: Prueba oral 12

Late Policy

The late policy for this course differs by assignment type:

• Syllabus Quiz: The syllabus quiz can be turned in late. There is no limit.

• Other quizzes: You can turn in 1 late quiz of each type: vocab, comprehension, and

grammar. All late quizzes are due by Sunday Dec. 13th or one week after their due date,

whichever is later.

• Group participation: You will have 10 scheduled opportunities to do group participation

on Wednesdays. You can miss up to 2 of them and get full points. If you need to miss

more than that, make arrangements with your instructor.

• Pruebas orales and Presentations: Pruebas orales and presentations can be completed up

to a week late.

Descripción de asignaturas (Details of Graded Components)

Logística (Logistics)

There is one syllabus quiz due by the end of the add/drop period, specifically on Sept. 13th by

11:59pm. All questions are close-ended (e.g., multiple choice, matching, true/false), and the quiz

can be completed as many times as possible to get the full score.

Componentes escritas (Written modality)

Vocab quizzes

For each reading, there is a vocab quiz. Vocab quizzes can be submitted as many times as

possible, and the questions are always matching. Vocab quizzes are due at the end of the unit

(Sunday at 11:59pm):

• Unit 1 – La desesperación de las letras Sept. 27

• Unit 2 – La Bestia Oct. 18

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• Unit 3 – Águeda Nov. 1

• Unit 4 – Réquiem con tostadas Nov. 22

• Unit 5 – El amor en los tiempos de Skype Dec. 13

Comprehension quizzes

For each reading, there is a comprehension quiz. Comprehension quizzes can only be submitted

once, and they consist of 5 short-answer questions. Like vocab quizzes, the comprehension

quizzes are due at the end of the unit (Sunday at 11:59pm):

• Unit 1 – La desesperación de las letras Sept. 27

• Unit 2 – La Bestia Oct. 18

• Unit 3 – Águeda Nov. 1

• Unit 4 – Réquiem con tostadas Nov. 22

• Unit 5 – El amor en los tiempos de Skype Dec. 13

Grammar quizzes

There are 8 grammar quizzes that correspond to topics that we will practice in class on

Wednesdays. Except for grammar quiz 5 (objetos indirectos), you can submit grammar quizzes

up to two times. They are due the Sunday after the relevant class (Sunday at 11:59pm):

Punto gramatical Fecha de entrega Ejemplos

Pretérito e imperfecto 1 13 de sept. (domingo) Tomé vs Tomaba; Viví vs. Vivía

Pretérito e imperfecto 2 20 de sept. (domingo) Quiso vs. Quería; Pudo vs. Podía

Artículos + lo 4 de oct. (domingo) Lo más interesante es…

A personal + repasito 11 de oct. (domingo) Vi la casa vs. Vi a mi tía.

Objetos indirectos2 25 de oct. (domingo) Se cayó vs. Se me cayó

Aspecto perfectivo 1 de nov. (domingo) He comprado vs. Había comprado

Subjuntivo nominal 1 8 de nov. (domingo) Quiero que; Lamento que

Subjuntivo nominal 2 22 de nov. (domingo) Dudo que; (No) creo que

Componentes orales (Spoken modality)

Pruebas orales (Oral quizzes)

The pruebas orales are the tests of Spa301. Students will be asked questions in an interview

format that will be recorded. There are two 5 minute pruebas orales during the semester in

preparation for the 10 minute final.

The structure of the pruebas orales is composed of two kinds of questions. The first kind are

questions that students receive in advance and can prepare. The second kind are not received in

advance and must be answered in real time. Answering both kinds of questions will require

2 This quiz can only be submitted once because it is not auto-graded. Please proofread before submitting it.

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knowledge of course content, including grammar points and readings. Students are also

encouraged to show the breadth of their conversation skills.

Questions and rubrics will be posted on Brightspace at least one week in advance.

Presentaciones

Student presentations are the compositions of Spa301 because they are prepared in advance.

Students will be given a prompt to present on, and they will be graded in terms of preparedness,

quality of materials, and manner of presentation.

Exact topics and rubrics will be posted on Brightspace at least one week in advance.

Participación en grupos

On Wednesdays, students will participate in groups in order to practice course content. Task-

based grammar practice is the emphasis of these days, but other course elements may be

included. All Wednesdays on the detailed course schedule (pp. 11-14) are opportunities for

receiving participation points, and students can miss up to two of those days without any penalty.

If further absence is required, please make arrangements with your instructor.

A schedule of which group you’re in will be posted on Brightspace at the beginning of the month

(Sept., Oct., Nov./Dec.). Group A meets from 9:30-10:15, and Group B meets from 10:25-

11:10.

Final: Prueba oral

The final is a lengthier prueba oral, meaning that it is a recorded interview on Zoom. It is similar

in format to the shorter pruebas orales, but it is cumulative. Prepared questions will be posted

two weeks in advance, and as always, there will be non-prepared questions.

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FAQ on Course Format

What is our weekly meeting schedule?

• Mondays: The whole class will meet for an hour on Mondays from 9:30-10:30.

• Wednesdays: The class will meet in two groups on Wednesdays. The first group meets

from 9:30-10:15, and the second group meets from 10:25-11:10. Your group will vary

from week to week.

• The weeks that we have presentations or pruebas orales, the schedule will be adjusted to

fit timing needs. Look on Brightspace for details a week in advance.

What are blended courses, and how do they work in terms of credit hours?

When it comes to going blended, there's a shift in how you spend time on the course. A

traditional face-to-face course gives out credits in terms of seat time (the hours you're supposed

to sit in the chair weekly), and blended courses expect some of that seat time to be spent

asynchronously doing homework/reading/etc in addition to the time that you would normally

spend doing homework.

So, if a traditional face-to-face course is 4 credit hours (such as Spa301 was in FA2019), you

would spend 4 hours in class (technically 3h 20m3,) and then 8-12 hours doing homework

(philosophies differ as to whether students should be spending 2 or 3 hours doing homework per

credit hour). In a 4 credit blended course where you meet for 2 hours a week, that other 1 hour

20 minutes gets added to the homework total (i.e., 2 hours "in class" and 10-14ish hours doing

homework/reading/etc). A good blended class chunks out those other hours into a variety of

things instead of just adding pages from the same book or more of the same exercises out of one

textbook.

What should you expect in blended Spa301?

• Expect to spend time in three ways for our course: Brightspace (reading/quizzes/videos),

Zoom (class), and the textbook (Repase y escriba, 7th edition)

• Expect to spend about 2 hours on Zoom per week, always during our currently scheduled

class time (Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30-11:10)

• Expect to spend about 1.5 hours reading or watching videos for the course per week;

there will be materials on Brightspace that differ in composition depending on the week

• Expect to spend time on the activities that would normally happen outside of class,

including but not limited to homework and writing assignments; this will differ by week I

would budget a minimum of 4 hours per week for this and be ready for up 12 if it's a test

week because you'll have to study, presumably

• Expect there to be a weekly checklist on Brightspace to keep you organized; and expect

me to be fairly consistent

3 Credit hours are based on a 50 minute class because it assumes a 10 minute transition between classes. Quicker

math for a 4-credit course is to multiply that 10 minute transition by 4 and subtract it out of 4 hours. 4 hours minus

40 minutes is 3 hours and 20 minutes, which is what Spa301 usually runs at (1 hour and 40 minutes twice a week).

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Tutoring & Conversation Table

The Linguistics Department offers free language tutoring and a Spanish conversation table. Tutor

schedules and contact info will be provided as soon as the schedule is available. Students can

attend the language table in one of two ways:

• Students can attend on a drop-in basis

or

• Students can register for Spa150 to get for half a credit (see below re: SPA150). It will

be over Zoom and you can find the link here: https://usm.maine.edu/linguistics/tutoring.

Note that registered students are expected to attend regularly, and attendance will be

taken by a faculty member.

Here is the information on the course if you want to register for it:

SPA 150 Language Table - Wednesdays 12 to 1 p.m.

Students participate in a one-hour weekly language table where they practice

conversational skills in a group. The group is led by a fluent speaker. Students of all

levels are welcome. This course is pass/fail and may be repeated. Credits = 0.5

University Policies & Campus Resources

Academic Integrity/Plagiarism

Everyone associated with the University of Southern Maine is expected to adhere to the

principles of academic integrity central to the academic function of the University. Any breach

of academic integrity represents a serious offense. Each student has a responsibility to know the

standards of conduct and expectations of academic integrity that apply to academic tasks.

Violations of academic integrity include any actions that attempt to promote or enhance the

academic standing of any student by dishonest means. Cheating on an examination, stealing the

words or ideas of another (i.e., plagiarism), making statements known to be false or misleading,

falsifying the results of one's research, improperly using library materials or computer files, or

altering or forging academic records are examples of violations of this policy which are contrary

to the academic purposes for which the University exists. Acts that violate academic integrity

disrupt the educational process and are not acceptable.

Evidence of a violation of the academic integrity policy will normally result in disciplinary

action. A copy of the complete policy may be obtained from the office of Community Standards

and Mediation, online at usm.maine.edu/community-standards-mediation/academic-integrity or

by calling and requesting a copy at (207) 780-5242.

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Disability Accommodations

The university is committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to all university

programs and services. If you think you have a disability and would like to request

accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Center. Timely notification is essential.

The Disability Services Center can be reached by calling 207-780-4706 or by email dsc-

usm@maine.edu. If you have already received a faculty accommodation letter from the

Disability Services Center and would like to request accommodations for this course, please

provide me with that information as soon as possible. Please make a private appointment so that

we can review your accommodations together.

Attendance Policy: Inclement Weather

From time to time USM will determine to close the University due to inclement weather. When

the cancellation is for an entire day, the class content will be made up at another time or through

additional, outside of class assignments.

When the school opens late or closes early, and the time selected is during the middle of class,

we will still hold the class unless you are otherwise notified by me. Two examples:

• Our class starts at 9am, but if the University is closing at 10:00am, we will still have class

unless you hear from me.

• Our class starts at 9am, but if the University is opening at 10:00am, we will still have

class unless you hear from me.

Tutoring and Writing Assistance

Tutoring at USM is for all students, not just those who are struggling. Tutoring provides active

feedback and practice, and is available for writing, math, and many more subjects. Walk-in

tutoring is available at the Glickman Library in Portland, the Gorham Library, and the LAC

Writing Center. For best service, we recommend making an appointment

at https://usm.maine.edu/learningcommons/schedule-tutoring-appointment. Questions about

tutoring should be directed to Naamah Jarnot at 207-780-4554. Interested in becoming a more

effective, efficient learner? Check out https://usm.maine.edu/agile!

Learning Commons Tutoring

Learning Commons tutoring services include writing, critical reading, academic coaching, study

skills and time management. Walk-in tutoring is available at the Glickman Library in Portland,

the Gorham Library, and the LAC Writing Center. For best service, we recommend making an

appointment at https://usm.maine.edu/learningcommons/schedule-tutoring-appointment.

Questions about tutoring should be directed to Paul Dexter at 207-780-5577.

Course Evaluations

At the end of each semester every student has the opportunity to provide constructive feedback

on the course. It is important to me that you take the time to let me know your thoughts about the

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course. I use your feedback to make improvements in the course materials, assignments, and

outcomes.

Health and Counseling

Counseling is available at USM. The best way to schedule an appointment is to call 780-5411.

More information is available at https://usm.maine.edu/uhcs.

Recovery Oriented Campus Center (ROCC)

A peer support community for students in recovery from substance abuse and other mental health

conditions is available at USM. More information may be found online at

https://usm.maine.edu/recovery or by containing ROCC at 207-228-8141.

Non-discrimination Policy and Bias Reporting

The University of Southern Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the

grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression,

national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in

employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been

designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Amie Parker, Interim

Director of Equal Opportunity, The Farmhouse, University of Maine Augusta, Augusta,

ME 04333, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System). Incidents of discrimination or bias

at USM should be reported to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs David Roussel at

207-780-5242.

Statement on Religious Observance for USM Students

Absence for Religious Holy Days: The University of Southern Maine respects the religious

beliefs of all members of the community, affirms their rights to observe significant religious holy

days, and will make reasonable accommodations, upon request, for such observances. If a

student’s religious observance is in conflict with the academic experience, they should inform

their instructor(s) of the class or other school functions that will be affected. It is the student’s

responsibility to make the necessary arrangements mutually agreed upon with the instructor(s).

Title IX Statement

The University of Southern Maine is committed to making our campuses safer places for

students. Because of this commitment, and our federal obligations, faculty and other employees

are considered mandated reporters when it comes to experiences of interpersonal violence

(sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating or domestic violence, and stalking). Disclosures of

interpersonal violence must be passed along to the University’s Deputy Title IX Coordinator

who can help provide support and academic remedies for students who have been impacted.

More information can be found online at http://usm.maine.edu/campus-safety-project or by

contacting Sarah E. Holmes at usm.TitleIX@maine.edu or 207-780-5767.

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If students want to speak with someone confidentially, the following resources are available on

and off campus: University Counseling Services (207-780-4050); 24 Hour Sexual Assault

Hotline (1-800-871-7741); 24 Hour Domestic Violence Hotline (1-866-834-4357).

Policy on Acceptable Conduct in Class Settings

If a student substantially disrupts a class, the professor may ask the student to align with this

policy on conduct in a class setting. If the student refuses, the professor may, at their discretion,

ask the student to leave. If the professor takes this step, they must attempt to communicate with

the student and provide informal counsel and advice. The professor may elect to notify their dean

of the situation as well. If the student disrupts the class again, the professor may, at their

discretion, provide a written notification to the student, describe the offending behavior, and

refer the student’s case to the appropriate academic dean and notify the dean of students that an

official student conduct code violation has occurred [https://usm.maine.edu/community-

standards-mediation/conduct-process].

COVID Face Covering Requirement

Per USM and the University of Maine System, all students, faculty, and staff members are

required to wear a face covering, including during all face-to-face classes. Resident students are

exempted from this requirement when in their own room in the residence hall. Students seeking

additional exceptions from this requirement should refer to the DISABILITY

ACCOMMODATIONS section of this syllabus. https://www.maine.edu/together/community-

guidance/everyone/

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Apéndice: Plan del curso en detalle

En la columna de Tarea, dos cosas:

1. Hay que completar la tarea antes de la siguiente clase (fecha de entrega es el día antes a las 11:59 pm)

Ej. La tarea para el miércoles, 9 de septiembre es dos pruebas y unas páginas de lectura

La fecha de entrega es el domingo 13 de septiembre a las 11:59 pm porque la siguiente clase es el lunes, 14 de sept.

2. Si aparece en negrita (bold), refleja una prueba en Brightspace

Semana Fecha En clase Pp. Tarea (Antes de la siguiente clase)

1 M Aug. 31 Día introductorio como clase

W Sept. 2 En grupos: ¡A conocerse! Leer pp. 7-12 & Ver video de gramática

2

M Sept. 7 Labor Day (No class)

W Sept. 9

En grupos: Pretérito e imperfecto 1 7-12 Prueba de gramática 1

Leer La desesperación de las letras

Leer pp. 18-20

Prueba del plan de clase (Syllabus quiz!)

3

M Sept. 14 La desesperación de las letras

Frases con letras

2-4

18-20

Leer p. 17 & Ver video de gramática

W Sept. 16

En grupos: Pretérito e imperfecto 2 7-12,17 Prueba de gramática 2

Leer Cuento #20

Leer pp. 21-23

4

M Sept. 21 Cuento #20

Maneras de decir to know

4-5

21-23

Preparar Presentación 1

W Sept. 23 Presentar 1

Pruebas de La desesperación de las letras

(Vocab + Compr)

Empezar a leer La Bestia

Leer pp. 193-194

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Semana Fecha En clase Pp. Tarea (Antes de la siguiente clase)

5

M Sept. 28 La Bestia 1 (Líneas 1-66)

Palabras compuestas

168-169

193-194

Leer pp. 175-183 & Ver video de gramática

W Sept. 30

En grupos: Artículos + lo 175-183 Prueba de gramática 3

Terminar La Bestia

Leer p. 196

6

M Oct. 5 La Bestia 2 (Líneas 67-130)

Parecer vs. Parecer a

169-171

196

Leer pp. 185-190 & Ver video de gramática

W Oct. 7 En grupos: La a personal (+ repasito) 185-190 Prueba de gramática 4

Prepararse para Prueba oral 1

7

M Oct. 12 Fall Break (No class)

W Oct. 14 Prueba oral 1

Pruebas de La Bestia (Vocab + Compr)

Empezar a leer Águeda

Leer pp. 72-74

8

M Oct. 19 Águeda 1 (Líneas 1-54)

Diminutivos, etcétera

54-55

72-74

Leer pp. 59-67 & Ver video de gramática

W Oct. 21

En grupos: Objetos indirectos 59-67 Prueba de gramática 5

Terminar Águeda

Leer pp. 75-77

9

M Oct. 26 Águeda 2 (Líneas 55-105)

Maneras de decir to look

55-56

75-77

Leer pp. 68-71 & Video de gramática

W Oct. 28 En grupos: Aspecto perfectivo

En grupos: Expresiones de tiempo con hace

68-69

71

Prueba de gramática 6

Pruebas de Águeda (Vocab + Compr)

10

M Nov. 2 Clase: introducción al subjuntivo Leer pp. 90-97 & Ver video de gramática

W Nov. 4

En grupos: Subjuntivo nominal 1

(La influencia y la emoción)

90-97 Prueba de gramática 7

Empezar Réquiem con tostadas

Leer pp. 108-109

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Semana Fecha En clase Pp. Tarea (Antes de la siguiente clase)

11 M Nov. 9

Réquiem con tostadas 1 (Líneas 1-85)

Verbos con circunfijos

84-86

108-109

Terminar Réquiem con tostadas

Leer pp. 110-111

W Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day (No class)

12

M Nov. 16 Réquiem con tostadas 2 (Líneas 86-150)

Maneras de decir but

86-87

110-111

Leer pp.98-105 & Ver video de gramática

W Nov. 18

En grupos: Subjuntivo nominal 2

(La duda y la certidumbre)

90-105 Prueba de gramática 8

Pruebas de Réquiem con tostadas (Vocab +

Compr)

Preparar Presentación 2

13 M Nov. 23 Presentar 2

Empezar El amor en los tiempos de Skype

Leer pp. 133-134

W Nov. 25 Thanksgiving (No class)

14

M Nov. 30 El amor en los tiempos de Skype 1 (Líneas 1-55)

Influencia del inglés

118-119

133-134

Prepararse para Prueba oral 2

W Dec. 2 Prueba oral 2 Terminar El amor en los tiempos de Skype

Leer pp. 136-137

15

M Dec. 7 El amor en los tiempos de Skype 2 (Líneas 56-104)

Usos de andar

119-120

136-137

W Dec. 9

En grupos: Práctica dedicada para el final Pruebas de El amor en los tiempos de Skype

(Vocab + Compr)

Prepararse para la Prueba oral final

Semana de exámenes: Prueba oral final

THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS NEEDED4

4 Students will be notified of changes by email and in class. The newest version will be posted on Brightspace. Changes will only affect course content three weeks in advance or

more.

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