Department of Spanish, Italian, & Portuguese - Studies in Spanish - Undergraduate Program - Spanish 101-202

Undergraduate Program - Spanish 101-202
Teacher Information

Admistrative Policies

Absences and attendance
Add/drop
Placement
Grading
Preceptors
Oral Exams
Participation
Learning Needs
Discipline Problems
Test Writing
Classroom activities

Teaching Guidelines

First Day of a Foreign Language Class
Lesson Planning
Group Work

Web-based activities and links of interest

ADMINISTRATIVIE POLICIES

Absences and Attendance

Attendance is obligatory for all Spanish courses. In order for students to progress in their understanding and speaking of Spanish, they must be exposed to hearing and speaking it on a regular basis. Students are allowed three (3) free unexcused absences in all 100 level courses and in the 200 level courses that meet MWF. In 200 level courses that meet TR, students are allowed two (2) free unexcused absences. Beyond that, for each additional absence, one percentage point will be deducted from the student's final grade.

University approved excused absences are those that occur because of hospitalization, death in the student's family, severe illness, important religious holidays, or authorized University activities (see p. 60 of the Undergraduate Record). Student athletes must provide the instructor with an official team schedule of away games that may cause him/her to miss class before the instructor can excuse that absence or provide arrangements for make-up work. Students anticipating the need to miss class must notify the instructor before the absence or within 24 hours of the missed class.

Excessive absences

An excess of a certain number of absences in Spanish courses will result in a withdrawal from or failure in the course. That number is 8 for 100 level courses, 6 for 200 level classes that meet MWF, and 4 for 200 level classes that meet TR. If a student has exceeded that number of absences in your course, we will either drop him or fail him from the course. If you see that a student in your class has accrued many absences, please meet with him and remind him of our policy before he exceeds the above number of excessive absences for your course. If a student is close to the limit, please e-mail him and copy the message to both the Director and to the student's association dean.

Latenesses

Students are expected to arrive to class on time. Being late to class counts as half an absence. Please remind students that arriving to class late is disruptive to the learning environment and disrespectful to the class.

Add/drop

Students may not course action into any SPAN 101-202 courses. If students wish to enroll in your class but it is full, tell them to put their name on the online wait list. Students are added into courses through the online wait lists. Make sure that you get a printout of your updated classroll through Toolkit every day during the first week of classes to know how many students are currently enrolled and which students may have added and dropped from your section.

The class limit is 25 students in SPAN101/102 and 22 in SPAN 201/202. You may not have more than 25 students in your class. If you have a low enrollment on the COD (lower than 25) but you have enough seats in your classroom for more students, please tell Molly to raise the enrollment limit on ISIS so that more students can register.

After the second day of class, if you have any students who are registered for your class but have not shown up, please have Molly drop them from your classroll by filling out a Course Action Form. This includes student athletes – you may have to contact Tomás Jiménez in the Athletic Department (982-5330) to do so.

Placement

All students who have had prior experience with Spanish in high school or elsewhere must have a placement score to enroll in a 100-200 level Spanish course. If students do not have an AP Exam score or a SAT II Exam score, they must take the U.Va. Spanish placement exam. The Spanish placement exam is offered during the month of July in First-year Orientation and also on the Monday before the beginning of the Fall semester. Students may also make an appointment to take the placement exam by contacting the Assistant to the Director via e-mail.

All students enrolled in SPAN 101-202 must prove their placement in that course on the second day of the semester by providing a paper copy of their placement score for their instructor. The instructor must check every student's proof of placement to assure that they belong in that level of Spanish. If students add into your class, make sure you check their proof of placement as well. Students can access their AP Exam score or SAT II Exam score online via ISIS. If the student has taken the U.Va. Spanish placement exam but has misplaced his score, he can e-mail the Director or her assistant for verification of the score. If students do not have the proper proof of placement, they cannot remain in the course. Any questions to that regard should be referred to the Director or her assistant.

Spanish 101 is for true beginners only - students who have never had any experience in Spanish before. Since these students will not have taken a placement exam, they do not need to show proof of placement for SPAN 101; however, they should pledge that they belong in that level. Misrepresenting one's placement level is considered an honor code violation.

Placement Grid

Grading

Homework

All assignments from the workbook and the lab manual must be self-corrected in a different color ink using the answer key in the back and handed in as indicated on the syllabus. Homework that is incomplete or handed in late will not be accepted. Copying from the answer key constitutes an honor code violation.

Assignments are due at the beginning of class and on the date indicated on the syllabus. No late work and no make-up work will be accepted, unless the student has a university approved excused absence. Students who will not be in class should either turn in their assignment ahead of time or have a friend turn it in before class.

Instructors will assign a grade for each homework not based on how many answers a student got right or wrong but based on whether the student completed all of the assignment and if he clearly self-corrected the entire homework.

Compositions

All compositions will be written during class time. Students may use a dictionary but may not use the textbook nor the readings studied in class. The first version of the composition will be corrected by the instructor using symbols, and the student will correct his lexical and grammatical errors guided by the symbols. Composition grades are based on the use of grammar and vocabulary studied in the course as well as content, organization, and style. The grade for the composition will be based on both the first draft and the rewritten final version.

Composition Guidelines

Give only two or three composition topics for students to choose from.
Students have only 50 minutes to do the composition in class. I usually write the following instructions for my compositions:Escriba sobre uno de los temas siguientes. Ud tendrá 10 minutos para pensar en lo que va a escribir, 40 minutos para escribir, y 10 minutos para perfeccionar lo que ha escrito. Ud. puede usar el diccionario solamente durante estos últimos 10 minutos. **Favor de dejar espacio entre las líneas**
Students should write a regular essay with introduction, body, and conclusion.
Students must support their ideas with specific examples from the readings and discussions in class.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you collect the composition topic handout along with the compositions. This is important so that students in later sections don't cheat.
Compositions must be assessed on both the mechanics (grammar, spelling, vocabulary) AND the content. I usually only provide a grade on the final (2nd) version and not the first.
On the revised composition, students correct only errors in mechanics, and not on content. In other words, they do not rewrite the composition but only correct the words/phrases indicated as incorrect by the teacher.
The revision is obligatory.
Students may NOT use the readings or the textbook during the compositions.

Grading scale

The grading scale used in all Spanish courses is the following:

A+

A

A-

B+

B

B-

C+

C

C-

D+

D

D-

F

100-96.5

96.4-92.5

92.4-89.5

89.4-86.5

86.4-82.5

82.4-79.5

79.4-76.5

76.4-72.5

72.4-69.5

69.4-66.5

66.4-62.5

62.4-59.5

59.4-0

Preceptors

Selection

Preceptors are selected by the Director in the Spring semester before the academic year of appointment. The appointment as preceptor carries a salary of $1,000 for the year, and selection is based on class observations made by the Director, course evaluations, interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage well a group of teachers.

Responsibilities and Duties

Beginning of the semester

Assist with Orientation for new TAs to be held the four days before the beginning of the Fall semester.
Hold first course meeting the Tuesday before Fall classes begin.
Provide a calendar of meeting dates and test writing deadlines to give to TAs.
Prepare the first exam(s) as a model of the ideal exam for the other TAs to follow during the semester.
Provide a grade grid or computer program for final grade calculations.
Direct Add/Drop. Be familiar with Add/Drop policies and procedures.
Help target any learning disabled or problem students.
Assist director with beginning of semester duties.
Refer placement questions/problems to the assistant to the director.
Copy director on any emails pertaining to problems with students or with other TAs. Be diplomatic and give immediate, non-defensive, specific feedback to problem person.
201 and 202 preceptors: Schedule Oral Exam dates with Steve West in the Language Lab as early as possible!

During the semester

Divide duties equally and fairly with co-preceptor.
Observe new TAs each semester; meet with TA to discuss observation.
Hold periodic meetings (monthly) to discuss course and keep up with needs of the TAs.
Assist new TAs with any concerns and provide for them models of lesson plans, tests, grading system, classroom activities, etc.
Supervise test preparation process and distribution.
Maintain course listserve (see Deb McDaniel or previous preceptors).
Keep the director informed immediately of any problems in the course or with the instructors.

End of the semester

Distribute grade grids and collect copy of final grades from TAs as well as final exams from each section.
Supervise the creation and distribution of final exam.
Help plan make-up arrangements for final exam. Additional Information for Preceptors Test

Writing Guidelines

A. Prepare a schedule of Test Preparation deadlines before the Teaching Orientation for New Graduate Students.

first version due 4 weeks before the test date
final version due 2 weeks before the test date
leave extra time for final exam process
preceptor should write the first exam

B. Sequence of test writing and editing:

First version: test writer to preceptor to Director
Final version: test writer to preceptor to Director to Rick

C. For Director:

hand in a printed copy with your comments along with the disk/attachment. The final version of the test should include the answer key and the disk/attachment.

D. How to edit:

Does the exam include sections on listening comprehension, vocab, and all the grammar sections covered in the chapter?
Is there a variety of formats?
Do the grammar sections test regular forms, irregular forms, stem-changing verbs, spelling changing forms, all person/number forms?
Check spelling and grammar. If you're not sure, look it up! v. Make sure the exam is not testing material or vocab that is not covered in the chapter.
Do the points add up? vii. Does the point spread make sense?
Are the instructions clear? Does the section need a model?
Is it too long or too short? too hard or too easy?
Is the answer key correct?

Observation of TAs

Schedule a date with TA well ahead of time
Ask the TA to provide you with the lesson plan for that day ahead of time
Ask TA what areas she wants comments on
Arrive a few minutes early, and sit in the back out of the way
Do not interact with the class or with the TA during the lesson
Meet with the TA afterwards, either that day or the next, while the class is still clear in your minds
Provide positive comments first, then negative comments
Concentrate on 2-3 suggestions for improvement
Give the TA a copy of your evaluation sheet and give the Director the original.
Report to the Director any major problems

Orientation

Three preceptors will present microteaching, and three will observe the new TAs as they microteach
All preceptors participate in discussion panel
Attend Fall and Spring staff meetings and lead course meeting afterwards.

Oral Exams

Oral exams will be administered to students in SPAN 201 and 202 to assess their speaking and listening skills and to encourage better participation during the semester. All oral exams will be given in the language lab. Students will be paired up randomly and given a situation to roll play. After the instructor hands out the exam question, students will then have five minutes to prepare in pairs what they will say and then five minutes to perform the roll play. This will be saved on the server in the lab. Instructors can then go to the lab at their convenience to listen to and assess the exams that have been recorded. All instructors unfamiliar with using the language lab for this purpose must attend the workshop offered in October. In order for students to be comfortable with the format and procedures of oral exams, instructors should schedule at least one day in the language lab mid-semester to perform a practice oral exam.

Oral exam rubric

Participation

Good participation includes much more than just volunteering a few times each class. A student's attendance, daily preparation for class, cooperation and enthusiasm, and active participation during class will all contribute to his learning. For each hour spent in the classroom, it is expected that the student spend an average of two hours at home on homework and class preparation. Students are expected to come to class having prepared the material on the syllabus for that day to be ready to participate actively in class. Students are expected to participate in Spanish only during each class period. The instructor should monitor student participation closely on a daily basis and deduct points for those students speaking in English during class.

Assessing Participation

Learning Needs

Accommodations and Modifications of the Foreign Language Requirement

Neither the TAs nor the faculty of the Spanish Department has the authority to diagnose a learning disability. We may only identify students whose performance in written and oral work seems to suggest a learning need. These are the procedures to follow if you suspect a student has a learning need in foreign language studies.

What to look for:

A student who:
attends class regularly
does all the homework
seeks extra help from you or from a tutor

2. Given the above criteria, the student with difficulties in learning a language will have one or more of the following characteristics. He/ she:

does better in other courses than s/he does in the language course
has an average of C or lower in the course despite obvious efforts to learn the material
does less well than other students who have taken fewer language courses in high school
placed in the 101 or 102 level despite having taken two or more years of high school language courses
has taken a beginning language course more than once
depending on the length of time already spent studying the language, is either eager to learn the language (a relative beginner), or is frustrated at numerous attempts (more experienced)
spends excessive amounts of time studying for the course (significantly more than two hours for every hour in the classroom)

3. In addition, he/she shows some indication of language learning difficulty; for instance:

difficulty in repeating words or sentences after the instructor
spelling mistakes atypical of those made by most students
inconsistent spelling
poor spelling, handwriting, or sentence structure in written English
demonstrated lack of understanding of grammatical structure; for example, uses nouns as verbs, uses two articles before a noun (e.g., la une table, la una casa) in written work
describes feeling lost in classroom lessons and discussions

If you have any questions, bring a sample of work from the student and discuss the situation with the Director. When you suspect that a student probably does have a language learning disability:

1. Talk to the student. In fact, the student will probably seek you out to discuss their frustration with the course. Remember that you can only "suspect" that the student has a learning need. Never make the diagnosis yourself.

2. Write a brief message to the Director, detailing the student's attendance, work and progress in the course. Attach a copy of the student's work if possible.

3. The Director may want to set up a meeting with the student, the TA and herself to discuss the possibilities of accommodation of the language requirement and then will send the student to the Learning Needs and Evaluation Center. If the LNEC determines that the student has a learning need, he/she will be referred to a specialist to be tested at the student's own expense. This process can take several weeks.

4. The LNEC will fill out a memo detailing the test results and suggesting possible means of accommodations for this particular student. The student must provide both you and the Director with a copy of the LNEC memo before accommodations can be implemented. Accommodations cannot be made retroactively.

5. If after six weeks accommodations fail to work for the student, the student or TA should set up a meeting with the Director. At this time, adjustments will be made in the accommodation procedure.

6. If the adjustments made prove insufficient from the instructor's and student's points of view after a reasonable trial period, the Director will recommend modification of the language requirement to the Association Dean's office, in a letter to the Association Dean. Upon the Dean's approval of modification of the foreign language requirement, the student will take substitute courses (in English) related to the culture or literature of a non-English speaking people.

7. A modification of the language requirement will not be recommended in cases where excessive absences make it difficult or impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of accommodations.

Keep in mind:

1. Many students hear the term "learning disability" and assume at first that this is a negative reflection on their intelligence. Some students (and their parents) react emotionally to any discussion of a learning disability.

2. Do not inflate the student's grades. It is tempting to inflate the grade of a student with a learning disability. However, grade inflation only gives a false reading of how well the accommodations are working. It is difficult for the Director to recommend further accommodations, and even more difficult to recommend a modification if the student's grades indicate success in the course as is.

Possible types of accommodation:

1. attendance and participation required

2. unlimited time on quizzes and exams

3. grading criteria varied to take into account student's strengths and weaknesses

4. spelling not graded

5. elimination of writing component

6. additional reading of listening comprehension section of exams

7. focus on oral/aural aspect of course

8. compositions or written assignments to be done but not graded

9. reduction in the amount of reading

10. regular tutoring

Discipline Problems

If you have a discipline problem in your class, deal with it immediately before it escalates. Meet with the student after class or in office hours and explain to the student what specific behaviors of his were inappropriate. Copy the Director on any e-mails to students regarding problems or issues in the course. If, after meeting with the student, the behavior continues, notify the Director immediately and she will meet with the student.

Statement of Department Policy

All who teach in the department have the right to expect that students will behave toward them and toward their classmates in a civil, respectful manner. You are encouraged to read the section on "Standards of conduct" on pp. 39-40 of the Undergraduate Record, which states that "Students enrolling in the University assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the University's function as an educational institution. To fulfill its function of imparting and gaining knowledge, the University retains the power to maintain order within the University and to exclude those who are disruptive of the educational process." The University thus reserves the right to exclude from class students who disrupt the educational process.

If you are experiencing difficulties with a student, it is recommended that you take the following steps:

1. Admonition. Verbally state to the student after class or in office hours that he or she is disrupting the educational process and thus is violating institutional rules. Be as specific as possible and keep notes on the meeting.

2. Reprimand. Inform the student that he or she must meet with you and the Director within a specific period of time to discuss the unacceptable conduct. At this time, the student will be given notice in writing that continuation or repetition of conduct found uncivil and disruptive may be cause for more severe disciplinary action. Copies will be forwarded to the student's Association Dean.

3. Suspension. If unacceptable conduct continues, the department will request that the student be removed from the class roll.

If a student's behavior is egregiously disruptive, proceed directly to step 2.

It is best to deal with a problem before it escalates, with immediate, non-defensive, specific feedback.

Adapted from a statement written by Professor Alison Weber.

Test Writing

All tests to be used in SPAN 101-202 will be written on a rotating basis by the TAs and instructors of that course. The preceptor of the course will direct the test writing process and will organize the schedule of deadlines for initial and final versions of each exam and quiz. It is imperative that you complete and hand in your exams by the scheduled deadline so that the preceptor and the Director have adequate time to read and edit the exam. You must make all the revisions indicated by the preceptor and the Director by the deadline so that Molly will have enough time to make photocopies for every section of the course. Please hand in the Test Preparation Checklist with every test that you write.

The sequence of test writing and editing is:

Initial version: test writer to preceptor to Staff meeting with TAs

Final version: test writer to preceptor to Director to Molly

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

TEACHING GUIDELINES

First Day of a Foreign Language Class

Bring to class:

your class roster
textbooks, workbook, lab manual
syllabus and course policies
index cards to collect student information

Before class, write on the board:

Español ____, Sección ____, your name, office number, office hours, email
If possible, arrange chairs in a semicircle or in such a way that everyone will be able to hear you and each other well.

Begin class by introducing yourself and pointing out the info on the board (in Spanish)

Teach the material for the first day and/or review basic information (introductions, saludos, despedidas, finding out information about classmates, how to ask questions in Spanish)

Administration: last 15-20 minutes of class [in English]

Call roll
go over syllabus in detail
explain policies, expectations for the course, your personal rules ·
Explain add/drop: no waiting lists; students must try through ISIS to register (an exception is students from other schools, i.e. Nursing, Engineering, etc.)
Everyone will have to prove their placement on the 2nd day of class by showing you their AP exam score, SAT II score, or UVa Spanish placement exam score. If they don't have their UVa Spanish placement score, have them email the Director or her assistant and they can look it up. If they've misplaced their AP or SAT II score, they can retrieve it online or at the registrar's office.
Any placement problems or questions - send to the Director or her assistant.
Show students all the materials of the course
Explain the Honor Code
Have students fill out index cards with their name, phone #, email, previous experience in Spanish, and placement info, etc.

**After the 2nd day of class, have Rick drop any registered students who have not shown up for the first 2 days of your class.

Make sure you continue to printout the updated class roll from Toolkit every day during the first week of classes.

Lesson Planning

Guidelines for writing lesson plans

General philosophy: It is presumed that each student has a syllabus and knows what to prepare before each class. It is also presumed that the student will read and study grammar explanations in the text before class and come to class prepared with questions and to practice the grammar points he learned for that day. It is essential, then, that each instructor insist from the beginning that his/ her students come to class prepared, i.e. that they have already memorized conjugations, learned vocabulary, read dialogues and texts, etc. Understanding constructions and vocabulary is only a part of successful language learning. The other part consists of practice and creative use of the language. Therefore, class will serve as a forum where students can practice new forms, words, sounds; where they will have to make choices among all of these new forms, words, and sounds; and where they will have the opportunity to attempt to communicate original thoughts in Spanish.

General guidelines for daily lesson plans:

1. Each day's lesson should include a brief low-stress warm-up that involves as many students as possible. The warm-up provides transition from the previous class and is a way to quickly review material from the previous day. Use familiar material and keep error correction to a minimum.

2. Try to use new vocabulary as much as possible when developing extra exercises or creative activities, even when the main purpose is to practice structure. I do not want the vocabulary to be something that is just presented the first day of the chapter; it should be an integral part of each day's lesson.

3. Include exercises on pronunciation, when relevant.

4. Include cultural notes whenever possible. Point out significant dialectal differences (ex. patata/papa; conducir/manejar) if you feel they are lacking.

5. For each new section, include exercises ranging from the extremely simple to the more complex. Begin with an exercise that is pure rote, ex. give the yo form for a list of verbs, the tú form, etc. Then progress to a drill that is simple but mixes all the forms. Then include a creative or conversational exercise using the targeted material. Provide clear instructions for each activity.

6. The key to successful lessons is organization. Begin by reading the whole chapter to get a feel for what will go on each day. Then logically plan the re-working of vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar from the previous lesson into each day's lesson. Make use of the marginal notes in the instructor's edition and of the Instructor's Resource Manual.

7. Plan an extra activity or exercise into your lesson plan in case you happen to finish early.

8. Provide closure for one activity before moving on to the next; make smooth transitions by elaborating on a theme, context, or linguistic function.

9. Try to incorporate three of the four skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) every day.

10. Use your textbook as a guide to plan your lesson. Then decide to what extent students will need the text during the lesson. Avoid relying too heavily on the textbook or teaching right out of the textbook.

Group Work

Basic ingredients for successful group work (established by the teacher)

1. Established cooperative environment

All have strengths to contribute; help one another. Social skills -- sharing time, using appropriate social behaviors. Teacher responsibility to vary group composition -- teacher -assigned, randomized, and student-choice groupings.

2. Clear objectives

Clear instructions, given before dividing the class into groups or handing out materials. What do we want to accomplish in this activity? In what ways does the group format offer advantages for this objective?

3. Clear structure

What is the task? What is the group supposed to produce? Individuals' roles distinct but interdependent. What resources should they use or not use? Foresee grammar/vocab needed to complete activity successfully. Set time limits.

4. Accountability

Mechanisms to ensure that students listen to one another (report back, write or present follow-up, etc.) How does the teacher know the objective has been reached? How do the students know that the objective has been reached?

5. Teacher responsiveness

Role of teacher -- monitor, support, keep students on task and in target language. Realities of the class: numbers, personalities, hour of the day, levels, etc. Subject matter this hour, this week. Where are we in the semester? (tests, vacations) Provide for groups which may move at different rates through the task. Listen for and solicit student feedback.

WEB-BASED ACTIVITIES AND LINKS OF INTEREST

A. Dictionaries

B. Grammar explanations and practice exercises