Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: SPA120
Title: Spanish for Educational Settings II
Modality: Internet
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 10627

Term: Fall 2014

Start Date: 8/25/2014

Weeks: 14

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Paul Davis

Course Materials

Be sure that you have all the necessary materials prior to the start date of your course.

Important Note: You will need a computer microphone or headset to record oral assignments online.

Required Textbook:

Title: Spanish for School Personnel w/ Audio CDs and Workbook
Author: Rush & Houston
ISBN: 9780536510266

Rio Salado College has developed a unique Textbook Savings Program that uses customized textbooks and saves students up to 50% off the publisher’s advertised national price of the non-customized textbook. The discount is reflected in the price of the customized book at the Rio Bookstore and no additional discounts will be taken at the register. This textbook is included in the Textbook Savings Program and has been customized specifically for this course at Rio Salado College by Pearson Custom Publishing so that it contains information most relevant to the course.

The following additional books are not required, but are highly recommended by students:

Barron's 501 Spanish Verbs
English Grammar for Students of Spanish by Emily Spinelli
A Spanish/English Dictionary

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Basic conversational Spanish for teachers, counselors, administrators and other school personnel. Continuation of SPA119, expanding into secondary and post- secondary educational settings. Emphasis on basic sentence structure, pronunciation and vocabulary.
Official Course Prerequisites
SPA119, or permission of Department or Division. Completion of prerequisites within the last three years is required.
Official Course Competencies
  1. Recite Spanish words and phrases using standard sound patterns and intonation.
  2. Ask and answer questions about past actions, events and conditions related to the school setting.
  3. Describe personal preferences, likes and dislikes in Spanish.
  4. Use Spanish vocabulary to discuss extra-curricular activities.
  5. Use Spanish vocabulary to discuss alternative educational opportunities.
  6. Give basic advice and suggestions regarding academic performance and educational goals.
  7. Use Spanish vocabulary to discuss college preparation.
  8. Use Spanish vocabulary related to adult and continuing education.
  9. Compare and contrast educational opportunities in the past, present and future.
  10. Describe similarities and differences between Hispanic and Anglo educational cultures.

Course Requirements

If you took SPA119 with Rio Salado college, then you will be very familiar with this course. You're enrolled, so you know how important learning Spanish can be for the families whom you serve in the K-12 school system. This course is designed to take you beyond the day-to-day situations that you may encounter in school. You will soon be introduced to advising, counseling and preparing students for college.

Remember that you can earn college credit and a letter grade that counts as an elective toward an Associate of Arts degree by completing this course. If you do not need a letter grade for college credit, then you are recommended to use the Pass/No Pass (P/Z) option, which will allow you to pursue the disciplined study of Spanish without worrying about a letter grade. More information about enrolling yourself with the P/Z option follows in the "Final Grade Options" section of this syllabus.

What will you have to do for a passing grade?

To be eligible to pass this course, you must complete all graded assessments, you must submit a final essay that is your own independent work, and your score on the final oral and written exams must be at least 60%. Some weeks, you will also submit a short essay about Hispanic cultural topics. The due dates for all assignments are listed on your Course Home Page.

Studying Spanish will require a lot of time and dedication, but there are thousands of success stories to tell. You'll be surprised how quickly your newfound language abilities will develop when you dedicate the time and effort that is suggested for your studies.

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Procedure and Scale

Grading Procedure
There are 700 possible points for this course
Pretest = 10 Points
Weekly Oral assignments 11@10 pts each = 110 Points
Weekly online quiz 11@20 pts each = 220 Points
Essays 5@10 pts each = 50 Points
Posttest = 10 Points
Final Written Examination (at home) = 200 Points
Final Oral Examination (at home) = 100 Points
Total = 700

Grading Scale

To be eligible to pass this course, you must complete all graded assessments, you must submit a final essay that is your own independent work, and your score on the final oral and written exams must be at least 60%.

The final course grade will be determined by the following scale:

630 - 700 points = A (90% - 100%)
560 - 629 points = B (80% - 89%)
490 - 559 points = C (70% - 79%)
420 - 489 points = D (60% - 69%)
0 - 419 points = F (0% - 59%)
490 points = P/Z cutoff score

The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points that are possible. It is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade that is higher than the grade that you have earned by your total points.

Tutoring Options

There are a number of free tutoring options. You will want to contact the tutors often during the semester to check your answers and to get assistance and clarification on your assignments. You are encouraged to do this before you submit your assessments.

Exams

There are no in-person requirements for this course, but there is a required online at-home final exam. Please review the "Grading Procedure and Scale" portion of your syllabus for details. Lesson 13 gives more specific information about the exam and makes suggestions for test preparation.

The course calendar on your course section home page lists specific dates for your exams.

Policies and Procedures:

  1. You must complete all exam(s) by the dates specified on the course calendar. If you test late, your instructor may lower your grade or assign you an "F" in the course unless you have made arrangements with him/her for an extension.
  2. The written final exam is timed. DO NOT click on the final exam links on the course section homepage or in the last lesson until you are ready to begin the exam.
  3. The exam will ask for a password, which you will find in your RioLearn online gradebook once you have completed your Post-Test. Click on the SPA120 LESN 13 Post Test 1-A link on the left side of your gradebook and scroll to the bottom of the feedback page to access the password.

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some images used in courses are from collections licensed by Rio Salado College.

Extra Credit

There are no extra-credit assignments for this class. The scheduled assignments and exams are sufficient to test your understanding of the materials presented in the course.

Late or Missing Assignments

Assignments are due on time according to the due dates in your gradebook. If you need to request an extension for an assignment, a request must be made to your instructor via RioLearn prior to the due date. You can request a due date change using the “Modify Due Dates” feature from the “Due Dates” tab in the Gradebook.

Late points may be applied at the instructor's discretion.

Submitting Assignments

Online Submission Platform

The assignment due dates in this course are structured to complete all the lessons over the span of the course. Regular and consistent progress is expected in the course through the submission of assignments. The submission of an assignment can be no earlier than 7 days prior to the due date. Consult your course gradebook for specific due dates. Assignments/acknowledgments must be submitted through the online submission platform unless otherwise directed.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)

  • Extension (in lieu of an incomplete grade): Students may request an assessment extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. Assessment extensions may extend up to two weeks beyond the established course end as indicated in the gradebook. Please Note: Assessment extensions are given at the instructor’s discretion. Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.

  • Withdrawn Failing (Y) – Students may be removed from their classes with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade for non-participation, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

  • Withdrawal (W) - Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the "Last Date to Withdraw" indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.

  • Instructors are unable to submit a withdrawal (W) on behalf of a student. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting View My Classes/Schedule in the Student Center, and selecting Drop Classes. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by submitting a "Request for Complete Withdrawal From All Courses" available under the Records heading on Rio’s Important Forms page.

    Before withdrawing, students should consider contacting their instructor and/or Rio's Counseling Services to see what options are available to help them stay in class.

    STUDENTS – STOP Before You Drop! A withdrawal request is irrevocable, and may affect future Financial Aid, Visa status, Veteran benefit eligibility, scholarship eligibility and may delay graduation. Please be sure that it is the right option for you before submission.

    STOP BEFORE YOU DROP

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z) - Some courses may be offered with a credit/no credit option which, if offered, would be identified in the Grading Procedure and Scale section of this syllabus. See detailed information about the (P/Z) option here.

  • Note: Choosing the P/Z option is a permanent change to the gradebook. A P/Z grade will not be changed to a letter grade after the course end date.

Regular and Substantive Faculty-Student Interaction

The Rio Salado College faculty provide learners with frequent opportunities for regular and substantive interaction, which are critical components of a quality online program. At a minimum, faculty teaching online courses for credit monitor weekly due dates and initiate contact with students, post course announcements and/or "From Your Instructor" (FYI) notes that are academic and relevant, respond to academic inquiries within 72 hours, and provide detailed, personalized, and timely feedback. In addition, faculty regularly engage in synchronous and/or asynchronous interaction with students via tools such as discussion boards, rubrics, voice threads, video conferences, audio recordings, phone calls, email and/or text messages, social media, and online collaboration software. Though faculty members are responsible for initiating interaction, providing academic information, and facilitating learning, Rio students are responsible for remaining in regular contact with their instructors and engaging with the course content as active participants in the educational experience.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Withdrawal for Non-Participation (Y) – Students need to communicate regularly with their instructor and engage in academic activities as determined by the instructor and department. Students may be removed from their classes after 14 days of non-participation with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Students will not be discriminated against on the basis of a disclosed pregnancy. This includes discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. As a result, a pregnant or parenting student (a student during a defined postpartum period lasting up to 8 weeks after delivery), may be provided adjustments so they are able to access and participate in their educational program or activity.

Please visit the Working with Pregnant and Parenting webpage to learn more about this policy, reasonable adjustments and complete the Pregnancy Adjustment Form. If you have questions about the policy, please contact Rio Salado College’s Title IX/504 Coordinator Tafari Osayande at o.tafari.osayande@riosalado.edu or (480) 517-8196.

In the event of certain pregnancy-related medical complications, contact Disability.Services@riosalado.edu or call (480) 517-8562 for assistance in providing accommodations/academic adjustments.

Basic Needs

If a lack of basic needs such as food, transportation, school supplies, etc. is affecting your participation and/or performance in this course, please contact the Rio Salado Counseling Department at 480-517-8785 or via email at counseling.receptionist@riosalado.edu.

For additional services and resources:

Rio Salado College Counseling and Career Services
Maricopa Basic Needs and Community Resources

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning. Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. The library's Video Tutorials page provides instruction on how to use the online library to find books, articles, ebooks, and more. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service.

Please note that when library materials (e.g., articles, ebooks, and streaming media) are integrated into your lesson content, you will see the notation “…provided to you through the Rio Salado Library.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy (including cheating and plagiarism) can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is Academic Misconduct as defined in MCCCD Policy AR 2.3.11. Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11.

Honors Program

If you are taking this course for Honors credit, you must complete all assessments, including the Honors Project(s). The Honors Project(s) are listed in one or more lessons of the course and are designated for "Honors Students." Failure to complete the Honors Project(s) will result in a failing grade in the course and a loss of Honors credit.

Honors students are also enrolled in a non-credit Honors Achievement Award (HAA) or Presidential Honors Scholarship (PHS) section within RioLearn to submit co-curricular activity submissions. Co-curriculars must be completed in order to receive funding.

The Honors Department is here to support you! Connect with the college and other Honors students in our INSCRIBE community.

The Honors Department is available to provide additional resources and support to support your journey. Please contact the Honors department at RioSalado.Honors@riosalado.edu.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Addressing Incidents of Sexual Harassment/Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, and Stalking

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, MCCCD prohibits unlawful sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. The District also prohibits sexual harassment—including sexual violence—committed by or against students, District employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in District policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by District policy. Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution for all involved parties. For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process. For non-instructional complaints, students may contact Institutional Integrity and Compliance by submitting the non-instructional complaint form, emailing studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu, or calling 480-517-8505. Students may also contact their state regulatory agency; the Arizona SARA Council; and/or the Higher Learning Commission to escalate their concerns.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 or 1-800-729-1197 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Contact Us

Please see the following page for contact information.

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

Rio Salado College Copyright

Course Content © Copyright 2021 Rio Salado College. All Rights Reserved.