Spanish 110-First Semester Spanish-Part A

Spring 2013 Syllabus

Instructor: M. Villagómez

M/W (12:30-1:45 AM) Rm. 837

Please check my webpage for office hours.

Office: BLDG. 1000 Telephone#: 707-253-3178 - E-mail:

Instructor Web site: Advisory Placement test:

REQUIRED Texts and materials:

VISTAS: Introducción a la lengua española, Fourth Edition by Blanco-Donley

Sound: A combination head-set and microphone is required. Target.com has several microphones. Make sure to purchase one that is compatible with your PC or MAC.

-You may purchase the text at the NVC bookstore or at You will not be able to find this same text anywhere else. It is a custom made edition just for NVC students. If you purchase it on campus, the text will include one passcode: This code comes inside a manila envelope with an astrobright green label. If you purchase it online, the passcode will be emailed to you.

Have you taken Spanish before?- PLACEMENT: All students need to take the Spanish online advisory placement test to make sure they are enrolled in the right class. You will find a direct link to this test on your instructor’s Webpage or under “T” (for “Testing”) from the A-Z Directory in the NVC Webpage ( After taking the test, email me or print the results and bring them to the orientation. Those who speak Spanish at home should enroll in a higher level class or for Heritage Speakers where the focus is to improve reading and writing skills. Spanish 120 is considered Spanish as a second language and it assumes no prior knowledge of Spanish or very little. No formal rules for accents or spelling are included in this class. Let me know if you need help interpreting the results. Please email me your exam results by next week.

Course Description and Objectives

Spanish 110 is an introductory 3-unit college course – there is no prerequisite. The basis of the work this semester will be Lessons 1-4 of the textbook. Spanish 110 emphasizes the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The same textbook will be used next semester for Spanish 111.

Course requirements

Attendance is required. Students must attend EVERY class session. Continued exposure to the language is essential in order to achieve our goals. Punctuality and class attendance are clearly extremely important. Common courtesy requires that you arrive on time, and stay until the end of class. If you must be late or have to leave early for a valid reason, please talk to me. Please check the College Catalogue about attendance policies.If you plan on dropping, please officially drop. There is no automatic drop even if you quit attending. Do not make any appointments during class time.

Daily preparedness and participation Learning Spanish can be a very rewarding and fun experience, or it can be a real nightmare… it’s really up to you. This course requires at least 10 hours per week in outside of class assignments. At the end of each session, you will be assigned to read, study, or work on some exercises as part of your regular homework. Please come to class prepared having read/done the assigned material before each class. Along with being prepared, your daily participation-not perfection-is expected. Those students who have fun and do well are those students who have the patience, who practice and persevere through it all, but mainly, those who aren’t afraid to make mistakes and keep trying.

HomeworkThe only way to learn another language is to practice. The online student activities section is an excellent tool to improve your language skills. Check your “Tentative Schedule” daily and complete the appropriate exercises in the student supersite as it is an essential component of the program. Regular practice increases the pace and quality of your performance and is therefore required. It is your responsibility –and extremely advisable - to complete the exercises concurrently with daily class preparation instead of “cramming” it all the night before they are due. Full credit will be awarded only if you have completed all the assigned exercises. Check the tentative schedule for homework due dates.Please note that homework is due by 9:00 p.m.No late work will be accepted. Please see attachment for instructions on how to set up your super-site account.

Exams and Quizzes There will be 3multiple choice chapter exams (includes writing section) and 4 vocabulary quizzes. Check your “Tentative Schedule” and make a note of these important dates since no make-up exams or quizzes will be given.The final exam is mandatory. Should you miss it, you will receive an automatic “F” for the course. No one will be allowed to take the final exam early. Please do not make this request.

GradingFinal grades will be determined from chapter tests, vocabulary quizzes, a comprehensive final exam, Supersite exercises, and class participation.

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

Chapter Exams(3 X 12)36%

Vocab. Quizzes(4 X 5)20%

Homework(4 X 6)24%

Participation (Attendance) 5%

Final Exam (Comprehensive)15%

Total 100%

What follows is a more detailed account of our future activities. Plan ahead and consult this “Tentative Schedule” daily to make sure that you know what will take place in class. REMEMBER that it is your duty to be well informed as I reserve the right to amend the terms, conditions and dates of this syllabus/schedule as I see fit at any point during the semester. I will give you the specific homework pages in class.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Calendario de actividades

FechaLección/Actividad Notas / Tarea

miércoles, 23 de eneroIntroducción del curso

lunes, 28 de eneroLección 1, contextos, el alfabeto

miércoles, 30 de eneroLección 1, 1.1

lunes, 4 de febreroLección 1, 1.2 Quiz 1

miércoles, 6 de febreroLección 1, 1.3

lunes, 11 de febreroLección 1, 1.4

miércoles, 13 de febreroLección 1, Panorama

lunes, 18 de febreroNo hay clases. Tarea: Vistas

miércoles, 20 de febreroEXAMEN: Lección 1

lunes, 25 de febreroLección 2, contextos

miércoles, 27 de febreroLección 2, 2.1

lunes, 4 de marzoLección 2, 2.2 Quiz 2

miércoles, 6 de marzoLección 2, 2.3

lunes, 11 de marzoLección 2, 2.4

miércoles, 13 de marzoLección 2, Panorama

lunes, 18 de marzo Lección 2, REPASO Tarea: Vistas

miércoles, 20 de marzoExamen: Lección 2

lunes, 1º de abrilLección 3, contextos

miércoles, 3 de abrilLección 3, 3.1

lunes, 8 de abrilLección 3, 3.2 Quiz 3

miércoles, 10 de abrilLección 3, 3.3

lunes, 15 de abrilLección 3, 3.4

miércoles, 17 de abrilLección 3, Panorama

lunes, 22 de abrilLección 3, REPASO Tarea: Vistas

miércoles, 24 de abrilEXAMEN: Lección 3

lunes, 29 de abrilLección 4, contextos

miércoles, 1º de mayoLección 4, 4.1

lunes, 6 de mayoLección 4, 4.2 Quiz 4

miércoles, 8 de mayoLección 4, 4.3

lunes, 13 de mayoLección 4, 4.4

miércoles, 15 de mayoLección 4, Panorama

lunes, 20 de mayoLección 4, REPASO

miércoles, 22 de mayoLección 4, REPASO Tarea: Vistas

miércoles, 29 de mayoExamen Final de 10:30-12:00 pm

¡Felices vacaciones!

Study Spanish in Guatemala

Summer 2013

More information: Professor M. Villagómez

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Students in need of accommodations in the college learning environment Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning disability should contact Learning Services in the Library and Learning Resource Center (LLRC), room 1766, phone (707) 256-7442. A Learning Disability Specialist will review your needs and determine appropriate accommodations. If you need accommodations for physical or other types of disabilities, schedule an appointment with DSPS Counselor, Sheryl Fernandez, in the Counseling Department located on the top floor of the 800 building, phone (707) 253-3040 for appointment.

All information and documentation is confidential. Please feel encouraged to make an appointment with me privately to discuss your specific learning needs in my class.

COMMON COURTESY GUIDELINES Rules of conduct. Learning another language is challenging and thrilling, but it can also be awkward and intimidating at times. To make this experience most beneficial to all, it is essential that all students maintain respect and courtesy toward each other and the instructor. So please make sure to understand that in order to stay in this class, it is mandatory for ALL STUDENTS to observe the following guidelines:

-No profanity, rude language or behavior will be tolerated.

-All electronic devices must be off and out of sight during class. Make sure you turn off all electronic devices (cell phones, IPods, laptops, electronic translation devices, beepers, walkmans, mp3’s, etc.) before entering the classroom and put them away during class. Absolutely NO TEXTING during class. If any of these devices are on plain sight, it will result in a warning, followed by confiscation if repeated; expulsion if during an exam. If this becomes a habit, I may ask you to drop the class.

-Absolutely no children visiting class. Children are adorable, but also very distracting. Any other visitor must have prior permission to observe class.

-No eating of meals/snacks or chewing gum in class. Food is permissible only on days we have parties or ethnic foods. Drinks are okay as long as they have a lid and are non-alcoholic. Any student with health issues who needs snack breaks; please make sure to talk to me in private to discuss your specific needs.

-Be on time! Consistent tardiness is unacceptable, rude and disruptive. On rare occasions of extreme circumstances, if you arrive late, make sure to enter with the least noise possible, sit in the nearest seat available, and find out quietly from classmates what we are doing. If door is locked or there is a note posted on the door, knock and wait for permission to enter. Expect to wait until appropriate; sit in the nearest seat available when waived in. If tardiness becomes a habit, further action will be taken leading to asking you to drop the class. Remember that any class work or quizzes missed will not be made up; however I do encourage you to talk to me if you need to go over them.

-Stay until the end of class. You are not to get up ever and leave my class without letting me know why. If you anticipate an emergency, let me know at the beginning of class. I will ask you to sit closer to the door, put your cell on vibrate and simply nod to me when it’s time for you to leave. I expect students to take care of bathroom visits, phone calls, and any other business prior to class. Any student with health issues or who is pregnant, and needs special or frequent breaks, please make sure to talk to me privately to discuss your specific needs.

-Bring your own textbook to class (Only VISTAS, 4th edition is acceptable). Each student is required to have his/her own copy of the textbook. See me if you need a little help at the beginning if for whatever reason you can’t purchase your textbook right away. There are editions of the textbook on reserve at the college library that you may use while in the library.

-Be a good sport. Help each other out when put in pairs or small groups. Respect everybody’s efforts. Remember that each individual will acquire another language at a different rate, and some students have a harder time than others. Take responsibility for your own learning. Teachers and textbooks are only one path in your learning. They can open the door to communicating in Spanish, but is up to you to enter this exciting new world.

Students who fail to comply with these Common Courtesy Guidelines may be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for disciplinary action. Talk to me after class about any concerns you may have or e-mail me with questions, concerns or to schedule an appointment. I am looking forward to having a great semester!

SETTING UP YOUR ACCOUNT

Returning Students

If you have an existing Supersite account for any Vista Higher Learning textbook, complete these steps:

  • Go to vhlcentral.com
  • Log in using your existing account information.
  • Redeem your new Supersite code by clicking the "Redeem a code" link. Then complete "Step 3 - Activate Code" below.
  • Enroll in your Instructor's course by clicking the "Enroll in a course" link. Then complete "Step 5 - Select a Course/Class" below.

New Students

If you are new to Vista Higher Learning, complete these steps:

Step 1 - Go to vhlcentral.com

Step 2 - Create an Account

  • In the "Login Information" section of the account creation page, enter a username of your choice.
  • Enter the email address you would like to associate with your account.
  • Enter and confirm a password of your choice.
  • In the "Personal Profile" section, enter your first and last name as you wish them to appear in your Instructor's roster.
  • Select the year of your birth from the drop down list.
  • Enter a student ID (optional).
  • In the "Security Information" section, provide the answer to a secret question, which may later be used to help you access your account if you forget your password.
  • After you enter all of the information, click "create an account."
  • Click "agree." (Before your account is created, you must agree to the terms and conditions of use policy.)

Step 3 - Activate Code

  • On the code activation screen, enter your Supersite code.
  • Click "activate code" to continue.
  • Look for a message at the top of the screen confirming that the code was successfully redeemed.

Step 4 - Select a School

  • Locate your school by typing your school’s name, "Napa Valley College". To narrow the search results, include the city and state (or country, if outside of the USA) in which your school is located.
  • Click "find." If the terms you entered did not result in a successful search, follow the on-screen tips to revise your search.
  • Select your school from the list by clicking the radio button next to the school name.
  • Click "select school" to add the school to your account.
  • Look for a message at the top of the screen confirming you successfully added the school.

Step 5 - Select a Course/Class

  • From the list of available classes at your school for your textbook's Supersite, look for Instructor "Villagomez" and the course "Spanish 110 - M/W - 12:30-1:45" taught between Jan 23, 2013 and Jun 09, 2013.
  • Click the radio button for the course section "Spanish 110 - First Semester Spanish Part A." If more than one class is listed for your instructor, click the information icons in the class listings until you locate the section:
    Location: Room 837
    Day(s)/Time(s): M/W - 12:30-1:45
  • Click Save. You should see a confirmation that you successfully enrolled in your instructor's course.