SPAN 1003 - Spanish IA

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

The aim of this course is to provide an introductory study in the vocabulary and structures of Spanish, and to develop a functional level of communicative proficiency in the language. The course seeks to develop all the basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also be introduced to various aspects of the society and culture of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries in Latin America through audio and video extracts and short texts. The emphasis throughout will be on communicative skills both oral and written.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code SPAN 1003
    Course Spanish IA
    Coordinating Unit Spanish Studies
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 4 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Incompatible SPAN 1001, SPAN 1002
    Assumed Knowledge No previous language experience required
    Course Description The aim of this course is to provide an introductory study in the vocabulary and structures of Spanish, and to develop a functional level of communicative proficiency in the language. The course seeks to develop all the basic language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also be introduced to various aspects of the society and culture of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries in Latin America through audio and video extracts and short texts. The emphasis throughout will be on communicative skills both oral and written.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Jorge Paredes

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    1 2-hour lecture per week X 12 weeks
    2 1-hour tutorials per week X12 weeks

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from the Course Planner at https://access.adelaide.edu.au/courses/search.asp
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    Students who successfully complete this course will be able to

    1. Correctly recognise, pronounce and use a wide variety of vocabulary in Spanish.
    2. Write complete sentences and short paragraphs in Spanish.
    3. Maintain a basic conversation in Spanish of ten minutes or longer.
    4. Provide basic information about their country of origin in Spanish.
    5. Understand and use the basic structures of the Spanish grammar.
    6. Read and understand basic documents in Spanish.
    7. Use the internet to further their knowledge of the Spanish language and culture.
    8. Complete assessment tasks and language practices online.
    9. Work collaboratively with their peers in group assignments and practices to improve their use of the Spanish language.
    10. To discover cultural differences between Australia and the Spanish-speaking world, and to make respectful comparisons between the two worldviews.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 5, 6
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    6, 7, 10
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1, 3, 4, 9
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2, 5, 6, 7, 8
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    4, 7, 10
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    4, 10
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    - “¿Cómo se dice en español? 1” (Reader). Available from the Image and Copy Centre, Level 1, Hughes Building.

    - Collins Paperback Spanish Dictionary, available from Unibooks.
    Online Learning
    - Grammar explanations, online tests and audio- practice material will be available from the following
    web site: www.studyspanish.com

    - Audio clips and grammar exercises are available from MyUni.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The teaching of the course is split into one 2-hour seminar per week (12 weeks) and two 1-hour workshops per week (12 weeks).

    During the 2-hour seminar, the main grammar structures of the Spanish language are introduced, followed by written and oral practices on those grammar points just introduced.

    The workshops are used primarily for oral and aural practice.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    1 X 2 hour lecture per week  24 hours per semester
    2 x 1-hour tutorials per week 24 hours per semester
    4 hours homework completion per week  48 hours per semester
    1 hour online quizzes preparation and completion per week  12 hours per semester
    2 hours reading per week 24 hours per semester
    24 hours composition writing per semester 24 hours per semester
    TOTAL WORKLOAD 156 hours per semester



    Learning Activities Summary
     
     
     
     

    Week 1

    - The Spanish alphabet and Spanish pronunciation.
    - The verb “llamarse” and greetings. 

    Week 2  

    - Personal pronouns. 
    - Numbers 1-100.
    - Names of the days of the week. / Names of the months

    Week 3 

    - Gender and number of substantives. 
    - Family members and relations. 
    - The verb “vivir”.

    Week 4  

    - Telling age / Birthdays / Telling “how many”.
    - Giving basic personal information in Spanish. 
    - Countries and nationalities.

    Week 5 

    - The verb “gustar” and similar verbs. 

    Week 6

    - Talking about daily activities: the present tense. 

    Week 7

    - The verb “tener” and idiomatic expressions. 

    Week 8 

    - The verb “querer” and its uses. 

    Week 9

    - The past tense: Regular verbs in the “pretérito”. 

    Week 10 

    - The past tense: Irregular verbs in the “pretérito”. 

    Week 11 

    - Describing in Spanish: adjectives. 

    Week 12

    - The present perfect tense.

    Small Group Discovery Experience
    As part of the "Weekly exercises" task, working in groups of two, students will prepare a mini presentation of about 5 minutes to talk about his/her familily and friends and the kind of activities they like to do alone and/or together. Students will be expected to research family relations in the Spanish World, as well as proper expressions to communicate with parents and older relatives. Presentations will be completely in Spanish. Presentations will take place from week 9 on.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome
    Class participation  Formative and Summative 10% 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9,10
    Online quizzes Summative 20% 5, 7, 8
    Semester tests (x 3) Summative 45% 1, 2, 5
    Composition Formative and Summative 25% 1, 2, 5, 6




     

    Assessment Related Requirements
    It is a requirement of the course that students attend all SPANISH IA seminars and workshops. Exemption from attendance may be given by the course coordinator only for medical reasons or for documented cases of personal hardship. If students fail to attend 3 language classes in a row without providing a satisfactory explanation (on medical or compassionate grounds), they will be asked to provide evidence justifying why they should not be excluded from the course. In all cases, the onus is on student to contact their tutor or the course coordinator, preferably in advance, to explain their absences. If this is not done, it will be assumed that the student concerned is no longer in the course. Students must comply with a minimum 75% attendance through the semester. Those who fail this attendance requirement will receive cero points for participation and will not be allowed to sit the third test.

    Students must complete/submit all assessment tasks in order to pass this course.

    Assessment Detail
    Participation: students engage in interaction in class activities and sharing of materials and information…...10% weighting

    Online quizzes: students will be required to complete online language quizzes every 2 weeks………….…........ 20% weighting

    Semester tests: 3 1-hour tests to take place in weeks 4, 8, and 12……………………………..….…………..................45% weighting

    Composition: students will have to write a 300-word composition in Spanish and submit it in week 13….......20% weighting
    Submission
    Presentation of Work

    All written work handed in during the semester must be clearly labelled with the student’s name and ID number, course name and the name of the staff member for whom it is intended. If the assignment is a composition, it should be written on alternate lines (double spaced, if typed, and in a font size no less than 12), for greater clarity and to allow ample room for correction.


    Submission of written assignments

    All written assignments must be submitted directly to your tutor, at the beginning of the seminar on the week the assignment is due according to the “Program of Activities”, a copy of which will be included in the course reader.

    Deadlines

    Assignments handed in late will be penalized at the rate of 5 points per calendar day, up to a maximum of 7 days, after which they will automatically receive a mark of zero. These penalties will not apply, however, if an extension has been granted by the tutor or the course coordinator before the due date.

    Extensions will only be granted on medical grounds (medical certificate required) or in documented cases of hardship. Please note that under no circumstances will assignments be accepted for marking after the corrected work has been returned to the rest of the class.

    University policy now requires that for pieces of assessment greater than 20%, students applying for extensions for coursework tasks must fill in and submit the “Assessment Task Extension” form to the School of Humanities office, attaching the necessary documentation. The forms can be found at the following URL:
    http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.