Policies and Procedures – Fall 2006
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SPANISH BASIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SPANISH BLENDED COURSES
101, 102, 103, 110
Please read these policies carefully. It is your responsibility to ask questions about the
policies and procedures if there is anything you do not understand.
Placement in a course
Students are not required to take a placement exam. Placement in the SBLP is based on
previous experience in the study of Spanish. You may not take 101, 102, 103, 104, or 110 if
you are bilingual (native or heritage speaker).
Bilingual (native or heritage speakers), please go to the department website
(www.uic.edu/depts/sfip/) and click on Undergraduate, then Bilingual, then Placement.
If you do take the Spanish placement test at the Office of Testing Services (see below), you
must enroll in the course indicated in the test results. According to University policy students
will NOT receive credit for taking courses below the level at which they place.
Previous Study of Spanish Placement at UIC
If you have… Then you must
take…
…no previous study, not a heritage or native speaker
OR …Spanish 101
…0-1 year high school or equivalent (e.g., completion of Spanish I),
…2-3 years high school or equivalent (e.g., completion of Spanish II
or III), …Spanish 110
OR
…1 semester college at another institution, 1,2
…Spanish 101 at UIC,
OR …Spanish 102
…1 semester college at another institution, 1,2
…Spanish 102 at UIC,
OR
…Spanish 110 at UIC, …Spanish 103
OR
…2 semesters college at another institution,2
…Spanish 103 at UIC,
OR …Spanish 104
…4 years high school or equivalent (e.g., completion of Spanish IV),3
OR
…3 semesters college at another institution,
Policies and Procedures – Fall 2006
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¹ Students who have had first semester college Spanish at another institution will receive transfer credit for it
and may take either SPAN 110 or SPAN 102 at UIC. They are, however, strongly encouraged to take SPAN
110 since this will offer an intensive review. Transfer students will receive credit for either SPAN 110 or 102.
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Two quarters of college Spanish are considered equivalent to one semester. Three quarters are considered
equivalent to two semesters.
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Never taken Spanish at UIC and not sure you are ready for 104, or think your language skills are strong
enough to test out of the SBLP (non-native/heritage speakers only)? Take the Spanish Placement Test.
The test is ONLY offered at the Office of Testing Services. Check out their website for information (under PEP
Placement testing), or call (312) 996-0919 24 hours a day.
http://www.uic.edu/depts/counselctr/testing/OTSHome.htm
Registration Information
1. No overenrollments under any circumstances are allowed. No instructor, professor,
secretary, or department head can change this rule, which is based on fire codes and
room sizes.
2. It is your responsibility (the student’s) to enroll and to attend the correct section. No one
else can register you.
3. Your name should be officially listed on the course roster by the end of the add/drop
period, at Friday of the second week of classes (consult the Timetable for the specific
date). It is also your responsibility to drop a course if you stop attending class. No one
else can drop you from the class. You are NOT automatically dropped if you stop
attending.
4. No student may enroll in more than one SBLP course during the same semester.
5. If you have questions about placement once you attend the first day of class, please talk
to your instructor IMMEDIATELY and explain your concerns.
Note: DO NOT OPEN THE BOOK PACKAGE OR MAKE ANY MARKINGS IN YOUR BOOKS
UNTIL YOU ARE CERTAIN ABOUT YOUR PLACEMENT. Opened textbook packages are not
accepted at the UIC bookstores for return.
General information
Estructura de clase (Format of class): You prepare/submit assigned material thoroughly
before coming to class. Class time is devoted to review and practice through communicative
activities—writing, reading, speaking, listening, so we speak only Spanish in class. Don’t
worry, making mistakes is a part of the learning process. To succeed: participate actively and
ask questions! Daily practice is crucial to language learning: plan at least 2 hours study at
home for each hour in class.
It is your responsibility to seek clarification and raise your hand or contact your instructor if
you don’t understand something. Within about one week, class format and daily expectations
should be fairly clear to you.
Preguntas (Inquiries): The SBLP consists of five (Span. 101/110 – 104) multi-section
courses taught by multiple instructors. All the sections in the SBLP are governed by the same
set of policies.
If you have questions or concerns about your class, direct them first to your instructor.
Anything not resolved by students and instructors may be brought to the attention of the
Spanish Coordinator of the Department of Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.
Policies and Procedures – Fall 2006
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Calificación final (Final grade scale)
Component percentages vary according to course, but all Spanish Basic Language Program
courses follow the following final grade scale.
A: 90 – 100 B: 80 – 89 C: 70 – 79 D: 60 – 69 E: 0 – 59
Additional information about grades:
1. Students who fail a basic Spanish course may not proceed to the next level and must repeat
the failed class if they wish to continue. Students who receive a D may proceed but are
strongly encouraged to avail themselves of tutoring from all possible resources, since courses
build on each other (you must know information from 101 to succeed in 102, from 102 or 110
to succeed in 103, and so on).
2. There is NO EXTRA CREDIT. No exceptions under any circumstances.
3. Final course grades cannot be changed unless there is an error. The student must present
the graded materials as evidence that a mistake was made. No grade disputes will be
processed during the last and first weeks of each semester.
4. No Incompletes are given.
Participación (Participation grading)
Each day your instructor will evaluate your class participation and record a grade. Your
participation will be reported to you regularly: on the day of an exam you will receive a
participation grade for the weeks leading up to the exam. If you do not receive a participation
grade, please ask your instructor for one. If you do not agree with the participation grade,
speak to your instructor immediately. Disputes over participation grades should not wait until
the end of the semester since they are much more difficult to document and handle then.
Note that participation is an important component of your final grade. If you miss class, no
participation points can be awarded for that day, so you will receive a zero for the day (see
Absences). There cannot be make-up for class participation.
Daily participation is graded in the following manner. Refer to this information during any
discussion with your instructor regarding your classroom performance.
2 points
• arrived on time and attended full class period
• participated in class activities and paid attention
1 point
• arrived late or left class early
• did not participate and/or did not pay attention
0 points
• absent
• disruptive (talked to others, did homework for other classes, kept checking
messages on cell phone, etc)
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ABSENCES: You may miss class 6 times for any reason (e.g., medical, personal, family, trips,
emergency conditions, etc.) without your participation grade being affected. After the sixth (6th)
absence, and for every subsequent absence, your participation grade will reflect that you have
missed class. Use these six allowed absences wisely!
Of course, each day you miss class, you miss information, so it is to your advantage to
attend every day.
WHAT IS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE? If you must miss class due to a documented
emergency, written proof of the circumstances must be presented to your instructor no later
than one week after you return to class. Work, family vacations, planned trips, social events,
doctor’s appointments made in advance (not emergency) are not acceptable excuses.
Legitimate excused absences on a day of an exam include the following: emergency and
extreme conditions, illness, family medical emergency, death in the family, subpoenas, jury
duty, and military service.
DOCUMENTING ABSENCE: Examples of acceptable documentation are: official letter or note
with contact phone number, death notice or obituary, program from funeral, and so on.
Medical excuses must be written on physician’s letterhead, and must include the exact date(s)
on which the student could not attend class. Letters from parents or personal statements are
not acceptable. Do not fax forms and/or documentation to our office.
La tardanza (Tardiness)
Arriving late to class or leaving early disrupts the class and negatively impacts both the student
and his/her classmates. The student’s participation grade will be lowered according to the
above scale. Students who arrive late to an exam will only be given the remaining exam time
to complete the exam. No oral comprehension sections will be repeated due to tardiness. If the
tardiness is the result of an excusable and documented situation (see the section titled “Make-
up exam procedures”), the student must see his/her instructor IMMEDIATELY after the exam.
Exámenes (Exams)
All exams are announced in the syllabus, and will be held in the room and class period in
which class is held. No deviation of this schedule will be allowed. This means NO early or late
exams, even if the same instructor teaches the class.
Make-up exam procedures:
If you cannot take an announced exam due to a documented emergency, written proof
of the circumstances must be presented to your instructor no later than one week after
you return to class. Work, family vacations, planned trips, social events, or advanced
appointments are not acceptable excuses. Legitimate excused absences on a day of
an exam include the following: emergency and extreme conditions, illness, family
medical emergency, death in the family, subpoenas, jury duty, and military service. If
you are absent on the day of an exam for an unexcused reason, you will receive a zero
on the exam. Note the procedures to request an excused absence to make up an exam:
1. Notify your instructor immediately and make an appointment with him/her to
make up the exam the day you return to class.
2. Go to UH 1722 and pick up a blank “Excused Absence Request Form.”
Policies and Procedures – Fall 2006
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3. Fill out this form and submit it to your instructor with photocopies of all
necessary documentation1 attached. Our office will keep this form and
documentation on file.
4. Your request will be considered and if it is approved you will be allowed to
make up the exam.
Once a decision has been made, your instructor will inform you. You will not be allowed
to take the exam/receive credit for the exam until the absence has been officially
excused.
Note: NO MAKE-UP QUIZZES ARE ALLOWED.
Tarea en línea en Blackboard (Online homework in Blackboard)
There are two types of homework in your Spanish class: textbook preparation activities and
workbook activities. These activities are all in Blackboard. All Blackboard activities are
automatically graded, so you get instant feedback.
If you are not familiar with Blackboard, don’t worry:
Your instructor will show the class how to use Blackboard during the first 2 weeks of
classes.
The UIC Blackboard site has answers to all your questions: please read through the
materials on this website BEFORE asking your instructor about any problems you have with
Blackboard. http://blackboard.uic.edu/
• Textbook Preparation. This homework refers to the vocabulary and grammar sections in
the textbook that correspond to the topics covered the following day. For example, if you
see “T: Lección 1A (Primera parte: vocab + gram)” listed on the syllabus, you need to
study all of the vocabulary and grammar sections in the Primera parte of Lección 1A
before going to class. This will prepare you to actively participate in the in-class
activities scheduled for that day. All textbook preparation activities are due by 11:59
p.m. on the day indicated on the syllabus. Grades for the activities due each week
are permanently recorded each Friday and cannot be changed thereafter.
• Workbook. WORKBOOK IS IN BLACKBOARD: do not buy a paper workbook.
Instead, purchase a Sol y viento access card at the UIC Bookstore.
For each lesson in the Sol y viento textbook, you will complete a number of homework
activities in Blackboard. The purpose of these activities is for you to gain further practice
outside of class with the vocabulary and grammar covered in class. Workbook activities for
a given lesson are due by 11:59 p.m. on the day indicated on the syllabus.
USE YOUR TEXTBOOK while doing the Blackboard activities. You will need it to
read/reread explanations, consult the glossary, etc.
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Examples of acceptable documentation are: official letter or note with contact phone number, death notice or
obituary, program from funeral, and so on. Medical excuses must be in writing on physician’s letterhead, and
must include the exact date(s) on which the student could not attend class. Letters from parents or personal
statements are not acceptable. Do not fax forms and/or documentation to our office.
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All Blackboard activities are available for completion beginning the first day of the
semester, so you may work ahead if you wish. However, grades for the activities due
each week are permanently recorded each Friday and cannot be changed thereafter.
You are allowed to redo each activity as many times as you like until the midnight
deadline for each day’s work.
NO LATE HOMEWORK WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON
Each activity in Blackboard will receive a score ranging from 0 to 100%. In order to receive full
credit (one point) for completing an activity, you must complete the activity until you score
80% or better. Any activity receiving a score of less than 80% will not receive credit (zero
points). Given that you are expected to use your book as a resource while you work, and that
you are allowed multiple attempts to complete each activity, there is no reason why you
shouldn’t be able to score 100% on all activities—and thus get a perfect score for 20% of your
final grade!
Other factors that have a negative impact on your homework grade:
Homework deadlines cannot be extended under any circumstances, including technology
failure.
• You are strongly encouraged to begin your online homework as early as possible.
Waiting until 10:00 p.m. the night homework is due may not allow you sufficient time to
finish, especially if the network is slow, or if Blackboard is in high use. Also, the sooner
you start the more time you have to ask your instructor questions if necessary.
• It is highly recommended that you complete the Blackboard activities on a computer
that has high-speed internet access. Many of the online activities have audio and video
files which may download very slowly (or not at all!) on a dial-up internet connection. If
you do not have high-speed internet access at home, it is strongly recommended that
you complete your Blackboard homework using one of the campus computer labs. The
following computer labs have headphone jacks that are accessible either from the front
or the rear of the machines. Hours of operation for the computer labs mentioned below
can be found at the following link:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/pclabs/index.html
NOTE: Most UIC computer labs are closed on weekends and holidays:
West Campus:
BGRC 105, 105B (need to request building access after 5pm and on weekends)
SRH 317 (accessible only to dorm residents)
East Campus:
BSB B001 (basement), 4133
Library 1444
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EPASW 270, 270B
A&A 2312 (Mac Lab)
SEL 2058, 2263 (Mac Lab), and 2265
Scailab (Adams Hall)
South Campus:
TBH 181, 183 (accessible only to dorm residents)
Mac users:
If the Realmedia audio files do not play automatically when you click the links, you may have to
change the following settings in your Internet Explorer Browser:
Click “Preferences” on the Internet Explorer menu
Click “File Helpers” under Receiving Files
Select the helper application for the Mime extension “.rm” and click “Change”
Select “View with Plugin” in the “How to Handle” drop-down under “Handling”
The file should now play in the browser plugin automatically every time you click on a .rm file.
Academic Dishonesty
Please read the University of Illinois at Chicago policy on Academic Dishonesty (cheating,
plagiarism) :
http://www.uic.edu/depts/sja/integrit.htm
In the Spanish Basic Language Program—as in any class—each student must work
completely alone on anything (homework, exams, quizzes, compositions) turned in for a grade.
Therefore, the following cases would be included under academic dishonesty.
These are NOT the only examples: if you are ever in doubt if something is plagiarism or
cheating, please ask your instructor before turning in that work.
• Working with one or more other students on homework that is to be submitted for a
grade, unless specifically directed to work in groups by the instructor.
• Obtaining help on specific homework from a tutor. Tutors can help on workbook
exercises and should help with general questions and problems, but they should not
correct homework that is to be submitted for a grade.
• Copying another student’s homework, copying homework from other resources such as
the internet.
• Passing information about the content of an exam to another student (in person, via
email, text message, or any other way).
Electronic Devices
Shut off your cellular phones, pagers, ipods, and other electronic devices when you enter the
classroom. All are entirely prohibited during class. If you are reading or sending text messages
or checking your voicemail during class, it will be reflected in your participation grade.
During an exam, any communication on electronic devices could be understood by your
instructor as an attempt to send or receive information about the exam (see information about
Academic Dishonesty).
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EATING during class is prohibited. You need your mouth to speak Spanish with during
class!
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Students with disabilities who require accommodations for access and participation in this
course must be registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Please contact ODS at
(312) 413-2103 or (312) 413-0123 (TTY).
Please note that the Office of Disability Services does not contact instructors automatically at
the start of a semester if a student needs accommodations. It is the responsibility of the
student to have Disability Services contact us or to contact us directly the first day of classes.
Any accommodations will be handled only from the date on which our office is notified.
Any questions about these policies?
Ask your instructor ASAP.
Have a great semester!