KBCC Basic Spanish Course Overview, Syllabus, and Phonetics Notes

Course Logistics and Level Placement

• Spanish Course Level Eligibility:
  • Enrollment in 106 (Basic Spanish 2) requires completion of up to Spanish 2 in high school, or more than one high school Spanish class.
  • Enrollment in 105 (Basic Spanish 1) is suitable for students with only one semester or one year of high school Spanish, or minimal prior exposure.
  • Course evaluation during day one allows students to stay in the basic level or move up to 106.
• Schedule and Location:
  • Meeting Days and Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays from $02:30 \text{ PM}$ to $03:50 \text{ PM}$.
  • Classroom Location: Room $1350$.
• Instructor Information:
  • Name: Erin (preferred name; avoid titles such as "Profe", "Profesora", or "Miss").
  • Office Location: Room $7414$ (located on the bottom floor, back corner).
  • Office Hours: Mondays at $5:00 \text{ PM}$. Alternative appointment times are available upon request via email.
  • Preferred Email Protocol:
  • Response timeframe: $24 \text{ to } 48 \text{ hours}$ when a response is required.
  • Checking schedule: Monday through Friday (emails are generally not monitored on weekends).
  • Absences: Advance email notification is required; late responses post-absence disqualify students from making up missed work.
  • Homework clarification: Confusion communicated via email will be addressed in person before or after class with late fee penalties waived.

Canvas and Course Materials

• Canvas Platform Components:
  • Course and instructor information.
  • Textbook purchase details and links.
  • Syllabus access.
  • Weekly PowerPoint slides uploaded prior to class (e.g., Week 1 covers September 9th to September 11th).
• Required Course Materials:
  • Textbook Title: Panorama.
  • Platform Access: SuperSite Plus access code (required for turning in online homework).
  • Physical Book: Available at the KBCC bookstore with a paper envelope containing the access code; used for in-class exercises.
  • Virtual Textbook (VText): Included online access for digital activities and homework completion.
• SuperSite Registration and Grace Period:
  • Registration Site: bhlcentral.com.
  • Enrollment Steps: Create an account, follow prompts to enroll in the course, and email the instructor for course access approval.
  • Grace Period: Grants $14 \text{ days}$ ($2 \text{ weeks}$) of temporary access before purchasing the required code. Access terminates abruptly on day $14$.

Homework Structure and SuperSite Functionality

• Pre-Class Preview Work (Tuesday / Thursday Homework):
  • Weight: $15\%$ of total course grade.
  • Format: Credit / No Credit tutorial video modules (e.g., watching a $1 \text{-minute}$ video followed by vocabulary listening exercises).
  • First due date: Tuesday, September 15th.
  • Requirement: Simply play and listen to the videos prior to class to receive full credit.
• Post-Class Review Work (Weekend Homework):
  • Weight: $20\%$ of total course grade.
  • Due Date: Saturdays by $11:59 \text{ PM}$ (midnight). First due date: Saturday, September 19th.
  • Format: Interactive question-and-answer assignments testing video and unit concepts.
  • Review: Instructor provides feedback and manually adjusts scores as needed.
• Late Homework Policy:
  • Deductions: $15\% \text{ per day}$ late deduction.
  • Accommodation Exception: Deductions waived for adult life emergencies (e.g., vehicle breakdown, broken laptop) if communicated promptly via email.
• SuperSite Online Tools:
  • Resources Section: Provides every activity paired with audio for simultaneous reading and listening.
  • Vocabulary Tools: Contains pre-built flashcard sets (similar to Quizlet).

Evaluation, Grading, and Course Policies

• Grade Breakdown Percentages:
  • Pre-Class Preview Work (Credit / No Credit): $15\%$
  • In-Class / Active Participation: $15\%$
  • Post-Class Review Work: $20\%$
  • Unit Assessments (Written and Oral combined): $50\%$
• In-Class Participation Details:
  • Involves pair or small-group assignments completed and submitted during class.
• Assessment Formats:
  • Oral Assessments: Short duration ($3 \text{ to } 5 \text{ minutes}$) conducted as partner conversations, small group presentations, or 1-on-1 interviews with the instructor. Graded based on effort and participation rather than absolute phonetic or grammatical perfection.
  • Written Unit Assessments: Pen-and-paper examinations evaluating vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, and select grammar concepts.
• Unit Schedule:
  • Course consists of $4 \text{ units}$ lasting approximately $4 \text{ weeks}$ ($1 \text{ month}$) each.
• Attendance and Roster Verification:
  • Verification required for financial aid and athletic eligibility.
  • Satisfied by attending class and submitting at least one homework assignment.
• Institutional Policies and Resources:
  • Academic Dishonesty Policy enforced according to institutional standards.
  • Office for Student Access available for learning accommodations.
  • KBCC Spanish Tutor schedule uploaded to Canvas and distributed via email.
  • Library Resources: Laptop and hotspot loaner program.
  • Inclement Weather: Alert notification registration encouraged for snow days.
  • Shared University Resources: Linked with Western Michigan University (WMU) Spanish department.
  • Title IX regulations strictly maintained.

Instructor Background and Professional Experience

• Academic Background:
  • Northern Michigan University ($2021$): Double major in International Studies and Spanish; Double minor in History and French.
  • Western Michigan University ($2024$): Master's Degree in Hispanic Studies.
• Employment & Professional Roles:
  • KBCC Spanish Instructor (since $2024$).
  • K-12 Tutor in ELA and Social Studies.
  • Store Manager for Bigby Coffee (Binky Coffee).
  • Former Research Expedition Instructor: Led student field trips for anthropological fieldwork and sociology coursework in Iceland, Norway, Australia, and Spain.
  • Research & Publications: Published book author and research presenter.
• Travel & Fieldwork:
  • Solo traveler since $2019$ across approximately $15 \text{ countries}$.
  • Summer trip to Mozambique, Africa: Coffee farm excursion arranged through Bigby Coffee.
• Personal Details & Pets:
  • Former rock climber (discontinued following hand surgery).
  • Kayaker in small lakes and Arctic fjords (Norway); non-swimmer.
  • Dahlia: Black cat owned by partner.
  • Tara: $3 \text{-month-old}$ Black Mouth Cur puppy (teething; nicknamed "terrorist").
  • Cuddles: Pet guinea pig.

Introductory Spanish Grammar and Vocabulary Concepts

• Formal vs. Informal Register:
  • Formal Register:
  • Uses the pronoun "usted" (formal 'you').
  • Example Dialogue:
    • Elena introduces Patricia to Señor Perales.
    • Patricia: "Encantada" (Nice to meet you).
    • Señor Perales: "¿De dónde es usted?" (Where are you from?).
    • Patricia: "Soy de México" (I am from Mexico).
  • Informal Register:
  • Uses the pronoun "tú" (informal 'you').
  • Example Dialogue:
    • Tomás and Alberto.
    • Greetings: "¿Qué tal?" (What's up?), "¿Qué hay de nuevo?" (What's new?).
• Greeting, Farewell, and Courtesy Expressions:
  • "Hasta mañana": See you tomorrow.
  • "Nos vemos": We'll see each other / See you tomorrow.
  • "Saludos a la Señora Vargas": Say hi to Mrs. Vargas.
  • "Hasta luego": See you later.
  • "Chao": Bye / Goodbye.
  • "Listo / Listo para empezar": Ready / Ready to begin.

Spanish Phonetics, Vowels, and Pronunciation Rules

• Phonetic Definitions:
  • Fonética (Phonetics): The classification of speech sounds.
  • Phonemes: Distinct units of sound associated with specific letters used for reading (e.g., the difference between "hola" and "ora" is defined by the single phoneme 'l' versus 'r').
• Spanish Sound Consistency:
  • Unlike English letters (which produce multiple sounds), Spanish letters correspond to fixed, single sounds that never change.
• Vowels and Associated Sounds:
  • A ($a$): Pronounced "ah" (like 'a' in father). Example word: araña.
  • E ($e$): Pronounced "eh" (like 'a' in hey). Example word: elefante.
  • I ($i$): Pronounced "ee" (like 'i' in iguana).
  • O ($o$): Pronounced "oh" (like 'o' in go).
  • U ($u$): Pronounced "oo" (like 'oo' in food).
• Regional & Dialectal Consonantal Variations:
  • Double L ("ll"): Pronounced either as a 'y' sound or a 'j' sound depending on regional dialect and speaker origin (e.g., llamas pronounced as "yamas" or "jamas").
  • Letter X: Pronounced either as a "ks" sound or an English "z" sound based on regional dialect.

Conversational Practice Guidelines

• Pair Conversation Structure:
  • Question: "¿Cómo te llamas?" $\rightarrow$ Answer: "Me llamo [Name]".
  • Question: "¿De dónde eres?" $\rightarrow$ Answer: "Soy de [Location]" (e.g., "Soy de Kalamazoo").
  • Expression of Pleasure:
  • "Mucho gusto" $\rightarrow$ Response: "Igualmente" (Likewise).
  • "Encantado" (Masculine gender form used by male speakers).
  • "Encantada" (Feminine gender form used by female speakers).
  • "El gusto es mío": The pleasure is mine.
  • Farewells: Standard departure expressions.

Questions and Discussion

• Is the VText something else or is it in the book packet?
  • The VText is the virtual textbook platform. Book packets from the bookstore contain an envelope with the SuperSite access code inside. The physical book is for class work, while the virtual textbook handles online homework.
• How do high school computers interact with SuperSite?
  • High school computers may block access due to cybersecurity settings, requiring an override request from high school administration.
• Do preview assignments (Tuesday/Thursday) require answering questions?
  • No, preview assignments are credit/no credit for watching/listening to videos. Question-based assignments are due on Saturdays.
• Are Saturday homework questions based on preview videos or new material?
  • Saturday homework includes questions based on both preview videos and new unit material.
• Are grammar rules tested on written exams?
  • Yes, a small amount of grammar is tested depending on the specific unit.
• Which regional pronunciation should students adopt for dialectal variations like 'll'?
  • Pronunciation choice is entirely up to student preference.
• What should a student do if SuperSite generates an account creation error?
  • Submit an error report through the system and send an email to the instructor if the issue persists.