State University of New York at Buffalo

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Spanish 104

Spring 2001

Instructor: Ellen Connell

Additional Class Policies

Attendance: I follow the attendance policy set forth in the main syllabus! Absences will be dealt with as stated in the syllabus. Due to the Participation Point System, if you are absent, you are not eligible to earn points for that particular class.Consistent loss of participation points due to absences will ultimately lower your final grade. Not only will you lose participation points, you may miss quizzes, in-class assignments and homework assignments, none of which will be accepted late or be allowed to be made up. For any absences due to reasons of a medical nature, the student will provide the instructor with a valid, signed medical excuse within 5 days of the absence. If no official documentation is provided, the absence will count against the student, and participation points will be lost.

Daily preparation: If you are not prepared for class, I will know, and it will ultimately affect your final grade for this course. Students are expected to do the assigned readings, study vocabulary on their own, and to self-correct all workbook exercises for which the answer keys provides an answer. Anyone caught directly copying answers from the workbook answer key will receive a ZERO.

Participation: Since this is a language class, communication is a must if you are ever to fully learn or appreciate the beauty of the Spanish language. The course cannot progress properly if the students simply sit at their desks and say nothing. Therefore, as per the Main Syllabus, Participation will be graded on a points-per-day basis. It is not difficult to participate; therefore, EVERY STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND TO DO SO IN SPANISH. EXCESSIVE ENGLISH WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS CLASSROOM. If you find it to be too difficult of a task, you can either: 1) drop the course, or 2) accept Participation points of reduced or no value.

Special needs: Students who have a diagnosed learning disability or other impediment should feel free to request appropriate arrangements.

Notes on common courtesy and class disturbances

Letters of recommendation: The instructor is always delighted to write letters of recommendation for good students, present and past. To obtain a letter, students should make their request two weeks in advance, should bring the instructor all the documentation which is relevant to the position sought, should review with the instructor those achievements most deserving of praise, and should expect the instructor to mail the letter directly and in confidence to the requesting agency.

Cell phones/beepers: Remember to turn off cellular phones or beepers prior to class or place them on vibrate. If a cellular phone should ring during class time, it is asked that you promptly turn it off. At no time should a student answer a phone, as such behavior is offensive and distracting to other students. Moreover, if you are busy answering phones, you are certainly NOT participating in class. Not fully participating in class will hinder your final grade.

Talking out of turn / talking over others/ having personal conversations in class: This is a conversation-based class, so it is expected that students will be conversing from time to time. If you are confused or lost at any time, please ask the instructor to clarify the issue or issues at hand- IN AS MUCH SPANISH AS POSSIBLE.At times class will be conducted with the door open or partially open, for simple reasons of ventilation. Under no circumstances should students be verbally addressing fellow students who pass by the open door, nor should students in this class be socializing with those passing by or waiting outside. THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! If you are discussing extra-curricular activities in class, you are not only being rude (and most likely speaking in English), you are NOT fully participating in class which, again, will affect your final grade.

Academic honesty and plagiarism: I expect all students to submit original work, done independently and individually from other students (the exception being a Group Project, of course). If on compositions ,projects, homeworks, etc… you directly quote a source—you MUST cite that source. Failure to properly credit sources will result in automatic failure of assignment(s) and will affect your general academic standing at the State University of New York at Buffalo. If you should cite a source other than the course textbook, I may ask to see that source or a copy of that source, which you will be expected to provide. I am strongly opposed to plagiarism of any sort and will not stand for it. If you are in doubt as to whether you should cite a source, ASK ME. Those who violate the University's policies on Academic Integrity will face disciplinary proceedings.