Homework
Remember that homework weights 15% of your final grade. Within this 15%, the following assignments have a value too. Pay attention that some assignments have more weight than others.
There are homework assignments for every day of class. These homework assignments are done online in our course on Blackboard (see Assignment Calendar for due dates or the Calendar on Blackboard) and are of different types: Más ejercicios, video, Conectamos nuestras culturas, Prueba de la unidad, Flashcard Study Confirmation, and En construcción. All of them are due at 11:59PM on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and you must make sure they are all submitted by checking they have a grade. Activities “in progress” will not receive credit! Consult your calendar in Blackboard to be on top on when things are due.
See the descriptions below.
Más ejercicios
Along with En construcción: 55%
These are the activities that will allow you to develop your Spanish linguistic knowledge such as to remember and increase your vocabulary and lexical expressions, develop your grammar, and to learn how Spanish is used depending on the context. By doing these activities you will better learn the necessary linguistic resources to communicate in class, to do well in the Final Tasks.
Please NOTE: You have 3 attempts to do these exercises and your grade is the result of the average of the three. So, try to do your best right from attempt one and use your three attempts to ensure you get the highest grade!
Video
15%
Each Unit of the textbook has a interesting, authentic video that is related to the topic of that Unit. By watching these videos, you will not only learn about the cultures of the Hispanic world, but also you will be exposed to authentic language that will help improve your Spanish.
Also, you may want to write about what you learned in the video in you Reflexión cultural!
Flashcards
5%
You will have flashcards that will help you memorize the most basic words and expressions to start using Spanish in class. This knowledge will help you to further learn Spanish and understand your instructor, classmates and materials. You can use these flashcards to learn and test your knowledge. You will report how much you studied and feel to have learned in the "Study Confirmation" report.
Conectamos nuestras culturas
15%
At the end of the Unit in your textbook, there is a section called Conectamos nuestras culturas (Connecting Our Cultures) that has interesting, short and authentic (or minimally adapted) readings about a cultural aspect of the Spanish speaking world. By reading these texts you will not only learn about the cultures of the Hispanic world, but also you will improve your reading skills and your Spanish knowledge in general.
Also, you may want to write about what you learned in Conectamos nuestras culturas in your Reflexión cultural!
Prueba de la unidad
10%
These are brief, online, out-of-class quizzes where you will test how well prepared you are to do the Tarea Final, and how much Spanish you have learned after each Unit of the textbook. In these Pruebas, you will also identify the songs you listened to and learned about in class.
En construcción
Included in Más ejercicios: 55%
This is an opportunity to reflect on what you have learned at the end of each Unit of the textbook and a way to communicate to your instructor what is that you would like to learn more about. Found under Más ejercicios in Blackboard.