Spanish Basic Language Program
Our Spanish Basic Language Program for non-native speakers introduces students to the language and seeks to build students oral and basic writing competencies. Through its completion students fulfill the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences language requirement. Designed as a hybrid program, students get exposure to the language both in the classroom and through computer instruction.
Once done with the basic language series, students are encouraged to join our undergraduate program at the 200 level where they can further expand their linguistic skills in courses such as Span 200/Spanish Conversation and Basic Writing and Span 202/Spanish Grammar in Practice.
Coordinator of Basic Language Program
Elizabeth Aguilar
aguilar9@uic.edu
(312) 996 - 0491
1714 UH
Administration
Placement in a Spanish Course
Information for Non-Native Speakers
Registration Information
Administration
The SBLP consists of four (Span. 101 – 104) multi-section courses taught by multiple instructors. Each course in the SBLP is governed by the different policies and procedures. Please familiarize yourself with the policies for your course. If you have questions or concerns about your class, direct them first to your instructor. Any issue not resolved between the student and her instructor may be brought to the attention of Elizabeth Aguilar, Coordinator of SBLP, at 1714 UH; email: aguilar9@uic.edu; tel. no. (312) 996-0491.
Placement in a Spanish course
Heritage/Native Speakers of Spanish
You may not take 101, 102, 103, or 104 if you are bilingual (native or heritage speaker). That is, if you learned Spanish in a "natural", non-academic environment (at home, during residence abroad, etc.), you must take the Spanish for heritage speakers placement test. The majority of students in the heritage program were born and raised in Chicago by parents who emigrated from Spanish-speaking countries. Others learned Spanish from their grandparents or during periods of living in Latin America. The heritage track allows you to complete the LAS foreign language requirement in 1 or 2 semesters, instead of the required 4 semesters in the Spanish Basic Language Program. If you are a heritage speaker, you are urged to take the placement test as soon as possible so that you have a chance to register in the proper course. As a heritage speaker you cannot receive credit for courses in the Spanish Basic Language sequence (Span 101, 102, 103, 104). All instructors are required to assess their students' linguistic background and to advise heritage speakers to take the heritage placement exam or to meet with program director Professor Kim Potowski. For any questions, contact Professor Potowski, Director of the Spanish for Bilinguals program, at kimpotow@uic.edu.
Information regarding the Heritage/Bilingual Basic Language Program and its placement guidelines are available at:
http://www.uic.edu/spanish/bilingual.shtml
Non-Native Speakers of Spanish
Non-native speakers have either never before taken a Spanish course or have been exposed formally to the language only in a classroom setting. Non-native students must follow the chart below in order to determine the appropriate course level in which they need to register.
Spanish Placement Test: The placement exam is offered ONLY at the Office of Testing Services. Check their website, http://pep.testing.uic.edu/ for more information, or call (312) 996-0919, 24 hours a day. When you take the Spanish placement test at the Office of Testing Services (see below), you must enroll in the course indicated by the test results.
According to University policy, students will not receive credit for taking courses below the level at which they place. Our departmental placement guidelines are as follows:
Previous Study of Spanish If you have… |
Placement at SBLP |
...no previous study1 |
…Spanish 101 |
...Spanish 101 at UIC |
…Spanish 102 |
…2 to 4 years of high school Spanish3 |
…either Spanish 101, 102, 103 or 104 depending on the results of the spanish Placement test |
...Spanish 102 at UIC, |
…Spanish 103 |
...Spanish 103 at UIC, |
…Spanish 104 |
Non-native Speakers
1 If you have NEVER taken Spanish before, nor lived in a Spanish-speaking country, or with a Spanish-speaking family, you should sign up for Spanish 101. Students who have had one year or less of high school Spanish are not required to take a placement exam. You should register for Spanish 101 as well.
2 College credit in Spanish: If you have college credit in Spanish you are not required to take the placement test
3 SPAN 110 placement exam results: If you have taken the placement exam prior to Summer 2009 and you placed into SPAN 110, you must register for SPAN 102.
Note. Two quarters of college Spanish at another institution are considered equivalent to one semester. Three quarters, however, are considered equivalent to two semesters.
4Two to four years of high school Spanish: If you have had 2 to 4 years of high school Spanish you must take the placement test. Placement tests are administered by the Office of Testing Services (http://pep.testing.uic.edu/). You must enroll in the course indicated by your test results. According to University policy students will NOT receive credit for taking courses below the level at which they place.
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Registration Information:
- No over-enrollments 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.
- It is your responsibility (the student’s) to enroll and to attend the correct section. No one else can register you.
- Your name should be officially listed on the course roster by the end of the add/drop period, 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.
- No student may enroll in more than one SBLP course during the same semester.
- If you have questions about placement once you attend the first day of class, please talk to your instructor immediately and explain your concerns.
- Auditing of this course is not allowed.
- In order to receive an incomplete for this course you must have completed 70% of the course. Only medical reasons or very serious circumstances will be considered.