CEDEI - Centro de Estudios Interamericanos

Syllabus of 102 Regular class

Teacher: Raphael Glover

e-mail: raphaelglover@cedei.org
Meet virtual room: -

Class hours: 4:30-5:45pm

Course dates: 11th of April - 20th of June

Midterm exam:
The exam taken halfway the course consists of:
● Language Use: Grammar
● Language Use: Vocabulary
● Reading
● Listening
● Writing
● Speaking
The exam will be based on all units covered in the first half of the cycle, the exact content
you need to study will be shared by the teacher at least 3 days before the exam takes place.

Final exam:
The exam taken at the end of the course consists of:
● Language Use: Grammar
● Language Use: Vocabulary
● Reading
● Listening
● Writing
● Speaking
The exam will be based on all units covered in the second half of the cycle, the exact content
will be shared by the teacher a week before the exam takes place.

Specific dates of the course:

● Start of class: 11th of April
● No class/ office closed: 14th of April (Fundación de Cuenca)
● No class/ office closed: 1st of May (International Labour Day)
● Midterm exam: 15th of May - Speaking exam
● Midterm exam: 16th of May - Written exam
● No class/ office closed: 26th of May (National Holiday)
● Spelling Bee: 8th of June
● Final exam: 19th of June - Speaking exam
● Final exam: 20th of June - Written exam
● Last day of class: 20th of June

Important platform information

1. The grades in the platform Markbook are not your final grades. Each exercise you do on
the platform is added to the respective language area average in the Markbook, those
averages are a good representation of your English skills but not all will count for your
CEDEI Grading Sheet. Your teacher will tell you on time what exercises will be graded and
added to your CEDEI Grading Sheet.

2. Homework exercises on the platform are meant to practice. As mentioned above they will
result in an average, but this is just an indication. Your teacher will look at all your homework
exercises and grade you on both effort and skill. Even if a certain exercise is difficult, by
working hard you can get the full points for your learning effort.

3. When submitting an answer on the Richmond platform, it’s very important to use correct
capitalization, punctuation, and spaces for the answer to be marked correctly.
⮚ Use of capital letters when appropriate and correct punctuation marks.
⮚ Use the spaces on the keyboard correctly.
⮚ Apostrophes must be placed in the precise location.
Don’t forget to submit your exercises after finishing them either. Without submitting your
teacher can’t grade your exercise on time, this may result in a lower grade than your work
deserves.

Classroom rules

● Arrive to class on time.

● Raise your hand if you want the teacher’s attention.
● Respect your teacher, classmates and classroom.
● No disruptive behavior is allowed in the classroom and at the center (e.g. using
cellphones in class; speaking Spanish; hindering or halting class development;
interrupting the teacher or other students).
● Do your homework on time.
● Speak English to each other. No Spanish is allowed in class.
● Do your own work. Do not copy classwork or homework. Plagiarism is punished at
CEDEI (See Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy).
● Quizzes, tests and exams are individual work. Cheating is not allowed.

Classroom behavior

One of the most important goals of CEDEI is to guarantee the highest level of learning within
a peaceful, pleasant, and safe environment. To this end, the following regulations have been
created:

⮚ Maintain a mutual respect for each other in all classroom interactions, that is,
between teacher-students and students- students.
⮚ No person, through a lack of discipline or maturity, can hinder, halt or disrupt normal
class development and student learning.
⮚ Discrimination by means of sex, race, nationality, religion, or disability, in action or
word, is not allowed for any reason.

Consequences for disruptive behavior:

1. On the first occasion, the student will receive a verbal warning from the teacher.
2. On the second occasion, the student will receive a second verbal warning, accompanied
by a written discipline report, which needs to be turned in to the Coordinator who will
communicate with the adult student or the student's parents/representatives.
3. If the disruptive behavior continues, the student will receive a third warning,
accompanied by a second discipline report. At this stage, the adult student or the
student’s parents/representatives will be called to CEDEI to meet with the English
Academic Director to discuss behavioral issues.
4. A fourth discipline report will result in expulsion from CEDEI.

Important: A student that has two disciplinary reports during a cycle automatically carries
one discipline report to the next cycle as a consequence of previous misbehavior.

Class material

For virtual classes:

● Computer, camera and microphone in good condition and turned on
● Richmond platform and Meet virtual class are open before class starts
● CEDEI WhatsApp group to communicate and solve technical problems
● Student book and workbook on your desk
● Pen, pencils, eraser
For in-person classes:
● Student book and workbook on your desk
● Pen, pencils, eraser
● A notebook
● A computer available at home to access the platform and make homework

Attendance

Class begins at 4:30pm. Please be in class on time. Absences cannot be excused unless
the student presents a doctor’s certificate or a school/university certificate.

Attendance Regular Classes:

● 3 late arrivals = 1 absence
● 8 absences = can pass, but no certificate*
● 9 absences = automatically fail the course

* On request, a level-certificate is given to students after they pass a level.

Due dates and consequences

Depending on the type of assignment, the teacher will set a due date. You will have at least
24 hours to do your assigned exercises (in case of a project/ exam/ writing assignment it will
be at least 3 days).
If for whatever reason you turn in your work late, the teacher will deduct 10% per day of your
evaluated grade.

Grading system

Grading is based on the percentages below:

90%-100% Excellent
80%-89% Good
70%-79% Average
Below 70% Failure of the cycle

Grading breakdown

Class participation 10%

Homework 10%
Listening 5%
Quizzes 10%
Speaking and pronunciation 15%
Writing 15%
Midterm project/ exam 15%
Final project/ exam 20%

Missed quizzes/ projects/ exams and consequences

You will lose 10% of your quiz/ project/ exam grade if you do not comply on the assigned
day without a valid justification. With authorization from your teacher, you should contact
CEDEI administration and agree on a day and time to make up the quiz/ project/ exam within
one week maximum from the day of the absence.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

Copying and plagiarism are unacceptable academic behaviors and are subject to disciplinary
actions. CEDEI provides these guidelines to promote academic integrity among students.

At CEDEI, students are expected to submit their work without assistance, which reflects on
their own effort and ability.

When researching, students need to accurately cite their sources. Please, find the article
“Preventing Plagiarism when Writing” here for more information:
https://www.plagiarism.org/article/preventing-plagiarism-when-writing

Copying and Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

● Copying or giving a completed assignment to another student to copy.

● Allowing another person to do your work, and then submitting it under your own
name.
● Submitting another person’s work as your own.
 ● Submitting text or another’s ideas from an encyclopedia, book, textbook, website,
database, or any other internet source as your own without proper citation.
● Changing an answer after work has been graded, then presenting it as improperly
graded.
● Use of unauthorized material or help including textbooks, notes, calculators, cell
phone, computer programs, or another person’s help during an examination or
presenting a major project.
● Unauthorized access to an exam or answers to an exam, classwork, and/or
homework.
● Word switch plagiarism which includes copying material from another source and
paraphrasing it, to make it look like your own without crediting the source.

Consequences:

1. First offense: Copy one time, you will receive 0 (zero) on the assignment, test, etc.
and an official oral and written warning (copying report). The representative will be
called to be informed.
2. Second offense: Copy twice, you will receive 0 on the assignment, test, etc. and a
second discipline report. You or your representative will be asked to meet with the
Academic Director or an English Program representative.
3. Third offense: Copy a third time, you will automatically fail the course.

Students who allow other students to copy their work/assignments/exams/quiz

will be subject to the same consequences.

What happens when you fail the course?

1. Retake Final Exam

The option to retake the final exam will be given to students who failed their final exam and
have an average score of 70% or higher in at least four areas, and 65% or higher on the
midterm exam. The student will have the option to retake the test with or without prior help
from a teacher (*see 12-hour tutorial). If the student fails the final exam a second time, he or
she will need to repeat the level.

2. Repeat level

A student must repeat the level if the following is true:

- he or she has a final average that is less than 70%;
- he or she received less than 65% on the final exam and has an average of less than
70% in two or more areas and/or less than 65% on the midterm;
- he or she plagiarized in the final assignment or exam.

3. 12-Hour Tutorials (101-304)

The 12-hour tutorial is offered to students who would like help to prepare to retake the final
exam. It’s a recommended one-on-one tutorial that consists of a short review of the whole
course, focusing on the student’s weak area(s) and preparation to retake the final exam.
At the end of the tutorial the student takes the exam again, this result will replace his/her
Final Exam grade of the Grading Sheet. To pass it should be 65+% and result in an
average of 70+% of the total course.