Norms, Expectations, Plagiarism and Cheating Policy

Norms, Expectations, Plagiarism

OUTCOMES

  • To build relationships and community
  • To foster intrinsic motivation and student ownership
  • To take risks and break down the filter (make mistakes!)
  • To create an immersive environment, 100% in the target language
  • To be fearless in an immersive environment
  • To be able to infer and circumlocute, and negotiate meaning

RULES

  • Respect
  • 100% target language (Spanish!)
  • Participation                   

NORMS

  • Come to class ready to learn
  • Come to class with your homework and lessons completed
  • Come to class with questions ready :)
  • Come to class to engage in SPANISH!

 

 

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING POLICY

A Note About Cheating, Plagiarism, and the Use of Translation Tools

Online translation tools, AI, autocorrect, language generation tools are NOT PERMITTED for use in class.

Why?  One of the most important objectives of Foreign Languages courses is that students will be able to present oral and written ideas and information in the target language.  In order to achieve this objective, students must express themselves with their own language skills and ability.  Therefore, work that shows evidence of help from a native Spanish speaker will not be accepted.  Plagiarism and/or copying paragraphs and/or sentences with no or very few changes will not be accepted.  The use of electronic translation/AI/generation tools (such as Google Translate, ChatGPT) ARE NOT permitted for any assignment for the following reasons:

  1. It is not the student’s own work.
  2. Translation tools are often not correct (in a twisted, comical way, usually ).
  3. Translation tools do not understand idiomatic expressions, context, or registers of language, which results in inauthentic language.
  4. Although students may occasionally be allowed to use a dictionary or other resource for writing, these resources are simply that – resources.  Students are still required to demonstrate their language proficiency through writing and speaking.  Translation tools do all of the thinking and writing, and therefore, the student is not completing the performance activity nor demonstrating his/her language proficiency. 
  5. On a practical level, may or may not be available as one travels throughout the world.  One needs to rely on and build one’s own knowledge and ability to express oneself.

I find it necessary to stress this heavily when teaching Spanish, not necessarily because students trying to cheat is an issue.  Rather, over the years I have learned that students don’t think about the difference between an online dictionary sites and online translation sites.  I have also realized that students don’t think about the difference between translating a single word and translating phrases or whole sentences (which includes grammatical structures).  Technology has made it equally effortless to do both, and until they are shown the difference, students aren’t aware of it.  And this is a HUGE complication when it comes to student learning and comprehension.  

So, I will talk about this in great detail in the classroom and will help students get familiar with the site Wordreference.com.  This is the only site I approve of students using as a dictionary site.  Students will be clear on how to use the site properly, and on what is and is not allowed. Of course, it is a given that copying others work and plagiarism is cheating. 

Consequences- An assignment which exhibits any of the above will be considered plagiarized.  Students will adhere to a strict policy of academic integrity.  Student work should be his/her own.  This includes all tests, quizzes, homework assignments, and projects.  Collaborative work is only permitted with the teacher’s permission.  Work which violates this policy will be given a grade of *zero.

*Depending on the nature and timing of the assignment, the student will be required to complete the work again for credit. This will be determined by Profesora Marshalla and RAHS Administration.