*Note:  If a particular group is short of two or more members, or for other pedagogical reasons, I may change people from one group to another

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

You must have the text in order to take the course. This means having both the course book and the workbook (and/or workbook pages) with you, every day. If you forget your book, you can look on with someone, but this should happen very rarely.

Note that there is a site on the World Wide Web for Indonesian at NIU (see above). There is also a site for Southeast Asian languages, called SEAsite: https://seasite.niu.edu which has an Indonesian Language section. In order to access these, which you will be required to do, you must have a computer account and figure out how to access the WWW  from one of the many computer labs on campus.

Language always exists in a cultural context, and a vital part of learning language involves learning how to behave in another culture. The following would not be allowed in a classroom in Indonesia, and will not be allowed in this one: putting your feet up on chairs, eating or drinking in class, or chewing gum. You are expected to be in class, on time, five days a week, with your homework prepared, ready to participate in class. This means that the reading of newspapers, discussion with friends, desperate last-minute attempts to finish homework, etc., ALL CEASE when class starts, or your classroom participation grade starts nose-diving.

Conversations in class (even friendly attempts to explain something to a mystified classmate) can be distracting and disruptive; keep them to a minimum. Also, do not leave the classroom once class has begun unless it's a real emergency. If you MUST leave, put up your hand and ask permission, in Indonesian (see page 5 of your Keren 1! Course Book).

There will be time at the beginning of every class period to ask questions if something is puzzling you, but  this semester we will shift to using INDONESIAN ONLY in the classroom.  Inevitably, there will be times when you will need to practice something, even if you don't understand it completely; be patient and enjoy the mystery. You will also be expected to participate in group work to practice the language, so be prepared to move around and mingle.  Your behavior in class, while not graded as such, is part of your participation in class, which DOES receive a grade. BE NICE.

Finally, TURN OFF YOUR CELLPHONES when you come to class.

GRADING SYSTEM

100 points - DAILY WORK:  IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST A 57 point average in your tests and quizzes or higher (in other words, if you are at least within 3 points of a passing grade of 60), I will also average in up to 100 points for your classwork (which includes homework assignments and participation in class). PLEASE NOTE: I really do value class participation, and I really mean it when I say I will give up to a hundred points for it, assuming you are passing your tests and quizzes. HOWEVER: If, for example, you are doing C work on your quizzes, it would take a really dramatic contrast between your quiz work and your daily work (when I call on you, etc.) for you to be getting an A or even a B as a classwork grade. Doing all your homework exercises will NOT necessarily get you an A in classwork (although it would be very difficult to get an A in classwork WITHOUT doing all your homework). NOTE: If you are failing in your test grades, even good daily work will not pull you over the line, so DO NOT count on getting rescued by your classwork grade if you are bombing on your quiz and test grades. I will try to give you an idea of how you are doing, classwork-grade-wise, at mid-term if not sooner.

Also, I will give short quizzes which will be graded as check, check plus, or check minus -- these will be an important component of your classwork grade, since they show you are prepared for class.

100 points - QUIZZES: there will be 6 quizzes given during the semester, worth 20 points each, the lowest of which will be dropped.  If you are absent when a quiz is being given, that is the quiz which will be dropped. If you are absent for more than one quiz, you must work something out with me, in advance if at all possible. At the end of the semester, your top FIVE quizzes will be added to be your quiz grade.

100 points - MIDTERM EXAM: this will be an hour exam; MARCH 5 (the day before Spring Break starts) is reserved for the Midterm but I also reserve the right to reschedule for within that week if I see fit.  DO NOT plan on leaving early for Spring Break!

100 points - FINAL EXAM: this will be a two-hour exam, given at the end of the semester covering all the material given during the semester.

For the final grade, all these points will be added and divided by three; if this number is 57 or above, your classwork grade will be averaged in as well. The letter grade will be assigned according to the following values:

90 - 100 = A

80 - 89 = B

70 - 79 = C

60 - 69 = D

0 - 59 = F

During class time, I will usually have you sit in a semi-circle, or in small groups; I may also move you around if I get bored seeing you in the same seat all the time, so don’t get all territorial about where you sit.

For tests and quizzes, you will be asked to sit in alternate seats, directly behind the person in the row in front of you.

Academic misconduct (cheating -- trying to pass off someone else's work as your own) on tests or assignments will be taken very seriously. At the very least I will give you a failing grade for the assignment or test, and if you cheat on a major test or a second time, I WILL GIVE YOU A FAILING GRADE IN THE COURSE; if the situation warrants, I also can (and will) seek more stringent sanctions against you through the University Judicial system.

***** ATTENTION *****

In addition, be advised that there is an ATTENDANCE POLICY for this class. Basically, I expect you to be in class Monday through Friday, at 2 pm, for the entire semester. Illness, family emergencies and other events may mean you have to miss class. You are allowed FIVE (5) absences per semester for such events. Three of these absences should be taken by midterm.  Any absence beyond FIVE will result in your final grade being dropped by 5 points (from 85 to 80, for example) for each absence over five. This means, if your final grade would be 85 and you have been absent 7 times (2 more than 5), your final grade will be 75.  IF there are special circumstances that require you to miss more than 5 classes, you will need to DOCUMENT these circumstances for me IN WRITING.

If you come late to class (= after I have finished taking attendance), you should write your name and the date on a piece of paper and hand it to me at the end of the hour. Otherwise, I will assume you are absent. THREE tardies count as one absence, so if you have a problem getting to class on time you should talk to me about it before too many tardies pile up.