HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE – CENTRAL COLLEGE SPAN 2316 INTERMEDIATE CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH SUMMER 2011 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Bernardo Vallejo PHONE: 713-718-6285 E-MAIL: bernardo.vallejo@hccs.edu CRN: 87252 TIME/DAYS: M,T,W, 11-2, F Practice (Learning Web) OFFICE HOURS: by appointment 1. COURSE DESCRIPTION: SPAN 2316, Intermediate Conversational Spanish, refinement of conversational skills through practice of idiomatic usage and discussion of contemporary issues and/or current events. 2. OBJECTIVES 1. Understand the spoken language in the context of the everyday situations studied. To understand means to grasp the basic message, not necessarily to comprehend every word uttered. 2. Speak using words, then phrases and simple sentences to give information, ask and answer questions, and participate in conversations in the contexts studied. 3. Become aware of customs and attitudes of Spanish-speaking countries which apply to the contexts studied. To understand issues in intercultural communication and cultural misunderstanding. 4. Comprehend written materials such as signs, menus, timetables, ads, short dialogues in a Spanish-speaking country. 5. Develop writing skills toward short essays 3. TEXTBOOKS * (All materials provided by the author). 1. Hola Amigos. Bernardo Vallejo, Ph. D. Trillas Publishing Co. México D.F. 2. Hola Amigos. Study guide. Bernardo Vallejo, Ph. D. Trillas Publishing Co. México D.F. 3. Hola Amigos. Videotaped conversational situations in the modern world 4. Language and Some Linguistic Variations. 2010, UNIVALLE, Cochabamba, Bolivia 5. CLASSWORK The emphasis in class is on oral communication: listening and speaking skills. The course will include talking about topics covered in the chapters and role-playing everyday situations. There will be no systematic study of grammar. Only those structures needed to communicate in the situations presented will be introduced. Topics include family, numbers, work, shopping, getting around, free time activities. You will learn to greet others, introduce yourself and ask about other, ask where something is, ask for general information when traveling, make a phone call, talk about the time and dates, describe family members, work, and housing, shop for food and clothing, express feelings and order something to eat or drink. Listening activities will be incorporated into the class and will include popular Spanish music, radio announcements and clips from video and TV. Short essays applying syntax. 6. TUTORING There is free tutoring for students who are taking Spanish. Signs will be posted the second week of class with the tutors’ hours. Important Notice: students who repeat a course three or four times may soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available. 7. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students engaged in any scholastic dishonesty: cheating, plagiarism or collusion, as described by the Student Handbook, may be penalized as specified in the Student Handbook. For this class, these rules specifically apply to in-class tests. 8. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. If you have any questions, please contact the disability counselor in SJAC 102, or call (713) 718-6164. 9. ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance is essential in a foreign language class because new material is presented and practiced everyday. Class will begin and end at the scheduled time. You are expected to be in the classroom on time and remain the entire class period. Please be on time, as coming and going is disruptive. Students returning after an absence are responsible for materials covered during their absence and will be required to take tests and turn in routine assignments according to the class schedule set forth herein. Additionally, participation is tied to attendance. If you are not present, you cannot participate. Therefore, you will lose 5 points on your participation grade for each class missed. According to HCCS policies set forth in the Student Handbook, students may be dropped after missing more than 12.5 percent of the total hours of instruction. For this class, that equates to four (4) absences (6 hours), including tardies and leaving early (1/2 absence each incident). A student who misses any class time for any reason – either for an excellent reason or no reason, is considered absent. 10. MAKE-UP P0LICY FOR TESTS AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS You will be taking tests every other week in this class. You will be allowed to take one make-up test during the semester and it must be taken within a week of your absence. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor and schedule a makeup exam. If a student misses more than one test, s/he will receive a “0” for that test. Students who are absent on the day of an oral presentation must do their presentation in the class following the absence and will receive an automatic deduction of 15 points. Only one (1) oral presentation may be made up. 11. COURTESY Ringing cell phones are a major disruption to instruction. Out of respect for your instructor and fellow classmates, please turn off cell phones and beepers when you enter class. If there is a very special reason you must have your phone or beeper on, please let me know. 12. OFFICE HOURS Feel free to e-mail me or call me regarding any problem you may be having with the class. I check my e-mail and voicemail daily. I am committed to helping you succeed in your studies. My telephone number and office hours are listed on the first page of the syllabus. 13. COURSE GRADE Students will be evaluated as follows: *Class Participation Tied to Attendance and homework Oral work (2 class presentations + midterm / final oral Final Exam Total 30% 50% 20% 100% *Class Participation Class participation is essential in a foreign language class. As mentioned earlier, class participation is tied to attendance. You will receive a daily participation grade which will be based on the following: preparation for class (including homework), bringing books and materials to class, active class involvement, staying on task, and mature behavior. 14. GRADE DISTRIBUTION 14. IMPORTANT DATES % 90-100 = A 80-89 = B 70-79 = C 60-69 = D 0-59 = F First session Last day to withdraw Last day of instruction Day of final examination July 11 July August August INSTRUCTIONAL TIME Week 1 Introduction to course, distribution of syllabus Capitulo 1 – Mucho gusto Capitulo 2 - ¿De dónde eres? Capitulo 3 – En una fiesta Capitulo 4 – En el hotel Capitulo 5 – En la ciudad Capitulo 6 – En el banco Week 2 Capitulo 7 - ¡Hola! ¿Quién habla? Capitulo 8 – En el restaurante Capitulo 9 - ¿Qué es lo que tiene? Capitulo 10 – Registrándose en el hotel Capitulo 11 - ¿Desean algo de tomar? o ¿Desean el menú? Capitulo 12 – ¿Va a dejar el hotel? Week 3 Spanish morphology and lexical variations. Week 4 Spanish syntax and writing short essays. Week 5 Oral presentations and Final Exam.