Chabot College
Fall 2015
Course Outline for Spanish 1A
BEGINNING SPANISH
Catalog Description:
SPA 1A - Beginning Spanish
5.00 units
Introduction to the Spanish-speaking cultures of the world featuring the study and practice of the four
language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) of Spanish. Following an immersion instruction
format, the class is entirely taught in the target world language of the selected course. May not receive
credit credit if SPA 1A1 and/or 1A2 have been completed.
Strongly Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 1A
Units
Contact Hours
Week
Term
5.00
Lecture
Laboratory
Clinical
Total
5.00
5.00
1.00
0.00
6.00
87.50
17.50
0.00
105.00
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. compare and contrast the nuances of everyday life in the Spanish-speaking world with those of the
English speaking in the United States;
2. communicate orally and in writing in a variety of meaningful real life activities moving toward the
intermediate level of proficiency on the national ACTFL scale (American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages);
3. narrate and describe present and past real-life from several perspectives;
4. demonstrate proficiency in understanding and using, orally and in writing, the grammatical
structures presented and vocabulary assigned;
5. correctly spell "active" vocabulary items, write basic autobiographical information, and take
dictation based on assigned vocabulary;
6. demonstrate the ability to comprehend a conversation composed chiefly of the vocabulary and
grammar studied;
7. apply the sentence patterns and grammar structures presented in the course to create new
sentences in culturally appropriate ways both orally and in writing;
8. write a coherent and culturally appropriate paragraph of eighty words or more on a topic studied
and/or discussed in class;
9. make descriptions in Spanish related to daily activities, feelings, food, and clothing orally and in
writing;
10. demonstrate practical applications of their Spanish communicative skills in applied professional
and/or in service learning fields.
Course Content:
Course Content (Lecture):
1. Introduction to the history and geography of Spanish-speaking countries, cities, regions, and other
places of the world
2. Social and cultural information necessary to understand important differences between Spanish
and American cultural practices and to be sensitive to cultural differences in social interactions
3. Introduction to basic elements of Spanish pronunciation
4. Functional vocabulary and grammar to allow students to:
A. identify themselves in the target language (name, age, nationality, place of birth, profession
or occupation) orally and in writing
B. greet others, make introductions, take leave, thank, and write simple culturally appropriate
expressions of thanks
C. be able to express spatial relationships (far, near, right, left, etc.) orally and in writing
D. identify and discuss family relationships
E. be able to ask for, read, understand, and write simple street directions
F. count, understand, and write numbers, and be sufficiently comfortable with numbers for
simple financial transactions in the currency of the target culture(s)
G. use vocabulary related to weights and measures orally and in writing
H. make descriptions related to size, shape, and color orally and in writing
I. identify clock time, the date, the weather, and be able to read and write them as well
J. discuss in simple terms their likes and dislikes and to inquire in culturally sensitive terms
into likes and dislikes of others, orally and in writing
K. describe features and contents of homes and other residences
L. identify body parts and communicate about health conditions and medical treatments
M. communicate about food, beverages, dining, and table utensils
N. identify articles of clothing and accessories and communicate about shopping experiences
O. communicate about actions in progress, characteristics and conditions of people and things
P. use vocabulary related to weights and measures orally and in writing
Q. make descriptions related to weights and measures, size, shape, and color orally and in
writing
5. Syntax and grammar that allows students to correctly use orally and in writing:
A. subject pronouns
B. definite and indefinite articles, the gender of nouns, and how to make nouns plural
C. subject and verb agreement
D. present indicative regular verbs –ar, -er, -ir
E. present indicative verbs with irregular yo forms including ser, tener, ir, estar, saber,
conocer, dar, and hacer
F. using verbs in the negative; using affirmative and negative words
G. common uses of the verb ser, estar, tener, hacer
H. agreement with descriptive adjectives
I. present tense of stem-changing verbs (e >ie, o>ue, u>ue, e>i)
J. the verb estar and the present progressive verbs
K. reflexive pronouns and present tense of reflexive verbs
L. the verbs ser and estar
M. demonstrative adjectives and pronouns
N. comparatives and superlatives
O. regular verbs and verbs with spelling changes in the preterit
P. verbs with stem changes in the preterit
Q. irregular verbs in the preterit
R. direct object pronouns
S. imperfect tense
Course Content (Laboratory):
1. Activate lecture content using interactive audio and audiovisual programs on iLrn
Plazas iLrn passkey which includes access to:
A. Plazas electronic Student Activities Manual (workbook + lab manual = homework)
B. Textbook assignments (part of homework)
C. Plazas eBook (online textbook)
D. Video Library (part of homework)
E. Enrichment- flashcards, web quizzes, games, glossary, Internet activities, Google Earth
coordinates, interactive learning games, Heinle iRadio, grammar & vocab tutorials, verb
conjugator.
F. Diagnostic exams with personalized learning plans
2. DVDs, CD ROMS, target language websites, etc., featuring culturally authentic and contextual guided
speaking, reading, and writing activities such as cued repetition of native speech, dictations, cued oral
responses, listening comprehension, and interactive realia (culturally authentic texts).
3. Organized laboratory activities including conversation groups.
4. Fundamentals of Spanish pronunciation:
1. Stressing words
2. Similarity of stressed and unstressed vowels
3. Pronunciation of h and ch, r and rr, d
4. Pronunciation of diphthongs: ia, ie, io, and iu
5. Pronunciation of diphthongs: ua, ue, ui, and uo
6. Pronunciation of s, ce, ci, and za, zo, zu
7. Pronunciation of p and t
8. Pronunciation of m, n, and ñ
9. Pronunciation of c, qu
10. Pronunciation of l, ll, and y
Methods of Presentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture/Discussion
Group Activities
Laboratory
Class and group discussions
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
1. Typical Assignments
A. Demonstrate "ordering" skills in a restaurant skit.
B. Demonstrate aural understanding of street directions by tracing examples of such directions
on a map.
C. Laboratory Assignment: After studying stress in Spanish pronunciation, make a recording
of the poem “Machu Picchu” by Pablo Neruda.
D. Write a paragraph reporting in the past in a variety of contexts that focuses on the narration
of a series of events such as a short report about a recent shopping trip.
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
A. Exams/Tests
B. Quizzes
C. Class Participation
D. Home Work
E. Final Examination
F. Interviews to evaluate the four language skills in relation to material presented
F. Interviews to evaluate the four language skills in relation to material presented
G. Recordings from the language laboratory to evaluate pronunciation skills
Textbook (Typical):
1. Hershberger, R., Navey-Davis, S., Borrás Alvarez, G. (2012). Plazas: Lugar de encuentros (4th/e).
Boston Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Special Student Materials