Chabot College
Fall 2008
Course Outline for Spanish 50C
SPANISH CONVERSATION AND CULTURE III
Catalog Description:
50C – Spanish Conversation and Culture III
2 units
Development of skills learned in Spanish 50B. Understanding of spoken Spanish through
pronunciation, vocabulary, and applied grammar. Further study of the culture and everyday life
activities of Spanish-speaking people. Prerequisite: Spanish 50B completed with a grade of “C” or
higher. 2 hours.
[Typical contact hours: 35]
Prerequisite Skills:
Before entering the course the student should be able to:
1. demonstrate a practical knowledge of the Spanish conversational patterns presented;
2. ask and answer questions dealing with everyday situations in the present tense;
3. use active vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and basic grammar to engage in routine
conversational interactions in the target language;
4. demonstrate a basic understanding and appreciation of the cultures and peoples of the Spanishspeaking world.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. recognize and apply conversational patterns and vocabulary according to a given situation in
order to converse in the target language with some degree of fluency and by avoiding
redundancy in everyday speech;
2. describe, explain, and narrate fictional and non-fictional stories/experiences/anecdotes/cultural
notes using the preterit and imperfect to further discuss the cultural differences between Spanish
and non-Spanish speaking countries;
3. use the appropriate time and adverb connectors while narrating present and past historical events
known throughout the world;
4. exchange ideas in the target language with other classmates and special guest speakers about
current events relevant to the class and the community;
5. demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the culture and the people of the Spanishspeaking world by studying their history, geography, and cultural practices.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to conversation patterns that reflect the use of the direct and indirect object pronoun
to avoid redundancy in the speech, vocabulary, and expressions used in different settings such
as at the airport, at the doctor’s office, at the mechanic shop, at a sports event, in order to interact
and express opinions with some degree of fluency in the target language
2. Reading of fictional and non-fictional material to understand the important differences between
Hispanic and American cultural practices, such as dining practices
3. Understanding of the proper uses of the past tense as well as the differences in the use of the
imperfect and preterit in Spanish while talking about important historical events such as the
discovery of America
4. Further development of interviewing skills by exchanging ideas with other classmates and guests
about current events relevant to the class and the community at large
Chabot College
Course Outline for Spanish 50C, Page 2
Fall 2008
5. Further studying of the history and geography of Spanish-speaking countries and cities of the
world in order to acquire the social and cultural information necessary to be able to understand
important differences between Hispanic and American cultural practices
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction and discussion of Spanish conversational methods
Choral/individual repetition of model speech
Simulation by instructor and re-creation of dialogues and improvisation
Small group activities including skits, dialogues, etc.
Use of supplementary materials such as audio and visual.
Typical Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments:
a Prepare a skit reflecting a social situation in a culturally appropriate manner using the past
tense.
b. Read a brief newspaper or magazine article and retell it using the imperfect and preterit.
c. Watch short film clips or listen to audio material and summarize to the class.
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
a. Class participation and homework assignments
b. Oral reports
c. Quizzes, written in Spanish on the materials covered in class
d. Periodic oral tests
e. Final examination
Textbook(s) (Typical)
¡Claro que sí! (textbook), Lucía Caycedo Garner, Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
¡Claro que sí! –(Workbook), Lucía Caycedo Garner, Houghton Mifflin, 2007. (optional)
¡Claro que sí! –(Audio material), Lucía Caycedo Garner, Houghton Mifflin, 2007. (optional)
English Grammar x Students of Spanish, Emily Spinelli, Olivia & Hill Pr, 2003. (optional)
Larousse Concise Spanish-English English-Spanish Dictionary, Larousse, 2006. (highly recommended)
501 Verbs in Spanish, Barron's Publishing, 2003. (highly recommended)
Special Student Materials:
None
dk 10/1/07
curriculum 0708