Course Syllabus Beginning Spanish Conversation I SPAN 1300 Semester with Course Reference Number (CRN) CRN 76540 Spring 2012 Instructor Information: Name: Professor Lily Ann Graff-Archuleta Telephone: 713-718-6675 Email: Lily.Graff-Archuleta@hcc.edu Learning Web: http://learning.cc.hccs.edu/ Office Location and Hours FAC 303B / Mon-Wed-9:00-5:00 pm Course Location/Times FAC 304 Mon-Wed 5:30-7:00 pm Course Semester Credit Hours (SCH) (lecture, lab) If applicable Credit Hours 3.00 Lecture Hours 3.00 Laboratory Hours Total Course Contact Hours 48 Course Length (number of weeks) 16 Type of Instruction Lecture Course Description: An introductory Spanish course which emphasizes listening comprehension and speaking skills. Reading and writing may be done as reinforcement to oral communication skills. This course is slower-paced and less comprehensive than Spanish 1411. It is highly recommended for students without previous experience in the Spanish language. This course is not open to students whose first language is Spanish. Generally, it does not transfer as foreign language credit but may transfer as elective credit. Course Prerequisite(s) None Academic Discipline/CTE Program Learning Outcomes Students will speak clearly and fluently enough for a target language-speaker to understand and interpret intent without difficulty. Student will understand the target spoken language well enough to participate fully and effectively in personal oral communication. Student will write proficiently in both academic and nonacademic modes in the target language to be understood by a sympathetic target language speaker. Student will read with understanding a level-appropriate text in the target language dealing with a variety of basic and social needs. Student will demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to aspects of behavior, attitudes, and customs of members of the target-language community. Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLO): 4 to 7 1. Comprehend simple spoken statements about familiar everyday situations; 2. Participate meaningfully in a simple conversation in familiar everyday situations; 3. Produce comprehensible reasonably accurate pronunciation of Spanish words and sentences; 4. Produce a brief, informative presentation that is comprehensible with effort to those accustomed to dealing with beginning learners of Spanish; and 5. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the behavior, attitudes, and customs of members of the target-language community. Learning Objectives (Numbering system should be linked to SLO - e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.) Comprehend simple spoken statements about familiar everyday situations; Participate meaningfully in a simple conversation in familiar everyday situations; Produce comprehensible reasonably accurate pronunciation of Spanish words and sentences; Produce a brief, informative presentation that is comprehensible with effort to those accustomed to dealing with beginning learners of Spanish; and demonstrate a basic understanding of the behavior, attitudes, and customs of members of the target-language community. Course Calendar Week 1: Presentation of the course and syllabus. Unidad Preliminar. Cognados, los mandatos para la clase, el alfabeto, la pronunciación /expresiones de cortesía/ rules of stress Week 2: Capítulo 1. Saludos Saludos. Formal and informal (verb estar + subject pronoun) Asking someone’s name, giving your name (verb llamarse) Despedidas / Formal and informal Week 3: Formal and informal mode of address Days of the week, gender of nouns, definite articles Exam– Capítulo Preliminar y Capítulo Uno Week 4: Capítulo 2 – Que Fiesta Fecha de nacimiento. Pronunciación Months of the year Dias festivos. Números 0 – 100 Definite and indefinite articles Week 5: Estado civil / Ocupación Otros datos personales /Dirección y teléfono Pronunciación Números de 100-2015 Instructional Methods Week 6: Subject Pronouns. Ser Gender. Agreements Exam– Capítulo 2 Week 7: Capítulo 3 – La familia. Location Phrases, pronunciación Hay. Tener, comparative with age Nacionalidad. Puntos cardinales + estar Countries of Latin America Week 8: Origin, possessive adjectives, possession with de Regular –er and –ir verbs La personalidad. Personality ¿Cómo eres? What are you like? Week 9: More on personality Review Hay, Tener, Estar, Ser” Agreement of adjectives Exam – Capítulo 3 Week 10: Capítulo 4 – La ropa, pronunciación Clothing, colors, Likes and Dislikes Verb Ir + a+ infinitive Temporary conditions Números > 2016 Week 11: Ser vs. Estar Gustar, a + el = al Preferir, Querer + infinitive Occupations/Places/Activities Week 12: Exam – Capítulo 4 Capitulo 5 – El cuerpo humano. Parts of the body La salud. Health Verbs dealing with the body: doler, poder Week 13: ¿Cómo eres? Physical description Comparaciones. Equal and unequal comparisons Week 14 Tengo y hace frio. The weather. Verbs in present progressive Seasons. Tener expressions, verbs: helar, llover, nevar Review “ser vs estar.Uses of Indirect object Pronouns Week 15: ORAL FINAL Review for Final written Exam Week 16 Final Exam, Thursday, May 12 Lecture, student pair work, role plays, listening practice As your professor, I want you to be successful in this class. We will work together to achieve the levels of proficiency expected for this course. I will create activities where you will have the opportunity to speak and listen to Spanish and to gain a better understanding of the culture of the Spanish-speaking world. I will also pay attention to your learning style without sacrificing the standards you should achieve to meet the expected outcomes for the class. I like to think of my role as a personal trainer. My job is to give you the tools you need and show you how to use them. It is your responsibility to apply those tools and practice both in and outside the classroom so that you can develop into a proficient beginning-level speaker of Spanish. Try to think of someone who goes to a fitness center, pays for a 4-month membership, talks to a personal trainer who shows him/her all the workout machines and how to use each one, and then only drops by to use the machines every other week for 10 minutes and leaves, or even worse, never even goes to the fitness center. How much will s/he have gained for all the money spent on the membership fees? The same is true in a classroom, and even much more so in a language classroom, where class participation and practice is extremely important. As a student wanting to develop speaking and listening skills in Spanish and gain a better understanding of the culture of Spanish-speakers, it is your responsibility to read the textbook, complete homework assignments on the due dates, study for the exams, participate in classroom activities, attend class, and enjoy yourself while experiencing the joy of learning a new language. Student Assignments Comprehend simple spoken statements about familiar everyday situations; Listening activities Participate meaningfully in a simple conversation in familiar everyday situations; Role plays, paired dialogues Produce comprehensible reasonably accurate pronunciation of Spanish words and sentences; Recorded assignments, oral midterm and final Produce a brief, informative presentation that is comprehensible with effort to those accustomed to dealing with beginning learners of Spanish; Three brief presentations on topics to be assigned Demonstrate a basic understanding of the behavior, attitudes, and customs of members of the target-language community. Class discussion on cultural differences, assigned readings Student Assessment(s) Comprehend simple spoken statements about familiar everyday situations; Graded listening exercises for each unit Participate meaningfully in a simple conversation in familiar everyday situations; Graded paired dialogues for each unit Produce comprehensible reasonably accurate pronunciation of Spanish words and sentences; Oral and final speaking assessment Produce a brief, informative presentation that is comprehensible with effort to those accustomed to dealing with beginning learners of Spanish; and Three graded oral presentations on topics to be assigned Demonstrate a basic understanding of the behavior, attitudes, and customs of members of the target-language community. Culture quizzes to be given for each unit You will be evaluated through exams, listening and vocabulary quizzes, speaking evaluations and oral presentations. All the exams will test vocabulary, speaking and listening. If you do all assigned work and study prior to taking the exam, you should do well. You will also be given quizzes throughout the semester, both announced and unannounced. The purpose of these quizzes is to help me, your instructor, know how well you are doing in the class and where you might need some help. Some quizzes will be given at the start of class, so if you arrive late, you may miss a quiz. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. If you find you are not mastering the language skills, please reflect on your study habits and time management skills and prepare for each class. Instructor's Requirements The student is expected to do all assignments and tests. Students who fail to turn in an assignment or take a makeup test for a test missed will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment or test. Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best way to succeed in this class, and as mentioned earlier, is of vital importance in a language classroom, where opportunities to practice listening and speaking are provided each class day. Your participation grade will be tied to attendance. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is attendance. Simply put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You are expected to attend all lecture and labs regularly. You are responsible for materials covered during your absences. Class attendance is checked daily. Although it is your responsibility to drop a course for nonattendance, the instructor has the authority to drop you for excessive absences. Absences will be counted from the first class day of the semester, no matter when the student registers or first attend. If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. As the information that is discussed in class is important for your academic career, students may be dropped from a course after accumulating absences in excess of 12.5% hours of instruction. The six hours of class time would include any total classes missed or for excessive tardiness or leaving class early. Arriving late (more than 10 minutes) or leaving class early will be counted as a half-hour absence. You may decide NOT to come to class for whatever reason. As an adult making the decision not to attend, you do not have to notify the instructor prior to missing a class. However, if this happens too many times, you may suddenly find that you have “lost” the class. Classroom Behavior As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our shared responsibility to develop and maintain a positive learning environment for everyone. Your instructor takes this responsibility very seriously and will inform members of the class if their behavior makes it difficult for him/her to carry out this task. As a fellow learner, you are asked to respect the learning needs of your classmates and assist your instructor achieve this critical goal. Program/Discipline Requirements: If applicable Placement into this course is based on having had no previous formal instruction in Spanish or less than one year of high-school Spanish. HCC Grading Scale A = 100- 90 4 points per semester hour B = 89 - 80: 3 points per semester hour C = 79 - 70: 2 points per semester hour D = 69 - 60: 1 point per semester hour 59 and below = F 0 points per semester hour W(Withdrawn) 0 points per semester hour I (Incomplete) 0 points per semester hour AUD (Audit) 0 points per semester hour To compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The grades "IP," "COM" and "I" do not affect GPA. Instructor Grading Criteria Students will be evaluated as follows: *Class Participation Tied to Attendance and homework Oral work (2 oral presentations/ midterm oral /final oral ) Quizzes/Exams Final Exam Total 25% 25% 25% 25% 100% *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. Instructional Materials Para siempre. A Conversational Approach to Spanish. Montemayor, M. & De Leon, M., 2011, Cengage Learning (custom-published for HCC students) Free companion website: www.cengage.com/spanish/parasiempre Use the code that comes with your textbook package to log into the website. The listening practices that you will need for the supplementary materials in the back of your textbook are under "Lab audio" at this site. There are also flash cards and practice exercises to help you study outside of class. HCC Policy Statement: Access Student Services Policies on their Web site: http://hccs.edu/student-rights Note: Please pay special attention to the HCC attendance policy. ¡Bienvenidos a la clase!