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!