SPANISH 07: ADVANCED SPANISH COMPOSITION
SPRING 2011
Lecturer:
Próspero García
Email:
pgarcia@amherst.edu
Telephone: (413) 542-5398
Office:
Grosvenor House 24
Office Hours: Wednesday from 1:00pm
to 3:00pm or by appointment.
(ESTATUA DE LA REGENTA EN LA PLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL DE OVIEDO)
COURSE DESCRIPTION1
This course is designed to improve your communication skills in written form. The emphasis is on writing
as a communicative act rather than as a mere language exercise. As such, consideration is given to the
totality of the communicative act, i.e. the message that you aim to convey, the means by which you
express it, and the reception of your message. In this course you will learn several things:
 The writing process: In this class you will learn to write proper essays in Spanish, paying
especial attention to the very process that leads you there—the generation of ideas, the acts of
writing and revising, and the final product. How should you approach each different style? How
can you organize your thoughts, ideas, etc. to communicate them more effectively? ...
1

Style guidelines: Spanish has many different stylistic guidelines that you need to use properly.
These are especially difficult to “internalize” when your L1 is English, since both languages
disagree in many of them. We will discuss and learn these differences.

Academic style guidelines: Academia has its own set of rules for what is appropriate and what is
not. Writing a thesis? A research paper? Even a writing assignment? You need to know the
guidelines, bibliographical style(s), etc. that each one of them requires.

The use of technology: Span 07 is designed to teach you how to effectively use (or discard) online dictionaries (monolingual and bilingual), translators, spell-checking devices, etc. A student
going to the upper (literature) levels of Spanish must have a perfect command of Spanish diacritic
symbols and punctuation signs (including ACCENTS). The computer has to be your ally, not
your enemy!
This syllabus, particularly the activities outlined in the course calendar, is subject to change at any time to accommodate class activities. Please
check often with your instructor for changes in dates, activities and/or requirements.

Writing styles and techniques: What is the difference between a narrative and a descriptive
text? What are the formal guidelines to write formal (and informal) letters in Spanish? How
should you approach writing a long research paper (possibly your first in Spanish)? What are the
effective ways to present your thesis, conclusions, etc.?

Grammar: Span 07 is not a grammar or language class like the ones you might have taken
before. However, we will review grammar. You cannot write proper essays without mastering,
for instance, all the verbal tenses, their uses, and the context(s) in which they are used. An
intermediate/advanced level of Spanish is taken for granted, since the course will focus on the
most advanced aspects of grammar.

Syntax, morphology, phonetics, and orthography: Span 07 is not a linguistics class. However,
we will cover basic aspects of syntax (word order), morphology (word formation), orthography
(spelling) and phonetics (writing and pronunciation of sounds) in order to make you a better
communicator.

Literature: Even though Span 07 is not a literature class, we will do a lot of reading. Without
reading a lot of texts in Spanish, you cannot be a good writer (in Spanish). Henceforth, we will
select readings that will help you in your writing.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT:
Completion of SPAN 05/06, or Language Coordinator Consent:
Prof. Victoria Maillo (vmaillo@amherst.edu)
TEXTS:
1. Whitley, M. Stanley & Luis González (2007). Gramática para la composición. New Jersey:
Georgetown University Press.
2.
Sender, Ramón J. (1999). La tesis de Nancy. Barcelona: Editorial Casals.
3. Montero, Rosa (2008). Estampas bostonianas y otros viajes. Madrid: Ed. Punto de lectura.
4. A detailed bibliography of the choice of the student (with Professor’s approval) for the Final
Project.
5. A bilingual dictionary English-Spanish is recommended.
ASSESSMENT:
Components
Writing Assignments
Final Project & Presentation
Lecturas y vocabulario
Reseñas
Tarea
Quizzes
Foro
Participation
Midterm & Final
Percentage
25%
20%
5%
5%
5%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Attendance to 5 events
Mandatory
Grades are reported in the following categories (Amherst College): A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D,
Pass, F
Grading scale
A+
97-100
A
94-96
A90-93
B+
87-89
B
84-86
B80-83
C+
77-79
C
74-76
C70-73
D
60-69
Participation:
Includes attendance, preparation for and participation in class, timely completion of assignments, etc.
Class participation is always expected and extremely welcomed. Please notice that participating in class
does not mean getting all the answers right or speaking proper Spanish, but rather TRYING to do so. A
student who participates often and, say, gets “all answers wrong” will get exactly the same credit as a
student who participates and gets all answers right (i.e. full participation credit). As a reminder, this grade
is given at the end of the semester, and it really makes a difference in the final percentage.
Quizzes:
The quizzes are designed to test your knowledge and comprehension of the concepts explained in class,
but they are secondary to Writing Assignments and other written projects. Notice that, depending on the
lesson, the nature of the quizzes might be VERY DIFFERENT. Some will focus on grammatical
aspects, while others will target style guidelines or concepts, for example.
Final Project (I): The Written Final Project
Every student must do an individual final project analyzing a cultural, linguistic, or literary work of his /
her choice. Please make your choice early in the semester, as it has to be approved by me well in advance.
In class we will cover the basic aspects of your final project, style, length, etc. but you have to do most
research on your own. If you think I can be of help with any aspect of your Final Project, do not hesitate
to contact me. The sooner, the better. There are several deadlines outlined in the course calendar. You
will be provided with updates as the semester moves foward.
Final Project (II): The Oral Presentation
Before handing in the Final Project (last day of classes), you will present your work to your fellow
students at the Spanish Conference (May). Presentations should last approximately 20-25 minutes, and
they should be thoroughly prepared, and—of course—conducted entirely in Spanish. The Final Project
will be thoroughly explained during the semester.
Lecturas and vocabulario:
Every Monday (with some exceptions) we will discuss in class a chapter(s) of either Estampas
bostonianas y otros viajes or La tesis de Nancy. In order to be prepared for these weekly discussions, you
will be asked to make a list of, at least, 5 Spanish words that you have found challenging while reading.
You will then look for the meaning of those words and write an example of its meaning in a sentence.
You will be required to hand in your list and sentences every Monday before the discussion.
Reseñas (11):
Every student must write, on a weekly basis (with some exceptions), on a chapter of the book Estampas
bostonianas y otros viaje or La tesis de Nancys. These “reseñas” consist on a paragraph of approximately
100-150 words (this paragraph has exactly 102 words, so it is not much!) due every Monday (with some
exceptions) that you will hand in to me in class. Prior to correcting them, we will read some of them out
loud and discuss. The purpose of the “reseña” is to evaluate ideas, to develop your communicative skills,
and to have an open discussion (i.e. conversation) in the classroom.
Tarea:
On a daily basis I will ask you to complete some activities from handouts or from the grammar book.
While these activities might just seem like busy work sometimes, it is extremely important that you
complete them. They will help you perform better in Spanish and will boost your academic development.
You will pass your homework in to me at the beginning of each class unless you are told otherwise.
Writing Assignments (5 x 2):
Writing Assignments are the most important part of this course. They are important to practice
grammatical structures, spelling, etc. as you may have done in other—previous—classes. However, since
this course is devoted to Advanced Composition we must take the writing process several steps further. I
will expect you not only to write in clear, understandable Spanish, but also to be aware of the writing
process itself, of the style guidelines of academia / papers, and of the choices you make (or do not make)
when writing. Please check the Style Guidelines for Writing Assignments in this syllabus in order to
comply with them. Writing Assignments are scheduled in the following manner:
1. First Drafts are corrected by me and are worth a 40% of your final grade.
2. Second Drafts are corrected by the TA and are worth a 60% of your final grade. Please notice that
you MUST attach (STAPLE!) the corrected First Draft to your Second Draft. Also, be aware that the
number of words on the Second Draft (450) is higher than on the first one (350), so you need to expand
beyond the corrections. The TA will focus on correcting your style, guidelines, etc. You will receive two
grades, one for the First Draft and another for the Second Draft. By combining both grades, you will get
the definitive grade on each assignment.
Foro:
You will watch 7 movies and write comments about them in an online forum. These movies are available
via streaming in the course’s website. You are expected to post at least 2 comments per movie. Movies
will be available from day one, therefore, make sure that to watch them and post your comments before
the due date.
Attendance to Events organized by the Spanish department (5):
You will have to attend to five events organized by the department of Spanish to pass this course. You
may attend to 3 Spanish Tables, 2 activities organized by the Spanish House, and vice versa. The Spanish
Table meets every Friday in Valantine Hall from 12:30 pm. to 2:00 pm. I will provide you with the
activities organized by the Spanish House along the semester. Remember, participation in five or less of
these activities will affect your grade negatively. Attendance to five of these events, at least, is mandatory
in order to pass this course.
COURSE POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance and Punctuality:
As Span 07 is a class in which your performance is evaluated, attendance is compulsory. Only absences
due to religious holidays, illnesses (documented) and emergencies (documented) will be excused.
Athletes, musicians, and other students involved in school clubs / organizations that require travel, as well
as seniors that are interviewing for jobs, should consult with me at the beginning of the semester
regarding their absences. Unexcused absences will result in a lower participation grade. In all cases, you
are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what you missed. You are also expected to arrive on
time, as late arrivals disrupt the class. Note that tardiness will result in a lower participation grade.
Academic Honesty:
I expect that you have read, understood, and are prepared to abide by Amherst College’s policies on
academic honesty. You are expected to present only your own work in this class. Use of electronic / online translators (apart from being completely useless), copying from the Internet or other sources, as well
as help from a Spanish-speaking person, are strictly prohibited. You are more than welcome to ask me,
your T.A., a tutor or other classmate general questions, but you cannot have another person look over and
correct your work. If you think you need extra help with some assignments, feel free to discuss it with me,
and we will make arrangements.
Please Notice!
Do not have anybody but yourself go over your Writing Assignments, Final Project, etc. Help, if you need
it, should always come from a T.A. or, better, myself. But even the T.A. cannot correct your writing, only
guide you in the right direction... The best way to go, if you think you need extra help with the
assignments, is to contact me as early as possible in the semester.
Late work policy:
All work is due on the date indicated on the course syllabus during the scheduled class meeting time. Late
work will be marked down 5% for each calendar day (including weekends) that the work is turned in after
the due date. After two weeks (fourteen days) has passed the work will no longer be accepted and the
grade will remain a zero. Early work is always accepted.
Cell Phone Usage:
Out of courtesy for all those participating in the learning experience, all cell phones and pagers must be
turned off before entering any classroom, lab or formal academic performance or event.
Extra credit:
There will be no extra credit assignments for this class.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
All writing assignments and compositions must be written in an ACCEPTABLE way, and therefore must
abide by the following style guidelines without exception. Please notice that I expect you to familiarize
yourself with college / academe’s guidelines and abide by them. This will help you in the future if you
need to write assignments, final papers, etc. for other, more advanced classes:

All assignments must be typed and double-spaced (for corrections).

Font: Times New Roman (12 pt.) recommended, but you may use similar ones.

Please write your complete name (don’t shorten it, please!) and date (in Spanish). The format for
the date in Spanish is ALWAYS, ALWAYS as follows:
11 de junio del 2011

Include, at the top of the page, the word-count, with the actual number of words you have
written (Microsoft Word does this automatically). Do not tell me how many words you should
have written, but how many you actually have.

You may use both sides of the page to print your writing assignment (it saves paper and makes it
easier to correct). If you choose not to do so, make sure both sheets are stapled. No loose sheets
are EVER accepted. Please, STAPLE.

Orphan lines (i.e. last line/ two lines of a text hanging over a new page) should be avoided.
Review your work and edit it! If your complete writing assignment consists of 80 lines, you may
not have 79 on one page and 1 in the next one. Take something out, edit, or add some lines.

Never use words in ENGLISH, not even in parentheses or as an explanation to the Spanish text,
unless I advise you otherwise. This, of course, does not apply to English words used in Spanish
(e.g. whiskey) or Proper Nouns (e.g. John Smith, Discovery Channel, For Whom the Bell Tolls,
The Matrix...). In the case of Proper Nouns, please do not attempt to offer a Spanish translation. It
will probably be wrong. As there is a large quantity of students that write English words
throughout Spanish compositions, one full point will be deducted for every case.

All assignments should be SPANISH SPELL-CHECKED.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: ALWAYS READ your assignment after you print it at
least once. The computer will, for sure, change some of the things you have written in your
assignments. I cannot hold your computer responsible, so please review. Also notice that if the
computer changes a word and you do not correct it later, it gives a very poor impression of your
work, and it automatically tells me you have not reviewed it!
Calendario de español 07 – Spring 2011
 Abreviaturas: TB = Textbook ; TN = La tesis de Nancy; EB = Estampas bostonianas;
R = Repaso
Please be aware that the calendar is subject to change based on the needs of the course. Sign-up sheets for
presentation and schedules for other class assignments will be distributed in class.
FECHA
Lun
24 de enero
ANTES DE CLASE

TB: Leer pp. XV-XIX
26 de enero
Vie
28 de enero
Lun
31 de enero
Mie
2 de
febrero
Vie
4 de
febrero
DEBERES
(Entregar en clase)
Presentación del curso y del syllabus.
CAPÍTULO 1: LA DESCRIPCIÓN
Mie
EN CLASE
TB: Leer lección 6 (pp. 46-52).
Descargar handoout uso del
diccionario
En esta unidad se tratarán los siguientes temas:

La ortografía y puntuación del español.

El presente del indicativo y el infinitivo.

La flexión de sustantivos, artículos y adjetivos.

Los verbos copulativos.

La conjunción, la negación, la ubicación y las preguntas.

El uso del diccionario.

Estilo del ensayo: La descripción.
 Conceptos básicos de escritura.
Entregar párrafo de
 Las reglas de acentuación.
descripción personal (200
 Ejercicios de acentuación.
palabras)
TB: A, B, C, D, (pp. xixxx)
 Pautas para una buena composición.
Foro: “La torre de Suso”
 La descripción.
Handout uso del
 Pautas para hacer una buena reseña.
diccionario.
 Taller de uso del diccionario
TB: J (p. 18)
monolingüe y bilingüe.
 El uso de la tecnología e Internet.
TB: Leer lección 5 (pp. 37-43)
EB: Prólogo (p 9.) e Irak, una
hierba… (p.15)

Discusión EB
Composición 1ª:
Descripción (350 p.)
Vocabulario #1
TB: Leer lección 1 (pp. 1-8)
Descargar handout unidad 1

Reseña #1
TB: E,F (pp.8-9)

Profundizando en el uso del presente y
el infinitivo. (R)
Los verbos perifrásticos. (R)
Irregulares y cambios de raíz. (R)
La concordancia gramatical. (R)
El género gramatical. (R)
Profundizando en los verbos
copulativos. (R)
Diferentes usos de ser/estar/tener. (R)
TB: Leer lección 2 (pp.9-16)
TB: Leer lección 3 (pp. 18-25)





Foro: “Café solo o con
ellas”
TB: E, H (p. 17) y C, G, H
(p.26)
Lun
7 de
febrero
EB: Estampas bostonianas
(p. 31)

Discusión EB
Vocabulario y Reseña #2
Mie
9 de
febrero
TB: Leer lección 4 (pp. 27-34)
Completar repaso


Las conjunciones.(R)
Oraciones negativas e
interrogativas.(R)
Revisar repaso.
Composición 1b:
Descripción (450 p.)
TB: E, F, G, H, I, J
(pp.35-36)

Vie
11 de
febrero
Estudiar el capítulo 1
CAPÍTULO 2: EL REPORTAJE
Quiz sobre el capítulo 1
 La Torre de Suso
 Café solo o con ellas
En esta unidad se tratarán los siguientes temas:

El sujeto, el objeto directo y los reflexivos.

Los pronombres personales.

El objeto indirecto.

El presente del subjuntivo y el imperativo.

El discurso indirecto, las cláusulas relativas y el modo.

Estilo del ensayo: El reportaje y las instrucciones.
 Discusión EB .
Vocabulario y Reseña #3
Lun
14 de
febrero
EB: Australia, la última frontera
(p.73)
Mie
16 de
febrero
TB: Leer lección 11 (pp. 96-102)
TB: Leer lección 12 (pp. 105110).



El estilo directo e indirecto.
El subjuntivo y sus aplicaciones. (R)
El reportaje y sus tipos.
Composición 2a: El
estilo indirecto y la
probabilidad (350 p.)
TB: B, D, E (p. 103)
Vie
18 de
febrero
TB: Leer lección 7 (pp. 57-65)
TB: Leer lección 9 (pp. 77-84)




Partes de la oración: El sujeto. (R)
La transitividad: el objeto directo.(R)
Verbos reflexivos.(R)
Objeto indirecto: Función y usos. (R)
Abstract del proyecto final
(250 palabras)
Foro: “El método”
TB: A, D, E (pp. 65-66) y
B, F, G, H (pp.85-86)
Lun
21 de
febrero
TN: Introducción, cartas I y II
(pp. 5-67)

Discusión TN.
Vocabulario y Reseña #4
(TN)
Mie
23 de
febrero
TB: Leer lección 8 (pp. 67-74)
Descargar handout pronombres

Los pronombres: Tipos, usos y
diferencias. (R)
Vie
25 de
febrero
TB: Leer lección 10 (pp. 88-92)


Presente de subjuntivo. (R)
El modo imperativo. (R)
Composición 2b: El
estilo indirecto y la
probabilidad (450 p.)
TB: C, D, E, F, G (pp. 7475)
Foro: “El truco del
manco”
TB: D, F, I (pp. 93-95)
CAPÍTULO 3: LA NARRACIÓN
Lun
28 de febrero
TB: Leer lección 13 (pp. 115118) y lección 14 (pp. 121127).
En esta unidad se tratarán los siguientes temas:

El pretérito y el imperfecto, su formación.

Pretérito vs. Imperfecto: su función.

El pasado de subjuntivo.

Los adverbiales de modo y tiempo.

La gramática de la narración.

Expresar impersonalidad.

El participio y los tiempos perfectos.

El futuro y el condicional.

Las cláusulas adverbiales y condicionales.

El gerundio y los progresivos.

El tiempo y los tiempos.

Estilo del ensayo: La narración.
 Formación del pretérito y el
TB: B, C, D, E, F (p.129)
imperfecto: Usos y diferencias. (R)
 Práctica.
Mie
2 de marzo

TB: Leer lecciones 17 (pp.
147-152), 18 (pp. 155-160) y
24 (pp. 211-217).
Descargar repaso



Vie
4 de marzo
Estudiar Unidades 1-3
Lun
7 de marzo
TN: Cartas III, IV y V (pp.
71-131)

Mie
9 de marzo
TB: Leer lección 15 (pp. 130136).


Vie
11 de marzo
TB: Leer lección 16 (pp. 138144)


Gramática y cambios empleados en la
Composición 3a: La
narración.
narración (350 p.)
El ritmo narrativo, el punto de vista y
Completar repaso
la organización en la narración.
La descripción y el lenguaje
empleados en la narración.
Revisar repaso
MIDTERM EXAM
Material Cubierto en los capítulos 1-3
La tesis de Nancy (Introducción, cartas I, II)
Estampas bostonianas ( páginas 9-96)
El truco del Manco / El método
Discusión TN.
Vocabulario y Reseña #5
El pasado de subjuntivo: Formación,
uso y función. (R)
Práctica.
Las cláusulas adverbiales en la
narración.
Tipos de adverbiales y uso.
Bibliografía en español
comentada (5 obras al
menos)
TB: E, F, G (p. 137)
TB: B, C, D, G, I (pp.
144-146)
SPRING BREAK
DEL 12 AL 20 DE MARZO
Lun
21 de marzo
EB: Esquimales (p.97)

Discusión EB
Vocabulario y Reseña #6
Mie
23 de marzo
TB: Leer lección 20 (pp. 175179)

Composición 3b: La
narración (450 p.)
TB: D, E, H (pp. 180-181)

El futuro y el condicional, usos y
diferencias. (R)
Especulación y conjetura. (R)
Práctica.
Las cláusulas adverbiales (II), las
condicionales y su uso en la oración.
Práctica.

Discusión EB
Vie
Lun
25 de marzo
28 de marzo
TB: Leer lección 21 (pp. 182190)
EB: Sahara, la tierra
prometida (p.123)
CAPÍTULO 4: LA EXPOSICIÓN
Mie
30 de marzo
TB: Leer lecciones 19 (pp.
165-171), 22 (pp. 193-199) y
23 (pp. 202-207)



En esta unidad se tratarán los siguientes temas :

La frase sustantiva y la referencia.

Las cláusulas relativas.

Los números.

La sustantivación y el neutro.

La comparación.

Estilo del ensayo: La exposición.




Vie
1 de abril
TB: Leer lección 25 (pp.
223-232)
Primer borrador del
proyecto final (3 y ½
páginas)
Foro: “El orfanato”
TB: F, G, H, I, J, K
(pp.191-192)
Vocabulario y Reseña #7


Formación y funciones del participio.
Los tiempos perfectos y su uso en la
narración. (R)
El gerundio y sus usos en la oración.
El uso de los tiempos en la narración.
Composición 4a: La
exposición (350 p.)
Los sustantivos y las cláusulas
sustantivas. (R)
Los artículos y adjetivos: tipos y
posición. (R)
Foro: “Los
cronocrímenes”
TB: C, E (pp. 232, 233)
Lun
4 de abril
TB: Leer lección 26 (pp.
234-240)
6 de abril
TB: Leer lección 28 (pp.
252-259)
8 de abril
Estudiar Unidad 4
Mie
Vie

Las cláusulas de relativo: función y
uso. (R)
 Las diferencias con el inglés.
 La sustantivación, los neutros y los
relativos. (R)
 Algunos problemas con el inglés.
 Revisar repaso.
Lun
11 de abril
Mie
13 de abril
Vie
15 de abril
TB: Leer lecciones 32 (pp.
294-301) y 33 (pp. 303-309)
Lun
18 de abril
EB: Sombras chinas (p. 141)
Mie
20 de abril
TB: Leer lección 34 (pp.
312-318)
Vie
22 de abril
TB: Leer lección 35 (pp.
322-329)
Lun
25 de abril
Descargar repaso
TN: Cartas IX y X (pp. 203242)
Mie
27 de abril
TN: Cartas VI, VII y VII
(pp. 135-199)
TB: Leer lección 31 (pp.
283-291
Descargar handout
preposiciones
Lun
2 de mayo
Mie
4 de mayo
Vie
6 de mayo



Las preposiciones: tipos, usos y funciones.
Énfasis en por y para (R)
TB: C, G, H (pp. 291292)
Segundo borrador del
proyecto final (5 y ½
páginas)


uso.


El énfasis a través de cambios sintácticos.
La pasiva: formación y restricciones en el
TB: A, B, C, D, E (pp.
301-302) y B, D (p. 310)
La eliminación del énfasis en la oración
Discusión EB
Vocabulario y Reseña #9
 Conectores del discurso.
 La yuxtaposición.
 La nominalización
 La clausula sustantiva y su reducción al
infinitivo.

29 de abril
TB: B, C D E F (pp. 259261)
Quiz Unidades 3 y 4
Composición 4b: La
 El Orfananto
exposición (350 p.)
 Los cronocrímenes
En esta unidad se tratarán los siguientes temas :
 Las preposiciones.
 Cambios de estructuras: el énfasis y el desénfasis
(impersonalidad)
 Conectores.
 La clausula sustantiva.
 Estilo del ensayo: La argumentación
 Discutir TN
Vocabulario y Reseña #8
CAPÍTULO 5: LA ARGUMENTACIÓN
Vie
TB: C, G, H (pp. 240-241)
EB: Alaska, un país a medio
hacer. (p. 161)
Revisar repaso
Discusión TN
Quiz Unidad 5
El secreto de sus ojos
Preparación para las presentaciónes
Preparación para las presentaciónes
Composición 5a: La
argumentación (350 p.)
TB: B, C, H (pp. 319-320)
Foro: “El secreto de sus
ojos”
TB: C, D, H (pp. 330-331)
Esquema de la
presentación final
Completar repaso
Vocabulario y Reseña #10
Composición 5b: La
argumentación (450 p.)
Reseña y vocabulario 11
Entrega del proyecto
final
Presentación de los proyectos finales en la
conferencia
Presentación de los proyectos finales en la
conferencia
Proyecto Final
(A entregar el lunes 2 de mayo en clase)
Examen Final (se ofrecerá del 9 al 13 de mayo, durante la semana de exámenes finales)
Capítulos 1-5
Estampas bostonianas y otros viajes (todo)
La tesis de Nancy (todo)
Grading Criteria for Class Participation & Preparation
10 pts per week; 10% of final grade
Rating
Points
Excellent






I greeted people and took leave using Spanish expressions.
I used only Spanish throughout the class period.
I listened attentively when others spoke and showed respect for my peers.
I actively participated in all activities and discussions, including group work, and had a positive attitude.
I came prepared to class every day.
I never arrived late.
My presence made a positive impact on getting task done.

8.6 – 10
Good


I greeted people and took leave using Spanish expressions.
I very occasionally used English, especially in pair/group work or without attempting to express myself in Spanish
first.
I sometimes got distracted, did not pay attention when others spoke, or was occasionally disrespectful.
I showed interest in activities and participated, though sometimes passively rather than actively.
I contributed to group work part of the time.
I generally came prepared to class.
Sometimes I arrived late in class.





7.8 – 8.5
Average





I did not greet people/take leave using Spanish expressions.
I frequently used English, especially in pair/group work, and/or I did not attempt to express myself in Spanish first.
I frequently got distracted, did not pay attention when others spoke, or was disrespectful.
I showed little interest in activities and participated passively rather than actively.
I sometimes came prepared to class.
Often I arrived late in class.

6.6 – 7.7
Poor







I used more English than Spanish in class.
I did not pay attention during activities.
I sometimes slept, read the newspaper, did homework, using the phone,etc. during activities.
I was often distracting and disrespectful of my peers.
I was frequently unprepared for class, and did not contribute to the work of my group.
I arrived late in class regularly.
My presence in group work had little impact on accomplishing the task.
* Daily attendance and participation is essential for improving your communication skills. Participation is required
and will be graded. In order to participate, you must attend. You are expected to take an active role in all activities
in order to achieve full points. Arriving late or leaving early will negatively affect your grade. Participation
includes being prepared, volunteering, paying attention, asking for help when you need it, and SPEAKING
SPANISH WHENEVER POSSIBLE. You can ensure the best participation grade (and gain the most from class!)
possible for yourself by staying involved with the class, participating in class discussions, asking appropriate
questions, and doing all the activities in class, even if you feel that your Spanish is not as good as that of others.
Not using Spanish when appropriate will result in a lowering of your participation score.
0 - 6.5