Spanish Basic Language
Program
Alfredo J. Sosa-Velasco
Department of World Languages and
Literatures
Spanish Basic Language
Program Mission Statement
Students completing the Spanish Basic
Language Program (SPA 100, SPA 101, and
SPA 200) sequence should be able to
communicate effectively in Spanish,
understand the cultures of the Hispanic world,
connect the study of foreign language with their
other university studies and their world beyond
the university, make informed comparisons of
language and culture as a whole, and
participate in a larger community of Spanish
speakers.
Objectives:
1. Introduce students to the language
and culture of the Spanish-speaking
world.
2. Promote the development of their
communicative competence in the
Spanish language.
3. Develop intercultural understanding
and social consciousness of problems
that affect this cultural complex.
With these objectives in mind, the
Spanish Basic Language Program…
•… assumes that language is a social activity and that the primary
goal of language is communication.
•… supports an integrated approach to the five goal areas
established in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages Standards (Communications, Cultures, Connections,
Comparisons, Communities), to the five goals areas established in
the Interstate New Teachers’ Assessment & Support
Consortium Standards (Scholarship, Attitudes & Disposition,
Integrity, Leadership, and Service), and the six domains areas
established in the Common Core Teaching Standards (Content
and Essential Skills, Classroom Environment, Student Engagement
and Commitment to Learning, Planning for Active Learning,
Instruction for Active Learning, Assessment for Learning, and
Professional Responsibilities and Teacher Leadership).
• … allows students to practice and apply the skills they are
studying.
• … teachers all courses in Spanish.
• … expects students to communicate utilizing their newly
acquired structures.
• … encourages students to become involved in their own
learning process and to be active constructors of their own
knowledge, both on their own and with the support of their peers
and instructors.
• … expects that language knowledge is mediated by cultural
artifacts from the target culture as well as active exposure to and
use of the language.
• … takes communicative principles as its main foundations for
instruction, with a focus on content- and task-based teaching.
• … requires students to communicate using the different skills of
speaking, listening, writing, and reading, both inside and outside
of class.
• … focuses primarily on communication and meaning, but also
makes provisions for the metalinguistic analysis of particular
aspects of the language as needed.
• … incorporates cultural artifacts (i.e., paintings, literary pieces,
texts from mass and alternative media, comic strips, TV
programs, movies, songs, recording of interviews with native
speakers, web sites, etc.) reflecting different cultural settings
and dialects in the Spanish-speaking world.
• … evaluates student performance based on these teaching
practices and therefore reflects not only grammatical accuracy
but the development of other competencies as well.
SPA 100, SPA 101, and SPA 200
Course Objectives:
We learn our first language to communicate with other people,
and the reason for learning a second language or third is the same.
The foreign-language student also learns to perceive the world
from different perspectives and ultimately becomes more sensitive
to other cultures, people, and issues.
Spanish is the language of Spain, Mexico, and of most countries in
Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, and it is
rapidly becoming the second language of the United States.
If you are pursuing a career in business, health care, government,
or social services, learning and knowing Spanish will open the
doors to many opportunities and will aid you in your search for
employment.
Course Description:
• SPA 100, SPA 101, and SPA 200 are student-centered,
communicative, content-based, and task-based approaches to
the study of Spanish.
• They are comprehensive first-, second-, and third-semester
Spanish courses, which include instruction and practice in all
four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
• By the end of each course, students will be able to use basic
Spanish in several contexts, including spontaneous
conversation, reading, and writing, and they will have begun to
cultivate an awareness of the culture and civilization of the
Spanish-speaking world. The classes will be conducted in
Spanish.
Textbook:
Required materials:
• SPA 100, SPA 101, and SPA 200 require students to
buy one book and one online Manual Program, which
are available at the SCSU bookstore:
• SPA 100: Gente en SCSU, Volume 1 (Chapters 1-6)
Third edition
• SPA 101: Gente en SCSU, Volume 2 (Chapters 712) Third edition
• SPA 200: Gente en SCSU, Volume 3 (Chapters 1318) Third edition
• The online Manual Program called MySpanishLab
will be included in the GENTE package.
• A printed copy of the syllabus.
• A reliable computer, either a PC running Windows
2000 or later, or a Mac running OS X or later. Check
MySpanishLab tune-up for browser specifications.
• A sound card and speakers or headphones.
• A high-speed modem (Cable or DSL strongly
recommended to download audio and video without
delays).
• A dependable Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• A SCSU e-mail address that students check
regularly and keep under quota.
Recommended materials:
• A good quality Spanish-English dictionary, such as
the University of Chicago.
• 601 Spanish Verbs book, available at most major
booksellers.
Learner Outcomes and
Assessments:
The primary goal of SPA 100, SPA 101, and
SPA 200 is to offer students an introduction to
basic communicative skills in Spanish while
developing an awareness and appreciation of
Hispanic/Latino cultures. The courses take their
goals from the Standards for Foreign
Language Learning in the 21st Century, also
known as the 5 Cs, which focus on five general
areas:
• Communicating in Spanish
• Gaining knowledge and understanding of
cultures of the Hispanic world
• Connecting with other disciplines and
acquiring new information
• Developing awareness of similarities and
differences (comparisons) among language
and culture systems around the world
• Using Spanish to participate in communities
at home and around the world
By the end of SPA 200, students will be able to talk
about foods and beverages, to talk more in depth about
likes and dislikes, to talk about feelings, emotions, and
moods, and they will also begin to be able to narrate in
the past. Specifically, students at the Novice High /
Intermediate Low level will be able to do the following:
(Note: The ACTFL, INTASC, and CCT Standards are
listed below. All courses at SCSU must now list these
as part of the Standards for NCATE—National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education.)
•respond to simple questions on the most common features of daily
life; (ACTFL 1.1, 1.2, INTASC 6, CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
•convey basic meaning to interlocutors experienced in dealing with
foreigners by using isolated words, lists of words, memorized
phrases, and some recombinations of words and phrases; (ACTFL
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, INTASC 6, CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• satisfy a limited number of immediate needs; (ACTFL 1.1, 1.2,
1.3, INTASC 6, CCCT CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• use appropriate patterns of behavior (gestures and expressions)
within a cultural setting and participate in songs and games
appropriate to the Hispanic community; (ACTFL 1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
3.2, 4.2, INTASC 6, CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• demonstrate an understanding about concepts learned in other
subjects; (ACTFL 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, INTASC 1, 6,
CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• understand the role of cognates and idiomatic expressions as
well as differences and similarities between the sound and
writing systems of their own language and Spanish; (ACTFL 1.1,
1.2, 1.3, 4.1, 4.2, INTASC 1, CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
• convey messages to Spanish speakers (in person, on the
telephone, in letters or email), perform skits and/or songs during
school and community celebrations, and write and illustrate
simple stories to present to the school or community. (ACTFL
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, INTASC 1, 6, 10,
CCT 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
STANDARDS
GUIDELINES
INTASC [Interstate New Teachers'
Assessment & Support Consortium]
STANDARDS
Scholarship
1. Knowledge of subject matter.
2. Knowledge of human development & learning.
3. Instruction adapted to meet diverse learners.
4. Use of multiple instructional strategies & resources.
Attitudes and Disposition
5. Effective learning environment created.
6. Effective communication.
7. Lesson planning.
Integrity
8. Reflection and professional development.
Leadership
9. Assessment of student learning to improve teaching.
Service
10. Partnership with school and community.
ACTFL [American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages] STANDARDS
Communication
1.1. Students engage in conversations, provide and
obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and
exchange opinions.
1.2. Students understand and interpret written and
spoken language on a variety of topics.
1.3. Students present information, concepts, and ideas
to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of
topics.
Cultures
2.1. Students demonstrate an understanding of the
relationship between the practices and perspectives of
the culture studied.
2.2. Students demonstrate an understanding of the
relationship between the products and perspectives of
the culture studied.
Connections
3.1. Students reinforce and further their knowledge of
other disciplines through the foreign language.
3.2. Students acquire information and recognize the
distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the
foreign language and its cultures.
Comparisons
4.1. Students demonstrate understanding of the nature
of language through comparisons of the language
studied and their own.
4.2. Students demonstrate understanding of the
concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures
studied and their own.
Communities
5.1. Students use the language both within and beyond
the school setting.
5.2. Students show evidence of becoming life-long
learners by using the language for personal enjoyment
and enrichment.
CCT [Common Core of Teaching]
STANDARDS
Domain 1: Content and Essential Skills
Teachers understand and apply essential skills, central
concepts and tools of inquiry in their subject matter or
field
1.1. Demonstrating proficiency in reading, writing, and
mathematics skills.
1.2. Demonstrating discipline-specific knowledge and
skills as described in the relevant national and state
professional teaching standards.
1.3. Using developmentally appropriate verbal, nonverbal and technological communications.
Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Student
Engagement and Commitment to Learning
Teachers promote student engagement, independence
and interdependence in learning by facilitating a positive
learning community.
Domain 3: Planning for Active Learning:
Teachers plan instruction in order to engage students in
rigorous and relevant learning and to promote their
curiosity about the world at large.
Domain 4: Instruction for Active Learning:
Teachers implement instruction in order to engage
students in rigorous and relevant learning and to
promote their curiosity about the world at large.
Domain 5: Assessment for Learning
Teachers use multiple measures to analyze student
performance and to inform subsequent
planning and instruction.
Domain 6: Professional Responsibilities and
Teacher Leadership
Teachers maximize support for student learning by
developing and demonstrating
professionalism, collaboration with others, and
leadership.
SPA 200 will develop students’ ability to understand,
speak, read, and write Spanish in different social
contexts and on topics related to students' life and the
world they live in. Students will acquire a deeper
understanding and appreciation of the Hispanic cultures
and traditions.
After completing this course, students will be able to
achieve the following objectives as related to the key
elements of multilingual communication:
1. Language Proficiency:
Respond or react appropriately to sentence-length
utterances in a limited number of content areas.
Communicate in a limited number of interactive, taskoriented, and social situations. Read consistently with
increased understanding simple, connected texts
dealing with a variety of topics related to the Spanish
and Hispanic culture, history and society. Meet a
number of practical writing needs.
2. Cultural and Linguistic Awareness:
Discuss the important Spanish and Hispanic traditions
and major events of history. Explain the major linguistic
features of the Spanish language.
3. Communities:
Develop relationship with the social and linguistic
communities related to the Spanish language by
attending various community events in New Haven
area, visiting local Latino grocery stores and
restaurants, as well as engaging in face-to-face or
virtual cultural or academic exchanges.
4. Connections:
Acquire different perspectives by comparing the
American and Hispanic viewpoints on such issues as
gender equality, environmental protection and energy
conservation.
5. Critical Analysis:
Analyze the similarities and differences between the US
and various Hispanic countries. Understand the social
and economical changes in modern Hispanic world and
its underlying forces and structures.
Students will also be able to achieve the following
learning outcomes:
1.Expand and recycle familiar, previously acquired
vocabulary and structures in the context of authentic
texts and short stories.
2.Use acquired language to communicate through
listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish
about real-life situations and to understand authentic
texts and stories.
3.Apply the grammar and morphology of Spanish
(sentence structure, nouns, pronouns, and verb tenses)
to refine communication skills.
4.Expand cultural concepts, perspectives, and products
of peoples in various Spanish-speaking countries.
5. Connect knowledge learned through Spanish to other
subject areas.
6. Compare Spanish language and cultures to English
language and American culture.
7. Be able to interact in Spanish with speakers in the
community.
Methodology and Activities:
SPA 100, SPA 101, and SPA 200 stress
communication skills in Spanish. Every effort will be
made to make these classes student-centered. To
help students succeed in these courses, the classes will
engage in a variety of activities and assignments,
including but not limited to activities such as the
following:
• Practice and communication using vocabulary and
grammar learned in oral and written modes
• Sociolinguistic practice and functions through
communicative activities (pair and group work)
• Reading activities and exercises, such as pre- and
post-reading, intensive and extensive reading
• Writing activities ranging from short paragraphs to
developed compositions
• Integration of skills in projects and tasks in small
groups or as a class
• Video/audio/computer exercises, presentations,
and discussions
ASSESSMENT
The assessment categories below will be
measured according to three major criteria of
language performance: accuracy, fluency,
and complexity. Testing procedures will be
representative of the type of language
instruction offered through classroom and webbased practice. Students will be evaluated
based on their achievement of the course goals
and the following criteria:
Assessment for SPA 100
and SPA 101:
• Student Preparation and Participation: 15%
• Exams (2):
– Midterm (in class): 10%
– Final (during final exam week): 15%
• Online Chapter Quizzes (5): 10%
• MySpanishLab SAM Homework: 20%
• Written Component:
– Compositions (2): 10%
– Writing activities (5): 5%
• Oral Component:
– Effective Communication Assessments (2): 10%
– Oral Exam (1): 5%
Assessment for SPA 200:
•
•
•
•
•
Student Preparation and Participation: 15%
Tests (3): 25%
Final Exam: 15%
MySpanishLab SAM Homework: 15%
Written Component:
– Compositions (3): 15%
• Oral Component:
– Exams (2) and Report (1): 15%
COMPONENTS
Attendance:
• Attendance is an integral part of the
course.
• Students may only miss 3 classes.
• From your 4th absence on, students will
lose points off their final grade.
Student Preparation and
Participation:
• Active participation in class is essential.
• From the start, we give students the
tools to communicate in several
contexts and situations.
• They are expected to communicate
entirely in Spanish.
Exams for SPA 100 and SPA
101:
• There will be two written exams administered face-toface, a midterm (during class time) and a final (during
Final Exam Week). The goal of these tests is to assess
student’s ability to assimilate what they have learned
about Spanish grammar, vocabulary, language, and
culture.
• Tests will consists of listening, reading, and writing
sections.
• Exams are not curved and no make-up exams will be
given. No deviation of the test schedule will be allowed,
under any circumstances; this means no early or late
exams. It is student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he
will be present for both scheduled exams.
Tests for SPA 200:
• There will be three in-class written tests, one upon
concluding every two chapters (following Chapters 2,
4, and 6). The goal of these tests is to assess student’s
ability to assimilate what they have learned about
Spanish grammar, vocabulary, language, and culture.
• Tests will consists of listening, reading, and writing
sections.
• Exams are not curved and no make-up exams will be
given. No deviation of the test schedule will be allowed,
under any circumstances; this means no early or late
exams. It is student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he
will be present for both scheduled exams.
Final Exam for SPA 200:
• The Final Exam will be cumulative in nature.
• It is student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he will be
present for both scheduled exams. If s/he misses
her/his final exam time for any reason, s/he will
receive a 0 on the exam. There are no make-up final
exams and no alternate exam times except in those
cases where the Registrar indicates a conflict.
On-line Chapter Quizzes:
• There will be an on-line quiz at the end of each
chapter, administered through MySpanishLab.
• Students will take a total of 6 quizzes and the lowest
grade will be automatically dropped.
• These quizzes will be scheduled to be completed
within a certain time period following the
completion of each chapter’s material in class.
• While students will be allowed to use their textbook
and notes to help them complete the quizzes, the
quizzes are timed (50 minutes).
MySpanishLab Activities
and Homework:
• Students will be assigned a variety of homework
assignments from the MySpanishLab site,
consisting of tutorials, grammar exercises, listening,
and writing practice, etc. They are responsible for
completing all the assigned activities.
• Most of these exercises are computer-graded and
students will receive immediate feedback regarding
their answers.
• Students will have a maximum of three attempts on
the activities, and the highest grade of the three will
be the final grade for the each activity.
Writing Component for SPA
100 and SPA 101:
• Students will write two compositions of about 100-150
words. The first draft of the composition will be written
in class through a guided process and will account 70%
of the composition grade.
• Instructors will make comments and mark errors (with
the symbols indicated in the “Correction Code”) on the first
draft. Students will then revise the composition and turn in
the second version, worth 30%, along with the first
version for the final grade. The second version will not be
accepted without the first.
• Students must type and double space all second drafts.
They must also highlight anything that is different from the
first draft, and include a word count.
• Writing short passages will help students practice
sentence structure and develop their thinking in
Spanish. They will do 6 short (40-70 words) writing
activities online in MySpanishLab, one for each
chapter.
• Each writing activity will be assessed on a scale of
0-5, based on the thoroughness and effort evident in
their development of the topic. The lowest grade will be
dropped automatically.
Writing Component for SPA
200:
• Students will write three compositions of about 250-300
words. The first draft of each composition will be written in
class, upon completion of Chapters 1, 3, and 5, and the
rewrite/final version will be written at home.
• The first draft of the composition will be written in class through
a guided process and will account 70% of the composition grade.
• Instructors will make comments and mark errors (with the
symbols indicated in the “Correction Code”) on the first draft.
Students will then revise the composition and turn in the second
version, worth 30%, along with the first version for the final
grade. The second version will not be accepted without the first.
• Students must type and double space all second drafts. They
must also highlight anything that is different from the first draft,
and include a word count.
Oral Component for SPA
100 and SPA 101:
• Twice during the semester the class will be divided in
half and assigned one of two days scheduled for
Effective Communication Assessments. Each
group will come to class on the day assigned and
will converse in pairs (or groups of three if needed)
on a variety of topics. Instructors will evaluate these
interactions utilizing the same rubric that is used
to evaluate the oral exam, by walking around the
classroom, listening to and evaluating each
pair/group on multiple occasions during the period in
an nonintrusive manner.
• For the oral exam, students will converse one-onone with their instructors. General topics will be
provided beforehand to help them prepare. They will
be assigned a time to perform the oral exam. Grades
will be assigned according to the grading criteria
provided in the syllabus.
Oral Component for SPA
200:
• The spoken language component will consist of three
parts: a mid-term oral interview, a final oral interview,
and one in-class cultural report.
• For the midterm and final oral exams, students will
converse with a fellow classmate. General topics will be
provided beforehand to help them prepare. Grades will be
assigned according to the grading criteria provided in the
syllabus.
• For the in-class cultural report, students will discuss a
topic of interest to them that is related to the theme of
the chapters covered in the textbook. At the beginning of
the semester, the instructor will discuss possible ideas or
areas of interest, and will explain the procedure of the
presentation in detail.
• Two pairs will present during each chapter, for a total
of 12 presentations through the semester (x2=24).
• At the beginning of the semester, the instructor will
distribute a sign-up sheet, which includes presentation
dates through the semester. Two students will speak
approximately 3-5 minutes at the beginning of the
class period on the date they have chosen to present
their topic to their classmates.
• The week before the presentation, students will provide
the instructor with an outline (not a script or summary)
in Spanish of the main points of their presentation, as well
as bibliographic reference to any and all sources
consulted in gathering the information for the presentation.
Grade will be affected by the quality if the work on this
outline from the first time students turn it in to their
instructor.
• On they day of the presentation, students must provide
an outline/handout in Spanish for their classmates
including basic information for their topic as well as any
new vocabulary words with which their peers might not be
familiar. They must also conclude their presentation with
questions for the class to answer and discuss. They are
strongly discouraged from using PowerPoint for their
presentation given the amount of time it takes to set up
and the potential for technological failure. However, it is
required that students incorporate some kind of visual aid
during their presentation, such as photos or a poster, or
images included in the handout. A portion of the
presentation grade will take into account the quality of
these components.
• Presentations are not to be read, although students
may refer to one note card containing key vocabulary
words, reminders of ideas, etc. The presentations should
be practiced and prepared, but not memorized or scripted.
• The instructor reserves the right to deny the acceptability
of any presentation that is wholly or partially read or
scripted, resulting in a 0.
• Grades will be assigned according to the criteria provided
in the syllabus. Note that two students may receive
different grades based on their presentation and delivery,
especially if each one worked on different sections.
However, to ensure that the presentation is well
developed and logical, students must work together to
plan a cohesive presentation.
All of the assignments address key aspects of the
LEP: 1) Tier 1 Competency: Multilingual
Communication; 2) Embedded Competencies: Oral
Communication and Cultural Expression; 3) Tier 2 Area
of Knowledge: Global Awareness; and 4) Discussion of
Values: Human Diversity.
• Multilingual Communication and Oral
Communication: To study Spanish implies to think
creatively and to change our way of looking at the
world. Communication is an essential part of what
students have to do while learning Spanish as a
second language.
• Global Awareness and Cultural Expression: While
we study Spanish in this course, we learn about other
parts of the world and how to relate to it. We also
learn about other peoples, their language and their
cultures, the way they live, and, by comparison, we
learn about our own culture.
• Human Diversity: To learn to communicate with
people from other cultures implies to learn about the
diversity of the world and our role in it.
Every single assignment includes in one way or
another these five LEP key elements, as well as
the objectives of multilingual communication
(language proficiency, cultural and linguistic
awareness, communities, connections, and
cultural analysis) and the seven learning
outcomes of the course in all the activities and
• In the third edition of Gente, the learning
sequence—which progresses from
contextualized input, to guided output, to free
output, to the interactive task—is consistent
throughout all of the chapters. The textbook is
designed to provide resources for language
use in a dynamic communicatively and
culturally oriented language classroom. Each
chapter of Gente is divided in 10 different
sections:
1. Acercamientos provides an initial approach to the
thematic, cultural, and linguistic contents of the chapter
through activities geared to activate learner’s previous
knowledge (Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
2. Vocabulario en contexto introduces contextualized
active vocabulary and comprehension and production
activities so students can learn vocabulary in context
(Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
3. Gramática en contexto focuses on content-based
grammar instruction by presenting the target structures
in context. Activities in the section encourage attention
to form, form-meaning-usage connections, and effective
use of the grammar forms. The in-text grammar yellow
boxes serve as quick in-class reference while students
work on the sections’ activities (Key elements # 1, #2,
#3, #4, and #5).
4. Interacciones targets learners’ development of oral
discourse and interactional strategies by engaging
students in collaborative, meaning-focused, pair, and
group-work activities (Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and
#5).
5. Tarea is the central element of each chapter in which
students use the contents of the chapter to carry out a
collaborative task. The final linguistic focus of each task
gives students an opportunity to reflect upon the
contents of the chapter and their overall language
learning (Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
6. Nuestra gente targets the development of reading
and writing skills, as well as cross-cultural awareness
(Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
7. Gente que lee and Gente que escribe emphasize
the development of discourse-based, strategic reading
(Gente que lee) and strategic writing (Gente que
escribe) through content-based, process-oriented
reading and writing tasks. The reading activities
encourage both comprehension and interpretation of
texts (Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
8. Comparaciones encourages students to explore the
Spanish-speaking cultures, including the U.S. Activities
foster development of cultural consciousness, crosscultural awareness and critical thinking (Key elements #
1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
9. Vocabulario contains the active vocabulary—that is,
the words that students need to understand and use in
order to successfully complete each chapter’s learning
sequence (Key elements # 1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
10. Consultorio gramatical presents explicit grammar
instruction from a functional, usage-based perspective.
It serves as a useful resource for independent study,
and promotes deeper understanding of the Spanish
grammar forms, meanings, and uses (Key elements #
1, #2, #3, #4, and #5).
RUBRICS