Spanish for the
Community: Spanish 170 (2 units)
Instructor: Vonna
Breeze-Martin 7/08
This is an introductory conversational
course for beginning learners. The
course will be useful for individuals who work with Spanish –speaking customers
or employees, for individuals planning to travel to Spanish-speaking countries,
or for those wishing a basic orientation to the structure of Spanish with an
eye to continuing language study.
Upon completion of the course, each
student should be able to understand and speak comprehensible basic Spanish to
meet immediate needs in everyday settings.
Thematic areas include greetings and introductions, basic personal
information, the family, numbers, telling time, talking about the weather,
traveling and transportation, the parts of the body, about town, food and
drink, and sports.
This introductory conversational
course presents basic usage of: number
and gender; regular and stem-changing verbs in the present and preterit
indicative; interrogative and negative sentences; definite and indefinite
articles; agreement of adjectives; using ser
and estar;
using tener
in special expressions, prepositions, the verb gustar, and direct and indirect object pronouns.
SYLLABUS (Breeze-Martin, Spanish 170A)
I. Required reading:
Breaking
the Spanish Barrier, Student Edition, John Connor, Breaking the
Barrier, Inc. 2006
II. Recommended:
Anything you see or hear in Spanish: Spanish language newspapers, radio, television, websites, podcasts, blogs, advertisements, magazines, any other authentic materials from your household products and bills to your ATM.
III. Papers and Assignments:
Homework assigned for each class session, including reading, writing and/or grammar assignments, basic research, project development and preparation for oral presentations.
IV. Grading Standard:
Language learning for real communication is based on four integrated skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Grades are based on your participation and skill demonstration in class as well as on quizzes, chapter exams, and written and oral assignments. Please note that in order to participate and demonstrate your Spanish communications skills, you must be in class.
Students are expected to arrive on time (otherwise they are marked absent), come to class fully prepared – even if no formal homework is assigned - and stay throughout the class period with the intention of learning and participating (and with cell phones, MP3 players and other electronics turned off).
Students who are absent for any reason more three full class periods during the semester limit their opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency and should, therefore, anticipate a reduction in grade, regardless of grades on written assignments and exams.
Students are expected to fully participate in class, work courteously and collaboratively with classmates, submit assignments on time, and take responsibility for their own learning, including finding out from classmates about and/or submitting material missed due to absence.
No makeup work will be accepted after one week of assignment. There will
be no opportunity for makeup of quizzes, oral presentations or chapter exams.
·
Grading Sample (Points may vary.)
Assignments and In-class skill
demonstration/daily participation:
(preparation, group work, pronunciation, comprehension/accuracy,
synthesis/alternative means of expression, collaboration) 150 points
Quizzes and exams 150 points
Total possible: 300 points
270 – 300 = A; 240 – 269 = B; 210 – 239 = C; 180 – 209 = D; >179 = F
V. Course Calendar
The first six chapters of the text will be covered
this semester. Each lesson will be introduced with basic thematic vocabulary,
followed by communicative guided drills, individual, small group and full group
practice and activities, video, cultural readings and/or web research.
At least three hours of preparation time is anticipated each week.
Week 1: Introduction to course, syllabus, text, and classmates; discussion of foreign language learning strategies; classroom instructions, ground rules, and a look at the Spanish you already know. Chapter 1, “First steps”: ourselves, our family, numbers.
Week 2: Review week 1, weather and telling time. Begin Chapter 1: Talking about people. Subject pronouns, present tense of regular verbs and asking questions.
Week 3: Review verbs and interrogatives.
Continue Chapter 1, Practice talking about people, taking a look at
Week 4: Prueba 1. Begin Chapter 2, talking about transportation. “Boot” verbs and singular/plural issues.
Week 5: Review Prueba
1. Continue Chapter 2: agreement of
adjectives, a look at
Week 6: Prueba 2. Begin Chapter 3: vocabulary about the body, some irregular verbs in the present, using the verbs ser and estar.
Week 7: Review Prueba
2. Continue Chapter 3: definite and indefinite articles, making
negative sentences.
Week 8: Prueba 3.
Begin Chapter 4, “in town.” The simple past tense and
prepositions.
Week 9: Review Prueba
3. Continue Chapter 4, telling about
activities in the past. A look at
Week 10: Prueba 4. Begin Chapter 5: food and drink thematic vocabulary, some “boot” verbs in the preterit, direct object pronouns.
Week 11: Review Prueba 4. Continue Chapter 5: the personal “a” and some idiomatic expressions using the verb tener.
Week 12: Prueba
5. A look at Latinos
in the
Week 13: Review Prueba 5. Start Chapter 6: sports theme, the preterit of some irregular verbs, the possessive adjectives.
Week 14: Continue Chapter 6: indirect object pronouns, using the verb gustar
Week 15: Prueba 6. Begin general review.
Week 16: Final exam