SPAN 10A—CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH: BEGINNING
SYLLABUS
Fall 2009
Class Meeting: Mon/Wed 1:00 – 2:25 p.m. Fir 7
Instructor: Vonna Breeze-Martin
Contact
Information: breezev@yosemite.edu
Course Description:
Practice in vocabulary, idioms and grammatical usage with
emphasis on conversational use of the language as spoken in Hispanic
America. An overview of the Hispanic
world and an introduction to the cultures of
I. Required reading:
Mosaicos: Spanish as a World Language, Volume 1, 5th Edition
Castells, Guzman, Lapuerta
Pearson-Prentice Hall World Languages, 2010
II. Recommended
reading:
Ø Mosaicos: Student Activities Manual (available in paper or online)
Ø Mosaicos Companion Website www.pearsonhighered.com/mosaicos
Ø A good Spanish/English dictionary
Ø Immerse yourself in anything Spanish: Spanish language DVD’s, television, radio, newspapers, ads, other authentic material, Internet searches for Spanish-learning activities, such as www.bbc.co.uk/languages or www.livemocha.com
III. Papers and
Assignments:
Daily homework, 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. We will focus primarily on listening and speaking, to maximize your communicative abilities. Grades are based on participation and skill demonstration in the classroom, as well as on quizzes, chapter exams and written and oral assignments. In order to demonstrate your Spanish communication skills, you must be in class.
◦ Students are expected to arrive on time, come to class fully
prepared, and stay throughout the class period.
◦ Cell phones/electronic devices are to be turned OFF during class.
◦ Students who are absent for any reason more than five 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, submit
assignments on time, and take responsibility for their own
learning, including finding out about and/or submitting material
missed due to absence.
◦ Absence will not be accepted as an excuse
for not knowing what
was assigned as homework. You are
expected to contact a
classmate and submit homework on time.
◦ No makeup work will be
accepted after one week of assignment.
There will be no opportunity for makeup of quizzes, oral
presentations/projects or of oral portions of chapter exams.
Grading Sample: (Total points may vary)
In-class skill demonstration/participation: 100 points
(includes pronunciation, comprehension/accuracy,
synthesis/alternative means of expression, collaboration,
leadership/mentoring)
Quizzes and assignments: (10 @ 10 points each) 100 points
Chapter exams (4 @ 50 points each) 200 points
Oral presentations (2 @ 25 points each) 50 points
Cultural project 50 points
Total 500
90% - 100% A; 80% - 89% B; 70% - 79% C; 60% - 69% D; <59% - F
VI. Course Calendar (subject
to revision to accommodate holidays, etc.)
The introductory chapter and first three
chapters of the text will be covered this semester. Each lesson will be
introduced with contextualized thematic vocabulary, followed by communicative
guided drills; individual, small group and full group practice and activities;
games, songs, poems, role-play and video.
At least three
hours of preparation time is anticipated each week.
Week 1: Introduction to course, text components and
language learning resources, foreign language learning strategies, classroom
instructions, ground rules, a look at the Spanish you already know. Meeting, greeting and taking your leave;
spelling in Spanish and the Spanish alphabet and accents; expressions of
courtesy.
Week 2: Review greetings and spelling. Identify people and classroom objects. Identify registers: formal and informal. Ser
and subject pronouns for identification and description. Locating things and
people with ¿Dónde está?
Week 3:
Numbers
to 99, phone numbers and addresses.
Months and days of week. Telling
time. Some weather expressions using hace.
Classroom expressions.
Week 4: Activities to review for exam. Exam, Preliminary chapter. Review exam.
Week 5: Classes and locations on campus. Student and campus activities and schedules,
academic life and daily occurrences.
Week 6:
Student
activities using regular –ar, -er and –ir verbs in present tense. Gender
and number – articles and nouns. Culture: Introduction to
Week 7:
Cultural
presentation and peer evaluations. Interrogative words and asking and
responding to simple questions. Estar
in present tense..
Week 8:
Activities
to review for exam. Exam, Chapter 1. Review
exam. Describing yourself, other people,
places and things: adjectives. State
when and where events take place.
Week 9:
Present
tense of ser to identify, describe,
express origin, possession, location of events, and time. Adjectives to describe and show possession. Talking about things that belong to you.
Week 10:
Identifying and describing;
expressing origin and nationality, possession, color, location of events, and
time: present tense of ser. Contrast ser and estar.
Week
11: Talking about what you like to do
and what you and others do: gustar. Culture:
Latinos in the
Week
12: Activities to review for exam. Exam, Chapter 2. Review exam.
Week
13: Discuss daily activities, leisure,
food. Make plans. Daily activities using
hacer, poner, salir, traer and oir
Week
14: Expressing movement and plans with ir and ir + a + infinitive. Talking
about quantity: numbers to 2.000.000. Saber and conocer.
Week
15: Some uses of por and para to express intention,
means, movement and duration. Activities
to review for exam. Exam, Chapter 3.
Week
16: Final poster presentations and
fiesta.