BEGINNING SPANISH  1A   (4/07)       (5 units)

SPANISH: BEGINNING

SYLLABUS (Breeze-Martin, Spanish 1A)

I.  Required reading:

Arriba, Brief Version,   Zayas-Bazan et. al.  Pearson-Prentice Hall, 5th Edition, 2008.

Arriba, Student Activities Manual,  Zayas-Bazan et. al.  2008.

II.  Recommended:                     

Anything you see or hear in Spanish: Spanish language newspapers, radio, television, websites, blogs, advertisements, magazines, any other authentic materials from your household products and bills to your ATM.

III. Papers and Assignments:

Daily homework, including workbook activities, 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 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, 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/projects or of oral portions of chapter exams.

  • Grading Sample     (Points may vary.)

    In-class skill demonstration/daily participation:                          100 points
    (group work, pronunciation, comprehension/accuracy,
    synthesis/alternative means of expression, collaboration,
    leadership/mentoring, and attendance.)
    Chapter exams (6 @ 50 points each)                                           300 points
    Quizzes and assignments (15 @ 10 points each)                         150 points
    Projects (2 @ 25 points each)                                                        50 points

Total possible:   600 points  

540 - 600 = A;  480 - 534 = B;  424 - 479 = C ;   360 - 423 = D;  359>   = F

                                  
V. Course Calendar

The first six 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, video, cultural readings and web research. Reading, writing and project assignments will be made from the text, handouts, workbook or library or web materials.

At least six hours of preparation time is anticipated each week.

Week 1: Introduction to course, syllabus, text, workbook; discussion of foreign language learning; classroom instructions, ground rules, and a look at the Spanish you already know. Chapter 1, Part I. Meeting and greeting others; spelling your name.

Week 2:  Numbers and performing simple math problems; talking about the calendar and dates.  Culture:  the Hispanic world.

Week 3: Chapter 1, Part II.  Describing your classroom; responding to classroom instructions; talking about yourself and others; identifying colors and talking about your favorite colors.  Exam Chapter 1.

Week 4:  Review exam.  Culture: the Hispanic world, cont’d. Chapter 2, Part I.  Describing yourself, other people and things; asking and responding to simple questions; asking for and telling time.  Names, last names and nicknames. 

Week 5:  Chapter 2, Part II.  Talking about what you like to do; talking about what you have and what you have to do. Culture: Spain.  Exam Chapter 2.

Week 6:  Review exam.  Chapter 3, Part I.  Exchanging information about classes; talking about things that belong to you; talking about how you and others feel.  Culture:  Hispanic university system. 

Week 7:   Chapter 3, Part II.  Describing yourself and others; asking for and giving simple directions.  Culture:  Mexico. The Hispanic family.  Exam Chapter 3.

Week 8: Review exam.  Chapter 4, Part I.  Talking about your family; expressing desires and preferences; planning activities.  Family tree project. 

Week 9: Chapter 4, Part II.  Extending invitations; making spatial references; discussing things you know.  Culture:  Central America.

Week 10:  Exam Chapter 4.  Central America presentations. Review exam. 

Week 11:  Chapter 5, Part I.  Describe your daily routine and habits; express needs related to personal care; express emotional states; compare objects and compare people. 

 Week 12: Culture:  Ecotourism in Costa Rica.  Chapter 5, Part II.  Talking about what you do around the house; discussing people or things using the superlative. 

Week 11:  Exam Chapter 5.  Review exam.  Describing what is happening at the moment.  Chapter 6, Part I.  Discussing food; eating preferences; ordering meals.

Week 12: Talking about things and expressing to whom or for whom. Expressing likes and dislikes.  Culture:  Shopping and cooking in Chile. Chapter 6, Part II.  Discussing cooking and recipes. 

Week 13:  Talking about events in the past.  Beginning review.

 Week 14:  Review of specific difficulties.  Continue talking about events in the past.

Week 15: General review.  Present culture projects.  Class assessment.

Week 16: Final examination Chapters 1 - 6 

COLUMBIA COLLEGE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1a: BEGINNING SPANISH 5 UNITS

The primary objective of this course is to offer students an opportunity to acquire communicative skills in Spanish while developing an awareness and appreciation of Hispanic cultures. The course is informed by the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century. These standards focus in five general areas:

  • Communicate in Spanish
  • Gain knowledge and understanding of the cultures of the Hispanic world
  • Connect with other disciplines and acquire information
  • Develop insight into the nature of language and culture
  • Participate in communities at home and around the world

To these standards, the course aims to meet the following goals:

Goal I: Students will be able to communicate in Spanish within the following parameters:

Objective A: Upon completion of the course, each student will be able to properly pronounce American Spanish, including vowels, diphthongs and consonants; identify cognates; know and apply the rules for stress and accentuation; and know the Spanish alphabet.

Objective B: Upon completion of the course, each student will be able to demonstrate the use of the following structures in context: nouns and articles; subject pronouns; numbers; present tense and uses of ser and estar; telling time; forming questions; present tense of –ar, -er and –ir verbs; descriptive adjectives; possessive adjectives; present tense of tener, ir , dar, decir; gustar and similar verbs; present tense of stem-changing verbs; verbs with irregular first person; reflexive verbs; ; comparisons of equality and inequality; the superlative;  present progressive; direct and indirect object pronouns, regular and irregular verbs in preterit tense; demonstrative adjectives and pronouns.

Objective C: Upon completion of this course, each student will be able to demonstrate his/her abilities in understanding and producing basic Spanish, within the constructs of Objective B, in thematic areas including: greetings and meeting people; the classroom and college; who we are; our families; days, weeks, months; daily routines; food and shopping; the city; and what we do in our free time; sports and activities.

Goal II: Students will have an overview of the cultures of Hispanics in the United States, Spain, Central America, Mexico, and Chile.

Goal III: Students will connect their Spanish language and culture study to other disciplines, such as geography, social studies, history, fine arts, science, and literature.

Goal IV: Students will have gained insights into the structure of English and how it compares or relates to the Spanish language structure. Because language and culture are inextricably woven, students will also have gained insights into the nature of culture.

Goal V: Students will have participated in Latino/Hispanic communities around the world and at home as they conduct research, explore the web, and attend Day of the Dead field trip to San Francisco.

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