Continuation of Elementary Spanish I.  Skills are emphasized by listening, reading, writing, and speaking.  Emphasis is placed on practical vocabulary and the oral use of the language along with proper use of grammar and cultural information.   Language learning is a gradual progress, in which on skill leads to the next, and in which basic skills form the basis for more advanced skills.

COURSE PREREQUISITES:

Elementary Spanish I, Lang 2414

RATIONALE:

Spanish is a language which is easy to learn and will give you the ability to communicate in writing and speaking with people here as well as the world community through the Internet.  Many companies will give you incentives if you are able to communicate in Spanish with their clients here and in 20 other Spanish speaking countries.

UNIT GOALS:

The student will have a review of material learned in Spanish I

• Learning to locate people and objects, the verb estar

• Discussing habitual actions: Present Tense of Regular verbs

• Describing Origin and Location: ser de/estar en

• Referring to actions in progress: Present Progressive

• Placing the 20 Spanish speaking countries and their capitals in a map

• Using irregular verbs: hacer, salir, jugar

• Learning about holidays and celebrations

• Discussing habitual actions: verbs with stem-changing vowels

• Describing daily routine: Reflexive verbs

• Describing physical and emotional states

• Telling to whom something is said: indirect object pronouns

• Expressing abilities: saber and poder

• Making comparisons of inequality: mas o menos

• Making comparisons of equality: tan/tanto

• Expressing obligation and duty: tener que, deber que

• Knowing people, places, and facts: conocer and saber

• Learning where you are living: a house, it's furniture

• Talking about the past: regular and irregular verbs

• Expressing for, from, and to whom something is done

• Describing family relationships: llevarse bien/mal

• Describing the past: the imperfect tense and present perfect

• Telling about the future: trips, hotels, tourism; future tense

EVALUATION

Each student is expected to read and learn the assigned material before each class period (Flash Cards).  

Mini quizzes testing linguistic skill applications (based on vocabulary and blue page exercises in the text book) are given on a near daily basis.

Each student will be required ONE oral presentation in Spanish on a TPR story assigned by the instructor.

There will be chapter exams.

The final exam will be comprehensive.

THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UPS FOR EXAMS OR QUIZZES.  However, if a student misses a quiz or exam due to medical emergency (with documentation from a physician) then the exam or quiz should be made up the following Friday.

Your class will be based on your PARTICIPATION in class, completion of written assignments, cooperation, consideration of others and courtesy.

Grading Scale

A          90-100

B          80-89

C          70-79

D          60-69

F          59-0

REQUIRED MATERIAL

Dos Mundos, Terrel, 5th Edition; Workbook- Cuaderno de Trabajo.  A large three-ring binder with dividers, a standard Spanish/English dictionary, one 90-minute audio cassette tape, and one 6 hour video cassette, 1000 index cards and Baron's 500 Conjugated Spanish Verbs.

ATTENDANCE

Students are expected to attend all classes.  After an absence due to illness or emergency, students must take the responsibility to notify the instructor in writing.  The instructor will give the student a zero for quizzes or exams missed.  Instructors do not have the authority to drop or withdraw a student from class.  Students must go to Student Services and formally withdraw from the class or receive an "F".  

Your final grade will be lowered by 1 percentage point for each hour of class missed.  Late arrival or leaving early will be counted as 1/2 of an hour.

CONTRACT

You will be given a student contract which states that you have read this syllabus that states the conditions and standards for this class.  It will be kept in your folder by your instructor.

EXAM RETURN POLICY

All exams will be returned for review within two weeks.  The instructor will then collect them and kept them until the end of the semester.

CLASSROOM COURTESY

Turn off all pagers and cell phones while in the class.  Also, please remember to be kind to your fellow classmates since everyone is required to participate during class.  Do not be afraid to make mistakes- it is part of the learning process.

PARTICIPATION

Class participation is a vital part of your language-learning experience and it counts in this class.  Participation grades will be given in 5 point increments.  You can improve your participation grade by (1) coming to class prepared and ready to participate on a regular basis; and (2) consistently interacting in Spanish with your professor and classmates.

HOMEWORK

This is a college-level transfer course.  In order to be successful you will need college-level skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and note taking.  Plan on studying approximately 10 hours outside of class.  Homework will be assigned each class session (200 points).  Your Actividades Excritas from the Cuaderno will be worth 10 points each.  DO NOT TURN IN LATE ASSIGNMENTS.  HOMEWORK IS NOT ACCEPTED LATE!

CLASS PROCEDURE

The primary focus of Spanish I and Spanish II (first year) is to develop your ability to understand native and written Spanish and to increase your skill at expressing yourself in basic situations.  Listening comprehension and reading are the bases for the sound acquisition of a foreign language.  Remember that when you were learning your first language as a child, you had a lot more time to listen before you attempted to speak.  Do not be impatient with yourself when you find that you can understand far more than you can produce- that is NATURAL.  Your speaking and writing abilities will always lag slightly behind your ability to understand.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Cheating is not tolerated on either exams or homework.  Anyone caught copying form others or allowing others to copy their work is subject to receiving an "F".

GROUP WORK

Working with other students in study groups is an extremely effective means of studying.  Not everyone in the study group needs to be at the same proficiency level.  Teaching others is a very powerful way to learn material for yourself.  Make sure, however, that you do not simply copy another's homework and turn it in as your own.  When working in groups all participants must vary their work so that each assignment reflects individual work.

WELCOME!

BIENVENIDOS A LA CLASÉ DE ESPAŇOL!