INTERMEDIATE SPANISH 2311 IN MADRID, SPAIN

SUMMER I

MARIANA ORNELAS

 

 

Textbook and Workbook

Enfoques: by Blanco & Garcia, 2004 ed., Vista Higher Learning

 

Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Spanish 1412 or placement test. Conducted primarily in Spanish. A review of Spanish grammar and the expansion of basic language skills. Reading of more advanced texts with a view towards Spanish and Latin American cultures.

 

Purpose Statement

This course, with transferable credits, is designed to fit within the mission of PAC: You will learn elements of the Spanish language that will prepare you to communicate effectively within a multicultural community.

 

Course Objectives

 

·         To enhance the student’s listening comprehension skills using a variety of techniques

·         To improve Spanish writing skills and communicate effectively in a variety of 

 situations

·         To improve Spanish reading skills and be able to comprehend textual selections

       without the constant use of a dictionary

·         The student will demonstrate the ability to engage in class discussion related to

       assigned readings

·        The students will be introduced to diverse Hispanic cultural traditions through a thematic approach

·        The student will understand Hispanic traditions, customs, and values to include North, Central and South America, with an emphasis on peninsular Spain.

 

Course requirements

 

  1. Class Participation

 

I expect students to come prepared and be engaged in class. Since this course will be conducted entirely in Spanish, you are to make an effort to speak the language. You will indeed make mistakes, but that is part of the process in learning a foreign language!  As your instructor, I will help and guide you. Speak the language as much as can and take full advantage you are immersed in a Spanish speaking environment. To ensure this, from the moment we arrive in Madrid, I will NOT communicate with you in English!

 

 

 

This is a highly interactive course; therefore your active engagement and participation are vital to the success of this learning community! In addition, your active engagement in the class can make a difference between a higher and lower grade. Your absences will be excused only due to illness The following notes participation points according to the number of unexcused accrued during the semester and preparation for class will be an important consideration in determining the final Contributions to thoughtful class discussions grade for “borderline” students

 

 

  1. Daily Journal

 

You will submit a journal entry on a daily basis about your observations/experiences. Each entry must be a minimum of 70 words. All entries must be posted on blurty.com, a blog site. This site will enable you to share your entries not only with the class but also your families. Our community will be established on this site when we arrive in Madrid or sooner. All entries will be evaluated on content and grammatical correctness. You will be graded for each entry and will receive an average for the week, so please take them seriously!  All entries must be double spaced so that I can make corrections and comments. You must also submit a hard copy for me to correct. Your first entries will be due on Mondays, after the week-end and Thursdays before the week-end. All entries must be dated. If you would like to submit annotated photos with your journals, you can. I welcome creativity.

 

  1. Cuaderno de Dudas

 

During your stay in Spain, you will be required to keep a notebook of linguistic items you find interesting or even confusing that you hear when communicating with native speakers whom you meet. These may include vocabulary, idiomatic phrases, proverbs, grammatical constructions, slang, etc. We will be sharing and discussing these in class. I will also be creating my own notebook to share with you, too. These entries must also be posted on the blog daily and passed in   You should have a minimum of 8 items for each entry.  Keeping this notebook will force you to observe carefully how Spaniards express themselves, and will put you more in touch with the language as it is spoken in its natural environment. You will receive a weekly grade for these entries.

 

  1. Workbook Assignments

 

You will be required to complete workbook assignments to practice grammatical items you have difficulty with. I will make these individualized assignments available to you as needed.

       

 

 

 

  1. Oral presentation

 

Before leaving Madrid, you will make an oral presentation in Spanish about your experience in Spain. This will include your observations and reflections about what you have seen and learned about Spanish society, points of interest which stimulated you, etc. The presentation should be a minimum of 3 minutes. Classmates will be allowed to comment and ask questions after your presentation.

You will be evaluated on content, organization and expression.

 

  1. Reflection Paper

 

You will submit 3-4 page paper about your entire experience abroad written in Spanish. You may use your journal entries as a basis for this paper but it must be coherent and in an essay format. You will be evaluated on content, organization and expression. This may be handed in on the day of the final exam on Friday, July 8.

 

 

  1. Final exam

 

On Friday, July 8, you will take a final exam over the major points of grammar and vocabulary covered in the course. The exam will be given on the PAC campus at a location which will be announced later.

 

 

Grading Distribution                          Grading Scale

 

Class participation                    20%                 A         90-100

Journal                                     15%                 B         80-89

Cuaderno de Dudas                  10%                 C         70-79

Oral Presentation                      20%                 D         60-69

Reflective Paper                       20%                 F          0-59

Final Exam                               15%

    

                                                                       

 

Tentative Course Calendar

 

June 6              Placement exam (not graded)

June 7              review points of difficulty for Chapters 1-3

June 8-14         Chapter 4

June 15-21       Chapter 5

June 22-29       Chapter 6

June 30            Oral presentations on Madrid experience

 

July  8              Final Exam at PAC