Spanish 201 - Intermediate Spanish I Instructor: Ian Althouse Time: 50 minutes MW, 80 min. TTh Classroom location: Email: Office hours: Office location: Course Description and Objectives Spanish 201 is an exciting and challenging intermediate Spanish language course. The language of instruction and communication is Spanish. By the end of the course, you will be able to express yourself more effectively in Spanish with a greatly expanded vocabulary, read and critically discuss short stories, be more aware of the differences and similarities between cultures of the Spanish-speaking world and the U.S., and more accurately apply the rules of Spanish grammar. Your success in learning a foreign language requires practice, participation, and preparation. We will complete chapters 1-5 of the textbook Enfoques, 3 rd Edition, read a collection of authentic short stories, and watch and discuss short films and a full-length film in Spanish. Your knowledge of Spanish will give you direct access to a cultural and communicative system different from your own and it will enable you to engage with the ideas, customs, and belief systems of others in their terms. These objectives align with those described by the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) guidelines for each of the four skill areas at the following levels: 1. Speaking: Advanced Low. Responses produced by Advanced Low speakers are typically not longer than a single paragraph. The speaker s dominant language may be evident in the use of false cognates, literal translations, or the oral paragraph structure of that language. At times their discourse may be minimal for the level, marked by an irregular flow, and containing noticeable self-correction. More generally, the performance tends to be uneven. The speech is typically marked by a certain grammatical roughness (e.g., inconsistent control of verb endings), but the overall performance of tasks is sustained, albeit minimally. The vocabulary often lacks specificity. Nevertheless, the rephrasing and circumlocution is used. 2. Writing: Advanced Mid. The writing of an advanced mid student demonstrates the ability to narrate and describes with detail. Most often, thoughts are expressed clearly and supported by some elaboration. This writing incorporates organizational features and is understood readily by natives not used to the writing of non-natives. 3. Listening: Advanced High. Listeners at this level are able to sustain understanding over longer stretches of connected discourse on a number of topics pertaining to different times and places; however, fails to grasp details. Comprehension is less in quantity and poorer in quality, but similar to the topics approached by an Advanced listener. 4. Reading: Advanced High. At this level, readers are able to understand conventional narrative and descriptive texts as well as more complex factual material. They are able to understand parts of texts that deal with unfamiliar topics or situations. Readers are able to go beyond comprehension of the facts in a text, and to begin to recognize author-intended inferences. Misunderstandings may occur when reading texts that are structurally and/or conceptually more complex. Required Materials 1. Blanco, José and María Colbert. Enfoques (3 rd edition). Boston: Vista 2012. Please be sure to have an active code for the Supersite to access homework assignments.
2. Course Packet (ibook) This will contain short stories and comprehension exercises related to the readings. In addition to the print version, there will be an ibook version for use on a Computer, ipad, Kindle, or other portable device. You may choose whichever format you prefer, however homework assignments from the course packet must be printed and handed in. Grading Policies and Required Work Final Grades Grading Scale Homework 15 % 94-100 A 60-63 D- Blog 5 % 90-93 A- 0-59 F Quizzes (2) 10 % 87-89 B+ Midterm tests (2) 20 % 84-86 B In-Class compositions (2) 12 % 80-83 B- At-Home composition (1) 4 % 77-79 C+ Participation (2) 8 % 74-76 C Oral presentation 5% 70-73 C- Oral exam 6% 67-69 D+ Final exam 15 % 64-66 D Rubrics for all assessments can be found in your Course Packet. Participation and Preparation Your active participation in class is essential to your improvement as a speaker and will help prepare you for tests and quizzes. Participation on the class Blog and the online reading assignments on VoiceThread will be closely monitored. This course focuses on language use in natural discussions based on cultural realia. To facilitate this, attendance is mandatory and it is crucial that students come prepared to class having already reviewed the vocabulary and grammar structures the night before class. This one-step-in-advance practice will help you to maximize your speaking time in class. There will be two marking periods in the semester. Oral Presentation During the second part of the course, you will work in pairs on a project and topic of your choice. You will present the project to the class. This can be done as a formal presentation, skit, animation, video, etc. You and your partner will present for 20 minutes (10 minutes each). More information on the project will be provided during the semester. Daily Homework, Reading Assignments, and Blog Homework: There will be homework assigned online using the Enfoques Supersite and WebSAM. You should expect to do 2-3 exercises daily (this includes days when class does not meet) and will most often consist of practice assignments to be completed online using the WebSAM tab of the Enfoques Supersite. All Friday night Supersite homework must be completed by end of the day Sunday (midnight Monday). Your instructor may supplement
the textbook s activities and assign separate homework or exercises from the Course Packet to augment or replace textbook assignments. Preparation For the Next Class: In addition to your nightly homework activities, you will have 1-3 additional exercises to be done that are one-step-ahead, previewing the material that we will address in the next class session. These exercises are NOT part of your homework grade, but will be checked for completion as part of your preparedness for class. Reading Assignments: For reading assignments, you will use VoiceThread online to ask and answer questions of your classmates via video commentary so as to come to class with a stronger grasp of the story s plot, characters, and essential details. Each student is responsible for leaving a minimum of 3 comments and attending to at least 2 questions posed by his/her classmates. Detailed instructions will be provided during the semester. Blog: Each week you will be assigned a discussion prompt on the class Blog. Each student is responsible for a minimum of 2 interventions. This is an open class discussion to foster our sense of identity as a community of language learners. Entries should be thoughtful and approximately 3-7 well-developed sentences with attention to good grammar. Your grade is based on participation. Essays There will be 3 assignments. The in-class essays (2) will have two drafts. The first draft will be written in class (50 minutes) and is worth 70% of your final grade for that assignment. You may consult a dictionary and/or your Course Packet while writing the first draft in class. Your instructor will return the first draft with markings to guide your correction of this draft at home. A key for the correction markings can be found in your Course Packet. After correcting this draft, please type a second draft (30%), double-spaced, and submit it stapled to your original. The at-home essay (1) will have only one draft (100%) and will be written outside the classroom. The rubrics for assessment of compositions are found in your Course Packet. Quizzes There will be 2 quizzes. Each will assess your comprehension of the short stories and short films discussed in class through paragraph-length responses. You will be assessed on the content as well as the grammar of these responses. Grammar will be assessed holistically and will not address specific structures or content of the textbook chapters. Oral Exam Your instructor will schedule oral exams during the end of the semester. You and a partner will have a reading related to the course chapters (Travel, etc.) and a short story to prepare before meeting with your instructor. You will receive more information later in the semester. Midterm Tests and Final Exam There will be 2 midterm tests and a final exam. Each midterm will include the material of two chapters. The final exam will be comprehensive, but will deal primarily with the material in the fifth chapter, the fifth short film, and the full-length film.
Class # Material covered in class Homework Preparation for next class 1 Introduction to the course. Clarification of the syllabus and expectations. Buy textbook and Cuaderno Complementario (or ibook version) Review: Number-gender agreement and tricky words TB p. A7 and A9. Also Cuaderno Complementario p. 1. Wk. 1 2 3 Review: Numbergender agreement, tricky words. Introduction to the vocabulary of Lección 1 Lección 1: Las relaciones personales - Día de vocabulario TB: Study Lección 1 vocabulary pp. 2-3. Complete: exercises A-B of Práctica p. 3 and exercises 2, p. 3 TB: Study "The present tense" pp. 14-15. Focus on the irregular verbs. Complete: exercises 1, p. 16 and 6a, p.17 4 present tense: Stem-changers and irregulars TB: Study "Progressive forms" pp. 22-23. Focus on formation, particularly of the irregular verbs, and usage. Complete: exercises 1, p. 24 Wk. 2 5 6 Grammar: Progressive forms: Usage and irregulars. Introduction to ser vs. estar Grammar: Ser and estar: use with adjectives. Read "El ladrón de sábado" by Gabriel García Márquez and leave comments and responses on VoiceThread before class Thursday. TB: Study "Ser and estar" pp. 18-19. Focus on how adjectives change meaning when used with ser vs. estar. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. 20 and write a paragraph (3-6 sentences) describing your home city, its weather, the people, your family, etc. using exercise 2, p. 20 as a model. Cuaderno Complementario: look over the vocabulary and information about Posturas. Complete: the vocabulary exercises.
7 Short Film 1: Posturas de Álvaro Oliva; Review: grammar and vocabulary #1 - Posturas. Blog: check in and post twice by end. Read: "El ladrón de sábado" by Gabriel García Márquez. responses on VoiceThread for "El ladrón de sábado." 8 Lectura 1: "El ladrón de sábado" - Gabriel García Márquez TB: Study Lección 2 vocabulary pp. 42-43. Complete: exercises A-B of Práctica p. 43 and exercises 3-4, p. 44 9 Lección 2: Las Diversiones - Día de vocabulario TB: Study "Object pronouns" p. 54. Focus on single substitution. Complete: exercises 1 and 3, p. 56 10 Grammar: Object pronouns: Direct and indirect object prounouns (single substitution) TB: Study "Object pronouns" pp. 54-55. Focus on the "Double object pronouns." Complete: exercises 1-2, p. A11 and additional exercises in the Cuaderno Complementario. Wk. 3 Read: "El paraíso era un autobús" by Juan José Millás and leave comments and responses on VoiceThread by Thursday. 11 Grammar: Object pronouns: Direct and indirect object prounouns (double object pronoun substitution) Read: "El paraíso era un autobús" by Juan José Millás 12 Lectura 2: "El paraíso era un autobús" - Juan José Millás TB: Study "Gustar and similar verbs" pp. 58-59. Focus on the irregular verbs. Complete: exercises 1, p. 60 and exercises 1-2, p. A12 Wk.4 13 Grammar: Gustar and similar verbs TB: Study "Reflexive verbs" pp. 62-63. Focus on the verbs that change meaning when used with a reflexive pronoun; stem-changing verbs. Complete: exercise 1, p. 64 and exercise 1, p. A13
14 Grammar: Reflexive verbs: The reflexive pronouns and changes of meaning in the reflexive verb form Read: "Cleopatra" by Mario Benedetti and leave comments and 15 Extra Review: Object pronouns: Direct and indirect object prounouns (double object pronoun substitution) Read: "Cleopatra" by Mario Benedetti 16 Lectura 3: "Cleopatra" - Mario Benedetti Complete review and check your answers to the key. 17 Review Day: Practice with and clarification of questions about the grammar/vocabulary of Lección 1 and 2. Study the vocabulary and grammar of Lección 1 and 2. 18 Exam 1 TB: Study Lección 3 vocabulary pp. 82-83. Complete: exercises A-B of Práctica p. 83 and exercise 3 p. 84 Wk.5 19 Lección 3: La vida diaria - Día de vocabulario TB: Study "The preterite" pp. 94-95. Focus on the verbs with spelling changes and irregular verbs. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. 96 and 1, p. A18 20 preterite tense: Formation of irregular verbs, spelling- and stem-changing verbs Quiz 1 Review: Lecturas 1-3. TB: Study "The imperfect" pp. 98-99. Complete: exercise 1, p. 100 and exercise 1, p. A19. Wk.6 21 Quiz 1: Lecturas 1-3 (25 min) imperfect: usage and introduction of "Preterite vs. Imperfect" TB: Study "The preterite vs. the imperfect" pp. 102-103. Focus on specific uses of each and how they are combined in the paragraph at the top of p. 103. DO NOT STUDY the table on p. 103. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. 104 and 6a, p.28
22 Preterite vs. Imperfect: Practice TB: Study "The preterite vs. the imperfect" pp. 012-103. Focus on specific uses of the verbs that change meaning in the table on p. 103. Review: the uses of the preterite and imperfect. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. A20 23 Preterite vs. Imperfect: Practice with attention to verbs that change meaning Cuaderno Complementario: look over the vocabulary and information about Nico tiene una novia. Complete: the vocabulary exercises. 24 Short Film 2: Nico tiene una novia - Daniel C. Zorrilla. Review: grammar and vocabulary, recount the details of the short in the past. #2 - Nico tiene una novia.. Review: Grammar and vocabulary from Lección 1 and 2; review instructions for Composition 1 25 Composition 1: Description and narration in the present with emphasis on the vocabulary and grammatical structures of Lección 1 and 2. Read: "Casa tomada" by Julio Cortázar and leave comments and. TB: Study "The Pluperfect tense (El pluscuamperfecto)" p. 260 and additional page of the Cuaderno Complementario. Focus on the verbs with irregular past participles. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. A39 Wk.7 26 27 Pluperfect tense Lectura 4: "Casa tomada" - Julio Cortázar Read: "Casa tomada" by Julio Cortázar TB: look over the vocabulary and information about Adiós, mamá. Complete: the vocabulary exercises 1-2, p. 106. 28 Short Film 3: Adiós, mamá Review: grammar and vocabulary, recount the details of the short in the past. #3 - Adiós, mamá Blog: check in and post twice by end of the day Sunday.. TB: Study Lección 4 vocabulary pp. 122-123. Complete: exercises 1A-1B of Práctica p. 123 and exercises 3 and 5, p. 124
29 Lección 4: La salud y el bienestar - Día de vocabulario TB: Study "The subjunctive in noun clauses" pp. 134-135. Focus on the conjugation of verbs with irregular forms or spelling in the present subjunctive; Study ONLY the verbs of will and influence in the box on p. 135. Complete: exercises 1 and 3, p. 137 Wk.8 30 subjunctive in noun clauses: Conjugation of present subjunctive with particular attention to verbs with irregular forms or spelling; Subjunctive triggers - verbs of will and influence TB: Study "The subjunctive in noun clauses" pp. 134-136. Study the "verbs of emotion" and the "verbs of doubt or denial" in the boxes on p. 136. Review: conjugation and other subjunctive triggers on pp. 134-135. Complete: exercises 2, p. 137 and 1, p. A23 31 subjunctive in noun clauses: Conjugations with irregular forms or spelling; Subjunctive triggers - verbs of emotion; verbs of doubt or denial Read: "El crimen perfecto" by Enrique Anderson Imbert 32 Lectura 5: "El crimen perfecto" - Enrique Anderson Imbert Review: "The subjunctive in noun clauses" pp. 134-136 of TB. 33 Extra Review: The subjunctive in noun clauses. Review: Grammar and vocabulary from Lección 3 and 4; review instructions for Composition 2 Wk.9 34 Composition 2: Description and narration in the past with emphasis on the vocabulary grammatical structures of Lección 3 and 4. TB: Study "Commands" pp. 140-141. Study ONLY the formal (Ud. and Uds.) commands on p. 140; and "Using pronouns with commands" on p. 141. Complete: exercise 2, p. 142
35 Grammar: Formal commands (Ud. and Uds.): Affirmative and negative forms and their use with object pronouns TB: Study "Commands" pp. 140-141. Study ONLY the informal (tú) commands on p. 140; Review: Ud. and Uds. commads on p. 140, and "Using pronouns with commands" on p. 141. Complete: exercises 1 and 2, p. A24 36 Grammar: Informal commands (tú): Affirmative and negative forms and their use with object pronouns TB: Study "The imperfect subjunctive" pp. 298-299 and additional page of the Cuaderno Complementario. Focus on verbs with spelling changes (these are the same as the irregular verbs in the preterite). Complete: exercises in the Cuaderno Complementario. 37 imperfect subjunctive: Forms; attention to irregulars Composition A prompt announced TB: Study "Por and para" pp. 144-145. Complete: exercises 1-2, p. 146 Wk.1 0 38 39 Grammar: Prepositions Por and Para Extra Review: Commands with object pronouns and the imperfect subjunctive Review: Commands p. 140-140 (tú and Ud./Uds. ONLY) and the imperfect subjunctive, p298-299. Read: "El etnógrafo" by Jorge Luis Borges and leave comments and Read: "El etnógrafo" by Jorge Luis Borges 40 Lectura 6: "El etnógrafo" - Jorge Luis Review: uses and triggers of subjunctive in your Cuaderno Complementario as well as in the TB pp. 134-136. Complete review and check your answers to the key. Wk.1 1 41 Review Day: Practice with and clarification of questions about the grammar/vocabulary of Lección 3 and 4. Study the vocabulary and grammar of Lección 3 y 4.
42 Exam 2 Cuaderno Complementario: look over the vocabulary and information about No me ama. Complete: the vocabulary exercises. 43 Short Film 4: No me ama - Martín Piroyansky. Review: grammar and vocabulary, recount the details of the short in the past. #4 - No me ama. TB: Study Lección 5 vocabulary pp. 164-165. Complete: exercises 1A and 2 of Práctica p. 165 44 Lección 5: El viaje - Día de vocabulario Composition A DUE TB: Study "Comparatives and Superlatives" pp. 176-177. Focus on irregular forms. Complete: exercises 1 and 2, p. 178 45 Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives TB: Study "Negative, affirmative, and indefinite expressions" pp. 180-181. Complete: exercises 1 and 2, p. 182 46 Grammar: Negative, affirmative, and indefinite expressions TB: Study "Subjunctive in adjective clauses" pp. 184-185. Complete: exercises 1 and 2, p. 186 Wk.1 2 47 Grammar: Subjunctive in adjective clauses Quiz 2 Review: Lecturas 4-6. Review: The subjunctive in adjective clauses; negative, affirmative, and indefinite expressions 48 Quiz 2: Lecturas 4-6, Shorts Extra Review: The subjunctive in adjective clauses; negative, affirmative, and indefinite expressions Cuaderno Complementario: look over the vocabulary and information about El viaje. Complete: the vocabulary exercises.
Short Film 5: El viaje - Toni Bestard. #5 - El viaje Watch: the trailers for Relatos salvajes 49 Review: grammar and vocabulary, recount the details of the short in the past.. Complete: In your Cuaderno Complementario Qué tipo de película será? prescreening assignment 50 Film: Relatos salvajes - Damián Szifron Finish the movie at home. sobre la película Wk.1 3 51 Discussion about the movie 52 Finals Wk. Review Day: Discussion about the movie (cont..) Practice with and clarification of questions about the grammar/vocabulary of Lección 5; Short Film 5; and the Film. Final Exam - grammar and vocabulary of Lección 5; Short Film 5; and the Film