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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SPAN 101"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Spanish I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sofia Sanz Alonso
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 11:30-12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to give students basic communicative ability in Spanish. Students work on all four language skills: speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

By presenting the language in a variety of authentic contexts, the course also seeks to provide an introduction to Spanish culture and society.  Students work on all four language skills: speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completing this course, students will possess the ability to:

-satisfy a very limited number of immediate needs

- understand and convey some spoken Spanish through the knowledge and usage of familiar and memorized structures, on the most common features of daily life that require the interchange of simple and direct information.

- understand the general meaning of oral announcements and brief texts on familiar subjects with simple morphology and lexicon.

- produce one-paragraph texts with limited formulaic information by using elementary functions.

 
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Nuevo Espanol en Marcha 1 - Cuaderno de EjerciciosFrancisca Castro, Pilar Díaz, Ignacio Rodero, Carmen SardineroSGEL9788497783743     
Nuevo Espanol en Marcha 1 - Libro del AlumnoFrancisca Castro, Pilar Díaz, Ignacio Rodero, Carmen SardineroSGEL9788497783736     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 TestsThe 2 tests are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabulary covered, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability25%
Midterm examThe midterm exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered up to this point, their reading and listening comprehension and written ability.25%
Final examThe final exam is designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary covered,their reading and listening comprehension, and the written ability25%
Class participation and homeworkStudents are expected to come prepared to class with all the material required and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice. 10%
Oral proficiencyIn class activities, Midterm (5%) and final oral exam/oral presentation (5%). Students are examined singularly and in pairs or small groups. The types of tests are: conversation between the two students or the small groups, monologues, role playing.15%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

Students are supposed to come prepared to class and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice. Regular attendance is an essential component of class participation. Students are allowed four absences. The final grade will be lowered by 2 points for each additional absence. Make sure your travel plans do not interfere with the class schedule. 

Two late entrances or leaving early from class for two times count as one absence.

MAKE-UPS

The Midterm and Final Exam can only be made up with approval from the Dean of Academic Affairs  (Please see the John Cabot University Catalogue and Student Handbook). The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. 
The same policy is applied for the Quizzes. Students who will be absent from a quiz must notify the Professor before the Quiz and individual arrangements for make-ups will be done only for students with medical emergencies or any other valid reasons. 

Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.

 
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1 - 21-23 January

Introducing yourself and introducing a person (formal/informal)

Pronunciation: the Spanish alphabet

The noun and the determinate articles

The gender of the adjectives of nationality

Week 2 - 28-30 January

Professions. Asking and telling telephone numbers

Numbers from 0-20

Personal pronouns

Present tense of regular verbs (three conjugations) and irregular verbs to be and to have (ser and tener)

Interrogative pronouns (que, como donde)

Week 3 - 4-6 February

Describing your family

The plural forms of nouns

Prepositions: locators in place

Possessive adjectives

Demostrative adjectives and pronouns: este, ese, aquel

Week 4 - 11-13 February

Telling and asking the time. The days of the week

Ordering breakfast

Numbers from 21 to 5.000

Prepositions: locators in time (por, de, a, hasta)

QUIZ 1 Thursday 13 February

Week 5 - 18-20 February

Talking about your weekly routine (work and leisure)

Adverbs and markers of frequency

Present tense of reflexive verbs

Present tense of irregular verbs

Week 6 - 25-27 February

Describing your home: furniture and parts of a house

Booking a room in a hotel

Ordinal numbers

The use of Hay/Esta

Definite and indefinite articles

Week 7 - 3-5 March

Midterm review

MIDTERM EXAM . 5 March


SPRING BREAK 9-13 March


Week 8 - 17-19 March

Talking about preferences

The verb to like (gustar)

Quantifying preferences: Mucho/poco/nada/bastante

Week 9 - 24-26 March

Ordering lunch and dinner in a restaurant. Recipes of the world

Regular forms of the imperative

Inviting someone, refusing or accepting an invitation. The verb quedar

Present continuous Estar + gerund

Gerund of regular, irregular and reflexive verbs


Week 10 - 31 March - 2 April

Asking and telling how to get to a place in public transport

Describing your neighborhood

Quantifying with indefinite adjectives (algún, ningún, poco, mucho, bastante, nada)


Week 11 - 7-9 April

Describing people: appearance and personality

Uses and differences of Ser/Estar

Use of Muy/mucho

QUIZ 2 Tuesday 7 April

Week 12 - 14-16 April 

Asking and giving directions

Talking about the past


Week 13 -21-23 April

Regular forms of pretérito indefinido

The past tense: differences between pretéritito perfecto/pretérito indefinido

Week 14 - 28-30 April

Final review 

ORAL EXAMS

Final examinations (date to be confirmed)