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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SPAN 101-1"
COURSE NAME: "Introductory Spanish I"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sofia Sanz Alonso
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 1:00 PM 2:50 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. 
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

 

By presenting the language in a variety of authentic contexts, the course also seeks to provide an introduction to Spnish 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 Español en marcha 1-Libro del AlumnoFrancisca Castro, Pilar Díaz, Ignacio Rodero, Carmen SardineroSgel9788497783736     
Nuevo Español en marcha 1 - Cuaderno de ejerciciosFrancisca Castro, Pilar Díaz, Ignacio Rodero, Carmen SardineroSgel97884977883743     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
3 TESTSThe three tests are designed to evaluate the student's knowledge of the grammar, vocabulary coverd, 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 and participate in all activities. Active participation is crucial, since the learning process requires considerable practice10%
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 cour
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:
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 three (four if it’s an eight-credit course) unjustified 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 count as one absence.

MAKE-UPS

Individual arrangements for make-ups will be done only for students with medical emergencies or any other valid reasons. 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).
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 -   1-3 September

 

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 -  8-10 September

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 -  15-17 September

Describing your family

The plural forms of nouns

Prepositions: locators in place

Possessive adjectives

Demostrative adjectives and pronouns: este, ese, aquel

 

QUIZ 1

 

Week 4 -  22-24 September

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)

Week 5 -  29 September-1 October

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 -  6-8 October

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

QUIZ 2

 

Week 7 -  13-15 October

Talking about preferences

The verb to like (gustar)

Quantifying preferences: Mucho/poco/nada/bastante

 

Week 8 -  20-22 October

Midterm review

MIDTERM REVIEW and MIDTERM ORAL EXAMS

 

Week 9 - 27-29 October

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 -  3-5 November

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

Describing your neighborhood

Quantifying with indefinite adjectives (algún, ningún, poco, mucho, bastate, varios)

Week 11 -  10-12 November

Describing people: appearance and personality

Uses and differences of Ser/Estar

Use of Muy/mucho

QUIZ 3 

 

Week 12 - 17-19 November

Asking and giving directions

Talking about the past

The weather. Months and seasons

The past tense: differences between pretéritito perfecto/pretérito indefinido

Regular forms of pretérito indefinido

Week 13 -  24-26 November

Describing clothes. Going shopping

Talking about future plans voy a +  infinitive

Week 14 -  1-3 December

ORAL EXAMS

FINAL REVIEW

 

Final examinations (date to be confirmed)