Professor: Pedro Cabello del Moral
Semester: Fall 2018
Course: SPAN 1010 Course Code: 19931 Classroom: James Hall 2613
Class time: Monday and Wednesday /09.30-10.45 am
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday > by appointment
Professor’s e-mail: pcabellodelmoral@gradcenter.cuny.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The objective of this course is to give students the opportunity to learn the basics for reading, writing and speaking Spanish. To do so, students are required to actively participate in class and to prepare the weekly assignments.
The process of learning the basics of Spanish language is accompanied by the exploration of the history and culture of Latin American, Spanish, and Latinxs, both in their countries of origin and within diasporic communities.
The course is conducted mainly in Spanish with limited explanations in English. The goal of this method is to immerse students in the language providing the exposure needed in order to begin the process towards fluency.
MATERIALS
AVENTURAS Supersite vhlcentral.com, Workbook/Video Manual and Lab Manual.
https://www.vhlcentral.com/home
COURSE CORE GOALS
By the end of the course, students will have developed solid competencies in several areas: Communication, Relations, Comparisons, Cultures, and Communities. Main objectives include:
- Ability to comprehend and respond to basic conversational patterns
- Proficiency and knowledge of basic grammatical structures and terminologies
- Basic proficiency in reading and writing the language
- Knowledge of significant cultural practices and historical events from the Spanish-speaking world
- Ability to use technology for researching on selected topics in Spanish
- Ability to use and elaborate tools for learning, whether they are visual, acoustic, audiovisual, etc.
METHODOLOGY
The sessions include a series of resources: in-class inductive grammar presentation, communicative learning, listening and reading comprehension, performances of skits in small groups, question-answer group exercises, conversations, student-to-student interaction in Spanish, films/television, music, and written assignments (possibly including journal/composition writing, email correspondence, homework, biweekly quizzes).
Students are encourage contribute to class and group discussions both by asking and by answering questions. Students will use Spanish (to the best of their capacities) in these interactions.
Students´ progress will be tested by means of a midterm and a final exam.
Students will also deliver a group presentation of a project in Spanish at the end of the semester before the final exam. The form and content will be discussed with the instructor in advance.
Course components and methods of evaluation:
Exams: Midterm 20% Final 20% Total 40%
Homework (online homework and projects): 30%
Participation and Attendance: Online tutorials 10% Class participation 10% (class interventions + blog posts) Attendance 10%* Total 30%
*ATTENDANCE
Poor attendance almost invariably has an adverse effect on a student’s overall performance. An excess number of absences will have a significant impact on the student’s final grade. Latecomers are welcome, but notice that arriving more than 15 minutes late will count as an absence. If any student is unable to regularly arrive on time or needs to leave the class earlier, he/she/they must notify the instructor.
CLASS DECORUM
- Students may show maturity in the respect of their peers and the environment of the classroom.
- Students may not use their cellular phone in class, read any material unrelated to the course, or eat during class.
- Plagiarism and cheating on the assignments are not be acceptable and will result in penalties on the final grade.
GRADING SCALE
A = 93, A- = 90 Outstanding work receives an A; outstanding work far exceeds what is expected (superior).
B+ = 87, B = 83, B- = 80 Excellent work receives a B; excellent work exceeds what is expected (above average).
C+ = 77, C = 73, C- = 70 Good work receives a C; good work basically meets expectations (average).
D+ = 67, D = 63, D- = 60 Acceptable work receives a D; acceptable work is not particularly good but is not failing (below average).
F = 59 and below Unacceptable work receives an F; unacceptable work demonstrates poor effort and/or understanding (failing).
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Dishonesty: The use of online translation programs or the submission of work that is not your own constitutes cheating according to College policy, and will result in a grade of zero for the given assignment and/or the course and possible referral to the Dean of Academic Affairs. You are permitted to use a dictionary or an online dictionary, as long as the work is your own. Any cited text, quotations, or ideas that are not your own but which you use in an assignment must be cited and recognized in a bibliography or bibliographic footnote. Ideas or text that is not your own and whose source is not given credit constitutes plagiarism and penalties will be applied.
Religious Observance: Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their instructor in writing at the beginning of the semester and should discuss with their instructor, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence.
Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities: Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity will be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements—prior to the absence—for making up missed work.
Disabilities: The Center for Student Disability Services (CSDS), located in 138 Roosevelt Hall, is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities enjoy an equal opportunity to participate in the classrooms, programs, and services that the college has to offer by facilitating the necessary accommodations. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall be denied a benefit or opportunity or be excluded from participation solely on the basis of that disability. Services provided by the center include: Preadmission interviews, Priority registration, Accommodations, A CUNY LEADS counselor who facilitates successful academic and career outcomes, Referrals to the most appropriate resources on campus, Assistance in developing self-advocacy skills, ADA Part-Time TAP Program, Assistive technology, Auxiliary aids (readers, writers, laboratory assistants), New York State voter registration
In addition, the center offers adaptive equipment for studying, taking tests, tutoring, and other academic activities. A wide variety of equipment and software is available, including a Dragon dictate speech-recognition system, a scanner with screen-access software, a text-to-speech synthesizer, magnification systems, CCTV systems, 17-inch VGA display monitors, braille and large print keyboards, and a braille printer. Computers allow many documents to be accessible in alternative formats, such as braille print or vocalized text.
Adaptive equipment and software are available through the center’s computer lab and its Mamie and Frank Goldstein Resource Center, 138 Roosevelt Hall. For more information, call 718.951.5538. For a list of locations of accessible computers on campus, visit the website: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/about/offices/studentaffairs/offices/disability.php
SYLLABUS/PLAN DE ESTUDIOS
| Date | In Class | Homework |
| 27
Aug |
– Introducción al curso (Introduction to the course) + Syllabus
|
(Purchase books)
Sing in for Supersite and CUNY commons |
| 29 Aug | Lesson 1
– Vocabulary: ‘Hola, ¿qué tal?’ – Grammar: Nouns and articles |
(Purchase books)
Mini Blog Post |
| 3 Sept | NO CLASS (Labor Day Holyday) | |
| 5 Sept
|
Lesson 1
– Grammar: Present tense of ser – Culture: Saludos y encuentros en distintos países. |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 10 Sept | NO CLASS | |
| 12 Sept | Lesson 1
– Grammar: Telling Time, Numbers. – Culture: ¿Qué sabes de los países hispanos? |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 17 Sept | Lesson 2
– Vocabulary: ‘Las clases’ – Grammar: Questions |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA |
| 19 Sept | NO CLASS | |
| 24 Sept | Lesson 2
– Grammar: Present tense of estar – Pronounciation: vowels – Culture: Estudios y universidades |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 26 Sept | Lesson 2
– Grammar: Present tense of –AR verbs. – Pronounciation: vowels – Culture: Estudios y universidades |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 1 Oct | Lesson 3
– Grammar: Present tense of –ER and –IR verbs – Vocabulary: La familia y la familia extendida. |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 3 Oct | Lesson 3
– Grammar: Present tense of tener and venir – Pronounciation: Diphthongs and linking – Culture: Migraciones y familias |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA
|
| 8 Oct | NO CLASS | |
| 10 Oct
|
Lesson 3
– Grammar: Descriptive and possessive adjectives – Culture: Migraciones y familias |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA |
| 15 Oct
|
Lesson 4
– Vocabulary: ‘El fin de semana’ – Grammar: Present tense of ir |
PROJECT 1
Online TBA |
| 17 Oct | Lesson 4
– Grammar: Verbs with irregular yo – Vocabulary: Deporte y cultura |
PROJECT 1 Due
Online TBA |
| 22 Oct | Lesson 4
– Grammar: Present tense of stem-changing verbs – Vocabulary: Deporte y cultura |
PROJECT 2
Online TBA
|
| 24 Oct | – Repaso general | PROJECT 2
Online TBA |
| 29 Oct | MIDTERM | |
| 31 Oct | – In-Class evaluation of the midterm
Lesson 5 – Grammar: Ser and estar, Present progressive – Pronounciation: Spanish b and v |
PROJECT 2
Online TBA
|
| 5 Nov | Lesson 5
– Vocabulary: ‘Las Vacaciones’ – Grammar: Direct Objects Nouns and Pronouns – Culture: Culturas pre-hispánicas I y ecoturismo |
PROJECT 2
Online TBA
|
| 7 Nov | Lesson 6
– Vocabulary: Comercio y trabajo – Grammar: Preterite tense of regular verbs |
PROJECT 2
Online TBA
|
| 12 Nov | Lesson 6
– Grammar: Indirect objects pronouns – Culture: Tianguis. Culturas pre-hispánicas II |
PROJECT 2 DUE
Online TBA
|
| 14 Nov | Lesson 6
– Grammar: Numbers 101 and higher, Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns – Culture: Maquilas y sweatshops |
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 19 Nov | Lesson 7
– Vocabulary: ‘La vida diaria’ – Grammar: Reflexive verbs, Indefinite and negative words – Pronounciation: r and rr |
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 21 Nov | Lesson 7
– Grammar: Preterite of ser and ir, Gustar – Culture: Tapas y bebidas |
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 26 Nov | Lesson 8
– Vocabulary: ‘¡A comer!’ – Grammar: Saber and conocer – Culture: Comida latina |
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 28 Nov | Lesson 8
– Grammar: Preterite of stem-changing verbs – Culture: Comida española |
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 3 Dic | Lesson 8
– Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives
|
PROJECT 3
Online TBA
|
| 5 Dic | – Exposición de los proyectos
– Desayuno navideño |
PROJECT 3 DUE
Online TBA
|
| 10 Dic | – Repaso general | Online TBA
|
| 12 Nov | – Reading Day/Final Examination | |
| FINAL EXAM
(DATE TO DETERMINE) |
Note that this syllabus is subject to change. Variations in content or assignments might be announced. Be aware of this and in case of absence make sure that you access the information of what has been discussed in class.
