Tompkins Cortland Community College
Spanish 201: Intermediate Spanish I (Independent Study) Spring 2006
Instructor: Dr. Gina Gammage-Sikora
Telephone: 758-3670 (h) 756-4047 (fax)
Course Prerequisites:
Before you can register for this class, you have to pass Spanish 102 with at least a "B+" or take a placement test, or have permission of the instructor. I will re-evaluate your Spanish language skills during the first week of class. If you are inappropriately placed in Spanish 201, I will recommend that you change levels.
Materials The following textbooks are required for Spanish 201.
Horizontes Gramática y Conversación, Fourth Edition, Ascarrunz Gilman & Bijuesca, Heinle & Heinle.
Horizontes,Cultura y literature. 4th ed.
2" 3-ring binder for all assignments and handouts.
The University of Chicago Spanish- English Dictionary.
English Grammar for Students of Spanish. Emily Spinelli.
Course description:
Spanish 201 builds on the basic competencies acquired in Spanish 101-102 to bring you up to an intermediate level in Spanish in all four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. The focus is on developing the ability to communicate by listening, speaking, reading and writing. At this level the student will show a genuine command of the language and will free herself from dependence on English. Moreover, at the end of each lesson the student will have another change to show her ability when challenged by native speakers will have to use more sophisticated vocabulary, structures and cultural topics. We will cover a selection of readings from the textbook. These readings will be important as motivators for communication and as sources of cultural information. Other sources of cultural information such as songs and film also will be used.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:
This course as is the case with all my course offerings, is rooted in the ideas of liberal learning. The underlying ideal in all of my classes whether they are literature-, culture-, or language based, is that all three of these elements are interwoven. The specific knowledge and perspectives that will be acquired in this class reflects the college's commitment to instilling in our students an acumen of themes and issues pertaining to Global Understanding (knowledge of the interconnectedness of the natural and human experience through exposure of the political, social, economic and religious differences of the target language's literature and civilization) and Social Justice (comparison and contrast of issues of social justice, equality and democracy between our society and those of the target language.)
The course format will be a combination of individual and group aural and written work. The instructor will also lecture on grammatical structures in real-life contexts, however, large part of each class will be devoted to different exercises and activities in class that promote the use of the language. There will also be use of multi-media instructional aids in and outside of class.
Make use of all the tools and resources available in and outside the College to reinforce your knowledge of the Spanish language and culture.
Student will be required to attend extra-curricular events related to Spanish-speaking
Culture.
Homework
Homework will be assigned most days.
Homework will generally not be collected, but the professor may collect any homework without notice at the beginning of the class and it will be graded. These assignments will come from the textbook, workbook/lab manual , handout package and other sources.
Make sure that you use pencil when you prepare the assignments in the workbook and lab manual.
The workbook basically constitute a self-study packet, which you will be completing on your own. You may, however, want to stop by the office to go over any of your workbook responses which were incorrect and which you do not understand.
Rating scale for homework & lab work:
Graded homework will be based -on a scale of 1-10.
The homework and lab work collected will be checked on a credit/no credit bases, using the
following rating scale:
X : no credit: assignment is too incomplete; assignment evidence little time,
care, or effort; assignment completed incorrectly, or incorrect assignment completed.
: partial credit: assignment is deficient in one or more aspects; incomplete, or
shows a lack of sufficient time , care and effort spent in it; no self corrections etc.
V : assignment is "satisfactory", and meets all minimum requirements.
V+ : assignment goes well beyond minimal requirements in length and degree of
development; also: a great deal of time, care and effort are evident.
Oral Evaluation There will be one oral evaluation at the end of the semester. The topics to be tested in this evaluation will be taken from the cultural material presented during the course of the semester.
Tests
Short oral quizzes frequently. The quiz will be drawn from recent class work and written assignments. Your best preparation for quizzes is to do the homework conscientiously. At the professor's discretion, a quiz may be given as a take-home, or a homework assignment may be collected and counted as a quiz.) This procedure is intended for keeping you "on your toes" with the material covered in class.
Getting Extra Help:
There are many Spanish language resources on-line, including the site: www.studyspanish.com Here you can, if you wish, sign up for a daily mini-lesson in Spanish delivered in your e-mail.
Accommodation Policy:
It is the College's policy to provide, on an individual basis, reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities which may affect their ability to fully participate in program or course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Coordinator of Learning Assistance Services, at (607) 844-8211 x4375, to discuss their particular need for accommodations.
I look forward to working with you and welcome you to my class.
The following schedule is tentative and subject to change. If you miss a class is your responsibility to contact me to stay current. You will be held responsible for homework assigned in class in addition to what is listed below and/or any changes. Additional activities will be assigned in class as we proceed through the chapters.
Programa Tentativo
Week 1
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
Unidad 1
Week 2
CL. Lecturas: Cuba
GC. Qué saben Uds. de Cuba?; Composición
Week 3
Unidad 2
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
Week 4
CL. Lecturas: España
GC. Qué saben Uds. de España?; Composición
Week 5
Unidad 3
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
Week 6
CL. Lecturas: Perú
GC. Qué saben Uds. de Perú?; Composición
Week 7
Unidad 4
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
Week 8
CL. Lecturas: Bolivia
GC. Qué saben Uds. de Bolivia?; Composición
Week 9
Unidad 5
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
CL. Lecturas: México
GC. Qué saben Uds. de México?; Composición
Week 11
Unidad 6
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
CL. Lecturas: Chile
GC. Qué saben Uds. de Chile?; Composición
Week 13
Unidad 7
GC. Vocabulario para la comunicación. Perspectivas. Gramática. Ojo con estas palabras!
CL. Lecturas: Argentina
GC. Qué saben Uds. De Argentina?; Composición
Trabajo Final, Presentación oral
". . .all man by nature desire to know. The reason for this can be
and is that each thing, impelled by a force provided by its own nature, inclines towards its own perfection. Since knowledge is the ultimate perfection of our soul, in which resides our ultimate happiness, we are all therefore by nature subject to a desire for it. . . "
The Banquet, Book1 Ch.1
Dante