Sílabo

Spanish 203/TR 9:30-10:45, Spring 2008

Prof. Leslie Bary

My Office
443 Griffin Hall – 482-6814 – lbary@louisiana.edu

Office Hours

TR 3:30-5 in 443 Griffin, and by appointment M and W 8-3:30 in 418 Griffin

Course Website

http://spanish203.wordpress.com. This is linked to Moodle, and our enrolment key there is EXWEhKRi.

Course Goals

Develop reading skills in Spanish, in tandem with grammar review and practice in writing, speaking, and listening. Deepen cultural knowledge and awareness of the Hispanic world.

Materials

All required materials are online. Detailed list, with links, on course website. You may want to buy and use for reference Resnick’s Essential Spanish Grammar (it is concise, light, and inexpensive), a laminated verb chart (available in bookstores), and/or a paper dictionary – although we do have numerous grammar references and dictionaries available on line.

Our primary grammar reference and exercise set is Barbara K. Nelson’s, at http://www.colby.edu/personal/b/bknelson/exercises/.

Workload and Grading

1. Class participation (20%): Daily reading and homework; four short quizzes (I’ll count the three best grades for a total of 10%).

2. Compositions (20%): Two (10% each; each one will be graded twice).

3. Oral presentations and informal oral work (20%): Two: one as a member of a group, one on your own.

4. Exam (20%): Final = composition and oral conversation.

Tentative Schedule

Precise dates of activities TBA via the course website and Moodle. There are four content-based units, each corresponding to a project (composition or oral presentation), and nine grammatically oriented units, developed by Barbara K. Nelson (Colby College) and available at http://www.colby.edu/personal/b/bknelson/exercises/.

a. Nelson: “Ofrendas”

1. READING: POETRY BY NICOLAS GUILLEN (+ Oral Presentation 1 and Quiz 1).

b. Nelson: “Ojalá que llueva café” y “¿Dónde jugarán los niños?”

2. READING (+ Composition 1 and Quiz 2)

c. Nelson: “La historia de Juan” y los ejercicios que elijan ustedes los estudiantes

3. READING (+ Composition 2 and Quiz 3)

d. Nelson: “Instantes”

4. FILM (+ Oral Presentation 2 and Quiz 4)

FAQ’s

* The policy on academic dishonesty is that of the University. Please see your Student Handbook for details!

* You may miss two days (three hours) of class for any reason. A greater number of absences will affect your final grade.

* A diverse group of people, with a heterogeneous set of skills in Spanish, will be taking this class. Please see me as soon as possible if the course seems either too easy or too difficult. You may need to be placed in a higher level course, or to be set up with a tutor.

* Students with disabilities, please inform me of your situation so that we can make arrangements.
* Everyone please be aware of the directions to FIRE EXITS posted near the Griffin Hall elevators and stairwells.

Language Skills Emphasis for This Course: What We Will Practice

En términos gramaticales, los temas que más nos importan son 1) los pronombres de complemento (directo, indirecto, doble), 2) el pretérito y el imperfecto, 3) el subjuntivo en el presente y el pasado (incluyendo las cláusulas de si), y 4) el presente y pasado perfecto (el pluscuamperfecto).

En términos del uso del lenguaje, haremos hincapié en 1) contar cosas vistas, 2) resumir cosas leídas, 3) comentar los asuntos que surjan de las lecturas y de nuestras conversaciones, y 4) expresar opiniones, preferencias, y sugerencias.

Language Skills Expectations for This Course: What You Are Expected to Know Already

In March, 2005, the Spanish faculty at UL Lafayette endorsed the following expectations for students who pass Spanish 201, and enter Spanish 203. I am assuming, therefore, that students who enter Spanish 203, meet these expectations. If you do not, and you hope to pass Spanish 203, you should begin working with a tutor from the first day of class forward.

“Students who pass Spanish 201, or who are about to begin Spanish 203, should be able to:
§ Read and understand information, descriptions, and simple narrative texts that use the past, present and/or future tenses and employ authentic language, expressions, and cultural information;
§ Write guided prose of 2-3 paragraphs (one page) in the present, future and/or past, on any of the topics presented in the 101-102-201 text, speaking about their past experiences (preterit, impertect tenses), future plans (future tense), and their daily routine (present tense), as well as expressing their opinions, hopes, doubts, desires, etc. (present subjunctive) on these topics. (Most students will not, however, exhibit control of the preterit/imperfect and subjunctive/indicative distinctions).
§ Express themselves orally on the same topics and in the same tenses mentioned above. (Again, most students will not exhibit good control of the preterit/imperfect and subjunctive/indicative distinctions.)
§ Be aware of Hispanic culture, based on the topics presented in the 101-102-201 text.”

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EARLIER DRAFT OF SYLLABUS AND PERHAPS NOTES FOR NEXT TIME:

Materials: Barbara K. Nelson’s Spanish grammar exercises and a series of short readings, all accessible from this site. The films Buena Vista Social Club, which we will see together early in the semester, and Ay Carmela, which we will see toward the end. Two other films (one Cuban, one Argentine or on desaparecidos) to be chosen from a list. One additional film to be chosen by the student.

Requirements:
Two oral presentations of two minutes each. 10%.
Two compositions based on the oral presentations, each to be turned in twice (in draft and in final version). 20%.
Two one hour midterms based on our readings and grammar exercises. 20%.
One final examination, again based on readings and grammar exercises. 20%.
Final oral presentation, based on a film of our choice. 10%.
Attendance, participation, homework, improvement. 20%.

Schedule:

Week 1: Buena Vista and reading on Buena Vista.
Week 2: Barbara K. (module 1, Ofrendas) and see film on your own.
Week 3: Reading and composicion oral.
Week 4: Barbara K (module 2, ojala que llueva cafe). and composition draft.
Week 5: Reading and composition final.
Week 6: Reading, review, and test.
Week 7: Barbara K (module 3, donde jugaran los ninos) and see film.
Week 8: Reading [Los mejor calzados and surrounding material] and composicion oral.
Week 9: Barbara K. (module 8, novia del campo, amapola) and composicion escrita.
Week 10: Reading and composicion final version.
Week 11: Reading, review, and test.
Week 12: Barbara K. Nelson (module 9, instantes).
Week 13: Reading and start working on film for final presentation.
Week 14: Prepare and start seeing Ay Carmela or El espinazo del diablo. Reading on Ay Carmela or El espinazo del diablo.
Week 15: Finish seeing and discuss Ay Carmela or El espinazo del diablo. Review.

THAT IS 5 pieces of Barbara K. and 7 sets of reading, if one includes on this reading of the 2 films.

Otra es qué más hará la clase. I say: composicion oral week 3, composicion escrita week 4, composicion version corregida week 5, test week 6, fall break week 7, composicion oral week 8, composicion escrita week 9, composicion corregida week 10, test week 11, composicion oral week 12, composicion escrita week 13, thanksgiving week 14, composicion corregida week 15. That is two midterms, two oral presentations, two compositions, two corrected compositions, and a final which should in my view include an oral interview.

How to structure this with the oral compositions and the film concept. Have the first composition be on Cuban films … next on Ay Carmela … next on desaparecidos … Hmmm. There is so much to choose from it is very interesting.