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Course Materials

Grading Scale for Language Classes

Components of Course

Moodle and Course Folders

Guidelines for Compositions

Modern Language Laboratory

Contact Professor

Key to Composition Correction

Exams   1,    2   3,   4 

Policy on Absences and Make-Up Work

Advice and Links

Becky Boling

Attendance policy and grading scale: Because oral participation and regular practice are crucial to successful language learning, the Department of Romance Languages has established the following guidelines:

1) Students may miss no more than five classes (exception: medical or other problems approved in writing by the dean of Students) and still be able to pass any course in the 101-204 language sequence. This includes the T/Th sessions as well.

 2) To reflect the importance of oral work in the target language, participation will comprise 10% of the final grade in every language course and an oral examination (10%) will be given in the last weeks of the term.

 3)  Make Up Policy for Exams.  Make ups will be given at my discretion and only in the case of illness or personal emergencies. Please contact me before the day of the exam. If this is not possible you must contact me before the next class period to be able to schedule a make up. 

 4)  No late homework will be accepted.

 5) The following grading scales will apply to 101-204 courses:

A+ 98-100	B+ 89-91	C+ 81-83	D+ 72-74	F 0-66
A 95-97	B 86-88	C 78-80	D 69-71
A- 92-94	B- 84-85	C- 75-77	D- 67-68

NOTE: YOU MUST EARN A GRADE OF C- OR BETTER IN SPANISH 103 IN ORDER TO GO ON TO SPANISH 204.

 

Course Grade

40% 4 one hour exams

15% final exam

10% entrevista (examen) oral

10% participation (presentations, attendance,  participation in classroom activities, pop quizzes, actividad cultural.)

5% homework (tarea escrita, BCH, Quia etc...)

5% pruebas

15% compositions

Class Content and Homework

We will study chapters 11-14 of ¡Tú dirás!  and read five stories from Breves cuentos hispanos.  The grammar material in ¡Tú dirás! will be supplemented by optional readings from relevant chapters of English Grammar for Students of Spanish, a copy of which can be found in the library.  Please come to class having carefully read the material indicated in the To read/review column of the calendar for that day.

The M-W-F sections of the course, which introduce new grammar material, are taught by a Carleton faculty member; the T-Th practice sections are led by an advanced undergraduate TA.  Except for the first day, all classes are conducted entirely in Spanish, although the instructor is available to speak English outside of class.

Academic Honesty

All work in this class, including exams, compositions and essays, is expected to be your own. 
Cheating on exams, turning in assignments that do not represent your own work or properly recognize outside sources
(including material from the Internet), or having someone proofread or correct your work  before turning it in will be
reported to the Dean of Students Office for immediate disciplinary action.

Classroom etiquette

The proper title for a college faculty member in the Spanish-speaking world is profesor  or profesora together with the polite form of address (Usted).  Please observe this practice in the classroom as it will help you learn both the social and linguistic distinctions between Usted  and tú (you should use the latter with your classmates).  Outside class, you are welcome to speak with the instructor on a first-name basis if you wish.

You are responsible for all the material as distributed in the syllabus and/or assigned in class. Pop quizzes may be given at any time so keep up to date on the daily assignments.  Late homework will not be accepted.  Listen to the accompanying listening material several times before and during the time we are studying that lesson. From time to time, loop back and listen to previous lessons. It will be nice for you to realize how easy previous lessons will seem as you progress beyond them. The cd rom has very useful exercises and the web pages for the textbook offer additional, painless, practice.  Each "etapa" in each chapter has a "Vamos a escuchar" section which is a listening comprehension exercise.  These exercises are to be turned in to the language assistant on the dates according to the syllabus. 

Quia:  Online Workbook.  The Quia homework activities, all of which are to be completed on line, are due by midnight on the day indicated (please abide by the date on the calendar below, not the one listed on the Quia website); they may be resubmitted until a perfect score is obtained, but all resubmissions must meet the original deadline.  If you experience technical problems with the Quia website, please send an email to their customer support at bookhelp@quia.com; if you are unable to complete the assignment on time due to technical issues, please send the instructor an email describing the problem and listing the exercises you failed to submit.  Homework from ¡Tú dirás!  (TD), on the stories, and compositions are due in class on the day indicated.  Unexcused late homework will be counted only at the instructor's discretion.  Any exercises in the ¡Tú dirás!  textbook and  from the On-Line Activities Manual not indicated as homework on the calendar are for additional practice; you are not required to turn them in unless specified by the instructor, but you should be prepared to do them in class upon request.

I will also bring in extra readings from time to time and hopefully these will show you how well you are picking up your skills. There are situaciones in each lesson and I may assign these to partners to be presented in class. There will be plenty to go around for the whole class, but only a few people will be responsible for a situación in any one given lesson.

Lecturas: You will read authentic texts in the language. Whenever possible, incorporate as much of the active vocabulary as you can into your own writing and speaking. Read and reread the stories; figure out unknown vocabulary through context. Rehearse retelling the story and discussing its effect(s) and/or theme(s). You will be expected to complete written exercises for each of the readings we do.  After we discuss the story in class, reread it and try one or more of the following: 1) record your own version of it or your own analysis of it on a tape recorder or at the lab; 2) write a brief synopsis and commentary on it; 3) write your own story; 4) find and read another story in Spanish (or in English) by the same author and tell someone about the new story.

Presentación de lecturas:  Throughout the lesson there are cultural readings that you are to do on your own.  I will assign to assign presentations for the last day of the chapter lessons.  These presentations will consist of the same topics as the comentarios culturales and the integración sections in each chapter.  In addition to the information given in the text, I expect you to do a web search (in Spanish) for further information and bring a copy of this to class.  The presentation is to be in Spanish and is NOT to be read to the class.  You are to talk to us about the topic, summarize the main points in the unit and add some information that you have found.  You are encouraged to incorporate some visuals or media when possible (use of the overhead projector or a very brief powerpoint presentation would be appropriate.)  This will fall under participation.

Participation

Oral performance is 10% of your grade. Good oral performance means talking in class in Spanish at your own initiative, not waiting to be called on. It also means being an active partner in the pairs and group activities that are done in class. You will be expected to improve in your skills as the term progresses so the quality of your pronunciation and fluency will also be evaluated.  Random and gratuitous use of English in group or paired activities will count against your oral participation grade.  Being present in class does not guarantee a good or passing participation grade.  Your daily performance in the classroom should prepare you for the oral exam which comprises another 10% of your final grade.

Actividad Cultural

In addition to the classroom activities, I expect you to find opportunities outside of class either at Parish House, our language house, or in the dining halls for "la mesa española," or at one of many lectures and presentations hosted by the Spanish Section, Latin American Studies or LASO to involve yourselves with the language and/or culture understood in broad terms of the Hispanic world. You are to do two cultural activities (one must be interactive such as la mesa española) and write up a one page report in Spanish in each case to turn in. See the schedule for due dates.

Compositions

Compositions at this level should show a better control of the grammar.  I prefer that compositions be typed double spaced and turned in with reasonable borders (1" top and bottom and sides, New Times Roman font 12).  There will be a correct guide used for grading and to help you correct your errors for the revision. You will be expected to incorporate grammatical principals and structures with vocabulary being studied to write your compositions. At this stage you should not be making mistakes with the following items: 1) present indicative forms of verbs, 2) subject and verb agreement, 3) noun and adjective agreement, 4) gender and number of nouns, 5) personal "a" with direct object nouns referring to a person, (6) correct use of verbs like gustar, and (7) basic spelling of most words, including the correct use of written accents where necessary. If your composition has more than 5 instances of any of these kinds of errors, it will be turned back to you for rewrite without further attention from me and the final grade possible will be lowered by 10%. 

 Comments on the text and current pedagogy:

What follows are some of the basic assumptions made in current language acquisition pedagogy: Students are encouraged to use structures and vocabulary in meaningful contexts; hence the units in Tú Dirás are focused on subjects the authors feel of interest to students. A great deal of passive exposure is required before a learner will be able to absorb and produce the language. Whenever you can, try to use the text as a model for your own speaking and writing. Expand as much as possible on exercises in the book to force yourself to assimilate new vocabulary and structures. The more you read, write, and speak, the better will be all your skills in the language.

 My caution: Understanding a concept in language does not guarantee your ability to produce speech, much less accurate, correct speech. Passive learning is a stage, not the goal, of learning a language. In order to actively use the language well, you will also need to do a certain amount of memorization. You can understand how stem-changing verbs work in present and preterite tenses, be able more or less to recognize their meaning in a story or article or in a talk, and yet not be able to produce the correct form for "I" or "you" when you need it unless you take the time--as laborious as it may seem--to memorize that pedir, for instance, is pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, pidenin the present and pedí, pediste, pidió, pedimos, pedisteis, pidieron in the preterite. Verbs are particularly challenging in Spanish because of the numerous changes. During 103 you will have studied many of the most visible and significant issues in the language's grammar. I expect you to have a working knowledge and command of these issues before you continue on into 204.

 

Some skills you should already possess and use effortlessly and correctly at the beginning of 103:

1. present indicative of all verbs you know

2. correct form (gender, number) and position of adjectives

3. correct pronoun usage: subjects vs objects

4. reflexive verbs and pronouns: (lavarse, vestirse…)

5. personal "a"

6. ser and estar distinctions

7.  the formation of regular verbs in the preterite and formation of the imperfect and a basic understanding of some of the major uses

8.  correct pronunciation and use of written accents

9.  basic uses of present subjunctive

10.  formation of present perfect and future tenses

11.  correct use of indirect and direct object pronouns

12.  distinction between reflexive and nonreflexive verbs

Moodle for 103

Many exercises, worksheets, key to composition corrections will be found on MOODLE.  You can make your own copy of assignment sheets or help materials, and you should periodically check moodle for new materials and for assignments.

Friendly advice or how to do well in this class

 You will notice from the first day that the pace of the class is quite fast. Here are some tips on how to survive Spanish 103:

Don't miss class which is 5 days a week.

Be active in class

Keep up daily with the lab manual and workbook

Review thoroughly and often

Write out the exercises in the Activities Manual as we study them in the class. DO NOT CRAM

Identify concepts you may have difficulty with and come see me

Talk to your Language Assistant. Remember: they have done it all and have done it well!

If you find yourself drowning, let me know as soon as possible. There are resources on campus designed to help you swim again.

 

Semana	Fecha	Tópicos y actividades	Leer y repasar (Opcional: English Grammar for Students of Spanish: EGSS in library)	Tarea de Quía y para entregar
Una	Lun 26 marzo	Introducción al curso. Repaso de 101-102.
	Mar 27	Práctica.
	Miér 28 marzo	Capítulo 11.1 (primera eta.). Para empezar: en un restaurante. Repaso de los verbos como gustar. El verbo estar + adjetivos para expresar una condición resultante.	TD 358-366. [EGSS 74-75.]	Quia, capítulo 11: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11.
	Jue 29	Práctica.		TD p. 366, ejs. 11-12 (Vamos a escuchar 11.1, track 3-6).
	Vier 30	Capítulo 11.2 (segunda eta.). Para empezar: algunas recetas de Puerto Rico y Cuba. Los mandatos con los pronombres de complemento directo e indirecto. Expresiones negativas y afirmativas.	TD 367-375. [EGSS 53-55, 86-88.]
Dos	Lun  2 abril	Repaso del cap. 11.1-2	TD 358-375.	Quia, capítulo 11: 14, 16, 17, 18, 19.
	mar  3	Práctica.  Prueba 1 Verbos Como Gustar		TD p. 375, ejs. 26-27 (Vamos a escuchar 11.2, track 3-7).
	Miér  4 abril	Capítulo 11.3 (tercera eta.). Para empezar: la comida Tex-Mex. El se impersonal. Los pronombres relativos.	TD 376-381. [EGSS 104-108, 184-192	Composición 1
	Jue   5 abril	Práctica.		TD p. 381, ejs. 38-39 (Vamos a escuchar 11.3, track 3-8).
	Vier  6 abril	Capítulo 11, Comentarios culturales: Xitomatl, mahiz, papa. La cocina cubana y la puertorriqueña. El chile. Integración: Como agua para chocolate.  Discusión de la película Repaso.	TD 382-384.	TD p. 363, p. 372, p. 379 p. 383, ej. D (1-2). Quia, capítulo 11: 22, 25, 28. Presentaciones de las lecturas.
Tres	Lun  9 abril	Capítulo 12.1. Para empezar: los trenes en España. Usos especiales del futuro. Las preposiciones de lugar.	TD 390-398. [EGSS 96-97, 137-138.]
	Mar  10 abril	Examen 1 (TD cap. 11 + Como agua para chocolate).		TD p. 398, ejs. 12-13 (Vamos a escuchar 12.1, track 3-10).
	Miér 11 abril	Capítulo 12.2. Para empezar: un viaje por carretera. El pluscuamperfecto. Las preposiciones por y para.	TD 400-408. [EGSS 91-93.]	Quia, Capítulo 12: 1, 4, 8, 9, 10.
	Jue 12 Abril	Práctica.		TD p. 408, ejs. 27-28 (Vamos a escuchar 12.2, track 3-11).
	Vier 13 abril	Repaso del cap. 12.1-2. Cuento, "El sur" de Borges	TD 390-408.	TBA on "El sur" Quia, capítulo 12: 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18.
Cuatro	Lun  16 abril	Capítulo 12.3. Para empezar: los aeropuertos. El subjuntivo: repaso estructural. El subjuntivo en expresiones de emoción.	TD 409-417. [EGSS 79-85.]
	Mar 17 abril	Práctica.		TD p. 417, ejs. 41-42 (Vamos a escuchar 12.3, track 3-12).
	Miér 18 abril	Capítulo 12, Comentarios culturales: Los trenes en España. Kilómetros y millas para medir distancias. El Aeropuerto Internacional de México Benito Juárez Integración: Un recorrido por la Ciudad de México en metro. Repaso.	TD 418-419.	TD p. 396, p. 405, p. 414, p. 418, ej. C. Quia, capítulo 12: 20, 23, 24, 26. Presentaciones de las lecturas.
	Jue 19 abril	Examen 2 (TD cap. 12 + "El sur").
	Vier 20 abril	Capítulo 13.1. Para empezar: la pintura. Primera lectura: el muralismo mexicano. El subjuntivo con expresiones de duda y de incertidumbre. Segunda lectura:Frida K. Expresiones de certidumbre.	TD 426-435.
Cinco	Lun 23 abril	Capítulo 13.2. Para empezar: el arte popular. Primera lectura: las molas de los indios cunas. El subjuntivo con antecedentes no existentes. Segunda lectura: los santeros de Nuevo México. El subjuntivo con antecedentes desconocidos.	TD pp. 436-442.	Quia, capítulo 13: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. Composición 2
	mar 24 abril	Prueba 2:  el Subjuntivo		TD p. 435, ejs. 15-16 (Vamos a escuchar 13.1, track 3-14).
	Miér 25 abril	Repaso del cap. 13.1-2. Cuento, "La tarde prodigiosa de Baltasár" de Gabriel García Márquez	TD 426-442.	TBA on cuento Quia, capítulo 13: 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16.
	Jue  26 abril	Práctica.		TD p. 443, ejs. 35-36 (Vamos a escuchar 13.2, track 3-15).
	Vier 27 abril	Capítulo 13.3. Para empezar: la pintura española del siglo XX. Lectura: tres pintores españoles. Conjunciones con el subjuntivo. Lectura: El Museo del Prado y el Museo Reina Sofía. Las conjunciones con el infinitivo.	TD 444-451.	Actividad Cultural #1
Seis	Lun  30 abril	Día feriado, sin clase.
	Mar  1 mayo	Práctica.		TD p. 451, ejs. 52-53 (Vamos a escuchar 13.3, track 3-16).
	Miér  2 mayo	Capítulo 13, Integración: Picasso. Repaso.	TD 452-453.	TD p. 452, ej. B. Quia, capítulo 13: 18, 20.2, 21, 23, 24.
	Jue  3 mayo	Examen 3 (TD cap. 13 + "La tarde prodigiosa...").
	Vier  4 mayo	Capítulo 14.1. Para empezar: El Premio Nóbel de Literatura. Lectura: "Mientras baja la nieve". El subjuntivo con expresiones adverbiales que implican tiempo futuro.	TD 458-465.
Siete	Lun  7 mayo	Capítulo 14.2 Lectura: "Balada de los dos abuelos". El condicional. El condicional para hablar de acciones futuras en el pasado.	TD 469-477. [EGSS 99-101.]	Quia, capítulo 14: 1, 2, 3.2, 5, 7.
	Mar  8 mayo	Práctica.		TD p. 468, ejs. 18-19 (Vamos a escuchar 14.1, track 3-20).
	Miér 9 mayo	Repaso del cap. 14.1-2 Lectura:  El realismo mágico Lectura:  "El ahogado más hermoso del mundo" de García Márquez		Composición 3 Quia, capítulo 14: 12, 15.
	Jue 10 mayo	Práctica.		TD p. 477, ejs. 41-42 (Vamos a escuchar 14.2, track 3-21).
	Vier 11 mayo	Capítulo 14.3 El Imperfecto del subjuntivo y el condicional en oraciones con si Más sobre el subjuntivo  y la secuencia de los tiempos verbales Lectura: "El ahogado más hermoso del mundo" de García Márquez continuado
Ocho	Lun 14 mayo	Repaso del cap. 14.	TD 478-490.	Ensayo cultural #2 Quia, capítulo 14: 20, 24.
	Mar 15 mayo	Examen 4 (TD cap. 14).
	Miér 16 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 1-2.	Usigli 9-21.	Usigli p. 112E: 1, 3, 9, 12, 20; p. 114F: 1, 5, 7, 8, 13.
	Jue 17 mayo	Práctica.
	Vier 18 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 3-4. El imperfecto de subjuntivo.	Usigli 21-35. TD 466-467.	Usigli p. 116E: 6, 7, 11, 16, 19; p. 118E: 1, 6, 9, 17, 24.
Nueve	Lun 21 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 5-6. El imperfecto de subjuntivo y el condicional en oraciones con si	Usigli 39-52, (hasta la línea 13). TD 482-483.	Usigli pp. 120-21E: 1, 4, 10, 24, 25; p. 123F: 4, 6, 9, 12, 19.
	Mar 22 mayo	Práctica.
	Miér 23 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 7-8. La secuencia de tiempos	Usigli 52-68. TD 485.	Usigli p. 124-25E: 1, 2, 14, 21, 24; pp. 126-27D: 4, 7, 11, 15, 21.
	Jue 24 mayo	Práctica.
	Vier 25 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 9-10.	Usigli 71-86.	Usigli pp. 128-29E: 1, 4, 7, 15, 20; pp. 130-31D: 4, 5, 13, 14, 23.
Diez	Lun 28 mayo	El gesticulador, escenas 11-12. Repaso de TD cap. 14.	Usigli 87-102. TD cap. 14.	Usigli pp. 133-34D: 7, 8, 15, 20, 24; pp. 134-35E: 1, 6, 13, 16, 23.
	Mar 29 mayo	Práctica. Examen oral
	Miér 30 mayo	Repaso general y evaluaciones.