327
Peters www.oberlin.edu/faculty/sfaber
Off.hrs.: M & W,
Messages: The
fastest and most efficient way to contact me is via email. You can also leave a
message on my voicemail or with Blanche Villar at x55256, or stick a written note
in my box in 301 Peters.
Class website on BLACKBOARD http://bb.oberlin.edu (Intermediate Spanish
I)
Texts:
·
Conexiones. Comunicación y cultura. 2nd ed. Libro del alumno. Zayas, Bazán, Bacon, García, 2002.
·
Conexiones. Comunicación y cultura. 2nd ed.Workbook. Zayas, Bazán, Bacon,
García, 2002.
·
Conexiones. Comunicación y cultura. 2nd ed. Workbook Answer Key. Zayas, Bazán, Bacon, García, 2002
Internet:
·
Conexiones. Website: http://www.prenhall.com/conexiones
Spanish 202 is the first part of a
two-semester Intermediate Spanish sequence whose main goal is to help students
consolidate and review the linguistic skills acquired in Elementary Spanish
(101 and 102 or equivalent courses). This course focuses on the development of
listening and speaking skills, in addition to reading and writing abilities.
The course will achieve this goal by (a) providing students with opportunities
to practice Spanish in a variety of contexts, (b) promoting active communication
among the students in the classroom, (c) using Spanish as the only
communication tool, (d) using authentic materials as much as possible, (e)
promoting an understanding of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world by
providing students with opportunities to engage themselves in activities that
involve direct contact with Spanish native speakers outside the classroom.
Pacing
and planning are crucial to succeeding in the course. Learning a
language, like playing an instrument or being an athlete, requires daily practice and a heavy time
investment. In addition to the three class hours and one-hour conversation
session, you can expect to spend at least an additional eight hours per week on homework, assignments, and activities of
different kinds.
PREREQUISITES
You must have completed Spanish 102 at Oberlin or taken the placement
exam to enroll in this class. If you
have not taken the placement exam, you must do so immediately. (See B.Villar,
301 Peters, x55256)
A 93-98 B 83-87 C 73-78
A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 F
0-62
If you present documentation of an
emergency, be it medical or otherwise, your instructor will do everything he
can to help you make up missed classwork. The general rule, however, is the
following: no late work is accepted and
no make-up exams or quizzes will be given.
It is your responsibility to attend
class and keep track of your absences. In case circumstances arise that prevent
you from attending class you are allowed
three (3) absences, about which
questions will not be asked nor excuses solicited. These three absences are not
“free” but should be used to account for doctor’s appointments, colds,
funerals, weddings, etc. It is also essential to be on time. Coming in late
will count as part of an absence. In accordance with Hispanic Studies
Department policy, for any absence more than three (3), one percentage point per absence will be deducted from your final class
grade. Any student who has missed more
than 10 classes will automatically fail the course.
In addition to the Monday, Wednesday
and Friday classes, you are required to attend a small-group, one-hour
conversation session on Thursdays (time and place TBA). These sessions, led by
our Graduate Assistant Raquel Arellando Angarita, are meant to provide you with
extra opportunities to read, speak, listen, and practice the material covered
in class. As with the regular classes, attendance is obligatory. You are allowed two (2) absences. For
any absence more than two, one
percentage point per absence will be deducted from the final Conversation and
Review Session grade.
All students
are required to participate in at least three
(3) cultural activities per month (12 in the course of the semester). These include any events organized at
the Casa Hispánica, such as the Café Latino on Friday evenings; as well
as excursions and the lunches and dinners
at the Rincón Latino in Stevenson or
at any of the Spanish tables in the co-ops
(note: lunches and dinners count for
½ of an activity). Public lectures,
films, and conferences related to the Spanish-speaking world count as well.
When in doubt whether something counts or not, check with me. All students will
report the activities attended at the end of the month using the report sheets available on Blackboard
under Syllabus. These reports are covered by the honor code.
You are expected to adhere strictly
to the Oberlin Honor Code. This means you cannot give or receive aid in the
completion of exams, quizzes, or any work prepared outside of class that is to
be submitted for a grade. This includes
the compositions: you may not have anyone read over or correct your
compositions, or help you write them.
1. In-class
performance 10%
2. Homework
& Daily quizzes (pruebitas) 10%
3. Compositions
(3) 15%
4. Lab
assignments 10%
5. Conversation
sessions 10%
6. Chapter tests
(pruebas) (5) 30%
7. Final exam
(cumulative) 15%
1.
IN-CLASS
PERFORMANCE
Your in-class performance grade also
includes your attitude towards your classmates, the degree to which you have
prepared your assignments as well as your oral participation—in terms of
quantity as well as quality (fluency, accent, etc). You are expected to study
and prepare the assignments given on the syllabus BEFORE coming to class. This goes especially for the grammar
explanations. To participate actively, you will need to come to class well
prepared in terms of vocabulary and ideas. Likewise, you will need to come
willing to participate expressing yourself. Oral communication does not imply
perfection, but it does necessitate an increasing ability and willingness to
convey what you want to say in Spanish. You will receive three (3) in-class
performance grades throughout the semester.
2.
HOMEWORK AND
DAILY QUIZZES
Homework is obligatory. It will be
assigned almost every class from the textbook, workbook, or other sources.
Although homework from the textbook is generally not collected, not doing it
makes it impossible for you to fully participate in class. If you miss a class,
you are still responsible for doing the work. Doing homework from the workbook is your own responsibility. You are
expected to do the exercises for the day they are assigned, and check them
yourself with the answer manual. Mark
and correct your mistakes with a different color pen. The workbook
exercises will generally be collected and graded on the day of the chapter
tests.
As a rule, every time you are
required to study vocabulary or particular grammar points you will be given a
short, 5-minute quiz/pruebita at the
beginning of class. In the final class of every lección, there will be a slightly longer, 10-minute quiz/pruebita
covering the grammar and vocabulary of the entire lección.
3.
COMPOSITIONS
You will write two versions for each of
the three compositions. To help you learn from past mistakes, it is a good idea
to make a composition folder in
which to keep your compositions, rewrites, and grade sheet. When submitting a
rewrite, the first version should always be included. Compositions are to be typed and double-spaced (approximately 250 words per page). Remember you cannot let anyone else write
or correct your composition – this will be considered a violation of the honor
code and treated as such (see “Honor Code” above). Needless to say, any form of plagiarism
violates the honor code as well. In the compositions you will accomplish three
things: (1) you will practice the language functions you learn in class ; (2) you will practice and integrate the grammar and
vocabulary covered during the previous weeks; (3) you will learn to express
yourselves in Spanish in different genres for different audiences (journalism,
essay, etc.).
Rewrites are required for all three compositions, and
they should substantially improve upon the original in order to raise the grade
(by a maximum of 7%, i.e. if you got
an B- or 81% on your first draft you cannot get higher than a B+ or 88%). As always,
no late work will be accepted. Compositions will be graded based on several
features of your work, including grammatical accuracy, but by no means limited
to it. They will also be graded on content, structure, level of difficulty, and
originality.
4.
LAB ASSIGNMENTS (ASIGNATURAS GRABADAS)
For every chapter, you are required to do two lab assignments, for which you will have to record
yourself speaking in Spanish
(either in audio or video), save the file, and submit it through Blackboard’s
Digital Drop Box. It is highly recommended
that you do these assignments in the language lab (Peters Hall), because the assignments can only be opened
and graded if sent in the correct file format and with the correct compression
settings. In addition to an orientation session in the lab, there are hard-copy and on-line manuals available, as well as
personal help from the lab assistants.
The
lab assignments are due by
6. CHAPTER TESTS (PRUEBAS)
There will be five pruebas that will be based on the material covered in each lección. The average of your pruebas will be your pruebas grade. Lección 6 will be
incorporated into the final.
7. FINAL EXAM
The final exam is cumulative, that is, it consists of all the materials studied
throughout the semester.