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Spanish for Beginners III
This is the final level in the three course sequence of Beginner Spanish. Prerequisites for this course are successful completion of SPAN 102 or sufficient score on the TCNJ Language Placement Test.
Learning Goals:
Students will begin SPA 103 by demonstrating the ability to successfully fulfill the goals established during SPA 101 and 102. During the first week of SPA 103, classroom activities and homework assignments will recycle that material through student-based activities. By the completion of SPA 103, students will demonstrate the ability to:
a) understand sympathetic native speakers* and at times non-sympathetic speakers when they: narrate and describe in the past, present and future.
b) successfully narrate and describe in the present and future and begin to do so in the past while conversing with sympathetic native speakers* and at times non-sympathetic speakers.
c) write compositions in complete paragraphs in the above mentioned tenses which are comprehensible to a sympathetic native reader.
d) read authentic texts dealing with cultural products, practices and perspectives.
e) recognize and compare cultural similarities and differences between their own culture and hispanic culture.
f) recognize and compare language similarities and differences between Spanish and English.
g) recognize the geography of Spain and Latin America (countries, capitals, rivers, mountain ranges etc).
*ACTFL defines a sympathetic native speaker as one who is accustomed dealing with foreign speakers of the language and who is able to see through those grammatical errors which would normally impede communication.
Grading Policy:
| 30% (10+20) | Chapter Tests (Dos mundos and Lola Lago) |
| 20% | Comprehensive Final Examination |
| 20% | Daily evaluations of oral performance |
| 10% | Active participation in conversation hour |
| 10% | Oral Test |
| 10% | In-class Written Assignments |
Grading Scale:
| A | 95 | B+ | 87 | C+ | 77 | D+ | 67 |
| A- | 90 | B | 83 | C | 73 | D | 65 |
| B- | 80 | C- | 70 | F | <65 |
Notes:
Tests: They test your mastery of the preceding lessons - vocabulary, grammar and Lola Lago (story line and characters). They have aural as well as written components, and last approximately 50 minutes. Tests are given on the stated day. There are no make-ups.
Oral test: All students will have one brief, individual interview with their instructor in order to evaluate their oral proficiency in the language. This proficiency interview will last three to five minutes and will be given on the day indicated on the class schedule. There are no make-ups.
Final Exam: The final exam is a departmental, comprehensive test which is administered in two parts: the aural component is given in the last day of class and the written component is given during the final exam period.
Class Participation: Study of a foreign language necessitates frequent exposure to the language and regular practice. For that reason, class attendance is mandatory in the classroom meetings as well as the weekly conversation hour. It will be difficult (or impossible) to complete the exercises and activities in class if you have not reviewed the grammatical explanations and completed the exercises beforehand. You are expected to come prepared to class, having reviewed the material to be covered and ready to submit homework assignments on time.
Classroom participation is evaluated on a daily basis. Daily evaluations are based upon the following scale:
6: Well prepared for class, excellent participation (in terms of quality AND quantity), solid control of grammar. Speaks only Spanish in class. In other words, excellent.
5: Prepared for class, a good deal of participation (in terms of quality AND quantity), some control of grammar. Speaks only Spanish in class. In other words, good.
4: Participates in class but showing evidence of insufficient grammatical preparation (quality). Speaks only Spanish in class.
4: Present in class but holding a rather passive, not pro-active attitude (i.e. answering only when addressed), even if showing evidence of sufficient, good or excellent preparation when asked. Speaks only Spanish in class.
3: Present in class but showing evidence of little or insufficient preparation overall and/or an unusually passive, apathetic attitude. Speaks only Spanish in class.
0: Resorts to English (without explicit permission from the instructor) to communicate with the instructor and/or their classmates. Preparation and language ability may be poor, adequate, good or excellent.
0: ABSENT (You cannot participate if you are not in class!)
Students who arrive LATE to class will lose one of their earned points for that class period.
The workload in this course is demanding and cumulative in nature, as a considerable amount of material is covered in a relatively short period of time. You are STRONGLY encouraged to seek help at the first sign of difficulty, and to keep up with the work on a daily basis. Tutoring is available free of charge at the Reading/Writing Lab in Forcina Hall 145.
Mon-Thu103 Mon-Wed103 Tue-Fri103
