Brandeis University
Romance Studies Department
HISP 106
Spanish Composition, Grammar, and Stylistics
Spring 2015
Profesora: Azlin Perdomo
Oficina: Rabb 256
Teléfono: 781.736.4976
Horario de oficina: MWTH 11 to 12 PM & by appointment
Email:
Hisp106 fulfills the Foreign Language and School of Humanities Distribution Requirements and is a Writing Intensive Course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The aim of this course is to learn and develop clear, concise, idiomatically, and socio-linguistically correct written expressions in Spanish in a variety of prose styles.Writing is learned by actually writing and reading, therefore you will be required to write almost on a daily basis and, through reading, composing, revising, and correcting, you will make great progress in the development of your writing skills. We will discuss linguistic and stylistic techniques in different types of texts, and we will do some error analysis relevant to the learning process. By reading and discussing closely different types of texts, you will pay particular attention to the mechanics of the writing: style, grammar, idiomatic expressions, and vocabulary. There are two major steps to take in consideration: (1) writing and (2) reading. The first step is that writing follows a process that involves the development of ideas, the organization of those ideas, writing and rewriting. The second step is that reading is the clue to write well. One of the most effective ways to learn to write well is to learn to read well.
You will explore four major modes of writing: description, narration, exposition and argumentation. The first two modes will help you explore creative writing, and the last two will lead you into academic writing.
PLACEMENT:
Brandeis prerequisite: Hisp 105.
SAT II: 620 or higher fulfills language requirement
AP scores: 1 or 2: 20-level course
3: 30-level course
4: 105 course in HISP
5: 106 course in HISP
Note: Students enrolling for the first time in a Spanish course at Brandeis must take the online placement exam.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students taking this course will:
• be able to appreciate basic differences between oral and written Spanish.
• produce original texts using their own creative ideas and opinions.
• express their ideas, opinions and beliefs in a clear, concise and persuasive manner in a written form.
• learn to differentiate between various types of written texts in Spanish.
• increase their Spanish vocabulary and apply writing techniques such as concision, precision and avoidance of repetition to their own texts.
• continue to improve their grammatical proficiency in Spanish.
• evaluate their own work and be able to edit their texts following instructions or comments from their instructor.
• analyze and apply ideas from various sources and learn to quote from them using the MLA format.
• display an understanding of other cultures and be aware of cultural differences when writing in the foreign language.
• be able to communicate in an oral form their analysis of a text as well as engage the classroom in interesting discussions about it.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS:
• Dimitriou, Agnes L., Sempere-Martínez, Juan A., Sweeney, Frances M. Modelos: An Integrated Approach for Proficiency in Spanish. 2nd ed., New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2012.
• García Márquez, Gabriel. Crónica de una muerte anunciada. 7th ed. 2007. ISBN 978-84-9759-243-7. (Note: You can purchase any edition of this novel)
RECOMMENDED TEXTS:
• Larousse Gran Diccionario English/Spanish
• A monolingual dictionary in Spanish, such as:
Diccionario Larousse del español moderno
Larousse Gran Dicionario usual de la lengua española
Diccionario esencial de la lengua española
• Diccionario de sinónimos y antónimos, por ejemplo: Larousse Diccionario de Sinónimos, Antónimos e ideas afines; Vox, etc.
• Eleanor Dozier, Zulma Iguina. Manual de gramática. Grammar Reference for Students of Spanish. 4th ed: Heinle & Heinle.
• Valdés, et.al. Composición, Proceso y Síntesis. 4th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004.
GRADING:
Attendance and class participation 10%
Preparation and HW 10%
Compositions (5) 50%
Oral Presentation 10%
Exams 10%
Final Project 10%
GRADING SCALE:
94-100 = A 74-76 = C
90-93 = A- 70-73 = C-
87-89= B+ 67-69 = D+
84-86 = B 64-66 = D
80-83 = B- 60-63 = D-
77-79 = C+ 59 and below = F
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance and Participation:
Regular attendance is crucial to the successful attainment of the course objectives. In order to attain an A or A- in this class, students must actively participate and contribute to the class, read the material completely ahead of time, show significant progress in written assignments, turn in work on time, learn and apply new vocabulary and grammar structures.
Punctuality is essential. Only an occasional late arrival will be accepted. You may miss up to THREE classes for reasons of health, job interviews, etc. However, you may not miss any evaluations, compositions, and/or homework. In cases of illness, you must notify me as soon as possible. Missing any part of daily class will be considered a full absence. Frequent absences and tardiness will also have a negative effect upon your class participation grade.
Remember that if you miss a class, you need to make sure that you do not miss special instructions or handouts for the next class. No make-up tests or exams will be given. Late work will be penalized. It is extremely important that each student is well prepared for class in order to take part in discussions. Read the assigned texts at home and prepare the work for class as indicated in the syllabus and/or assigned in class. Please bring the textbook Modelos, as well as your notes with you to class every day.
Grammar and Reading:
You can see that attention to grammar, though very important, is subordinated to the main focus of this course, which is learning to write. So there is no scheduled time dedicated to the formal discussion of grammar. Nevertheless, grammar is addressed consistently through writing, written homework, and individual discussions.When specific grammar topics are relevant to the mastery of the writing skill, or the entire class has difficulties that need to be addressed, grammar teaching will be scheduled accordingly. You must work on grammar structures for review on your own as indicated in class. In addition to a grammar textbook, you may be referred to the suggested grammar books on reserve in the library to address specific problem areas. During individual discussions, any persistent grammar problems you may have will be addressed.
We will use weekly readings, both literary and non-literary, as an example of style and to support discussion and learning in this course. It will hopefully help you to continue improving your speaking skills as well. These readings also introduce you to literature and help to develop an approach to literary criticism. Finally, they provide the content for discussion and debate so that you continue to develop and refine your oral skills.
Compositions:
You will write five (5) compositions throughout the semester. Compositions must be submitted through LATTE (Assignments) on every indicated due date, by class time. Late compositions will not be accepted.
All compositions, except composition 5, will have two versions (1st version - 60%, 2nd version - 40%). Instructions and grading criteria will be posted on LATTE. I advise you to keep all your writings (original and revised) organized in chronological order, so you can see your own progress. Always refer to corrected compositions when writing a new one so that you do not make the same mistakes. Keep a list of errors to refer to when working on your assignments.
All writing assignments must be completed individually and with the original words of the student. BUGS Spanish tutor is aware of this policy, and he will not help you with editing both drafts nor final versions. Also, the use of an on-line translator or a translator of any sort is strictly forbidden and will be considered a violation of the academic honesty policy of Brandeis University.
Final Project:
The Final Project is a written work based on a list of topics proposed by the professor toward the end of the semester. All due dates for the Final Paper are included in this syllabus.
Academic Integrity:
Written assignments are to be your own work and must be written especially and only for this course. Previous papers or materials done in other courses or abroad will not be accepted. In addition, no one except your professor should work with you on your writing, edit it or revise it.
Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas of another person without proper acknowledgement of that source. You must use notes and quotation marks to indicate the source of any phrases, sentences, paragraphs or ideas found in published volumes, on the internet, or created by another person. Violations of University policies on academic integrity, described in Section 3 of Rights and Responsibilities, may result in failure in the course or on the assignment, and could end in suspension from the University. Remember that tutors, even those sanctioned by Brandeis University, are not authorized to complete homework for you. If you have questions on the type of help you may receive, please ask me before you seek help from someone.
If you have any questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, please contact your professor or the Office of Student Development and Conduct (203 Shapiro Campus Center).
Notice to Students with Disabilities:
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see the professor immediately. Retroactive accommodations cannot be provided.
Spanish major: If you are thinking about majoring or minoring in Spanish, you should familiarize yourself with the program in the Bulletin and then see the Undergraduate Advising Head, Prof. Fernando Rosenberg () as soon as possible to make sure that you understand the prerequisites and requirements.
Study Abroad
We encourage all students in our courses to find out about the possibilities that exist for studying in a Spanish-speaking country. Students who have the opportunity to study abroad gain access to a richer understanding of the language and culture, and they develop on a higher intellectual and personal level. For more information contact: Scott van der Meid ), or Allyson Goose ().
B.U.G.S
The Brandeis University Group Study (B.U.G.S.) offers students free language practice outside of class. Take advantage of this service. The Office of Student Enrichment Services is located in Usdan Student Center 130, and the Spanish tutor this semester is Jeffrey Lowenstein (). Questions about group study leaders can be addressed to David Gruber .
LATTE
Additional information about this course, including the syllabus, activities and the films to be watched may be found on LATTE. Please note that if changes occur on the syllabus, I will contact the class through LATTE email service.
PROGRAMA DEL CURSO:
...... SEMANA 1......
Marte 13 (Enero)
En clase: Presentaciones e introducción al curso. Expectativas e información general.
Tarea: Busca información sobre José Martí (“Historiadores” Página 4). Lee “Versos Sencillos” (Páginas 5 y 6). Revisa el glosario en la página 6.
Jueves 15
En clase: Versos Sencillos, José Martí. Análisis y discusión de la lectura.
La descripción. Escribir un autorretrato (Página 10-11)
Gramática: los verbos “ser” y “estar”. Los adjetivos calificativos.
Tarea: Lee: “Estrategias del proceso: El jardín de las ideas” (Página 11) y haz la “Práctica”. Luego lee “Estrategias para escribir: los adjetivos y la descripción detallada” y haz la “Práctica”. (Página 12). Estos ejercicios son la preparación para la próxima clase, no voy a recogerlos. Vamos a leerlos en clase.
...... SEMANA 2 ......
Martes 20:
La descripción y los adjetivos.
Jueves 22
En clase: La descripción y los adjetivos. Lectura y análisis de fragmentos descriptivos. Práctica de escritura en clase. La importancia de la concordancia en español.
Tarea: Escribir Composición #1 – Leer “Paso 2 – Escribir por modelos- La descripción de otro: Escritor fotógrafo” y “Estrategias del proceso, Estrategias para escribir” (Página 22/23/24)
...... SEMANA 3 ......
Martes 27
En clase: Entregar composición # 1: “Mi autorretrato”
ESCRITOR FOTÓGRAFO: la descripción-comparación.
Gramática: Las comparaciones. La importancia del título y la primera oración. Práctica de escritura en clase.
Tarea: Revisa lo que hicimos en clase hasta ahora. Escribe tus preguntas o dudas, y habla conmigo si lo necesitas.
Jueves 29
En clase: ESCRITOR REPORTERO. El corrido de Gregorio Cortez. Otros ejemplos de corridos. Estrategias del proceso: La estrella. Práctica en clase. La importancia de los borradores y la edición.
Tarea: Edita el borrador que escribiste en clase. Lee “El corrido de Gregorio Cortez” (Página 31) – Revisa el Glosario.
...... SEMANA 4 ......
Martes 3 (Febrero)
En clase: Gramática: los adverbios. Práctica en clase. “Estrategias para editar” (Página 40/41)
Tarea: Lee “Estrategias para escribir: El tema, la tesis y el apoyo”. (Página 37/38)
Completar revisión de la Composición #1.
Jueves 5
En clase: Entregar la revisión de la Composición # 1
ESCRITOR PINTOR – “Estrategias de lectura: Descifrar la perspectiva y el tono.”
Tarea: Prepararse para el examen #1. Composición #2: Descripción de un objeto.
...... SEMANA 5 ......
Martes 10
En clase: EXAMEN # 1. Entregar Composición # 2. Introducción al cuento “El encaje roto”. Instrucciones para escribir un resumen.
Tarea: Lee el cuento “El encaje roto” (Página 46/47/48). Escribe un resumen del cuento (1 párrafo)
Jueves 12
En clase: Entregar el resumen del cuento. Trabajo en clase en base al cuento. “Estrategias para escribir: Crear el marco de la escritura”. Práctica en clase.
Tarea: Escribe “El encaje roto” variando la perspectiva (una página a doble espacio). Lee “El amor y la locura”, disponible en LATTE. Busca todas las palabras que no conozcas.
...... SEMANA 6 ......
Martes 17 NO CLASS
Jueves 19 NO CLASS
...... SEMANA 7 ......
Martes 24
En clase: Entregar “El encaje roto” variando la perspectiva. “Estrategias para editar: Los párrafos y las transiciones” (Página 54). Práctica de escritura en clase.