California State University, Northridge
Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
SPANISH 102/102C FALL 2007
Professor: J. Ernesto Rojas-Torres Office: Sierra Tower 433
Phone: 818.677.3582 Email:
Hours: MW 11-11:50, & by appt.
Dept. Office: Sierra Tower 405 Hours: M-F 8:00-5:00
Phone: 818.677.3467 Fax: 818.677.5797
Chair: Dr. Brian Castronovo
Administrative Assistants: Nancy Bernstein
Barbara Ann Ward Language Center (LC):
Director: Patricia Miller Jerome Richfield Hall 316
Phone: 818.677.3470 Hours: TBA
Prerequisite: Spanish 101/101C at CSUN or equivalent elsewhere.
Texts:
Terrell, et al. Dos mundos. Sixth edition. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2002. www.mhhe.com/dosmundos,
______. Cuaderno de trabajo. (Chapts. 8-15).
Goals:
· To acquire the ability to understand and convey information and/or feelings in particular situations for particular purposes in the target language.
· To develop and advance the five “Cs” (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities) of the National Standards for Foreign Language Education.
· To develop understanding, tolerance and commitment to life-long learning and service to Hispanic communities locally, nationally and globally.
Student Learning Outcomes (Objectives):
Speaking/Writing: students will be able to speak, write, ask and answer questions about the following:
· Food, nutrition, shopping for and preparing food, and ordering food in restaurants.
· Family, memories, habitual activities and feelings in the past.
· Past travels, modes of travel, geography, climates, and environmental issues.
· Make plans, follow directions, read maps, change money, clear customs, and find lodging.
· Health-related experiences and past illnesses/accidents, as well as more global health issues.
· Manufactured goods and buying and selling in Hispanic cultures.
· Share views on relationships, values, social behavior, and give advice, suggestions and commands.
· Hispanic cultures, history, art and literature presented in the texts.
Listening/Reading:
· Understand and follow instructions.
· Understand native-speaker audio, video and written dialogs, interviews, and narratives that relate to above functions.
· Understand lectures and narratives (oral and written) about general cultural, historical, and biographical information as well as more global social issues.
· Understand literary selections presented in the texts, CDs, and DVDs.
Description: Spanish 102/102C emphasizes the acquisition of communicative oral and written skills in a setting that will provide you with the freedom to interact in Spanish as naturally and spontaneously as possible in a simulated environment. You will learn to understand and speak, read and write the practical Spanish necessary for functioning on a daily basis in any of the twenty Spanish-speaking countries. You may expect to increase your skills and cultural know-how from level 1 (novice) to level 2 (intermediate), actually surviving in the target countries, expressing your needs/wants, and interacting in significant cultural exchanges. However, our two semester Spanish program cannot make you fluent in the language; it is an introduction to basic skills that work in the real world the minute you leave the classroom. Proficiency is incrementally acquired and the pace or rate depends entirely on the determination of the student to practice at every opportunity outside of the classroom. If an accurate census were to take place, we would assert that Spanish is the FIRST language of our geographical location. Opportunities to practice present themselves on a daily basis. Also, media (TV, newspapers, magazines, movies, Internet) resources are accessible twenty-four hours a day to discover distant as well as local events of the Hispanic world. The student has unlimited possibilities to determine the pace of his or her own proficiency (fluency) over the course of our first year program.
Classroom activities such as interviews, surveys, role-playing, sketches, reports of information seeking tasks, among other assignments are mostly collaborative and serve to bond the classroom community in a familial environment. We will learn about classmates’ families, personal interests, life goals, etc., and know them as friends. Expect a relaxed atmosphere in which it is acceptable to make mistakes in language. After all, this is the place to experiment with what you have learned guarded by a safety net (teacher and classmates). Corrections are non-threatening and often other classmates learn from their peers. Classmates in this section will be your best support group in class and your best study “pals” when reviewing for exams and for taking notes on those rare days you may miss a class. Since language is a social event, each session will engage students in pair/group activities. Daily attendance and participation are vital not only for the final grade (see below) but also for the acquisition of fluency.
Much to the frustration of some, this class is conducted entirely in SPANISH. Since our goal is to help you function in this language, no translation will take place in class nor will contrastive analysis of grammar be the major focus. Beginning Spanish classes attract a large percentage of students whose first language is not English (e.g. Armenian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, German, etc.). I insist that ONLY SPANISH be spoken during our class time; no English or any other languages, please. You will discover that the teacher will always clearly communicate in Spanish at the level appropriate to chapter and course content.
Home (native) speakers: If you are already fluent orally (speak Spanish at home), I encourage you to enroll in Spanish 103/104 (for native speakers). 103/104 focus on analysis of grammar and reading and writing skills for native speakers who may not have studied their first language before in a formal classroom setting. You have already mastered skills taught in 101/102 and will acquire nothing new by taking these courses. Those who insist on staying in this class in order to get an easy “A” must consider that all grades in my classes are earned. Just to pass this class you will be required to provide “free” tutoring services to genuine novice learner classmates, to attend and participate in 95% of all meetings, and to maintain a grade of “C” or better on all exams.
Am I in the right class? Whereas many beginning Spanish students solely seek to further their own personal knowledge of the language and Hispanic cultures, others seek to advance themselves in their future careers. It is wise to meet with your advisor in your major discipline to verify if this class will meet the goals for graduation in the major or if you need to enroll in a more advanced class. Non-native speaker students who may have studied Spanish in high school or community college who are unsure if this is the right class for them should take the SCAPE (Spanish Computer Assisted Placement Exam), available by appointment in the LLRC (JR 316), and consult with me about placement.
ACTIVE CLASS PARTICIPATION IS AS IMPORTANT AS EXAM SCORES IN THIS CLASS!! Each semester I am more and more amazed by students who do not take seriously this one hard, fast, yet easy, requirement. Come to class prepared to engage in activities with classmates, always try to express yourself in Spanish, show respect for Hispanic cultures and for our multicultural classroom community. In other words, act as a responsible and sensitive adult, but bring your inner child for enjoyment of pretend situations. Unacceptable or negative behavior involves always asking teacher and classmates for translations of previously assigned material, constantly speaking a language other than Spanish, and demonstrating prejudicial, judgmental attitudes towards students and cultures that may differ from your own. Although this class will break down affective barriers so that you can feel free to have fun, it takes place in a professional setting where CELL PHONES ARE PROHIBITED. Pair and group activities do not give you license to go to the restroom or out in the hallway to visit with friends who wave to you in the doorway window while we are teaching and learning.
Exams: Each test will have four targets (listening, reading, speaking, writing) and three formats. One listening section will be a varied number of dialogs and you will respond with either C/F (cierto/falso) or A, B, C, D. A similar format will be used for reading comprehension in which you will have paragraphs and dialogs on paper dealing with situations of the characters in Dos mundos as well as cultural topics. The description of drawings will cover vocabulary, appropriate grammatical structures necessary to describe the actions and conversations designated in the instructions for the different segments of this format. The structure of all exams, including the final, is consistent throughout the semester. Because each proficiency skill is incremental, every exam is comprehensive (each builds on the one before). I do not design SCANTRON exams. Since I photocopy many drawings relating to vocabulary and descriptions that require sentences and paragraphs, you will write directly in the spaces provided on the exams.
Oral exit experience: toward the second half of the semester you will begin to prepare alone or with classmates an oral presentation given to the class during last two weeks (see calendar). You will need my approval of the topic. Here are just some examples:
· Either alone or as part of a panel, organize a report on a cultural or historical event relating to one or more of the countries presented in our texts.
· Present a biographical account of an important historical, literary, or cultural figure (Hispanic).
· Give a demonstration on how to do something (make reservations, prepare food, travel, dance, shop, etc.).
· Create a real or fictitious interview with one or more classmates.
· Create a sketch with classmates on one of the themes in our text.
If you fall behind, do not understand a specific point, or have questions of any sort that I may not be able to answer in class, do not hesitate to consult with me as soon as possible either in my office or by email. I want you to have a positive experience along with realistic expectations. I will try to be available beyond posted office hours through email to address your concerns. Remember that as you enter and advance through post-secondary education, there are very few opportunities for “do-overs.” Whether boredom, the exciting CSUN social or political scene, death of family, illness, unforeseen changes in work schedule, etc., you are required to consult with each professor regarding undue absences (which affect the final grade). If you have above-mentioned emergencies, please drop the class before the twelfth week of the semester. I rarely give an incomplete in any class due to the fact that so few students actually have not completed sufficient requirements. Should you encounter circumstances in which a withdrawal may be justified, let me know as soon as possible because you may need additional permission of the Dept. Chair, the Dean of Humanities and the Provost. Students on financial aid must know that for each unit that you drop, you must reimburse monies paid for those units.
Grade Distribution:
45% Exams
15% Oral report
25% Homework/CDT
15% Attendance/Participation
Students involved in extra-curricular activities (sports, music, politics, theatre, etc.) are not excused from class without written documentation from their department. MCLL follows the stringent policy that in a four-unit class a student may miss four 50-minute sessions without penalty on the final grade. Students experiencing other sorts of crises (see above) should contact me as soon as possible regarding absences.
Make-ups: Just as there are no “do-overs” for work missed, there are no “make-ups” for exams missed. Due to the complexity of administration of listening sections on exams, all students will need to be present for this part on the designated day. Since each exam is approximately 50 minutes in length, there is little hope that an instructor can find the time to administer them at the convenience of one, two, or more students. Therefore, if the student can anticipate and advise me of which classes and exams he/she may miss before the calendar dates, and if the student can provide appropriate documentation, the next or following exam will count double.
There is no excuse for late homework (CDT) assignments that may be delivered by a classmate, friend or family on the much anticipated due date (see attached calendar) to the Dept. office (405) or emailed to me.
DSS: Students registered with DSS must bring me forms to allow extra time on exams. Please do this in my office, not in class or in the hallway. I will accommodate you in anyway that I can and will communicate regularly with DSS regarding our schedule.
Adds/drops: Remember that if you add Spanish 102 at a designated time, you must also register in the corresponding 102C and, if different, must request the signature of that professor as well. The Spanish Section embraces the theory and philosophy of the Natural Method of Language Acquisition for adult learners and therefore teaches 102 and 102C as totally integrated modules, not as separate grammar days and conversation days. Conversation, culture, and writing occur every day. It is important that you add/drop both ticket numbers for any 102/102C course that you may be taking. In the event that 102 and 102C are taught by two professors, they intend to team teach and will be in daily contact regarding lesson plans, CDTs, exams, grading, etc. One class shall flow from another. Final grades will be assigned in consultation with both teachers of this class. See me before or after class if you need permission numbers. Take care of your schedule before the third week of class.