Oprima este botón para volver a la pantalla principal de nuestra página.Instructor: Denise M. Smith Office: HU 275 Office Phone: 442-4138 Office Hrs.: Mon., Wed., 10:00-11:00 E-mail:ds8286@cnsvax.albany.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Spanish 206 is an intermediate Spanish conversation course. Although coursework involves work in all four skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension), particular attention is paid to the latter two skills. Assigned readings present grammar and vocabulary in context and provide the point of departure for class activities and discussions.
PLACEMENT: SPN 104 or placement. Spanish 206 cannot be taken by students with native or near-native speaking ability; these students should take SPN-205, "Intermediate Spanish for Bilinguals 2". To register for the class, students must fill out a departmental registration form and meet placement criteria for the course.
REQUIRED TEXTS AND OTHER MATERIALS: The text is Conversación y Controversia, 3 ed. (Iorillo, Díaz). Other materials include: a portfolio for submitting required work; audiotapes for submitting oral portfolio work; a diskette if you wish to store computer information; a notebook or word processor for journal and computer experience/evaluation notes; a Vax computer account at SUNYA; TIME to work on projects!
BREAKDOWN OF GRADES:
A 100-93 A- 92-90 B+ 89-87 B 86-83 B- 82-80 C+ 79-77 C 76-73 C- 72-70 D+ 69-67 D 66-63 D- 62-60
WEIGHTING; COURSE COMPONENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Participation (30%):
As practice is essential in developing skills in a foreign language, and particularly in developing speaking skills, class attendance and participation is a must. Class attendance will thus be taken daily and students are encouraged to come to class prepared and participate fully. More than 5 absences without a medical note will negatively affect the student's grade. Additionally, only through classroom participation will students be able to evidence that they are doing their work outside of class. As there are no assigned exams or quizzes on the content of the textbook, instructors will assume non-attendance or non-participation reflects a lack of familiarity with the material. The nature and number of written quizzes are at the instructor's discretion. There are generally no make-up dates for any missed quizzes, oral exams or presentations.
Students are required to use a computer to search for information on the World Wide Web; to post written summaries and comments to the class newsgroup for all to share. If possible, some computer lab time for Netscape, Notes and Newsgroup use will be scheduled as noted on the Syllabus, but students are expected to schedule whatever time they may need on their own in order to complete the assignments. Students are encouraged to assist each other, but must not submit the same work as another student. Particularly well-prepared materials may be used in future offerings of this course.
Students will be asked for detailed evaluations of their course experience using computer resources; their meaningfulness and usefulness for the student's learning in this course; the student's impressions of computer applicability to other research/study areas; etc. Students are therefore asked to keep informal notes (in English) on their progress during the semester, frustrations, successes, impressions, and so forth, to be handed in with each Oral Exam and/or Portfolio.
2 Oral Exams (20%):
The oral midterm and final exams will be individualized exams of roughly 10 minutes given outside of class, where students will discuss a given topic with their instructor. Topics will be of a general nature and will relate to class readings and discussions.
2 Presentations (20%):
Students will be asked to give at least 2 short presentations (10 minutes maximum each) during the semester. Topics will derive from an assigned composition relating to a topic discussed in class. The first presentation may be an individual or pair report; students will turn in a formal (typewritten, double-spaced) copy of their work after their oral presentation. The second presentation involves formation of teams to perform all activities related to preparing reports on assigned topics and videotaping them. Students will investigate, write and edit reports; some will be responsible for directing and videotaping the sequences; others will appear on-camera; and so forth. Groups must turn in a final draft (un borrador) of their proposed presentation (see Syllabus for date). Students will also select filming dates and times (if needed) at that time. Students are urged to form groups and select topics early, to allow enough time to complete all steps in the presentation process.
Portfolio (30%):
The Portfolio consists of at least one activity from each of the following 8 categories. Students are responsible for keeping track of their work by using a submittable portfolio.
1. oral diary (el diario oral) (1 pt./minute; 20 pts. maximum)
Students will keep a written diary/journal in Spanish of their experiences, attitudes, opinions, etc., during the semester. Ideally, the journal will have a paragraph or two every other day. The written journal entries will not be collected. Rather, students will audiotape their entries and provide the instructor with the audiotaped version of their journal. Students must turn in a minimum of 5 minutes of taped material in each Portfolio. (CELLAR has recording facilities, if needed.)
Students will also prepare a short written description of themselves (including their e-mail address) suitable for posting on the class homepage. The descriptions will be edited and posted on the class homepage.
2. language table (la mesa de conversación) (3 pts./visit)
Students will attend at least one Spanish language table for each Portfolio. There will be a table near Taco Bell (Campus Center) on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00 to 1:00 and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 to 12:30. Students may also use office hour times for conversation. Tables are typically held around midday. Check the Department bulletin boards (2nd Floor, Humanities) and your instructor for specific dates, times and locations.
3. movie viewing (las películas) (2 pts./movie; 10 pts. maximum)
Students will view at least one Spanish-language movie for the first Portfolio and give an oral report in class. (Check IMC in the Library basement for movies.) Students may view up to 4 additional movies for credit at any time.
4. television program viewing (la televisión) (2 pts./hour; 14 pts. maximum)
Students will view at least 7 hours of Spanish television programs (at least 3.5 hours for the second Portfolio and at least 3.5 hours for the third Portfolio) and provide short written summaries of them in Spanish. Students will post at least one of their reports to the class newsgroup. For students who do not have outside access to Spanish-language television programs, SUNY televises "Univisión" and "Scola" programs in the dorms and in CELLAR.
5. current events/newspaper (las actualidades/el periódico) (1-2 pts./article; 20 pts. maximum)
Students will read at least 10 articles from more than one Spanish-language newspaper and provide a short written summary of each in Spanish. Each article must be one column in length; or students may read 5 articles of one page in length each. A copy of each article must be attached to the summary. Students reading 10 short articles must use the Internet to locate 4 or more of the articles; students reading 5 long articles must use the Internet to locate 2 or more of the articles. These summaries must also include the complete URL (Web address) of the publication. Some Spanish-language newspapers are also available in the Library (Periodicals section, Basement). Students will earn 1 extra point for turning in a usable list of at least 4 additional publications available on the Internet, including complete and accurate URL information. Based on the submission of 10 short articles, students must submit at least 2 articles (1 from the WWW) in Portfolio 1; at least 5 articles (2 from the WWW) in Portfolio 2; and at least 3 articles (1 from the WWW) in Portfolio 3.
6. music (la música) (3pts./45 minutes; 15 pts. maximum)
Students will listen to Spanish-language music from at least two Spanish-speaking countries and/or two different music styles, then prepare written reports summarizing what they heard and their impressions. Students will post at least one summary to the class newsgroup. Music submissions are required during the third Portfolio. Extra work may be submitted at any time. There are audiotapes in CELLAR; students may also listen to music from Spanish-language radio stations and private collections.
7. interview (la entrevista) (10 pts. total)
Students will prepare 20 questions and interview a native Spanish speaker. The entire interview should be audiotaped and turned in to the instructor. Students who also find a Spanish-speaking penpal on the Internet and/or e-mail will receive 2 extra points for turning in printouts of their keyboard conversations. Students will receive 1 extra point for turning in a usable list of at least 2 Spanish-speaking penpal Internet addresses.
8. class story (el cuento de la clase) (4 points total)
Students will each contribute 4 grammatically correct, meaningful sentences to continue the thread of the class story that appears on the computer under "Conference Notes" for "SPN 206": 2 sentences will be written for Portfolio 1 and 2 for Portfolio 2. Students must sign their name to their work, of course! Near the end of the semester, one group of students will complete, edit, add graphics/acting/artwork, videotape and present the class story as their second presentation project.
Portfolio work in the categories and minimum amounts indicated below must be submitted by the dates listed. Please make special note of this information, since NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!
For Portfolio 1: 15 points(at least)of work (see Syllabus for deadline)from categories: 1 (5 min.), 2 (1), 3 (1), 5 (2 articles, 1 from WWW), 8 (2 sentences, under "El cuento de la clase");
For Portfolio 2: 15 additional points of work (see Syllabus for deadline)from categories: 1 (5 min.), 2 (1), 4 (3.5 hours), 5 (5 articles, 2 from WWW), 8 (2 sentences, under "El cuento de la clase");
For Portfolio 3: 10 additional points of work(see Syllabus for deadline)from categories: 1 (5 min.), 2 (1), 4 (3.5 hours) (1 report on Newsgroup), 5 (3 articles, 1 from WWW); 6 (45 minutes, from 2 countries and/or styles) (1 report on Newsgroup) 7 (20 questions, native Spanish speaker).
Students should strive for a 40-point total. Students who submit acceptable work amounts on time will receive a portfolio grade according to the following grade assignment schedule:
100%- 40 points, on time
90% - 34-39 points, on time
80% - 26-33 points, on time
70% - 20-25 points, on time.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Information is on file in the Reserve section of the Library under SPN 206 if students need assistance with any of the following:
—The VMS Computing Handbook: Newsgroups; DEC Notes (for "El cuento de la clase"); Introduction to E-mail; General Information on Vax Computers; ——Understanding the World Wide Web; —Navigating the World Wide Web with Netscape; —Entering the World-Wide Web: A Guide to Cyberspace; —University Libraries Fact Sheet: Searching for Spanish Videorecordings; —Where to Find Internet Access on the Uptown Campus; —Opening or Reactivating a Student Computer Account; —1997 Blue Book: An Introductory Guide to Electronic Resources and Their Responsible Use; —A Basic Guide to the Internet.
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