COMMUNICATIONINLANGUAGEANDCULTURE I
SPN 3332-04 MWF 1:25-2:15
Fall 2003 Diffenbaugh 216
Instructor: Brenda Cappuccio, Associate Professor of Spanish and
Associate Chair for Graduate Studies
Office: 362 Diffenbaugh
Hours: MW 12:15-1:15 + by appointment
Phone: 644-2374
E-mail: bcappucc@mailer.fsu.edu
Course description: This course is the first semester of the integrated
skills sequence. In this course, students will deepen their understanding of
Hispanic cultures and develop communicative proficiency and accuracy in the
Spanish language. Students will participate in more complex language tasks
through reading, writing, and conversation and will engage with relevant
cultural, literary, and personal topics.
Prerequisite: SPN 2240 or its equivalent.
Required text, workbook and audio CD: García-Serrano, de la Torre, Cash.
¡A qué sí! Second edition. Heinle & Heinle.
These are available at Bill's Bookstore (Copeland) and the FSU Bookstore.
You will also need access to a computer and to the World Wide Web as we
will be visiting the textbook's website (http:///auesi.heinle.com) as well as
other websites regularly to enhance our study of Spanish and our knowledge
of the Spanish-speaking world. (If you do not have access to a personal
computer, the University makes computers available to students in Strozier
Library. You can print from the computers in the Department of Modern
Languages and Linguistics' laboratory if you purchase a ream of paper and
take it to the lab in Diffenbaugh 126.) It is also highly recommended that
students purchase a good English-Spanish dictionary for use outside the
classroom.
Course objectives: In this course you will expand your abilities to express
yourself in Spanish as you come to know more about the Spanish-speaking
world's cultures, history, and daily life.
We will practice the Spanish language by examining together in class the
complexity of Spanish-speaking societies so that students become familiar
with the diversity that exists in the world's Spanish-speaking areas.
Students will enhance their knowledge of Spanish-speaking cultures as they
explore how one nation differs from another as well as how different groups
and regions within particular nation-states relate to one another.
The course is designed so that students can come to learn new strategies to
comprehend Spanish (both written and spoken) and new strategies for
making themselves understood. Students will review grammar principals as
they pertain to improving the students' ability to communicate.
By the end of the two-course sequence, students will be able to analyze
short texts in Spanish, discuss contributions made by Spanish-speaking
peoples to literature, art, music, performance, science, and commerce, and
talk critically about historical events that deal directly with the Spanish-
speaking world.
Course rules and routines:
Attendance: Given the emphasis that must be placed on participation and
interaction in foreign language courses, it will be necessary for you to attend
all classes. You will be allowed up to three (3) absences with no questions
asked. Please use them wisely. Each unexcused absence after the first
three will reduce the final grade (to be calculated on a scale of 100% by five
(5) percentage points. Excused absences include the following: (a)
participation in a scheduled event as a member of a university-sponsored
athletic/scholastic team or event (an official absence form is required); (b)
religious holidays; (c) accident or illness (an accident report or FSU health
center/doctor's note is required); (d) death in the immediate family.
Excuses for absences must be submitted within two (2) days after the time
of return. (If for some reason I am not in class but have made
arrangements for certain work to be completed by the students, I expect
students to act appropriately. We are all responsible for the success of this
class.)
You must arrive on time and participate actively every day. A heavy
emphasis is placed on participation because there is no better way to
improve your conversational skills than to practice them in class. Everyone
is expected to contribute to class discussions at least three or four
times each period.
Plan on studying approximately two hours per day. You must learn (i.e.,
memorize) words listed in Palabra por palabra and Mejor dicho and read the
material assigned for class (Introducción, Alto, and Lectura). Grammar
explanations are to be studied before and outside of class, and the
corresponding work in the Cuaderno should be completed, whether I assign
it or not. Written practice activities are also to be completed the day
before the class meets. It would not be a bad idea to write out some of
your answers to the (inter)action sections; try to imagine a conversation
about the topic and how you would create and answer questions. You should
come to class prepared.
All homework assigned by the instructor must be completed on time no
excuses, no exceptions. It is likely that class time will not be used to go
over homework from the Cuaderno. This type of homework is assigned as a
tool of instruction rather than evaluation. You will note that answers to
many of the exercises are provided at the end of the workbook; this format
allows you to check your own work and bring to class only specific questions.
I will review and evaluate some of the assignments. The purpose of
Cuaderno homework assignments is to prepare you to come to class to talk
with the instructor and your classmates.
Any work with your name on it must be yours, not that of some other person.
Violation of this simple rule constitutes plagiarism and will be treated as
such. Please see FSU's "Academic Honor System" included at the end of
this information sheet.
There will be no make-up quizzes, and make-up or alternate exams will be
given ONLY with an official and documented excuse (see "Attendance"
above) AND if the instructor has been notified of the situation and has
approved the absence and subsequent make-up BEFORE the exam is given.
Student evaluation:
The student's work will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
♦ Preparation of and participation in the in-class discussions and
activities. Class participation will be evaluated on quality as well as
quantity. You will be given a daily participation grade that, depending on
your performance, can be as high as 10 points and as low as 1 point if you
are in class but elect not to participate. These daily grades will be added
together to come up with a weekly grade. We will also have occasional
quizzes which may be announced or unannounced.
♦ Four written assignments to be assigned in class. Unless it is
specified that compositions are to be written completely in class.
♦ Four written exams which will follow chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6. The exams
will cover vocabulary in addition to the readings, activities, and
discussions. Exam format may include matching, definitions, and short
answers.
♦ Two oral exams following the completion of units I and II. Oral exams
will consist of short (perhaps tape-recorded) conversations with me in my
office. I will gear my questions toward the topics and particular grammar
points of importance in each chapter. The second oral exam will be held
during the two-hour period scheduled for the final examination (Tuesday,
December 9, 7:30-9:30 am).
Grading:
Class participation and preparation
(including homework and quizzes) 40%
Written exams (4) 20%
Written compositions (4) 20%
Oral exams (2) 20%
The grading scale is:
90 - 100 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 D
0 - 59 F
Note: A passing grade for SPN 3332 is a C- (70%).
Meeting with the instructor: I am available to meet with you during my
office hours and by appointment. If you are unable to see me during the
times I have scheduled, please arrange to meet with me during a mutually
convenient time. If you are having problems with the course, please see me
as soon as possible so that together we can create the best learning
environment possible.
Please note: Any student with a disability that requires academic
accommodation should: 1) register with and provide documentation to the
Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) and 2) bring a letter to the
instructor from the SDRC indicating that the student needs academic
accommodation and specifying the type(s) of accommodation needed. This
should be done during the first week of class.
Academic Honor System: "The Academic Honor System of the Florida State
University is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility
to 1) uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's
own work, 2) refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the
academic community, and 3) foster a high sense of integrity and social
responsibility on the part of the University community."
Violations of the Academic Honor System will not be tolerated in this class.
Specifically, incidents of plagiarism of any type or referring to any
unauthorized material will be rigorously pursued. Before submitting any
work for this class, please read the "Academic Honor System" in its entirety
(as found in the FSU General Bulletin andin the FSU Student Handbook) and
ask the instructor to clarify any of its expectations that you might not
understand.
Note: The attached syllabus is tentative and is subject to change with
advance notice.
For each assignment, students should read the assigned text, prepare all the
activities leading up to and following it. It is likely that other additional
activities will be assigned in class.
SPN 3332-04 SÍLABO Otoño 2003
25 agosto Introducción
27 Unidad I, Capítulo 1, págs. 1-8
29 Págs. 9-14
1 septiembre No hay clase
3 Págs. 15-21
5 Págs. 22-28
8 Págs. 29-34
10 Capítulo 2, págs. 35-41
12 Págs. 41-47
15 Págs. 48-53
17 Págs. 54-59
19 Págs. 60-64
22 Examen I
24 Composición I
26 Capítulo 3, págs. 65-71
29 Págs. 72-77
1 octubre Págs. 78-83
3 Págs. 83-87
6 Págs. 88-92
8 Examen II
10 Exámenes orales
13 Película
15 Composición II
17 Unidad II, Capítulo 4, págs. 94-100
20 Págs. 101-05
22 Págs. 106-12
24 Págs. 113-18
27 Págs. 119-24
29 Capítulo 5, págs. 125-28
31 Págs. 128-36
3 noviembre Págs. 137-43
5 Págs. 144-48
7 Examen III
10 Examen III / Composición III
12 Composición III
14 Homecoming no hay clase
17 Capítulo 6, págs. 149-53
19 Págs. 154-58
21 Págs. 159-63
24 Págs. 164-69
26 Composición IV
28 Thanksgiving no hay clase
1 diciembre Composición IV
3 Págs. 170-76
5 Repaso + exámenes orales
. and accuracy in the
Spanish language. Students will participate in more complex language tasks
through reading, writing, and conversation and will engage. in addition to the readings, activities, and
discussions. Exam format may include matching, definitions, and short
answers.
♦ Two oral exams following