SPAN 201 is designed for the student who has completed Spanish 101/102/103 or their equivalents. It provides a comprehensive study of the Spanish language and aims to broaden students' understanding of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. By expanding upon the language skills and cultural knowledge students have acquired in earlier classes, SPAN 201 prepares students for further studies in Spanish at the intermediate and advanced levels. The course is conducted entirely in Spanish.

Because the class is designed to 1) build upon the language skills acquired in introductory language courses, and 2) give students a cultural overview of the Spanish-speaking world, it does not function as a straight-forward drill session on vocabulary and grammar. Rather, the class provides students the opportunity to practice new vocabulary and grammatical structures through in-class discussion of assigned activities and readings. The instructor assigns selected units of the textbooks as homework every day and will expect students to study these materials prior to class. By so doing, students will enter the classroom prepared to practice new vocabulary and grammatical concepts through participation in communicative activities and discussions of readings.

If students ever feel in need of additional advice or help with grammar concepts, assignments, or readings they may visit their instructor during office hours or make an appointment.

Objectives

1. Bretz, Mary Lee, et al. Pasajes: Lengua. 5th edition. McGraw Hill: 2002.
2. Bretz, Mary Lee, et al. Pasajes: Cultura. 5th edition. McGraw Hill: 2002.
3. Bretz, Mary Lee, et al. Pasajes: Literatura. 5th edition. McGraw Hill: 2002.
4. Bretz, Mary Lee, et al. Cuaderno de práctica. 5th edition. McGraw Hill: 2002.
5. Online Course Portal (Moodle) at http://depts.washington.edu/llc/moodle.php

The first three texts will be used regularly. Make sure you bring them to class. You will need to access the online course portal daily. Instructions are provided below. A good Spanish-English dictionary is also essential.

Exams:

There are usually three hour-exams and one final exam in a quarter. Students must take these exams when they are scheduled. Students must contact their instructor prior to the exam if they are unable to take an exam on the scheduled date. Make-ups will be given only in the case of properly documented, excused absences and must be arranged with the instructor.

Compositions:

Students write two compositions during the quarter. Because writing is a process, students will write two versions of each composition. Compositions will be graded on an average of the first draft and the final draft. Both versions of each composition are required in order to receive credit for the work and must be turned in (along with all other materials used in their preparation) on the announced due dates. Late work will not be accepted. Detailed instructions regarding content, format, and evaluation of each composition will be made available (through the instructor or on the course portal) prior to each due date.

Participation and Daily Homework:

Because language classes are practice sessions, your lively presence is required and you receive a daily participation grade ranging from 0-5. (See the participation section below for details on what this participation entails.) In order for students to understand the grammar and participate in the conversations, they must complete all homework and reading assignments prior to class. Failure to do so results in a low participation grade. Attendance is required for obvious reasons--it is impossible to receive participation credit if you are not in class. Your instructor will provide details regarding how he/she will monitor and evaluate your class participation. Please see the "Participation Self-Evaluation Form" at the online course portal for general evaluation criteria.

Homework assignments are included in the daily syllabus found in the online course portal. Any changes to the daily syllabus will be announced by your instructor. You are required to read the assigned pages before class and complete the homework for that date. The course relies heavily on topics studied outside of class and requires students to prepare the assigned materials on their own prior to class. A good participation grade requires that you carefully prepare all homework and reading assignments.

A note regarding the Cuaderno: The workbook includes numerous grammar and listening exercises for each chapter. These exercises are optional (unless your instructor assigns one as required), but should be done to provide the extra practice necessary for acceptable performance in class and on exams. All listening materials to accompany the workbook are available through the Language Learning Center, Denny Hall 108, 543-0536 or llc@u.washington.edu. You may access the listening materials online with a UW Net ID by going to the LLC's website http://www.llc.washington.edu and following the links to the online language resources in Spanish.

Formal Discussions:

There are five formal discussions during the quarter. Students are required to read the assigned texts and prepare a series of activities in preparation for the discussion. In class, students will be quizzed on the basic content of the reading and evaluated on their preparation, proficiency, and level of participation in the class discussion. Following each discussion, students are required to submit a brief written commentary on the reading. Information on the format and grading procedures for these discussions will be made available on the course portal prior to the first discussion date.

Formal Homework:

In addition to the daily preparation required for participation in class, there are ten formal homework assignments to be turned in for credit during the quarter. These assignments are listed in bold type on the daily syllabus and must be turned in on the date indicated. No late work will be accepted.  

Film:

All students view a film in Spanish during the final week of classes and will be required to participate in a series of activities related to the film. Later in the quarter, your instructor will provide information regarding the film, related activies, requirements, and grading procedures.

Workload Expectations

SPAN 201 is a five credit course. Each college-level credit is typically thought to be equivalent to 2-3 hours outside of class. This means you should expect to devote 10-15 hours weekly to this course.

See http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html for general information on the UW grading system.