*Expresamos nuestro agradecimiento por este documento al Profesor Chad M. Gasta de Iowa State University

SPANISH 401
Advanced Writing through Contemporary Culture
Primavera del 2013

Course web page:  http://www.longwood.edu/staff/goetzla/401/

Descripción del curso:
Course Description from Longwood Catalog:

A practical approach to written expression through examination of cultural topics, such as current events in the Hispanic world, movies, literary works, and controversial issues. Exploration of these topics to further the development of the principal interpersonal and presentational writing modes: description, narration, exposition (analysis, classification, comparison/contrast, cause/effect), argumentation. Students will study and practice problematical points of grammar in authentic contexts. Prerequisite: SPAN 320 or permission of instructor. 3 credits. WR

Textos:
Texts:

Bleichmar, Guillermo y Paula Cañón.  Taller de escritores:  Grammar and Composition for Advanced Spanish.  Boston:  Vista Higher Learning, 2012.

Taller de escritores Supersite:  www.vhlcentral.com     Registration Instructions for Students

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines - Writing.  ACTFL, Inc. 2012.  (Please print the section for Writing proficiency from the ACTFL site.)

Materiales varios:
internet, televisión, películas, cuentos, poemas, novelas, artículos de revistas y periódicos, música, juegos.

Course Content:
Contenido del curso:  This course consists of two components:  the practice of the more complex aspects of Spanish grammar, and the development of effective writing skills.  Students will engage in both informal and formal ("spontaneous" and "reflective") writing, and will practice the forms and processes of writing used in professions related to the Spanish language field, and in creative writing in Spanish.  Students will receive explicit instruction for each writing assignment, as well as detailed scoring guides, editing guides and explanations of scores.  Students will maintain a portfolio of their work, including informal pre-writing and brainstorming activities, drafts and final essays, grammar exercises.  In-class activities will include communicative activities in applying grammar to speaking skills, and may involve debates, contests, games, video, presentations, and other interactive activities. 
 

Objetivos del curso:
Course Objectives and National Standards addressed:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1.  Write effectively at the ACTFL Advanced level, presenting information, concepts and ideas on a variety of topics, using the four major modes of writing:  description, narration, exposition (analysis, classification, comparison/contrast, cause/effect), argumentation. (Standards  1.3;  2;  3;  4.2)
2.  Take notes in Spanish from written texts and from oral sources for use in formulating and expressing their own ideas. (Standards  1.2,  2;  3)
3.  Use Microsoft Word in Spanish to produce essays and other written material.
4.  Edit successfully their own written work, recognizing deficiencies in clarity, organization, support, grammar and mechanics. (Standards  1.3,  4.1)
5.  Use complex structures of Spanish grammar in contextualized exercises with consistency; use these structures in composition with some inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Produce writing that is generally comprehensible to native readers. (Standards 1.3;  4.1)
6.  Use traditional sources (books, journals, newspapers, magazines) for research; use the internet for research and for communication with colleagues in Spanish-speaking countries and via the class discussion list.  (Standards 1.2;  2;  3;  4;  5)
 

Horario de Clases:
Class Schedule:

Requisitos del curso:
Course Requirements:

10%  Participación en la clase, Actividades Culturales y "Discusión" en Blackboard (provisional)
10%  Deberes y Actividades
40%  Ensayos y Proyectos
30%  Pruebas
10%  Examen Final

10% Participación.  You are expected to actively participate in class activities.  It is recognized that there are many different kinds of personalities represented among students in a class, and that some are more outgoing than others.  People who normally speak a lot find it easy to participate in these activities, while more quiet personalities sometimes hesitate to join in.  This is quite natural and you are not expected to try to change your particular comportment.  Nevertheless, it is necessary to make every effort to join in the activities, and you will find that the more you do so, the easier it becomes to speak Spanish, and as Spanish begins to become easier to speak, the more you will want to join in.  Besides the in-class participation, your participation in the Blackboard Discusión will be included in this participation grade; you are expected to submit to the discussion list a message at least once every week.  The topics will change each week, and will be related to our class discussion topics.  This can be a fun way to get to know the other members of the class and to understand various issues we will be discussing.  Requirements for the Discusión:  be sure to write as much as possible (we want to read something interesting), and be sure to answer or address at least one other person's comments or ideas, so that it is really a discussion, and not just a list of entries by different people.

Actividades Culturales:  You may be asked to attend some Cultural Activities during the semester.  You may propose actividades that have a connection with Hispanic culture or language, and we will post them on the Actividades Culturales webpage.  To receive credit, you will turn in a summary in Spanish of each Cultural Activity you attend (about a page) within one week of attending the activity.  Summaries submitted after that will not be accepted. 

10% Deberes.  This portion of your grade is based primarily on assignments which you do outside of class.  To achieve a satisfactory grade in any college-level class, one should expect to spend at least two hours outside of class for every hour spent in class.  Therefore, you should expect to dedicate six hours per week outside of class in homework and other activities.  For some assignments, you will use the exercises and activities in your textbook, and on the Supersite.   (Here are the Registration Instructions for Students.)

40% Ensayos y proyectos. You will write several essays based upon real-life contexts during the semester; you will receive detailed instructions and in some cases will be able to make revisions before receiving the grade for the assignment.  You will receive grading rubrics for each essay.  For all of your writing assignments, you must use Microsoft Word in Spanish [with spell-check and thesaurus in Spanish], which is available in the Language Lab and on your own computer.  Pick up a copy of the keyboard layout in the language lab if you misplace the one you receive in class; on the back of the keyboard layout you will find the instructions for installing it on your own computer.  Ask for help if you need it.  Essays that have not been "spell-checked" will receive a lower grade--don't forget this important step--and just think what you can do with the thesaurus!

30% Pruebas.  There will be many short 10-15 minute grammar quizzes.  None of these are "pop" quizzes; they will all be announced.  There are no "make-ups" for missed quizzes.  We will drop one quiz grade at the end of the semester.

10% Examen Final.  The final exam will contain a communicative grammar test and an essay component.   If you are keeping up with homework, activities, and participation, you should not need to "study" for the final.  We are building skills, not accumulating knowledge, so it is important to keep pace with your assignments.  We will review before the final exam.

 

Calificaciones:
Grading:   90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 59 F
 

Asistencia:
Attendance Policy:  The attendance policy for this course is the same as the University policy in the Longwood University Catalog and the Student Handbook.  To clarify some of the points in the policy, please note:
 There are 28 class meetings.  If a student misses 7 classes, whether excused or unexcused, he/she will have missed 25% of the scheduled class meeting times, and will receive an F in this course.
 If a student misses 2.8 classes for unexcused reasons, his/her final course grade will be lowered one letter grade.  In addition, please note that if a student is not in class, he/she can not participate in class activities, which will affect the "participation grade."  (In addition to the university policy stated above, the policy for this class will include the lowering of two letter grades upon missing 5 classes for excused OR unexcused reasons.)
 Please note what constitutes "excused absences" as defined in the University policy.  I will require, in most cases, written documentation to excuse an absence.

 *** If you discover that you must miss a class, you may email me for assignments, but please do not call or e-mail me for permission or to explain, unless you have extenuating circumstances and will have documentation. Never ask if you missed anything--if we had class, you missed a lot!  Make sure you have other students' phone numbers so that you can find out what the assignments are and have them ready when you come back to class.  Never tell me "I wasn't here" as an explanation for why you don't have your homework.  Get the assignment and come prepared.  Missing a class does not mean you can show up unprepared--you will take whatever quiz is planned and will turn in whatever assignment is due, or you will receive a zero for the assignment or for a missed quiz--there are no "make-up" quizzes.  Remember, however, that we drop the lowest quiz grade.  

Código de Honor:
Honor Code:  Students are expected to live by the Longwood University Honor Code.  All work done for this class must be pledged:  "Yo, ___________________, juro que no he dado ni recibido ayuda en este trabajo ni he notado ninguna infracción del Código de Honor."  If you would like to abbreviate this, you may write, "Juramento," and sign your name.