COURSE SYLLABUS: BEGINNER SPANISH I

Location: Oaxaca, Mexico

Partner Institution: University of Oaxaca

English Course Title: Beginner Spanish I

Spanish Course Title: Español Principiante I

Course Number: SP 100

Instructional Language: Spanish

Session: Year-round

Contact Hours: 45 (can be offered for 60 or 75 if previously arranged)

Semester Credits/Quarter Units: 3 / 4 credits (or up to 5 credits)

Pre-requisites: None

Course Objectives

Oral Production:

In this section, the student is introduced to every-day conversations where they can apply the structures and functions learned in class. The student will be able to present themselves, say their name, where they are from, what they do, etc. They will acquire the ability to give different types of descriptions using colors, forms, and location of people, animals, things, or places. They will be able to talk about daily actions using the days of the week, months of the year. Also, they will be able to give opinions using common expressions. The students will also be able to talk about past vacations, stories or histories using the different grammatical tenses used at this level.

Written Production:

This course is designed to give students a solid foundation in Spanish to create short paragraphs using the language for real-life situations. The students will be able to write the alphabet, write different types of descriptions, give written directions to arrive go somewhere. They will be able to write about climate and the seasons. They will narrate daily actions using regular and irregular verbs in different tenses appropriate to this level. They will be able to write about future plans. They will be able to write recipes using the imperative. They will write about their vacations, stories, etc. using the Preterit and the Co-preterit. In the general, they will be able to answer all of the written exercises in the workbook.

Listening Comprehension:

Instructions are given in Spanish to force the student to produce the appropriate Spanish structures and expressions.  Additional vocabulary is provided as needed.  Students are exposed to authentic dialogues with concise, simple, and practical grammar. They will be able to understand the information and direct a small conversation in real context (talk about the market, a shop, etc.) in class. They will be able to respond and interact in conversation about routine actions, movies, likes, food, stories, plans, etc. They will be able to incorporate important common idiom expressions.

Grammar:

• Definite and indefinite articles
• Gender and number
• Verbs ser and estar
• Principal regular and irregular verbs
• Demonstrative and possessive adjectives and pronouns
• Prepositions
• Different forms of the future
• Imperative
• Direct and indirect objects
• Reflexive verbs
• Introduction of the preterit and co-preterit

Reading Comprehension

The reading selections applied in this course provide the student with the semantic and cultural richness needed to gain a better understanding of Mexican culture. The student will be able to understand the different types of text presented by the professor that are adequate for this level.

Program:

Grammatical Content:

• Personal pronouns
• Conjugation of the verb “ser”
• Uses of the verb “ser”
• Definite and indefinite articles
• Agreement of gender and number
• Conjugation of the verb “estar”
• The verb “haber” to express existence
• Impersonal verbs
• Comparative adjectives and pronouns
• Present tense: conjugation of regular verbs

Abilities to Develop:

• Personal presentation
• Identification and description of objects, animals, people, etc.
• Location of people and places
• Expression of states of excitement
• Identification of jobs
• Colors
• Spelling words
• Time
• Describing climate
• Expression of opinions and simple advice
• Possession
• Description of location and distance
• Asking the price of things

Situations to Emphasize:

• At home
• At the beach
• At the zócalo
• At the party
• At the store
• At the market

Vocabulary:

• Nationalities
• Pets
• The home
• The alphabet
• Jobs
• Numbers
• Days and dates

Cultural Content:

• The Spanish language
• Monte Ablán, el Tule and other tourist sites in Oaxaca
• Crafts
• The climate in Oaxaca
• Oaxaca state
• Market days

Course Evaluation

Class attendance: 10%

Class participation: 10%

Homework and assignments: 20%

Conduct and in-class behavior: 10%

Final exam: 50%

Contact Information:
SOL EDUCATION ABROAD
EMAIL: info@soleducation.com
WEB: www.soleducation.com
PHONE: 512.380.1003
FAX: 512.287.4886
MAIL: 503 Oakland Ave. Austin, TX 78703