COURSE SYLLABUS: BEGINNER SPANISH II

Location:  Heredia, Costa Rica

Partner Institution: Latina University Heredia (Universidad Latina Heredia)

Course Title: Beginner Spanish II

Course Number: C200SI

Session: year-round

Instructional Language: Spanish

Contact Hours:  45 (can be 60 or 75 depending on the needs of the student)

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

Pre-requisites: Beginner Spanish I        

Course Description:

The Beginner II Spanish program focuses on developing communicative skills through study, both oral and written communication, and understanding of Spanish as a second language. The student will build upon the foundation of the present tense. The student will begin to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the past tense. The student will increase vocabulary, read more complex stories, and create and execute medium-length oral presentations. They will be able to ask and answer more complex questions. The student will keep a daily journal about their activities, excursions, and cultural experiences in Costa Rica.  

Course Objectives:

The program is organized so that the students can acquire a holistic foundation of knowledge based on four areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing—putting each of these in practice in any place or situation. Upon completion of the Spanish as a second language course, the student should accomplish the following objectives:  

In the area of listening:

• Understand simple orders.
• Understand simple dialogues.
• Understand more a wider vocabulary and verbs.
• Understand questions.
• Understand simple phrases from radio and television.

In the area of speech:

• Respond to questions and make simple comments.
• Give more detailed descriptions.
• Order food in restaurants.
• Can make transactions in stores, banks, and other places.

In the area of reading:

• Reads signs and posters.
• Reads simple sentences in books, newspapers, magazines, and others.
• Read short readings with familiar themes.

In the area of writing:

• Fill out forms.
• Write short descriptive paragraphs using verbs in the present and past tense.
• Write short dialogues about known situations.

Program (Outline or Schedule)

Content:

• Use of the article.
• Number and gender of nouns.
• Position and concordance of adjectives.
• Uses of the verbs ser and estar.
• Uses of regular verbs in the present tense. .
• Uses of reflexive verbs.
• Verbal periphrasis construction with reflexive verbs.
• Use of the future periphrastic.
• Uses of por and para.
• Uses of indirect pronouns.
• Use of the verb gustar.
• Use of irregular verbs in the present tense.
• Use of indirect pronouns.
• Use of indefinite preterit.
• Use of imperfect preterit.

Activities

The class activities will include individual, pair, and group projects, short readings, presentations, conversations, dialogues, and plays.

Methodology

• Inductive: Teaching from the specific to the general.
• Deductive: Teaching from the general to the specific.
• Comparative: Learning by comparing.
• Communicative: Using grammar as a guide for oral expression.  

Course Evaluation

• Class Project: 20%
• Oral Exam: 20%
• Partial Exam: 25%
• Final Exam: 25%
• Dramatizations: 10%

Note: If there is a change in the evaluation percentages, the students will be informed in the first two days of class.  

Bibliography (Text and Materials)

Universidad Latina Beginner Spanish II Course Book made of selected readings, activities, stories, dialogues etc.

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

(Translation of the syllabus from the Universidad Latina, Heredia)