Time/Room: M W 2:05-3:20 PM. Fisher Hall 126

1

HU 3293: Conversation and Composition

(Spring 2013)

Professor: Alejandro Quin

E-mail:

Time/Room: M W 2:05-3:20 PM. Fisher Hall 126

Office Hours: W 11:00 AM-1:00PM, or by appointment (Walker 334)

Course Description and Objectives

Bienvenidos a español 3293! This course will cover major aspects and concepts of Spanish grammar for students at the intermediate-advanced level. You will review and strengthen your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills through a variety of learning techniques that include literary analysis, translations, in-class discussions, mechanical and lexical activities, writing exercises, and class presentations. In addition, you will expand your knowledge of the Hispanic world through culture-related readings and activities. The class will be conducted in Spanish.

I am deeply committed to facilitating your learning process, but you are responsible for your own success in HU 3293. You are expected to come prepare and attend class everyday, to turn in assignments on time, and to study at least 2 hours for every hour in class.If you are absent from class for any reason, you are responsible for keeping up with thecalendars, reading your textbook, and completing your homework. If you have specificquestions and/or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.

Required Course Materials

-Dominicis, María Canteli, and John F. Reynolds. Repase y escriba: Curso avanzado de gramática y composición,6th. Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011.

-Workbook for Repase y escriba.6th. Ed.

-Any good Spanish/English dictionary.

Note: the instructor will provide additional materials in class. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the resources of the Humanities Digital Media Zone (Walker 120) such as books, films, videos, CD-ROMS, and Spanish-language TV channels.

Attendance Policy and Participation

Regular attendance and punctuality are crucial to your success in this class and will bereflected in your class participation grade. Your instructor will check attendance andpunctuality daily. More than two unexcused absences will seriously affect your final participation grade. *What is an officially excused absence? One that is authorized inwriting by a doctor, another instructor, a program director, a supervisor or the Dean ofStudents.

In addition to attending class regularly, your final participation grade will be assesseddaily based on the following aspects:

1. Use of Spanish in class. It is essential that you make the effort to expressyourself at all times in Spanish, this includes during group work and chattingwith classmates at any time while in the classroom.

2. Willingness to volunteer in whole class activities and to participate and

cooperate in pair and group work.

3. Level of preparedness. It is mandatory that you come to class on time andprepared, with assigned pages read in advance and assignments completed.

ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES such as laptops, cell phones, blackberries, IPods, etc.,MUST BE TURNED OFF in the classroom unless otherwise authorized by theinstructor.

Homework and Assignments

The work you complete in this category will serve as an important learning tool topractice grammatical functions and new vocabulary as well as to evaluate your reading comprehension. Included in this category are:

1. Specific written assignments from your textbook and pop quizzesgiven by your instructor.

2. Assignments from the workbook that accompanies Repase y escriba, which provides additional practice with grammar and vocabulary. You should complete only the exercises indicated by your instructor and later check your answers with the answer key that appears at the end of the workbook. These assignments are to be submitted in class and will be graded for bothcompletion andaccuracy.

Exams

There will be two exams during the semester based on the topics covered in class.

Compositions

The purpose of the compositions is to develop your writing skills and to help you reflect on the material presented in class. We will follow a two-part process for the compositions. The first version will be evaluated for both content and form and errors of grammar and style will be indicated. It will then be your responsibility to correct the errors on the final version. To receive credit for the second version of the composition, the first version must be attached to the final one on the day of collection. Compositions must be typed and double-spaced in standard 12pt. font. Topics and general guidelines will be provided in class.

Oral Presentation

Oral presentations will be done in groups of 2. This oral exercise should last about 20 minutes and must be delivered in Spanish. In their presentations, students are expected to expand on the readings and/or major cultural topics discussed in class based on their particular interests and in consultation with the instructor. A written outline of the main points discussed is due the day of the presentation.

Grading Policy

Late homework and assignments, without a valid excuse, will not be accepted.

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

Participation 20%

Homework and assignments 15%

Compositions 30%

Exams 15%

Oral Presentation 20%

Grading scale:

A 93-100 C 73-7

AB 88-92 CD 68-72

B 83-87 D 60-67

BC 78-82 F 0-59

Academic integrity

Students suspected of cheating, plagiarism, or aiding others in dishonest academic

behavior can receive sanctions ranging from warning to special failing grade to expulsionfrom the university depending on the severity of the offence. Cases of plagiarism will bebrought to the Dean of Student’s Office. You are responsible for reading and understanding the Michigan Tech’s academic integrity policy at

***MTU complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding

discrimination, including the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (ADA). If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to educational services at MTU, please call Dr. Gloria Melton, Associate Dean of Students, (2212). For other concerns about discrimination, you may contact your advisor, department head, or the Affirmative Action Office (3310). ***This syllabus is subject to change at any time for pedagogical research.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION (Placement credits, minors, certificates)

Students who PLACE into this class will receive THREE placement credits for transitional Spanish HU2293 after successfully completing the course with B or better. Students who also enroll in UN1003 in Spring 2013 AND go on to complete HU3294 in spring or fall of 2013 also satisfy the World Cultures university requirement for graduation. Students may continue with third-and fourth-year language courses in Spanish and count this course work toward the general education distribution requirement (i.e. at least nine, and up to twelve credit hours) and also earn credits toward a Minor or International Minor in Spanish.

Students who want to earn a MINOR in Spanish (18 credits) must complete three courses of language, (9 credits), not including IA or IB and at least three courses (9 credits) chosen from Spanish-language specific courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (see your instructor for the list) which can be taken either at MTU or compelted through study abroad.

Students who want to earn an INTERNATIONAL MINOR in Spanish (21 credits) must complete three courses in the language (9 credits), not inlucidng IA or IB, at least three courses (9 credits) chosen from 3000-4000 level courses in Spanish, and one course (3 credits) listed under elective B (course in English or in Spanish) which can be taken either at MTU or completed through study abroad. In addition, students must spend at least six (6) weeks for work or study in a Spanish-speaking country.

CERFITICATES in Spanish and Area Study (21 credits) are also available. The difference between the International Minor and the Certificate is that the Certificate does not mandate either study abroad or advanced study in Spanish and culture. Instead students may satisfy requirements for the Certificate by completing only two years of a language and requirements in English. NOTE: IA and IB language classes can apply to the Certificate.

TRABAJO EN CLASE

/

PRÓXIMA CLASE

Semana
1
(14/1) / Introducción al curso / Leer: “Águeda” –Pío Baroja (pg. 2-4)
Sección gramatical (pg, 7-9)
(16/1) / Cap. 1
“Águeda” –Pío Baroja
El Pretérito / Leer: sección gramatical (pg, 9-12)
Semana
2
(21/1) / MLK-DAY: No hay clase /

Leer: sección gramatical (pg, 9-12)

(23/1) / Pretérito/ imperfecto / Preparar ejercicios sobre pretérito /imperfecto
Semana
3
(28/1) / Pretérito/ imperfecto /

Leer: recuadro (box) (pg. 16)

Sección léxica (pg. 18-19)

Leer: distinciones (pg. 21)

(30/1) / Diminutivos, aumentativos, despectivos
Soler, acabar de, por poco /

Leer: “Nuestros semejantes”-Muñoz Molina (pg. 28-30).

Semana 4
(04/2) / Cap. 2
“Nuestros semejantes”-Muñoz Molina. /

Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 32-36).

(06/2) / Ser /estar
TRABAJO EN CLASE /

Leer: recuadros (pg. 40, 42).

Leer: distinciones (pg. 47-48).

PRÓXIMA CLASE

Semana 5
(11/2) / Ser / estar
Saber/ conocer / Preparar presentación oral
Taller de escritura
(13/2) / Presentación oral
Taller de escritura
*Entregar cuaderno de trabajo (workbook), Cap.1 y 2 / Leer: “El hombre de plata” –Allende
(pg. 56-60).
Semana
6
(18/2) / Cap. 3.
“El hombre de plata” –Allende
*Entregar composición 1. / Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 63-69)
Leer: pronombre del objeto indirecto (pg. 71-72)
(20/2) / Construcciones verbales especiales

Usos del pronombre del objeto

indirecto / Leer: tiempos perfectos (pg. 73-74)
construcciones de tiempo especiales (pg. 76-77).
Semana
7
(25/2) /

Tiempos perfectos

Construcciones de tiempo especiales / Leer: las palabras de enlace (pg. 81-84)
Leer: “Réquiem con tostadas”-Benedetti (pg. 88-92).
(27/2) / Las palabras de enlace
Cap. 4
“Réquiem con tostadas”-Benedetti. / Preparar presentación oral
Taller de escritura
Semana
8
(04/3) / Presentación oral
Taller de escritura / Estudiar para Examen 1
*(06/3) / Examen 1
*Entregar cuaderno de trabajo, Cap. 3 / Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 95-98)
TRABAJO EN CLASE /

PRÓXIMA CLASE

Semana
9
(18/3) / El subjuntivo en expresiones de emoción
*Entregar composición 2 / Leer: expresiones de deseo, influencia, e incertidumbre (pg. 98-106)
Leer: cláusulas independientes (pg. 109-110).
(20/3) /

Expresiones de deseo, influencia, e incertidumbre.

Cláusulas independientes

/ Leer: equivalentes de “but” en español (114-116).
Preparar presentación oral
Semana
10
(25/3) / Equivalentes de “but” en español
Presentación oral / Leer: “Calvario de un fumador”-Medina (124-127).
Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 130-132)
(27/3) /

Cap. 5

“Calvario de un fumador”-Medina

Subjuntivo en expresiones impersonales / Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 134, 136-137)
Leer: sección léxica (pg. 141-142)
Semana 11
(01/4) / Cláusulas Relativas
La influencia del inglés en los países hispanos / Equivalentes de “to ask” en español
Preparar presentación oral
Taller de escritura
(03/4) / Presentación oral
Taller de escritura
**Entregar cuaderno de trabajo Cap. 4 y 5. / Leer: “La factura” –Garro (pg. 265-269).
Semana 12
(08/4) / Cap. 10.
“La factura” –Garro
*Entregar composición 3 / Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 271-274)
Leer: Recuadro (pg. 277)
Leer: distinciones (pg. 284-285)
(10/4) / Posición de adjetivos y equivalentes de “to miss” en español / Leer: “Mensajes de texto, un nuevo lenguaje” –Chiappe (pg. 291-293)
Leer: sección gramatical (pg. 269-298)
Semana 13
(15/4) / Cap. 11
“Mensajes de texto, un nuevo lenguaje”-Chiappe
El tiempo futuro, el condicional / Leer: expresiones de conjetura y probabilidad (pg. 299-302)
Leer: sección léxica (pg. 304-305)
(17/4) /

Expresiones de conjetura y probabilidad

Vocabulario comercial / Leer: distinciones (pg. 307-309)
Preparar presentación oral
Semana 14
(22/4) /

Significados de la palabra cuenta.

Presentación oral

*Entregar cuaderno de trabajo Cap. 10 y 11 / Estudiar para Examen 2
(24/4) / Examen 2