Syllabus
Course Information
Instructor: Ramón Talavera-Franco
Course Name: Spanish for Heritage Speakers
Course ID & Section: SPN He2014
Credit Hours: N/A
Semester/Year: 9 week course
Location: Cambridge, MA
Instructor: Ramón Talavera-Franco
Course Name: Spanish for Heritage Speakers
Course ID & Section: SPN He2014
Credit Hours: N/A
Semester/Year: 9 week course
Location: Cambridge, MA
Course Description
Spanish for Heritage Speakers is a blended course. Hispanic authors’ literary works, along with Spanish teaching and learning resources, are posted in the course’s blog. Students can have access to the blog 24/7 and work on assignments at their own pace.
Brick-and-mortar class is divided in five segments:
1) Introducing a different grammar/narrative figures every week;
2) Introducing a specific Hispanic author’s life including social, cultural and historical context;
3) Reading and discussing a short story or poem from the chosen Hispanic author;
4) Discussing and understanding new vocabulary and grammatical structures within the reading;
5) Writing a group story using eight words extracted form the previous reading.
At home students continue working in course assignments independently through the course’s blog. The use of interactive technology such as songs, tongue twisters, audiobooks, radio shows, podcasts, soap operas, movies, recording devices, and interactive game-based learning software embedded in the blog help students improve their four language skills and technological abilities.
In addition, students write individual stories no more than 100 words in length and post them in the blog. The benefits from working on these assignments include:
1) Students relate vocabulary learned in class with stories they want to tell;
2) Instructor can work individually with each student’s spelling, vocabulary and grammar weaknesses; and
3) Students can read and learn from their peers’ exercises and make comments.
Brick-and-mortar class is divided in five segments:
1) Introducing a different grammar/narrative figures every week;
2) Introducing a specific Hispanic author’s life including social, cultural and historical context;
3) Reading and discussing a short story or poem from the chosen Hispanic author;
4) Discussing and understanding new vocabulary and grammatical structures within the reading;
5) Writing a group story using eight words extracted form the previous reading.
At home students continue working in course assignments independently through the course’s blog. The use of interactive technology such as songs, tongue twisters, audiobooks, radio shows, podcasts, soap operas, movies, recording devices, and interactive game-based learning software embedded in the blog help students improve their four language skills and technological abilities.
In addition, students write individual stories no more than 100 words in length and post them in the blog. The benefits from working on these assignments include:
1) Students relate vocabulary learned in class with stories they want to tell;
2) Instructor can work individually with each student’s spelling, vocabulary and grammar weaknesses; and
3) Students can read and learn from their peers’ exercises and make comments.
Prerequisites
The following information is a guide to determine the student’s minimum Spanish knowledge and skills required to be successful in the course.Grammar:
- Indicative Mood: Simple Tenses (present, preterit, imperfect, future, and conditional) and Compound Tenses (at least Present Perfect)
- Subjunctive Mood (at least Present Subjunctive)
- Reflexive Verbs
- Prepositions
- Use of Impersonal “se”
- Familiar Expressions
- Understand the main idea in a short story, poetry or dramatic narrative
- Capable of asking and answering questions
- Express ideas and emotions in present, past and future tenses
- Interact in group discussion with a certain degree of fluency
- Understand the main idea in a class discussion
- Understand the main idea in a story transmitted over an audio format
- Deduce the meaning of a conversation without understanding every word
- Ability to take notes
- Ability to write in present, past and future tense
- Ability to write a 100-words story, using Spanish Grammar Intermediate Level requirements
Course Objectives
The learners will be able to increase by 30% their fours language skills according to the National Standards of Foreign Language Education.
SWBAT:
1. Apply Spanish language effectively for purposes of practical communication;
2. Understand, interpret and analyze written Spanish language through Hispanic literature;
3. Choose correct Spanish vocabulary and enhance Spanish grammar through writing assignments;
4. Recognize new Spanish vocabulary through videos, podcasts and audio material;
5. Explain the plot of a short story in Spanish through class discussion and chat rooms.
SWBAT:
1. Apply Spanish language effectively for purposes of practical communication;
2. Understand, interpret and analyze written Spanish language through Hispanic literature;
3. Choose correct Spanish vocabulary and enhance Spanish grammar through writing assignments;
4. Recognize new Spanish vocabulary through videos, podcasts and audio material;
5. Explain the plot of a short story in Spanish through class discussion and chat rooms.
Required Text
All readings are posted in the blog of the course. The first day of class students will receive the list of required and supplemental readings
Course Requirements
Students are expected to:
1. Read on time the short story or poem assigned for every class.
2. Discuss the reading material during class.
3. Collaborate in producing a collective short story during every class
4. Write one journal entry each week on the course’s blog
5. Comment on at least one classmate’s exercise posted on the courses’ blog
6. Practice at least one tongue twister through the online recording device
7. Upload all assignments on time on the “comments” link of each post
8. Join synchronous class sessions
1. Read on time the short story or poem assigned for every class.
2. Discuss the reading material during class.
3. Collaborate in producing a collective short story during every class
4. Write one journal entry each week on the course’s blog
5. Comment on at least one classmate’s exercise posted on the courses’ blog
6. Practice at least one tongue twister through the online recording device
7. Upload all assignments on time on the “comments” link of each post
8. Join synchronous class sessions
Missed Assignments/Make-ups/Extra Credits
Students must collaborate in blog posts and assignments every week. In case that a student cannot comply with every week assignment, the student should notify the teacher in advance and post the comments in posterior date with out penalties.
Evaluating and Credits
Grading:
8 assignments – 10 points each (80 points total).
Participation in class – 20 points
Total Points awarded: 100
8 assignments – 10 points each (80 points total).
Participation in class – 20 points
Total Points awarded: 100
Attendance Policy
Students should attend all face-to-face classes and attend to all online sessions.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism and Cheating of any kind on an examination, quiz, or assignment will result at least in an "F" for that assignment (and may, depending on the severity of the case, lead to an "F" for the entire course) and may be subject to appropriate referral to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. I will assume for this course that you will adhere to the academic creed of this Educational Institution and will maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. In other words, don't cheat by giving answers to others or taking them from anyone else. I will also adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity, so please do not ask me to change (or expect me to change) your grade illegitimately or to bend or break rules for one person that will not apply to everyone.
Disability Statement This Educational Institution is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact the professor at the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the student has met with the professor to request accommodations. Students who need accommodations must be contact XXXXXXXXXXXX for special accomodations.
Disability Statement This Educational Institution is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact the professor at the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the student has met with the professor to request accommodations. Students who need accommodations must be contact XXXXXXXXXXXX for special accomodations.
Copyright
This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.
Third Party Software and FERPA
During this course you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these are required assignments, you need not make any personally identifying information on a public site. Do not post or provide any private information about yourself or your classmates. Where appropriate you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personally identifiable/sensitive information. If you have any concerns about this, please contact your instructor.