Course+Syllabus+and+Expectations

//Composición, Conversación y Estudios de Gramática Avanzada // //Janice S. Ribeiro, Cook Hyde 24 // //Otoño, 2012 //

__Course Description __ This elective is designed to broaden and deepen your communicative skills through the study of excerpts from contemporary texts and more traditional literary works. You will read short stories and essays by writers from Spain and Latin America. Along with the texts, you will complete weekly journal entries on the class Wiki, participate in student led discussions, and listen to Podcasts from Spain (on our class Wiki). One of the most important goals is to develop and expand formal writing skills, which you will accomplish through a focused, multiple draft process using Google Docs. You will continue to build your mastery of grammatical structures and to expand your vocabulary, which will enable you to write with confidence, and to read and write in the target language with a more critical eye. It is important that you really try to “take charge” in this course so that you can move on to the electives in the second semester with improved skills and confidence in all areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

__Intended Learning Outcomes __ Discipline-specific skills: to strengthen and expand advanced grammar structures; to develop vocabulary and syntactic structures to communicate at a higher level in Spanish; to demonstrate detailed knowledge of the texts through written and oral analysis of selected texts, relating them to significant elements in their cultural and historical contexts, when possible Course-specific skills: to develop a familiarity with and appreciation for the plurality of Spanish-language literature; to develop firm structural/semantic foundations for continued study at the advanced-elective level; to broaden vocabulary; to strengthen oral skills, particularly pronunciation, colloquialisms, and fluidity of expression 21st Century skills: express and defend opinions through written and oral argument in Spanish; to develop confidence and efficacy in oral/aural communication; global awareness, gain skills using Web 2.0

__Materials __ • Some Course materials can all be found on our class Wiki and Waynflete.org class page • PodCasts of “Notes from Spain” will include current, topical texts as an opportunity for open dialog in the target language. • Required grammatical text (provided and yours to keep): Encuentros Maravillosos, Gramática a través de la literature, Abby Kanter Class web sites: http://comp2012.wikispaces.com/

__Methods __
 * Student-led discussions/presentations based on critical reading or listening comprehension of podcasts, both individual and in groups
 * Short-answer responses/reactions to themes of texts with weekly reflections on the class wiki
 * Analytical essays that synthesize themes and messages found in course materials
 * VoiceThread collaboration of student ‘reviews’, ‘summations’, ‘dramatizations’

__Assessments __  Grades will be based on the following:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Homework and level of preparedness for class
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Student-led discussions of Podcasts
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">On-going written work: shorter compositions/reflections, workbook practice, in-class writings, etc…
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Formal essays (test grades)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Quizzes on specific elements of listening, speaking, writing and reading (and grammar)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Final examination in December

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Academic Honesty __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Amongst the core values of this school are integrity and trust, grounded in respect for yourself, your peers and your teachers. Waynflete faculty assume that their students uphold these qualities above all others, hence the lack of imposed, external strictures. Academic dishonesty, or Plagiarism, is an extremely serious violation of these values. Specific to the foreign language course is the improper use of on-line translators.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Conferencing __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">I am very excited to teach this course and look forward to our collaboration this semester. My role is to guide and assist you in achieving your language goals as you transition from intermediate to advanced Spanish student. I will provide you with the resources you will need and will assume your commitment to your progress. Daily preparation is the essential foundation for success. I am available for extra help by appointment whenever necessary, and I encourage you to seek me out anytime. Please contact me right away with doubts or concerns. I expect that you will contact me in advance of the due date for any assigned work if you are confused or encounter any other obstacles to successful, timely completion. Deadlines for assignments are firm unless we have conferred. The most efficient way to contact me is via email: jribeiro@waynflete.org

//<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">¡Espero que este curso os guste mucho y que os abra el apetito a futuros estudios, lecturas y diversions hispánicos! //