SPANISH 133

SPANISH 133: Advanced Oral Expression

PROFESSOR SARA E. COOPER

TRINITY 150 (898-5161) SCOOPER@CSUCHICO.EDU

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course offers intensive practice in the spoken language at an advanced level of proficiency. Students will participate in guided conversations and discussions, debates, and speeches. Enrollment will be limited. Native speakers should consult with instructor before enrolling.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Biron, Christina Makara, and Dale April Koike. Puntos de vista: Conversación. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1994.

Medium-sized bilingual Spanish/English dictionary (recommended Oxford or Larousse).

BOTH TEXTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO CLASS ON A DAILY BASIS
LANGUAGE & CULTURE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this course, you should be able to communicate at an intermediate high (minimum requirement) to and advanced level of proficiency as per ACTFL guidelines. This includes both listening and speaking skills. (See proficiency guidelines at http://www.actfl.org/)
Furthermore, you will need to demonstrate your domination of the required vocabulary and strategies involved in:

Interviews
Giving instructions or explaining something in your field of study
Reporting news
Persuading or convincing an audience
Interpreting a literary text

Finally, you will show a comprehension of underlying cultural perspectives and/or traditions that might influence how you carry out these communicative tasks.

GRADING CRITERIA

Grades will be assigned as a letter with a numerical value, and there will be no curve. Final grades will be announced after they have been turned in, the week after finals. For any questions about grading *at any time during the semester* please visit office hours or e-mail me at scooper@csuchico.edu.

A/A-	100-90	superior, extraordinary work
B	89-80	good, above average work
C	79-70	average work
D	69-60	below average, minimally satisfactory
F	59-	below minimum expectations, failing

A/A- = 100-90 =superior, extraordinary work
B = 89-80 =good, above average work
C = 79-70 =average work
D = 69-60 =below average, minimally satisfactory
F = 59- =below minimum expectations, failing

You must turn in all ASSIGNED WRITTEN WORK and perform all ORAL ASSIGNMENTS during class on the day that it is due for complete possible credit. ORAL PRESENTATIONS CAN NOT BE MADE UP BECAUSE OF TIGHT SCHEDULING. LATE WRITTEN WORK WILL BE DOCKED 10 % PER CLASS DAY LATE.

Extra credit (+ 5 Pts. on a presentation or makeup for one absence) may be earned through doing service at the Monday night Conversation Hour at Moxie’s Café between 6:30-7:30 PM. Ask the professor about this possibility early in the semester. Service means talking to the beginning students. You also may attend Moxie's for your own benefit, but this is not extra credit.

15% Attendance & Participation. Because learning a foreign language requires considerable practice, and a large portion of the coursework centers upon the oral exchange of ideas, your attendance and participation are vital to your success in Spanish 133. An excellent participation grade will reflect that you ask questions, answer questions, contribute actively in-group work, and are well-prepared for the topics covered. 3 or more unexcused absences will lower your participation grade by 10% per absence. 6 unexcused absences (the equivalent of 3 full weeks absent from class) will result in a failing grade and no credit for the class.

15% Written Homework. For each chapter, you will be assigned various exercises for the purpose of practicing vocabulary, preparing for in-class activities, or preparing a new topic or genre of oral expression. Homework may be from the textbook, a handout, or other. Homework may be assigned orally by the instructor. You must complete the assignment fully, carefully, and ON TIME in order to receive full credit. ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS SHOULD BE WORD-PROCESSED, 12 PT FONT, DOUBLE-SPACED, PROOFREAD AND SPELL-CHECKED IN SPANISH (MS WORD OFFERS THIS OPTION).

15% Written Copy of Oral Assignments. For each oral assignment, you will turn in two written documents.

(1) A personal list of new vocabulary relevant to the topic (with copies for the class when helpful). You should write the word in Spanish, the definition in Spanish, and the equivalent in English. Minimum 10 new words (for a grade of "C").

(2) An outline or essay of your presentation. Either format is fine. You don't have to include every word you will say, because the presentations are not read directly from the paper. However, these written assignments will be graded for grammar, punctuation, accents, and spelling.

ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS SHOULD BE WORD-PROCESSED, 12 PT FONT, DOUBLE-SPACED, PROOFREAD AND SPELL-CHECKED IN SPANISH (MS WORD OFFERS THIS OPTION).

30% Oral Presentations. Your oral expression will be evaluated on six (6) occasions, including: interviews in pairs; a "talk-show panel"; an explanation or giving instructions; participation in a literary seminar; making a newscast video; and a persuasion speech or TV commercial. Your presentation grades will be based upon use of appropriate and extensive vocabulary, organization, utilization of genre-specific strategies, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation/flow. 25% will be deducted if a speech/presentation is merely read rather than spoken extemporaneously, although some reliance on notes or outlines will be expected and allowed. The type and extent of notes for each assignment will vary–please make sure you have a clear notion of the expectations of each task. You also must fill out the response sheet each day of presentations. The objective is to improve listening skills and to better critical thinking and analytical skills.
10% Quizzes. As necessary, there will be frequent in-class and/or e-mail quizzes covering vocabulary, strategies, or assigned readings from the text. Quizzes may or may not be announced. If extraordinary class participation makes quizzes seem unnecessary, these points will be absorbed into participation.
15% Individual progress in oral expression, based on comparison between initial oral evaluation and final oral evaluation.

ANY PAPER, EXAM, PRUEBA, OR OTHER ASSIGNMENT NOT COMPLETED WITHIN THE STATED PARAMETERS OF ACADEMIC HONESTY WILL BE GIVEN ZERO CREDIT. IN ADDITION, THE STUDENT PRACTICING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY OR PLAGIARISM MAY BE DROPPED FROM THE COURSE OR FAILED IMMEDIATELY OR FURTHER SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION AT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY LEVEL. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY INCLUDES (BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO) APPROPRIATING WEB ESSAYS OR TRANSLATING PROGRAMS TO COMPLETE ONE’S OWN ESSAYS.