PLAN D’ÉTUDES

course title: spanish 4

1. required text

Nuevos Horizontes , Graciela Ascarrunz G., K. Josu Bijuesca. Cuarta edition. Heinle & Heinle.

- Student Textbook and work book;

INTERNET EXERCISES

http:/www2.marianopolis.edu/faculty/language.htm

recommended textS : De boca en boca 2 , M. Asencio, L. Duguay; Beauchemin.

A full-size bilingual Spanish dictionary, such as: The Collins Spanish Dictionary or Dictionnaire espagnol-français, Larousse.

 2. general objectives

The aim of this course is to further develop language proficiency at intermediate level.

1. Through periodic evaluation, the student will demonstrate the ability to:

a) ask and answer questions in social and professional situations;

b) describe using present, past and future tenses;

c) narrate using present, past and future tenses;

d) express feelings and moods;

e) express and support opinions;

f) hypothesize;

g) read and interpret short texts;

h) show knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world in a socio-cultural and

professional context.

• Through compositions, the student will demonstrate the ability to apply acquired skills creatively in writing. By writing a book report, the student will show understanding of a literary text an the ability to write comments in Spanish on that text.
• Through the use of Internet, the student will follow some aspect of the current events or lifestyles from the point of view of a sector of the Spanish-speaking world.
• Through an oral presentation on a freely chosen topic requiring an intermediate level of competency in the language, the student will demonstrate the ability to use Spanish for creative oral expression.

3. CONTENT

COMMUNOCATIVE

• Offers: making and refusing an offer.
• Commands: asking someone to do something; giving orders; explaining a command one has received; giving instructions; forbidding something; giving advise; explaining advise giving by others; recognizing instructions giving by others; persuading; insisting on a command.
• Wishes: expressing wishes; explaining wishes of another person.
• Duration of activities: getting information about the duration of an activity; expressing the duration of an activity in the past.
• Continuity of an activity: expressing the continuity of an activity; expressing the development of an action or the absence an action up to the present; speaking of habitual actions.
• The past: indicating the date of an event in the past; mentioning facts in the past; explaining the cause of events in the past; saying if something has been done and indicating when it was done; describing the past and narrating events; retelling someone’s life; situating an action relating it to another; narrating an experience; relating actions preceding other actions in the past; connecting past actions in the past; connecting past actions with anterior ones; relating what another person aid.
• Information: giving information and accepting to have something done; giving news; relating what others say or said. Information about what one will say; explaining offers, information, advise, opinions and wishes of others.
• Necessity and obligation: expressing the necessity or lack of necessity of doing something; expressing the obligation to do something; requirements.
• Comparing: comparing activities; expressing a quality of great intensity and a quality at the highest degree.
• Purpose: expressing the purpose of an action. Self expression: expressing amazement, surprise, dissatisfaction; reacting in social situations; giving an opinion.
• Probability: expressing possibility and probability; expressing suppositions; expressing a hypothesis related to an unreal event in the past; expressing a possible hypothesis; expressing an unlikely possibility; expressing a hypothesis that is impossible to realize.  

 4. Grammar

Verb tenses: Forma progresiva de indicativo; presente, pretérito perfecto y pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo; condicional simple y condicional perfecto. Repaso de los tiempos del indicativo.

Contraste: pretérito imperfecto / pretérito indefinido / pretérito perfecto / pretérito pluscuanperfecto de indicativo.

Verb structures: querer + subjuntivo; llevar + gerundio; seguir + gerundio, seguir + sin + infinitivo; es preciso que..., no hace falta que..., + subjuntivo; enterarse de que..., darse cuenta de que..., saber que..., + indicativo; ojalá + presente de subjuntivo; para que... + subjuntivo; soler + infinitivo; me gustaría que... + imperfecto de subjuntivo.

The correlation of tenses in indirect discourse.

The use of the reflexive form to express an undetermined subject.

Comparisons an superlatives.

Por / Para

5. TOPICS

topics for reading and discussion will be picked in class.

METODOLOGY

Emphasis on the use of authentic materials, including articles on current affaires and selections from the writings of prominent authors.

• Attentions to skills development.
• Emphasis on personalized and creative use of language.
• Oral work in pairs or in groups.
• Audiovisual aids.
• In class grammar and vocabulary drills.
• Reading.
• Internet.

EVALUATION

6. general policy

Please note: In this course attendance is obligatory.

“Class participation is assessed with respect to attendance, punctuality, contribution to discussions, and general conduct and deportment during class activities. Disruptive behaviour, absenteeism and lack of punctuality will be deemed negative participation.” (From the Marianopolis Evaluation Policy, page 14)

Any absence will result in the loss of 1 point each. Two retards will be equivalent to one absence. Moreover, leaving class during or before the end of the class period will also be penalized. It is obligatory to bring the textbook to class. Appointments with doctors, dentists, professors, etc. should not be made as to infringe on class time. Students who miss a class are expected to inform themselves about the material covered and the work assigned during their absence.

Disruptive behaviour will be penalized according to the nature of the offence and the judgment of the professor.

There will be no “make-up” tests. A student who misses a quiz or exam for valid reason may request special consideration. Medical and dental appointments are NOT considered valid reasons.

Please note that it is important to keep this outline for future reference.