Course Title: BASIC SPANISH 2 (spring term 2012) Instructor`s

Course Title:
BASIC SPANISH 2 (spring term 2012)
Instructor’s Name: Carlos Isabel Gala
Course Description:
This class will help student to develop their ability to communicate in
Spanish with the primary focus on listening and speaking. In this second semester we
will study the Preterite and Imperfect verbal tenses, used to speak and write about the
past. To maximize oral practice, pair work and group work will be used extensively.
Materials:
The textbook used in the course is Motivos de conversación (6th edition), lessons 4, 5, 6
y 7. Students must bring the book to the class every time. Additional materials will be
handed out by the teacher.
Students will also need a bilingual dictionary. A basic Spanish-English and EnglishSpanish vocabulary is included in the textbook.
Homework:
Every lesson contains a number of exercises. Some of them will be done in the class,
and others will be done as homework for the following class.
Presentation:
At the end of the semester, students will make a presentation about a biography of a
famous person from a Spanish speaking country. Depending on the final number of
students, the presentation will be done individually or in pairs. It should last about five
minutes.
The instructor will give students some advice, but every work should be done by the
students themselves. If students want the instructor to check their script and give them
personalized advice on their presentation, students have to make an appointment with
the instructor in advance. Appointments must be made in May, and meetings will be
held in June. If a student has not required an appointment by the end of May, no
meeting will be granted.
Attendance:
Attendance to the class is compulsory. If a student is absent from the class three times
without written evidence for the absence, he/she will not be allowed to take the exam.
Evaluation:
There will be one short exam at the end of every lesson, four times throughout the
semester. The dates of the exams are shown below in the course schedule.
Besides the exams and the presentation, participation in the class and homework will
also be evaluated.
The grading criteria will be as follows:
a) Exams:
b) Presentation:
c) Homework and participation in class
60%
20%
20%
Course schedule (tentative):
April 2012
13- Course guideline.
17- Review of contents of Basic 1
20- Lección 4: Gráficos: Mi familia (101-102).
24- Irregular Present Tense Verbs (108-109). Una comida con los parientes (103-104).
27- Uses of a Preposition: “a” (110-111). Situaciones (106-107).
May 2012
1- Idioms with “hacer” and “tener” (112-113).
8- Affirmative Familiar Command (114-115). Un Perrito para Carmina (105-106).
11- Videotemas (117). Exam of Lession 4.
15- Lección 5: Gráficos (123-124). Motivo cultural (127)
18- The Preterite Tense (130-131).
22- Las compras de doña Rosita (124-125-126). Irregular Preterites (132-133).
25- ¿Desayuno, almuerzo o cena? (126-127). Shortened Adjectives (133-134).
29- “Por” and “para” Contrasted (135-136-137-138).
Para resumir y repasar (139). Comunicación, videotecas (140-141).
June 2012
1- Situaciones (128-129). Exam of Lesson 5.
5- Lección 6: Gráficos (147-148).
8- Irregular Preterites (155-156). El sueño de María (149-150-151c).
12- Polite Commands (157-158-159).
15- Demostrative Adjectives and Pronouns (160-161). Compañeros de cuarto (151-152).
19- Para resumir y repasar (162). Comunicación (163).
22- Situaciones (153-154-155). Exam of Lesson 6.
26- Lección 7: Gráficos (175-176).
29- Regular Forms of the Imperfect Tense (184-185). Irregular Imperfects (185).
July 2012
3- Basic Meanings of the Imperfect Tense (183-184d).
6- Actividades (186). Preterite and Imperfect Tenses Contrasted (187-188).
10- Para resumir y repasar (188-189). Workbook Activities.
13- Las Américas: el pasado (177-178). Situaciones (181). Exam of Lesson 7.
17- Presentations
20- Presentations