Missouri Western State College

Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages and Journalism

SPA 250/350 90 Interim Program in Spanish Studies Abroad: Oral Spanish

Interim 2006

Catalog Description:

SPA 250/350 Interim Program in Spanish Studies Abroad: Oral Spanish (6) Su. An intensive three-week intermediate/advanced skills course in spoken Spanish given in a Spanish speaking country. Class meets for six hours daily. A special fee is assessed for this class. Deadline for application is April 15. Prerequisite: SPA 112or two years of high school Spanish/ SPA 211 or 212 or four years of high school Spanish. LAS International/Intercultural

Course: SPA 250/350 01 Interim Program in Spanish Studies Abroad: Oral Spanish

Semester/Year: Interim 200 May 14 – June 3, 2006

Instructor’s Name: Dr. Jason Youngkeit

Consultation Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. daily

Required Texts; to be determined in Cuernavaca

Course Outline:

This course is divided into the following three segments:

Grammar

In this part of the course, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. daily five students will meet with an instructor to work on grammatical material. There will be daily written homework. A student’s grade for this segment is based on the instructor’s subjective as well as objective assessment of the student’s

a. preparedness for each class

b. participation in each in-class activity

c. progress in the development of listening and speaking skills as evidenced by informal testing

Vocabulary

From 11:00 a.m. to noon daily students meet in larger groups (8 to 10 students) to practice idioms and practical, everyday vocabulary. There is written homework everyday. A student’s grade for this segment is based on the instructor’s subjective as well as objective assessment of the student’s

a. preparedness for each class

b. participation in each in-class activity

c. progress in the development of speaking and listening skills

d. weekly quizzes

Free conversation

Small groups of students (5 to 7 students) meet daily between noon and 2:00 p.m. to converse under the direction of a "conversador." Students prepare written material to discuss in class. Most assignments concern cultural differences and similarities between life in Mexico and life in the United States. A student’s grade is based on the instructor’s subjective as well as objective assessment of the student’s.

a. preparedness for each class

b. participation in each class activity

c. progress in the development of listening and speaking skills

Objectives:

To progress towards basic conversational fluency in Spanish.

To observe and participate in a foreign culture, experiencing similarities as well as differences.

LAS Area of Focus: LAS international/Intercultural. A course which presents a significant recognition, awareness, and understanding of cultural diversity.

This course is designed to make students aware of significant cultural similarities and differences between life in the United States of America and Mexico. Progress towards this goal is through a formal approach (discussion in conversation classes of assigned topics over cultural matters) as well as an informal approach (students live with Mexican families and participate in the daily life of their hosts, experiencing a different cultural firsthand).

Attendance Policy:

Attendance is mandatory at each class session. If a student is absent, he/she must inform Dr. Youngkeit by calling the Spanish Language Institute (11-00-63) at 8:00 a.m. Students must make up the work for each excused absence. For each unexcused absence a student’s final grade will be lowered by one letter grade.

Students with Disabilities

Any student with a disability that prevents the fullest expression of abilities should contact Dr. Youngkeit personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements.

Academic Honesty Policy

Since honesty in the classroom is require, cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college constitutes a violation. A Grade of zero may be assessed in the evaluation instrument.

Final paper

You will write a 3-5 page paper in English upon your return from Cuernavaca. This paper, to be entitled, "The Cuernavaca Experience: A Retrospective View," should describe your time spent in Mexico, detailing your different experiences, impressions, and how you have benefited from the program. Your paper must be word processed, double-spaced, and must reach me at my office by July 1. At MWSU, we request permission to publish parts or the whole of your paper in college or professional publications such as subsequent program brochures or articles on the program in Cuernavaca in the department web page. You will, of course, be recognized as the author if any part of your paper is used for publication.

Final Grade

The final grade for the entire course is determined on the following basis:

Grammar class 40%

Vocabulary class 20%

Conversation class 30%

Final paper 10%

I have read this document and hereby accept the policies as stated:

(signature)_________________________________________ (date) _________________