This course, which integrates language and cultural content, has two main objectives:

• To give an overview of the current situation of the Hispanic world
• To raise your level of proficiency in Spanish

Cultural content To understand the main current issues in the Hispanic world you need to have a certain knowledge of the geographical, historical, social, economical and political situation of the different countries which form the Hispanic world.  The most relevant features for each country are provided in the webpages of this course, under each country.  More explanations about the countries and more specific cultural aspects are covered in the readings in the textbook used in this course. This basic information, from which you can expand your knowledge of the Hispanic world, will allow you to understand more complex texts that you can (and are encouraged to) read in areas of your own interest dealing with Hispanic cultures.

Language abilities This cultural content will be provided in Spanish, and the reflection about the practices and perspectives of Spanish-Speaking people will also be done in Spanish.  Therefore you have to increase your fluency in Spanish to achieve the cultural goal. The prerequisite for this course is Span 203.  However you will start this class with different backgrounds: some will have completed only two semesters of Spanish, other will have three (if you have also done Span 301 and/or 323) and others will have learned some Spanish by travelling or spending time in a Hispanophone environment. Given this and your own personal gift for speaking, understanding, reading and writing, it is normal for you to be at different levels in these four skills.  Each of you is aware of the abilities you need to improve and it is your responsibility to do so. The textbook used in this course provides the necessary tools (vocabulary and grammar) and practice (written and oral activities) to keep working on your deficiencies in Spanish. Take advantage of the hetereogenity of the class by working  with students who excel in the skills you lack.  Vocabulary:  is organized topically and introduced at the beginning of each lesson.  The same vocabulary, with translation into English, is presented again at the end of each chapter to facilitate your study and review.  Grammar: This course is not a grammar course (as are Span 203 or Span 301) and no grammatical points will be presented during class time, unless the class as a whole has a problem with a specific grammatical point. However you need to use grammar knowledge to communicate effectively. The textbook provides a grammar guide (pages in green) you can consult whenever you need to do so. Listening: each textbook lesson has a section, Para escuchar, to practice this skill.  Most of the time you'll do this part outside of the classroom setting.To take full advantage of it you should do the pre-listening and post-listening activities. You can find more information about listening strategies in the Preface, p. XXIX. You will also practice listenig during class time since the lectures will be conducted in Spanish. Speaking: most of the activities done in class will be oral activities. The best way to overcome shyness is to come prepare to the class.  If you have done your readings properly, you know your vocabulary and you have something to say about the topic in question, you can practice at home and be ready to participate in class where you should try to speak Spanish at all times.  It is normal to make mistakes but you will only learn by practicing. If class time is not enough to increase your level of proficiency in listening and speaking you can go to the Centro de tertulia in CHD 305A to practice more.  Reading: this course involves a considerable amount of reading. The summaries  about the Hispanic countries (on the webpage) and the readings from the textbook are mandatory. You should also expand your horizons by navigating on the web and finding authentic texts related to the Hispanic world in the areas of your own interest. You can use the links already provided on the webpage or use Google.  To become a fluent reader you should systematically use reading strategies.  You'll find a very useful chart on pages XXX to XXIV in the preface of your textbook. Writing: Several written activities will be required and graded during the course.  But you also use this skill to summarize the content of the readings and to organize the information provided.  Doing it in Spanish will help you to improve your fluency.

Materials required:

We'll use the Blackboard system for the delivery of this course.  You can access the Span 321 webpage directly but there is also a link from the entry Course Documents in Blackboard.

For this course you'll be using two main sources:

• The textbook Portales : comunidad y cultura by Cathryn Collopy O'Donnell and Kathryn Kellly  and the Manual de Actividades that accompanies the textbook.  As soon as you buy it you should read the Preface where you'll find information about how the book is organized as well as some  very usefull study tips and strategies for reading, writing and listening.
  

• The Spanish 321 webpage where you'll find, apart from the course information sheet, the calendar, the grading scale and the homework, pages about every Hispanic country which contains basic information about them. 
  

It is not mandatory, but highly recommended, to have access to a good size dictionary Spanish - English, English-Spanish, as the Larousse  or Collins. 
If you are working on the net you can also access a dictionary on-line at this address: http://www.wordreference.com


What are my responsibilities as a student?
 
Learning is not only the transfer of knowledge from one person to another. It is my duty, as your instructor, to try to guide you in the learning process and to provide you with a variety of learning opportunities (lectures, readings, activities, etc), but it is ultimatly up to you to take full advantage of them. You, as a student, are responsible for your own learning.

You are responsible for:

• For organizing your time so you are prepared not only for writing your exams and  handing the written assignments in on time, but also for participating fully in class. To help you with your organization, in the calendar posted on this webpage, Calendario, you'll find the week when the exams and written activities are due.  But remember that this is only a tentative schedule and that the dates might be changed according to the needs of the class.
  
• For completing your  homework on time.  In order for the class discussions and interactions to function well, it is essential that, prior to attending each class, you work on specific preparatory tasks assigned to you. In the section Día a día the homework for each day will be posted.
  
• For actively participating in class.  Every one, not only the "best speakers" or most outgoing persons, should make positive contributions to the class.
  
• For acknowledging your defiencies and seeking help to remedy them. 
  
• For sharing information with others.  Given the size of the class, very often you'll work in pairs or groups (which is less intimidating), and it won't be possible for me to listen to all your comments individually, so it is your responsibility to ask for and to provide input from or to your classmates. The heteroegeneity of the class, mentionned above, should not be perceived as a threat but as a great opportunity to learn from your classmates in the areas where they are stronger than you.  You should, of course, reciprocrate and help them in the areas where they are weaker than you.
  

How are the grades distributed and what are the evaluation criteria?

Your evaluation will be based on the following components: 

• Written activities (17%):

• Exams (30%)
  

There will be three exams during the course.  The tentative days are already posted in the calendar of the course, but remember that this is only a tentative schedule and that the dates might be changed according to the needs of the class.

The exams will covered the cultural content and the quality of the language.  They willl include specifically questions on vocabulary and on the arts, the history, the geography and/or the political and social situation  of the Hispanic countries. Listening and reding skills may be also tested.


• Power Point Presentations (8%)
  

• Homework (10%)
  

This grade will be mostly based on the work done in the Activity Manual which will be collected at different times during the course. You will find an answer key at the end of your workbook.  Please correct your activities using a different colour pen, to make reviewing easy.


• Class performance (5%)
  

• Written Final Exam (30%)