Prerequisites: Spanish 1410, 1420, 2310, or equivalent
Text: Mundo 21, Samaniego, Rojas, Ohara, Alarcón, 3 rd edition, Houghton Mifflin, 2004, and the Workbook that accompanies the text. Work on the Internet will be assigned.

Office: Cooke 106 Office Tel.: 793-4660 (4660) Home: 673-5901

Office Hours: MWF 2:00-4:00, TR 2:30-4:30

The syllabus reflects the essential material that will be covered in the course. There is always the possibility that some minor changes will be made if circumstances indicate the need.

Course Goal:

To help you gain the following skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish on the college intermediate level.

Course Objectives:

1 __To learn to communicate in Spanish in whole sentences, to be able to carry on basic conversational patterns, using circumlocutions and asking for clarification when you do not understand.

2 __To gain insights into the uniqueness and richness of Hispanic civilization that go beyond the basic awareness gained in Elementary Spanish.

3 __To prepare you for courses you may wish to take after Intermediate Spanish.

4 __To help you gain a more thorough knowledge of the structure of the Spanish language than is learned in Elementary Spanish.

5 __To deepen your awareness of the reasons for studying foreign language in college, and to realize the benefits.

6 __To make sure you know you must attend class regularly, punctually, with the appropriate books, to receive credit for the course.

7 __To use Spanish in class as the principal means of communicating, in such a way as to develop conversational ability as quickly as possible.

Policy on Make-up work

Work missed because of excused absences may be made up. Exams missed because of unexcused absences cannot be made up. Daily work missed because of unexcused absences should be discussed with the professor, so that the student can see where she/he stands.

Policy on Absences and Tardiness

Three unexcused absences will lower your grade by a letter. Six unexcused absences will remove you from the class roll. Excused absences will be those approved by the university, or those due to documented emergency. Two tardies equal one unexcused absence. “Tardy” generally means arriving in class after time to start, although the professor will use his own discretion in judging borderline cases. There is no problem when a student arrives late because of an emergency. However, if it becomes apparent that some students are going to arrive late habitually, without sufficient reason in the professor’s opinion, the door may be locked at 8:05 to prevent repeated disruption of the class.

Policy on Cheating

Even the appearance of dishonesty in academic work is to be carefully avoided, and may result in a warning. Any student who persists in appearing to cheat (such as looking at another student’s paper during a quiz or exam), in spite of a warning, or who is caught cheating, will receive an F on the work involved, if the work is of a minor nature. Cheating on a major test or on the final exam will result in an F in the course. No cell phones are to be used in class. No cell phones are to be brought to exams.

Grading System:

1. Absences rate a zero for the work missed. Work missed because of excused absences (official university activities, medical reasons, family emergencies) may be made up by arrangement with the professor.

2. The semester grade will be computed as follows:

daily work1/3*
major tests1/3
final exam1/3

* A Daily work @ includes items such as quizzes, homework, dictations, oral performance in class, participation in Spanish conversation in class, improvement.

Number grades will be given letter grades as follows:

97-100A+
94-96A
90-93A-
87-89 B+
84-86B
80-83B-
77-79C+
74-76C
70-73C-
67-69D+
64-66D
60-63D-
59 and below, F

McMurry University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which stipulates that no otherwise qualified student shall be denied the benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap". If you have a documented disability that may impact your performance in this class and for which you may require accommodations, you must be registered with and provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office, located in Old Main, Room 102.

Occasionally the instructor may find it necessary to modify the syllabus slightly to accomodate unexpected demands of university life.