Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
María DiFrancesco, Assistant Professor
SPAN 202: Intermediate Spanish II
Office: Muller 411
Office Hours: MWF 11:00 A.M. to noon, and by
appointment
e-mail: mdifrancesco@ithaca.edu
Required Texts:
1) ¡Avance!: Intermediate Spanish (Mary Lee Bretz,
Trisha Dvorak, and Carl Kirschner,
Rodney Bransdorfer, Constance Kihyet)
and accompanying workbook
2) Bilingual Dictionary
(Highly Recommended)
Course Description:
In Intermediate Spanish II, we aim to
review the salient points of Spanish grammar, and to develop intermediate
proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The course emphasizes
different aspects of Spanish and Latin American cultures. Aside from text
exercises, students will learn practical, day-to-day vocabulary by reading and
discussing literary and newspaper selections, listening to music, viewing
videos, exploring the web, and preparing oral presentations.
The course will further the mission
of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and the State and
National Learning Standards by providing students frequent opportunity to
communicate in the target language, both orally and in writing, and by
developing an awareness and appreciation for the culture(s) to which the
language belongs.
Attendance:
Attendance is
mandatory. After the fourth absence, the
student’s grade will be dropped 1% for each additional absence. Missing a drill session with the TA is
equivalent to an absence from class.
Should a student be absent a total of ten times, the student will either
be dismissed from the course or issued a failing grade. Please note that arriving late to class is
disruptive. Each two late arrivals will count as one class absence.
Student Performance:
The student performance
portion of the final grade is based upon attendance, oral participation in
class, and homework, which will periodically be collected.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism:
This course will adhere to
the
Exams and Quizzes:
All of the exam dates are
included in the course calendar. There are NO makeup exams except under
extraordinary circumstances, and those must be approved by the instructor. I
may give quizzes to make sure that students are sufficiently grasping material
during the semester.
Grading:
The grading policy follows. It is important to remember that no grade is
“given”. The student earns points which are objectively calculated on a 100
point scale. There is no extra credit.
The following are the cutoff points for each grade:
A: 94.9-100
A-: 90.0-94.8
B+: 88.0-89.9
B: 84.9-87.9
B-: 82.9-84.8
C+: 78.0-82.8
C: 74.5-77.9
C-: 72.9-74.4
D+: 68.0-72.8
D: 60.1-67.9
F: less than 60
Grade Breakdown:
Midterm: 20%
Exams: 25%
Student Performance
(includes homework, in class oral activities): 15%
Compositions: 15%
Final Exam 25%