Spanish 318-32200-01: Análisis de textos hispánicos

Spring 2006, lunes-miércoles-viernes: 12:00-12:50

CHPL - PHIL 13

Profesora DiFrancesco, Assistant Professor

Ithaca College, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Office: 409 Muller Faculty Center

Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11:00-12 p.m, and by appointment

Phone: 274-1412

E-mail: mdifrancesco@ithaca.edu

Texts: Aproximaciones al estudio de la literatura hispánica 5a edición; Briedman, Valdivieso, Virgilio. Students should also have access to Spanish and Spanish-English dictionaries. These are available in the College library, bookstore. and on-line.

On-line Resources:

Dictionary: http://www.wordreference.com/

My personal webpage: http://www.ithaca.edu/faculty/mdifrancesco/

Course Description and Goals: This course is designed as an introduction to the formal study of Hispanic literature. The goals of this course are to: 1) improve students' reading skills, and 2) increase students' ability to think, discuss, and write critically and analytically about literature in Spanish. We shall study three major literary genres--poetry, short narrative, and drama—as well as some film to reach these goals. As a result of taking this course, students should learn to appreciate the richness of Hispanic literature as they enjoy works written by a wide range of authors, men and women, from Spain and Spanish America, from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Analysis of Hispanic Texts furthers the mission of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and the State and National Learning Standards by providing students frequent opportunities to communicate in the target language, both orally and in writing, and by developing an awareness and appreciation for the cultures to which the Spanish language belongs.

Mode of Assessment: Portfolio: You will hand in a portfolio for evaluation once or twice during the semester and at the end of the semester. Use a 1.0 binder to compile your work. Use labeled dividers to organize sections (i.e., “Cuestionarios,” “Ensayos auto-reflexivos,” etc.). Make sure the outside of the binder is clearly labeled with your name, a place/phone number where you can be reached, your e-mail address, class level and section. If you lose your binder at any time during the semester, you must make up all lost work. No exceptions. On that note, make multiple copies of your work (i.e., have homework assignments and essays saved on computer and zip/CD, etc.). Each time your portfolio is collected, it will be evaluated/graded. Your portfolio must include:

Cuestionarios (Reading Comprehension): At the end of each text read, you will find a series of reading comprehension questions. Though you must complete all of these to fully participate in daily lectures, choose your best 10 to insert, typed (use 12 point, Times New Roman font, with margins of 1”), in the portfolio. Be sure to place these in the portfolio in the order they were originally completed during the semester, and make sure that your work reflects the range of your abilities as a student. Also, for each of the cuestionarios in the portfolio, comment on which questions were most difficult/easy to complete and why. Comments on the ways in which this material fits into your academic life/other classes are also appreciated. You need write only a few sentences (3 to 5) per assignment. Remember that I will be grading your comments as much as your ability to analyze literature. Your answers and comments should be well organized, coherent and detailed, but they do not need to be very long. Make sure that your responses to questions show insight into the literature. Do not be afraid to make reference to the literature read to prove a point. Demonstrate in your writing that you are mastering the literary terms studied in class. (20%)
Ensayos auto-reflexivos (Reflection Papers): Almost every week, you will write a reflection paper that focuses on one aspect of a text read during the week. In each of these, you should closely read and analyze a literary device and reflect on the ways in which the device functions in the text. Reflection papers should be between 250 and 300 words, double-spaced and typed (use 12 point, Times New Roman font, with margins of 1”). These will be graded with a √+ (check-plus, A), √ (check, B) or √- (check-minus, C). At the end of the semester, choose your best eight and put them in the portfolio in the order they were originally completed. Preface this section of the portfolio with a paragraph telling why you think these reflection papers were more success than others. (30 %)
Poema y párrafo auto-reflexivo: In this class you will recite, from memory, one poem in Spanish learned outside of class. Though you will receive a grade for learning/performing the poem, part of your grade will come from explaining in writing why you chose the poem. In the portfolio, you will place a copy of the poem and then write one to two paragraphs about why you chose the poem. Was it a poem written by a favorite author? Did the theme of the poem interest you? The rhythm? Did it give you insight into other academic reading or a more personal relationship? Be as specific and insightful as possible. (15%)
Escena dramática/monólogo y párrafo auto-reflexivo: In this class, you will perform a dramatic scene from a play (if you choose to work in a group) or an appropriate monologue from a play or excerpt from a short story (if you choose to work alone). Though you will receive a grade for learning/performing the dramatic scene/monologue, part of your grade will come from explaining in writing what the process of learning the lines and performing them was like. Did the performance give you insight into the drama read as literature? What did you learn from having to think about the delivery of dialogue? What did you learn about characters once you had to contemplate their physical bodies in motion on stage? You will place a copy of the scene/monologue/excerpt in the portfolio and then write one to two paragraphs about what insight the performance gave you into the analysis of Hispanic texts. (15%)
Ensayo auto-reflexivo sobre su experiencia académica: You will write a reflective essay in Spanish about your experience in class. This essay should take into account what you have learned about close reading of Hispanic texts (and texts in general), as well as discuss your experience as a member of an academic community. In your writing, I encourage you to talk about how your portfolio writing, class participation, attendance and engagement at all levels influenced your performance. (20%)

Requirements and Policies:

A. The textbook and mini-lectures for this course will be in Spanish. As such, the language to be used in class discussions and all other assignments, be they written or oral, must be Spanish.

B. All students are required to attend weekly sessions and orally participate in discussions. Students are permitted to miss a maximum of 3 class periods (i.e., one week of class). For each absence beyond three, your final cumulative grade will be reduced by 2% per class missed. After a total of 8 unexcused absences, the professor maintains the right to withdraw any student. Please note that I regard tardiness as equally offensive as excessive absence. Legitimate extenuating circumstances (grave illness, hospitalization, funeral of a family member, etc.) merit special consideration. Please see me if a special circumstance requires you to miss class.

Make an effort to arrive to class on time, and if some extenuating circumstance keeps you from arriving on time, please be kind to those already in class (do not interrupt the class more than necessary).

C. Students are required to have COMPLETED the reading assignment for each class period PRIOR to the class in which the reading will be discussed. By “completed,” I mean that students will have: 1) read the full text at least once and looked up difficult vocabulary, 2) taken notes in a notebook and/or in the margins of the textbook, 3) written out questions that emerged from the reading and 4) TYPED OUT homework, including brief, paragraph form responses to the “Cuestionario” at the end of each reading. Remember that these will be handed in at the end of the semester in a portfolio. Students will be graded not only on answers originally given at the beginning of the semester, but on demonstrated growth. This will be further discussed in class.

D. No make-up exams or quizzes will be given. Late assignments--essays, homework, etc--will NOT be accepted unless the student has obtained an excused absence. Computer failures and printer woes will NOT move me to change these policies.

E. No electronic submission of any assignment will be accepted. No handwritten submission of any assignment will be accepted.

F. Students should turn off cellular phones during class. Cellular phones distract your colleagues from the task at hand, and I find such distractions personally rude and annoying.

G. Academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism. All assignments handed in must reflect the individual work of the student handing in the assignment. I am personally offended and disturbed by acts of academic dishonesty, cheating and plagiarism. The Ithaca College Student Conduct Code describes these offenses and possible actions resulting from such behavior here: STUDENT CONDUCT CODE OF ITHACA COLLEGE, APPENDIX II. If you have ANY doubt as to how to cite or paraphrase a source, ask.

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