Students entering this level must be able to fulfill most of the learning outcomes of the Novice Abroad level, as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. Specifically, they should already be able to express themselves on a variety of concrete, everyday topics and meet their basic needs in the language. Students who enter this level may be more proficient in reading and writing skills than oral communication, especially if they have never traveled or studied abroad previously. Although students may have been exposed previously to certain competencies taught at this level, they need additional practice and instruction to move toward mastery of these competencies. Students at this level may succeed in partner university courses as long as such courses are primarily de
As students gain more self-awareness and self-confidence, they will attempt more in the community. Paradoxically, this means they may also experience more miscommunications and frustration. Reading and writing require effort, and many students will need to make a special effort in this regard. Students will also develop cultural awareness and skills to work through the challenges of adaptation in the local culture and learn to celebrate their successes. They will begin to appreciate the value of these language and intercultural skills.
By the end of the course, the successful student will have developed enough self-confidence, language, and cultural skills to attempt more complex tasks in Spanish as described in the learning outcomes below.
Attendance policy:
Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Any legitimate reason for not attending class or a field work activity (medical emergency, etc.) must be referred directly to the Academic office (not to the instructor) with proper documentation. Students missing class due to medical reasons need to get a doctor‘s note from Emergencias Médicas to be handed-in at the Academic Affairs office. Without that note, the absence cannot be excused.
Being late to class will mean half of an absence. Coming to class more than 15 minutes late will mean one absence.
Courses taught one day per week allow a maximum of 1½ absences. Courses taught two days per week allow a maximum of 2½ absences. Courses taught three days per week allow a maximum of 3½ absences.
Every unexcused absence after the maximum allowance will lower half a point of the student‘s final grade (for instance, from A to A-, from A- to B+ and so on).
Students who are at risk of failing to meet these attendance requirements will be notified and summoned by the Center Director.
Learning outcomes:
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes defined by the NOVICE level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course students will be able to achieve the outcomes for EMERGING INDEPENDENT level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will be able to solve most daily troublesome situations and meet needs with limited help.
B. Students will be able to make informed comparisons between the host culture and the students’ home cultures.
C. Students will be able to distinguish and to imitate verbal and non verbal communication that reflect politeness, formality, or informality.
D. Students will be able to recognize patterns of intonation, their meaning, and cultural implications.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able understand some interactions of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.), especially if the speaker is used to interacting with non-native speakers.
B. Students will be able to understand direct requests, questions, and basic conversations on familiar and concrete topics.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to talk about persons and things in their immediate environment, as well as their plans and their experiences, and they can provide a limited amount of supporting details.
B. Students will be able to resolve moderately complicated situations involving familiar subjects.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read passages and short texts (newspapers, short stories, etc.) and understand overall meaning.
B. Students will be able to support their understanding of texts through the use of context, dictionaries, or with the assistance of others at times.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to communicate with increasing effectiveness through notes, emails, and chats, and simple online discussions.
B. Students will be able to write short essays on concrete topics of limited levels of complexity and with less reliance on the communicative patterns of their native language.
Required work and form of assessment:
FINAL GRADES
Grade for attendance, class work, attitude and participation , homework and minitests.
20%
Average grade for weekly writings (CORE)
20%
Grade for Project 1
10 %
Grade for Project 2
10%
Grade for the Midterm Exam
20%
Grade for the Final Exam
20%
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of writings
A
An original, excellent work, which clearly follows the instructions. The chosen subject is relevant and has been deeply analyzed (always according to the Spanish level of the student).
It has almost no language mistakes, or the mistakes it has, have not been dealt with yet, due to the student´s Spanish level.
The student uses a lot of the structures taught in class.
The presentation is very well organized (it has an introduction, a development and a conclusion or any other kind of organization which shows a previous writing plan.) Ideas are clearly expressed and related to one another by means of connectives or transitional sentences. The paragraphs also logically linked in this way.
The student uses a wide, accurate and suitable vocabulary according to his/her Spanish level, and he /she tries not to repeat many words.
The writing has been submitted in due time and manner.
The writing is neat and tidy.
B
An original, excellent work, which clearly follows the instructions. The chosen subject is relevant and has been well developed (always according to the Spanish level of the student).
It has some language mistakes (not many) that are not acceptable according to the student´s Spanish level.
The work has some (not many) organization problems, either because they do not have any introduction or conclusion, or because the different ideas are not well connected or the concepts are not clearly conveyed. The explanations can be understood, but with some effort.
The student uses some of the structures taught in class.
The student uses few connectives or plain ones like y,o,but and también, which he repeats constantly in order to organize his/her speech.
The vocabulary in the writing is wide, according to the student´s Spanish level, and he/she tries not to repeat many words.
The writing has been submitted in due time and manner.
The writing is neat and tidy.
C
A work which follows the instructions in a plain way. The chosen subject is not relevant and /or is not completely developed – always taking into account the Spanish level of the student).
The writing has many language mistakes which are unacceptable according to his Spanish level. In this case, it is evident that there has not been a previous revision with the teacher.
The writing shows serious organization problems, or it lacks an introduction and an end, and disconnected ideas are predominant. There are very confusing paragraphs, but other central ones are correct. The teacher needs to make great effort to understand the message the student meant to convey, because it lacks many connectives or transitional paragraphs to link ideas.
The student uses much too limited vocabulary for his/her level, which is repeated all through the writing.
The writing has not been submitted in due time, and it is not tidy enough.
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of projects (oral presentations)
A
An original, excellent tidy work. The chosen subject matter is relevant. The student has done this research work with true interest. Besides, if the topic allows it , it shows an intercultural point of view, i.e., a deep observation of the similarities and differences between this new culture and his/her own.
The presentation is organized in a remarkably clear way, with an introduction, a development and a conclusion, and it is made with visual support (posters, pictures, etc.) which illustrate the topic.
It can be clearly seen that the student can handle the chosen topic with sound knowledge about it.
It is not a reading, but a fluent presentation. The student may use some notes as a reminder.
The student´s pronunciation is clear, so the presentation is easy to understand.
There are very few, or none of the mistakes the student could have avoided according to his/her Spanish level. The grammar and vocabulary taught in class is used during the presentation.
The student has showed his project plan to the teacher before the day of the presentation, in order to confirm the relevance of the topic and to make the necessary correction, which he/she applies at the moment of the presentation.
The student shows his /her intention to talk only in Spanish all through the presentation (he has learnt new words and how to explain them in Spanish in case he/she is asked about them).
The student manages to catch the attention of the class and to gets the group to participate in his/her presentation.
B
The quality of the work is good, the chosen topic is relevant and it is well developed.
The presentation is attractive enough and it follows a logical organization.
Although the presentation has continuity, there are some interruptions, or the student reads several quite long passages. We are not referring here to some notes as a reminder, which the student is of course allowed to use.
The Spanish grammar and vocabulary are suitable. There are few language mistakes which could have bewen avoided according to his/her Spanish level.
Idiomatic expressions are correctly used according to the student´s Spanish level, though there may be some mistakes.
The previous draft is not well developed and the teacher´s corrections do not seem to have been taken into account.
The student shows his /her intention to talk only in Spanish all through the presentation (he has learnt new words and how to explain them in Spanish in case he/she is asked about them).
The presentation has appropriate visual support.
C
This is a simple work, done just to carry out the teacher´s instructions. The chosen subject is not well developed. The presentation is not original, and it shows that it has been improvised.
It is badly organized and /or confusing, or it consists only of the description of a series of photographs, which shows the lack of real organization of ideas).
The student reads all the time, so it is not a real presentation.
The pronunciation is not clear.
There are a lot of language mistakes which could have been avoided at his/her Spanish level.
The student tries to answer the questions he is asked in English, though he/she can do it in Spanish.
The student cannot answer questions about the subject he /she has chosen.
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of the attendance, work, attitude and participation in class
A
The student constantly participates in class. He/she chooses to make pertinent comments, make or answer questions. The student shows interest , he is always active in class and his/her participations are always pertinent. His/her attitude is enthusiastic and he/she shows self criticism, admits his mistakes and tries to correct them.
He works well in teams, in pairs or alone.
He brings extra topics to the class, such as questions that show he is interested in the class and that he has studied.
The student always does the required homework and he may even do extra homework, and always hands it in in due time and manner.
The student is always punctual for class and his attendance is perfect or almost perfect.
He/she tries to talk in Spanish all the time.
The student frequently attends the teacher´s office hours, to talk about his doubts and or interests concerning Spanish.
B
The student`s participation and class work are good, though he mostly participates only when he is asked to.
The student always or almost always does his homework, though not always. He /she only complies with the teacher´s instructions. He has a positive attitude, but sometimes he is distracted.
The student can work alone, in pairs or in groups.
He/she is always punctual and has a good attendance.
He/she sometimes attends the teacher´s office hours.
He/she almost always speaks in Spanish.
C
The student does not participate in class activities or only does it if he/she is directly asked to.
He/she seldom hands in work in due time and manner. He does just the least he can.
The student is not committed to the class activities (he forgets homework, or hands it in late, etc.). Sometimes he/she is present in class, but seems to be distracted or disturbes the class.
He/she is always late, and his/her attendance is bad.
He/she frequently translates into English in a loud voice.
He/she does not attend the teacher´s office hours.
SOME EXAMPLES:
Attendance, work, attitude and participation in class, homework and minitests
Average grade for weekly writings
Grade for project 1
Grade for project 2
MidtermExam
Final Exam
Grade Average
Total number of absenses + unjustified late arrivals
Final
Grade
20%
10%
15%
15%
20%
20%
B
C
A
B
B+
C+
B
5,5
C
A
A
A
A
A
B +
A
1
A
B
B
B-
B+
A-
C+
B
½
B
C
B-
C
B-
A-
B+
C
5,5
F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
3,5
A-
A
B+
B-
B
A
B-
B+
2
B+
A-
B
B-
B
B
B
B
3,5
B-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
3,5
B+
A-
A-
C+
B-
B+
B+
B+
2
B+
A-
B-
A
B+
A-
A-
A-
4,5
B
A-
B
A-
A
B+
B+
B+
0
B+
B
B-
A-
B
A-
B
B+
2
B+
C
C
B-
C+
B
B-
C+
4,5
D
B+
B+
A
A-
A-
B+
A-
3,5
B+
B+
B+
B
C+
C
B
B-
4,5
C
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
C.L.O.
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1 and 2
UNIT 1.
YO…ARGENTINO
General Presentation of the course.
Vocabulary review.
1. Functional: telephone conversations. Narrating anecdotes in the past. Talking about daily routine and preferences. Politeness.
2. Grammatical: regular and irregular verbs in the present. Reflexive verbs. Pretérito 2Imperfecto. Pretérito Indefinido. Pretérito Perfecto. Alternation. Pretérito pluscuamperfecto. Verbal periphrasis.
Temporal Connectives . ¿Qué vs. cuál? Games: Board games. Pluscuamperfecto game. ¿Dónde estaba? Canciones: Los caminos de la vida- Vicentico. Caminito- Carlos Gardel
3. Vocabulary: vocabulary revision: in the house, in the street, at the university. False friends. Daily routine. C.V. writing and job application. Personal appearance. Introduction to lunfardo
4. Culture: Así somos los argentinos [This is how we Argentine people are].Our daily routines.
Buenos Aires. Antes todo era distinto. Videos::
Argentine movie: Alma mía. La vida del Sr.Armonía. People and work. One day in history. Ya no sé qué hacer conmigo- Cuarteto de Nos..
Field Work: Museum: See to understand.
Notable cafés in Buenos Aires.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A,B
III. A,B
IV.A,B
V.A,B
Week 3
UNIT 2. PROHIBIDO PROHIBIR
1. Functional: giving instructions, orders and recommendations. Asking for favors.
2. Grammatical: prohibition structures.. Imperative. Quantifiers. Impersonal “se”. Word order for DO, IO and reflexive pronouns. Pronunciation. Games: Board games: the pronunciation
3. Vocabulary: Cooking recipes. Phrases introducing requests, recommendations and orders.
4. Culture: Argentine advertising.Porteños and law. Criollas recipes. Make up your own City Tour.
Videos: Publicidades argentinas.
Jarabe de palo:“Estamos prohibidos”.
Viaje en avión.
Field work:
Project. Posters..
Houses of the provinces.
Work on advertising. Argentina
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 4 and 5 UNIT 3. HABÍA UNA VEZ. Gramática.
1. Functional: Use of pronouns in communication. Fluency. Objectivity in news language. Description of friends and family pictures..
2. Grammatical : Direct Object and Indirect Object . Similar but different verbs. Passive phrases with ser, estar and pronoun. “Se”. Contrast between impersonal “se” and passive “se”. Games:Tabú.
3. Vocabulary; Verbs that frequently take DO and IO pronouns. Games: Cuenta cuantos. Ahorcado.
4. Culture: Meetings with friends in Argentina.
Videos
Argentine series: Chapter 1 of Vientos de agua
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 6
1st Oral Presentation
II.A, B
Week 7 UNIT 4. HOMBRES Y MUJERES ¿QUÉ QUIEREN?
1. Functional: Talking about wishes and making requests. Letters of congratulation and postcards.
2. Grammatical Present Subjunctive: wishes, needs… Subjunctive: alternation of subjects.
Pretérito Perfecto Subjunctive.
3. Vocabulary : Discussion on gender differences and stereotypes. Joaquín Sabina: “Noches de bodas”, “Lo que yo quiero”.
4. Culture: men and women relationship in Argentina. Male chauvinism. Work and gender. El metrosexual.
Videos: Argentine movie: ¿Quién dijo que es fácil?
Field work: advertising.
Male chauvinism in Buenos Aires streets. Puerto Madero.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 8
Review and Midterm Exam
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 9
Midterm Break
Week 10 and 11. UNIT 5 TEMAS CONTROVERTIDOS
1. Functional: Expressing personal opinions on controversial subjects. Different points of view . Expressing agreement and disagreement.
2. Grammatical: Subjunctive introducers to express opinion. Phrases expressing thought.. Creo que.../No creo que
Value judgements: Es interesante que... Information:organizers en primer lugar...
Connectives of cause, consequence and concession.
3.Vocabulary Adjetives and nouns used for argumentation. Pronoun loand demonstrative pronouns. Games: Hora de debate [Time for debate]
4. Culture: ¿Qué es ser pobre? Immigrants. Globalization and terrorism.
Solos y solas, pero contentos.[Alone, but happy] . The not politically correct among Argentine people. Videos: Calle 13: Pal Norte. Latinoamérica. El hormiguero.
Field Work: current immigration in Argentina.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 12 UNIT 6. ECOLOGÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE.
1. Functional: Expressing possibilities and doubt .
Expressing recommendations related to the opinions about ecology.
2. Grammatical: Temporal phrases in Subjunctive. Temporal connectives. Final phrases with and without Subjunctive. Connectives of purpose. Por vs. Para. Expressions of doubt and possibility.
3. Vocabulary: Environment and ecology.
Nominalization and chains of ideas from association.
Videos: Cambio climático. Botnia, dos países, unafabrica, un conflicto.Un problema social sin solución.Canción: Civilización - Los piojos.Biocombustibles, fuentes de energía.
4. Culture: The unstoppable climate catastrophe.
Literature against memory.. Globalization and selective contamination. Trash is a political issue. Ecological gardens.
Field work:
Globalization and selective contamination. Ecology and advertising.
Mines in the open air in Argentina. Documentary and exercises.
I. B, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 13 UNIT 7. VIAJES Y SENTIMIENTOS.
1. Functional: Expressing feelings, emotions, moods and preferences.
Solving situations which involve feelings or subjective aspects.
Expressing opinions about co-habitation.
2. Grammatical: Verbs expressing feelings in Subjunctive: me da miedo que, me encanta que, me enoja que, temo, etc.
3. Vocabulary : Expressing feelings and emotions. Adjetcivation and substantivation
Games. Jugar con los Sentimientos. Pictionary
4.. Culture: Problems of difficult solution.
¿Are Argentine people very extrovert?
Videos:
Argentine series: Simuladores. Chapter 1 “Tarjeta de Navidad”
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 14
2nd Oral Presentation
Week 15
UNIT 8.
TODO ES RELATIVO.
1. Functional: Formation of longer phrases from the use of relative pronouns. Expressing uncertainty by using Subjunctive.: necesito un libro que tiene/tenga fotos, etc. Describing objects and services to specify needs and requirements in more detail.
2. Grammatical: phrases with relative pronouns (with or without preposition). Relative phrases with and without Subjunctive
Superlative phrases and other comparison expressionss. Uses of the pronoun “LO” in relativeprepositional phrases.
3. Vocabulary: Prepositional phrases. Appearance and personality characteristics..Games:Tabú
4. Culture: Inventions and people. Argentine inventions.Quiero conocer a alguien que….
Videos.
Taller de Audio: El robot ideal. Argentine movie: Un novio para mi mujer.
Design a new object, Make an advertisement and a brochure which describe it.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 16
Review and Final Exam
ALL
CORE Program (Cultural Orientation, Acculturation & Re-entry).
The first class day each week, save on weeks 6 and 14 (project weeks) and on weeks 8 and 16 (exam weeks), the students of IES Abroad Buenos Aires, will be expected to hand in a written text with their reflections, opinions and descriptions related to cultural, academic or touristic aspects, about what they did during the weekend (a trip, a ride around the city, a vist to a museum, a party, etc.). In these reports, the students should apply an intercultural point of view, and analyze similarities and contrasts between his own culture and this new culture they are getting to know, considering “culture” in the broad sense which the bibliography (Canale and Swain 1986, Sanz 1999, Miquel 2003) summarizes as “ The three Ps” , from the most evident and superficial (products, practices) to the most implicit (perspectives). The teacher of each course will determine the extent of each writing according to the Spanish level of the course. The best writings will be selected and exhibited on a board. At the end of the semester, the students whose reports were selected will receive a certificate signed by the authorities of IES Buenos Aires.
Class work and participation:
The student should attend the course with the required study material: book, reader, etc.
All class individual and group class activities, as well as any written answer or oral presentation may be graded.
The teachers may give quizzes to their students any time, without notice, in order to foster the students’ commitment and participation.
It is not allowed to sleep in class, or talk about topics other from the contents of the course. In case students do not follow these rules, the teacher is entitled to ask them to leave the room.
It is not allowed to use any kind of cell phones, either to make or receive calls or SMS during the class.
The use of laptops will only be allowed with the approval of the teacher.
Eating in class is not allowed.
The students must help keep the classrooms neat and tidy.
Homework assignments
The students will have to spend 5 or 6 hours a week doing homework. We strongly recommend not to let undone homework pile up until the day before they are supposed to hand it in, but to devote an hour every day to it. The results are always much better in this way. The purpose of homework tasks is that students study, search information, and make exercises, in order to consolidate their knowledge of the topics taught in class. Homework will always include a writing per week. The students who hand it in later than required, will obtain a lower grade.
Research Projects ( they must be presented orally, with visual support)
Project 1 (individual or in groups of 2 or 3 students) Week 6
It consists of searching information about Buenos Aires and/or other places in Argentina and telling the class about it, using the communication tools reviewed and learned in class. The kind of research will depend on the interest of the students, so the subject will be chosen by each of them. It may be about museums, places for shopping or eating, parks and squares, bars, plastic arts, monuments, habits, neighbourhoods, poets, soccer (football).
Also take into account that the visits with IES to sport events, such as football and rugby, to museums like the ethnographic museum and MALBA museum and to the theatre, may be the subject for your project, too. So bring your camera and a note book with you, in order to record all the details.
The way of presentation is also chosen by the students. It may be through a role play, a poster, a tourist guide book , a video, a magazine, power point with pictures, a recording, performing a play scene, a game, etc.
You should tell the teacher about the subject of your project and the technical requirements for its presentation. (overhead, TV ,CD/DVD , etc.). If you use power point for this project, you will not be allowed to use it for the next, and vice versa.
We recommend using posters handmade, so that a tangible product from your presentation remains, for other students interested in the subject to see.
The day of the presentation you are expected to hand in a written version of it. This writing will have another grade, as the weekly writings. In order to obtain a good grade, it is advisable to show the plan to the teacher, either in classes previous to the presentation or during the teacher´s office hours.
Project 2 (individual or in groups of 2 or 3 students) Week 14
It may be about:
a more academic project (e.g. tell the class about what you learned in other courses, perform part of the play you rehearsed at your drama course, etc.)
the trip or trips you made during the mid- semester break
a play you saw at the theatre, tango, your visits to different neighbourhoods in BA.
your final research paper on a subject at your choice.
In every case, you must talk with your teacher about the subject some days before your presentation, so that your work can be supervised.
For project 1, it is not compulsory to make presentation in a formal register, but for project 2 it is a requirement. (you will be expected to use special words and phrases to introduce the subject, to open and close each part of your presentation, to talk about conclusions , to close your presentation and open a debate, etc.)
You should tell the teacher about the subject of your project and the technical requirements for its presentation. (over head, TV ,CD/DVD , etc.). If you use power point for project 1, you will not be allowed to use it for project 2.
We recommend using handmade posters, so that a tangible product from your presentation remains for other students interested in the subject to see.
The day of the presentation you are expected to hand in a written version of it. This writing will have another grade (as the weekly writings). In order to obtain a good grade, it is advisable to show the plan to the teacher, either in classes previous to the presentation or during the teacher´s office hours.
Midterm and Final Exams (written)
During the weeks indicated in the schedule.
Office Hours
All the teachers have an office hour a week , to help the students with their projects or any other topic related to Spanish, whether it was taught in class or not. The students can ask the teacher to prepare a handout about any subject they may be interested in, even if it is not included in the syllabus.
IT WILL BE COMPULSORY for each student to meet the teacher at least 2 times during office hours, in order to have an interview. The first one will be before the mid semester break and the second, after the mid semester break. If the student cannot have these meetings at the time offered by the teacher because he/ she has to attend another class, they must arrange another time to meet. The student must bring the books used in class, as well as any class work or homework. Both the teacher and the student will talk about the student´s progress, suggestions to solve difficulties, and any other matter that may help consolidate the student´s learning.
Required readings:
Class book Español IES 301. Materials related to local news and Argentine and/ or Latin American culture, selected by the teacher.
Notes:
Ethics and Responsibility:
The students must follow the rules about plagiarism mentioned in IES Abroad Handbook, page 40. Using printed electronic sources or copying writings or exams from other students will not be permitted. The students who violate these rules will be immediately summoned by the Academic Dean and will be subject to severe sanctions.
Research has demonstrated that study abroad can enhance every aspect of language ability. One of the most important general findings of this research is, however, that study abroad is most beneficial for the development of abilities related to social interaction. Students who go abroad can learn to do things with words, such as requesting, apologizing, or offering compliments, and they may also learn to interpret situations calling such speech acts in ways that local people do…In short, and logically, study abroad has been show to enhance the aspects of communicative competence that are most difficult to foster in classroom settings (IES Abroad MAP© for Language and Intercultural Communication, p. 6).
Students entering this level must be able to fulfill most of the learning outcomes of the Novice Abroad level, as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. Specifically, they should already be able to express themselves on a variety of concrete, everyday topics and meet their basic needs in the language. Students who enter this level may be more proficient in reading and writing skills than oral communication, especially if they have never traveled or studied abroad previously. Although students may have been exposed previously to certain competencies taught at this level, they need additional practice and instruction to move toward mastery of these competencies. Students at this level may succeed in partner university courses as long as such courses are primarily de
As students gain more self-awareness and self-confidence, they will attempt more in the community. Paradoxically, this means they may also experience more miscommunications and frustration. Reading and writing require effort, and many students will need to make a special effort in this regard. Students will also develop cultural awareness and skills to work through the challenges of adaptation in the local culture and learn to celebrate their successes. They will begin to appreciate the value of these language and intercultural skills.
By the end of the course, the successful student will have developed enough self-confidence, language, and cultural skills to attempt more complex tasks in Spanish as described in the learning outcomes below.
Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Any legitimate reason for not attending class or a field work activity (medical emergency, etc.) must be referred directly to the Academic office (not to the instructor) with proper documentation. Students missing class due to medical reasons need to get a doctor‘s note from Emergencias Médicas to be handed-in at the Academic Affairs office. Without that note, the absence cannot be excused.
Being late to class will mean half of an absence. Coming to class more than 15 minutes late will mean one absence.
Courses taught one day per week allow a maximum of 1½ absences. Courses taught two days per week allow a maximum of 2½ absences. Courses taught three days per week allow a maximum of 3½ absences.
Every unexcused absence after the maximum allowance will lower half a point of the student‘s final grade (for instance, from A to A-, from A- to B+ and so on).
Students who are at risk of failing to meet these attendance requirements will be notified and summoned by the Center Director.
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes defined by the NOVICE level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course students will be able to achieve the outcomes for EMERGING INDEPENDENT level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will be able to solve most daily troublesome situations and meet needs with limited help.
B. Students will be able to make informed comparisons between the host culture and the students’ home cultures.
C. Students will be able to distinguish and to imitate verbal and non verbal communication that reflect politeness, formality, or informality.
D. Students will be able to recognize patterns of intonation, their meaning, and cultural implications.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able understand some interactions of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.), especially if the speaker is used to interacting with non-native speakers.
B. Students will be able to understand direct requests, questions, and basic conversations on familiar and concrete topics.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to talk about persons and things in their immediate environment, as well as their plans and their experiences, and they can provide a limited amount of supporting details.
B. Students will be able to resolve moderately complicated situations involving familiar subjects.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read passages and short texts (newspapers, short stories, etc.) and understand overall meaning.
B. Students will be able to support their understanding of texts through the use of context, dictionaries, or with the assistance of others at times.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to communicate with increasing effectiveness through notes, emails, and chats, and simple online discussions.
B. Students will be able to write short essays on concrete topics of limited levels of complexity and with less reliance on the communicative patterns of their native language.
FINAL GRADES
20%
20%
10 %
10%
20%
20%
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of writings
A
B
C
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of projects (oral presentations)
A
The student shows his /her intention to talk only in Spanish all through the presentation (he has learnt new words and how to explain them in Spanish in case he/she is asked about them).
B
The student shows his /her intention to talk only in Spanish all through the presentation (he has learnt new words and how to explain them in Spanish in case he/she is asked about them).
C
Grill or rubric for the evaluation of the attendance, work, attitude and participation in class
A
B
C
SOME EXAMPLES:
Attendance, work, attitude and participation in class, homework and minitests
Average grade for weekly writings
Grade for project 1
Grade for project 2
MidtermExam
Final Exam
Grade Average
Total number of absenses + unjustified late arrivals
Final
Grade
20%
10%
15%
15%
20%
20%
B
C
A
B
B+
C+
B
5,5
C
A
A
A
A
A
B +
A
1
A
B
B
B-
B+
A-
C+
B
½
B
C
B-
C
B-
A-
B+
C
5,5
F
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
3,5
A-
A
B+
B-
B
A
B-
B+
2
B+
A-
B
B-
B
B
B
B
3,5
B-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
3,5
B+
A-
A-
C+
B-
B+
B+
B+
2
B+
A-
B-
A
B+
A-
A-
A-
4,5
B
A-
B
A-
A
B+
B+
B+
0
B+
B
B-
A-
B
A-
B
B+
2
B+
C
C
B-
C+
B
B-
C+
4,5
D
B+
B+
A
A-
A-
B+
A-
3,5
B+
B+
B+
B
C+
C
B
B-
4,5
C
Week
Content
Assignments
C.L.O.
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1 and 2
UNIT 1.
YO…ARGENTINO
General Presentation of the course.
Vocabulary review.
1. Functional: telephone conversations. Narrating anecdotes in the past. Talking about daily routine and preferences. Politeness.
2. Grammatical: regular and irregular verbs in the present. Reflexive verbs. Pretérito 2Imperfecto. Pretérito Indefinido. Pretérito Perfecto. Alternation. Pretérito pluscuamperfecto. Verbal periphrasis.
Temporal Connectives . ¿Qué vs. cuál? Games: Board games. Pluscuamperfecto game. ¿Dónde estaba? Canciones: Los caminos de la vida- Vicentico. Caminito- Carlos Gardel
3. Vocabulary: vocabulary revision: in the house, in the street, at the university. False friends. Daily routine. C.V. writing and job application. Personal appearance. Introduction to lunfardo
4. Culture: Así somos los argentinos [This is how we Argentine people are].Our daily routines.
Buenos Aires. Antes todo era distinto. Videos::
Argentine movie: Alma mía. La vida del Sr.Armonía. People and work. One day in history. Ya no sé qué hacer conmigo- Cuarteto de Nos..
Field Work: Museum: See to understand.
Notable cafés in Buenos Aires.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A,B
III. A,B
IV.A,B
V.A,B
Week 3
UNIT 2. PROHIBIDO PROHIBIR
1. Functional: giving instructions, orders and recommendations. Asking for favors.
2. Grammatical: prohibition structures.. Imperative. Quantifiers. Impersonal “se”. Word order for DO, IO and reflexive pronouns. Pronunciation. Games: Board games: the pronunciation
3. Vocabulary: Cooking recipes. Phrases introducing requests, recommendations and orders.
4. Culture: Argentine advertising. Porteños and law. Criollas recipes. Make up your own City Tour.
Videos: Publicidades argentinas.
Jarabe de palo:“Estamos prohibidos”.
Viaje en avión.
Field work:
Project. Posters..
Houses of the provinces.
Work on advertising. Argentina
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 4 and 5 UNIT 3. HABÍA UNA VEZ. Gramática.
1. Functional: Use of pronouns in communication. Fluency. Objectivity in news language. Description of friends and family pictures..
2. Grammatical : Direct Object and Indirect Object . Similar but different verbs. Passive phrases with ser, estar and pronoun. “Se”. Contrast between impersonal “se” and passive “se”. Games: Tabú.
3. Vocabulary; Verbs that frequently take DO and IO pronouns. Games: Cuenta cuantos. Ahorcado.
4. Culture: Meetings with friends in Argentina.
Videos
Argentine series: Chapter 1 of Vientos de agua
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 6
1st Oral Presentation
II.A, B
Week 7 UNIT 4. HOMBRES Y MUJERES ¿QUÉ QUIEREN?
1. Functional: Talking about wishes and making requests. Letters of congratulation and postcards.
2. Grammatical Present Subjunctive: wishes, needs… Subjunctive: alternation of subjects.
Pretérito Perfecto Subjunctive.
3. Vocabulary : Discussion on gender differences and stereotypes. Joaquín Sabina: “Noches de bodas”, “Lo que yo quiero”.
4. Culture: men and women relationship in Argentina. Male chauvinism. Work and gender. El metrosexual.
Videos: Argentine movie: ¿Quién dijo que es fácil?
Field work: advertising.
Male chauvinism in Buenos Aires streets. Puerto Madero.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 8
Review and Midterm Exam
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 9
Midterm Break
Week 10 and 11. UNIT 5 TEMAS CONTROVERTIDOS
1. Functional: Expressing personal opinions on controversial subjects. Different points of view . Expressing agreement and disagreement.
2. Grammatical: Subjunctive introducers to express opinion. Phrases expressing thought.. Creo que.../No creo que
Value judgements: Es interesante que... Information:organizers en primer lugar...
Connectives of cause, consequence and concession.
3.Vocabulary Adjetives and nouns used for argumentation. Pronoun lo and demonstrative pronouns. Games: Hora de debate [Time for debate]
4. Culture: ¿Qué es ser pobre? Immigrants. Globalization and terrorism.
Solos y solas, pero contentos.[Alone, but happy] . The not politically correct among Argentine people. Videos: Calle 13: Pal Norte. Latinoamérica. El hormiguero.
Field Work: current immigration in Argentina.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 12 UNIT 6. ECOLOGÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE.
1. Functional: Expressing possibilities and doubt .
Expressing recommendations related to the opinions about ecology.
2. Grammatical: Temporal phrases in Subjunctive. Temporal connectives. Final phrases with and without Subjunctive. Connectives of purpose. Por vs. Para. Expressions of doubt and possibility.
3. Vocabulary: Environment and ecology.
Nominalization and chains of ideas from association.
Videos: Cambio climático. Botnia, dos países, una fabrica, un conflicto.Un problema social sin solución.Canción: Civilización - Los piojos.Biocombustibles, fuentes de energía.
4. Culture: The unstoppable climate catastrophe.
Literature against memory.. Globalization and selective contamination. Trash is a political issue. Ecological gardens.
Field work:
Globalization and selective contamination. Ecology and advertising.
Mines in the open air in Argentina. Documentary and exercises.
I. B, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 13 UNIT 7. VIAJES Y SENTIMIENTOS.
1. Functional: Expressing feelings, emotions, moods and preferences.
Solving situations which involve feelings or subjective aspects.
Expressing opinions about co-habitation.
2. Grammatical: Verbs expressing feelings in Subjunctive: me da miedo que, me encanta que, me enoja que, temo, etc.
3. Vocabulary : Expressing feelings and emotions. Adjetcivation and substantivation
Games. Jugar con los Sentimientos. Pictionary
4.. Culture: Problems of difficult solution.
¿Are Argentine people very extrovert?
Videos:
Argentine series: Simuladores. Chapter 1 “Tarjeta de Navidad”
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A,B
Week 14
2nd Oral Presentation
Week 15
UNIT 8.
TODO ES RELATIVO.
1. Functional: Formation of longer phrases from the use of relative pronouns. Expressing uncertainty by using Subjunctive.: necesito un libro que tiene/tenga fotos, etc. Describing objects and services to specify needs and requirements in more detail.
2. Grammatical: phrases with relative pronouns (with or without preposition). Relative phrases with and without Subjunctive
Superlative phrases and other comparison expressionss. Uses of the pronoun “LO” in relativeprepositional phrases.
3. Vocabulary: Prepositional phrases. Appearance and personality characteristics..Games: Tabú
4. Culture: Inventions and people. Argentine inventions. Quiero conocer a alguien que….
Videos.
Taller de Audio: El robot ideal. Argentine movie: Un novio para mi mujer.
Design a new object, Make an advertisement and a brochure which describe it.
I. A,B,C, D
II.A, B
III. A,B
IV. A,B
V. A
Week 16
Review and Final Exam
ALL
CORE Program (Cultural Orientation, Acculturation & Re-entry).
The first class day each week, save on weeks 6 and 14 (project weeks) and on weeks 8 and 16 (exam weeks), the students of IES Abroad Buenos Aires, will be expected to hand in a written text with their reflections, opinions and descriptions related to cultural, academic or touristic aspects, about what they did during the weekend (a trip, a ride around the city, a vist to a museum, a party, etc.). In these reports, the students should apply an intercultural point of view, and analyze similarities and contrasts between his own culture and this new culture they are getting to know, considering “culture” in the broad sense which the bibliography (Canale and Swain 1986, Sanz 1999, Miquel 2003) summarizes as “ The three Ps” , from the most evident and superficial (products, practices) to the most implicit (perspectives). The teacher of each course will determine the extent of each writing according to the Spanish level of the course. The best writings will be selected and exhibited on a board. At the end of the semester, the students whose reports were selected will receive a certificate signed by the authorities of IES Buenos Aires.
Class work and participation:
Homework assignments
The students will have to spend 5 or 6 hours a week doing homework. We strongly recommend not to let undone homework pile up until the day before they are supposed to hand it in, but to devote an hour every day to it. The results are always much better in this way. The purpose of homework tasks is that students study, search information, and make exercises, in order to consolidate their knowledge of the topics taught in class. Homework will always include a writing per week. The students who hand it in later than required, will obtain a lower grade.
Research Projects ( they must be presented orally, with visual support)
Project 1 (individual or in groups of 2 or 3 students) Week 6
It consists of searching information about Buenos Aires and/or other places in Argentina and telling the class about it, using the communication tools reviewed and learned in class. The kind of research will depend on the interest of the students, so the subject will be chosen by each of them. It may be about museums, places for shopping or eating, parks and squares, bars, plastic arts, monuments, habits, neighbourhoods, poets, soccer (football).
Also take into account that the visits with IES to sport events, such as football and rugby, to museums like the ethnographic museum and MALBA museum and to the theatre, may be the subject for your project, too. So bring your camera and a note book with you, in order to record all the details.
The way of presentation is also chosen by the students. It may be through a role play, a poster, a tourist guide book , a video, a magazine, power point with pictures, a recording, performing a play scene, a game, etc.
You should tell the teacher about the subject of your project and the technical requirements for its presentation. (overhead, TV ,CD/DVD , etc.). If you use power point for this project, you will not be allowed to use it for the next, and vice versa.
We recommend using posters handmade, so that a tangible product from your presentation remains, for other students interested in the subject to see.
The day of the presentation you are expected to hand in a written version of it. This writing will have another grade, as the weekly writings. In order to obtain a good grade, it is advisable to show the plan to the teacher, either in classes previous to the presentation or during the teacher´s office hours.
Project 2 (individual or in groups of 2 or 3 students) Week 14
It may be about:
In every case, you must talk with your teacher about the subject some days before your presentation, so that your work can be supervised.
For project 1, it is not compulsory to make presentation in a formal register, but for project 2 it is a requirement. (you will be expected to use special words and phrases to introduce the subject, to open and close each part of your presentation, to talk about conclusions , to close your presentation and open a debate, etc.)
You should tell the teacher about the subject of your project and the technical requirements for its presentation. (over head, TV ,CD/DVD , etc.). If you use power point for project 1, you will not be allowed to use it for project 2.
We recommend using handmade posters, so that a tangible product from your presentation remains for other students interested in the subject to see.
The day of the presentation you are expected to hand in a written version of it. This writing will have another grade (as the weekly writings). In order to obtain a good grade, it is advisable to show the plan to the teacher, either in classes previous to the presentation or during the teacher´s office hours.
Midterm and Final Exams (written)
During the weeks indicated in the schedule.
Office Hours
All the teachers have an office hour a week , to help the students with their projects or any other topic related to Spanish, whether it was taught in class or not. The students can ask the teacher to prepare a handout about any subject they may be interested in, even if it is not included in the syllabus.
IT WILL BE COMPULSORY for each student to meet the teacher at least 2 times during office hours, in order to have an interview. The first one will be before the mid semester break and the second, after the mid semester break. If the student cannot have these meetings at the time offered by the teacher because he/ she has to attend another class, they must arrange another time to meet. The student must bring the books used in class, as well as any class work or homework. Both the teacher and the student will talk about the student´s progress, suggestions to solve difficulties, and any other matter that may help consolidate the student´s learning.
Class book Español IES 301. Materials related to local news and Argentine and/ or Latin American culture, selected by the teacher.
Ethics and Responsibility:
The students must follow the rules about plagiarism mentioned in IES Abroad Handbook, page 40. Using printed electronic sources or copying writings or exams from other students will not be permitted. The students who violate these rules will be immediately summoned by the Academic Dean and will be subject to severe sanctions.