SPAN 225 –Page 1
Queens College/CUNY
Hispanic Languages and Literatures Department
SPAN 225 – SPANISH COMPOSITION
A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
(Prereq: SPAN 224 or permission of the department.)
This course is designed for advanced students of Spanish and will focus on academic writing.
Extensive reading and writing on linguistic, cultural, historical and sociopolitical topics relevant
to the Spanish-speaking world
B. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course,
a. Students will be able to perform proficiently at the advance mid level (ACTFL) in the
following language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. (Language)
b. Student will gain a deeper understanding of cultural and historical aspects of the
Spanish-speaking world. (World Cultures and Global Issues)
C. TEXTBOOK(S)/WORKBOOKS
Required book (available at QC’s bookstore)
Stiegler Brian N. and Carmen Julia Jiménez: Hacia niveles avanzados. Composición por
proceso y en context. Boston: Thomson & Heinle: 2007.
D. ASSIGNMENTS, DUE DATES AND GRADING PLAN
Requirements
1. Attendance is mandatory.
2. Students are expected to come to class fully prepared to participate actively in class.
3. Students are expected to arrive on time.
4. Homework assignments must be turned in on time.
Evaluation:
Class participation
Short essays
Midterm
Final paper
20%
40%
20%
20%
Class participation (20%)
This component takes into account a number of variables including, but not limited to:
1) your punctuality 2) your attendance, 3) your preparation for class, 4) your cooperation in
group and pair work, and 5) your respect and attitude towards the class and your peers.
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Short essays (40%)
There will be a number of short essays in this class. Some of them will prepare students to
write their midterm and final papers. Some others will ask students to reflect on a class
discussion, to describe a personal experience, to report research findings or to react to a
news article from a Spanish newspaper. All written assignments must be typed in a 12 point
font, double-spaced and with 1” default margins.
Midterm (20%) and Final papers (20%)
Both midterm and final exams will consist of an academic paper on a sociopolitical, historical or
cultural issue pertinent to the Spanish-speaking world, including Latino communities in the US.
Topic must be approved by the instructor. Midterm exam will be eight pages long, final exam will
be ten pages long. Both papers will be typed in a 12 point font, double-spaced with 1” default
margins and follow the MLA writing and citation standards. Both papers will be accompanied by
a two page explanation of the research method and writing process.
GRADING SYSTEM
A= 93-100
A- =90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 60-66
There is no grade of D -
E. CUNY POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity found
at http://web.cuny.edu/academics/info-central/policies/academic-integrity.pdf and the Queens
College Student Disciplinary Process found at
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/student_affairs/pdfs/Student_Disciplinary Process.pdf. If you do NOT
understand the nature of plagiarism, please contact me for further explanation.
(FYI: Note within this document—“All college catalogs, student handbooks, and college
websites should include the CUNY and college academic integrity policy and the consequences
of not adhering to it. The Policy on Academic Integrity, as adopted by the Board, shall be
distributed to all students. All syllabi and schedules of classes should make reference to the
CUNY and college’s academic integrity policy and where they are published in full.)
F. DISABILITIES
Student with physical, learning, emotional, or psychological disabilities are encouraged to
stop by room 111 in Frese Hall Room, the Office of Special Services for Students with
Disabilities, or call at (718) 997-5870 and make an appointment. Please inform the instructor
at least 10 days before a quiz or test of any accommodations that are needed.
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H. WEEKLY TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL
CONTENT
Capítulo 1. Los hispanohablantes
en EEUU
Estrategias de lectura: Evitar la
traducción literal, cognados
Estrategias de escritura: El estilo
MLA, el uso del diccionario
Consultorio gramatical: Ser y estar,
adjectivos y adverbios
Estrategias orales: Fillers
Lectura: “No speak English,” Sandra
Cisneros
Capítulo 2. La lingüística
descriptiva
Estrategias de lectura: Leer múltiples
veces, el uso del diccionario al leer
Estrategias de escritura: La
correspondencia profesional, poner
acentos en la computadora
Consultorio gramatical: Presente de
indicativo, verbos en futuro
Estrategias orales: Fonética de las
vocales
Lectura: “Los amigos que perdí,”
Jame Bayly
Capítulo 3. La diversidad cultural
en el mundo hispanohablante
Estrategias de lectura: Lectura
superficial, los afijos
Estrategias de escritura: Reportaje
periodístico, escribir directamente en
español, el escritor al nivel intermedio
Consultorio gramatical: Presente
progresivo, objetos directos e indirectos
Estrategias orales: Repetir y pedir
clarificaciones
Lectura: “Un canto a la diversidad,”
Semana
ENSAYO ACADÉMICO 1
EXAMEN PARCIAL
EXPLANATION OF CONTENT ACCORDING TO SLO
WEEKS 1 and 2
Language
Students learn writing strategies to compose descriptive essays. Students
review the use of verbs ser and estar and of adjectives and adverbs.
Students learn to improve their oral skills by using fillers.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and midterm and final essays.
WCGI
Students discuss the origins, history and current sociopolitical and linguistic
reality of Latinos in the US. They learn about Chicano literature and discuss
the global conditions that let to this growing cultural phenomenon.
This cultural content will be assessed with exercises related to the
four readings in the textbook and with two short essays reacting to
newspaper articles (one per week).
WEEKS 3 and 4
Language
Students learn writing strategies to write formal correspondence. Students
review the use of present tense and future verbs. Students learn to
improve their oral skills by understanding the phonetics of Spanish
vowels.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and midterm and final essays.
WCGI
Students discuss the changing conditions of the labor market in Latin
America and the US in this global economy.
This cultural content will be assessed with exercises related to the
two readings in the textbook and with two short essays reacting to
newspaper articles (one per week).
WEEKS 5 and 6
Language
Students learn writing strategies to write journalist reports. Students review
the use of present progressive and the direct and indirect objects. Students
learn to improve their oral skills by using linguistic strategies to ask for
repetitions and clarifications.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and midterm and final essays.
WCGI
Students discuss cultural diversity and migration patterns in the Spanishspeaking world.
This cultural content will be assessed with exercises related to the
three readings in the textbook and with two short essays reacting to
newspaper articles (one per week).
WEEK 7
The midterm essay will consist of an eight-page research paper on a
sociopolitical, historical or cultural issue pertinent to the Spanishspeaking world, including Latino communities in the US. This
academic paper will follow the MLA style and it will be accompanied
by a description of the research method and writing process. The
topic of the paper needs to be approved by the instructor.
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Capítulo 4. La literatura en el
mundo hispanohablante
Estrategias de lectura: Hacer
predicciones, el lector cómplice
Estrategias de escritura: La narración,
transiciones en una narración, cómo
decir lo que usted quiere decir
Consultorio gramatical: Pretérito e
imperfecto, la voz pasiva
Estrategias orales: Rapidez en
oposición a fluidez
Lectura: “Caperucita en Manhattan”
Carmen Martín Gaite
WEEKS 8 and 9
Language
Students learn writing strategies to narrate. Students review the use of
preterite, imperfect and the passive voice. Students learn to improve their
oral skills by understanding the concepts of speed and fluency.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and the final essay.
WCGI
Students learn about literature and other cultural expressions in the
Spanish-speaking world, including Latino communities in the US.
This cultural content will be assessed with exercises related to the
three readings in the textbook and with two short essays reacting to
newspaper articles (one per week).
WEEKS 10 and 11
Capítulo 5. La lingüística aplicada
Estrategias de lectura: Leer con
diferentes propósitos, anotaciones
Estrategias de escritura: Exposición,
sintaxis simplificada, elevar el estilo
Consultorio gramatical: Subjuntivo
después de que y después de
conjunción
Estrategias orales: Circunlocución
Lectura: “Dimensión intercultural en la
enseñanza de lenguas” M. S. Paricio
Tato
Capítulo 6. El español y el mundo
profesional
Estrategias de lectura: Textos con
vocabulario técnico, resumir lo leído
Estrategias de escritura: La
argumentación, transiciones para
construir un argumento, traducción de
un texto profesional
Consultorio gramatical: Subjuntivo:
usos y concordancia de tiempos
Estrategias orales: Establecer una
base sólida
Lectura: “Diferencias de género en
América Latina y el caribe en el siglo
XXI,” Raquel Caro Gil
ENSAYO ACADÉMICO 2
EXAMEN FINAL
Language
Students learn writing strategies to compose expository essays. Students
review the use of subjunctive after que and after conjunctions. Students
learn to improve their oral skills by using circumlocution.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and the final essay.
WCGI
Students learn about the growing field of second language instruction and
discuss the sociopolitical and global circumstances that make it important to
learn languages. Students also discuss about current economic trends in
Latin America and the US.
This cultural content will be assessed with exercises related to the two
readings in the textbook and with two short essays reacting to a
newspaper article (one per week).
WEEKS 12, 13 and 14
Language
Students learn writing strategies to compose argumentative essays.
Students review some uses of subjunctive and the correlations of tenses
when using subjunctive. Students learn to improve their oral skills by
understanding how to increase their vocabulary.
This linguistic content will be assessed through in-class activities,
written assignments, homework and the final essay.
WCGI
Students discuss social, gender and technological inequalities in the
Spanish-speaking world. They also discuss living conditions in developed
and developing countries This cultural content will be assessed with
exercises related to the three readings in the textbook and with three
short essays reacting to newspaper articles (one per week).
WEEK 15
The final essay will consist of a ten-page research paper on a
sociopolitical, historical or cultural issue pertinent to the Spanishspeaking world, including Latino communities in the US. This
academic paper will follow the MLA style and it will be accompanied
by a description of the research method and writing process. The
topic of the paper needs to be approved by the instructor.