SPA 309: Spanish Advanced Grammar

• Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with a foundation on the structure and grammar of the Spanish language while they explore the sociopolitical nature of the language. Students learn to identify Spanish sounds, grammatical categories, and characteristics of linguistic contact by investigating and understanding language variation, language ideologies, and language prestige and prejudice, among other issues, as a way to develop students’ critical linguistic awareness (CLA). 

• Learning objectives

By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

1. Identify Spanish sounds and understand the relationship between sounds and letters. 
2. Identify morphological grammar categories, as defined in traditional grammar (noun, adjective, article, adverb, pronoun, verb, conjunction, and preposition), their components and how they are classified.
3. Identify characteristics of linguistic contact between Spanish and English  
4. Understand the difference between prescriptive and descriptive approaches to grammar
5. Understand and recognize language variation and linguistic diversity
6. Become aware of language ideologies, language prestige, and language prejudice, among other issues associated with the sociopolitical nature of language, and how these beliefs are rooted in hegemonic practices that perpetuate power dynamics (i.e., develop CLA)

• Required material

Muñoz-Basols, Javier, author.; Moreno, Nina, author.; Taboada, Inma, author.; Lacorte, Manel, author (2017). Introducción a la lingüística hispánica actual: teoría y práctica

Ashwini Ganeshan, Paige Wison and Margaret Saine (2019). La lingüística hispánica: Una introducción

Pastor Cesteros, Susana (2004) Aprendizaje de segundas lenguas : lingüística aplicada a la enseñanza de idiomas

• Course Requirements

Participation and attendance

1. Attendance, participation, and homework are mandatory. You are expected to read the assigned materials as many times as needed in order to fully understand them and to be able to formulate appropriate questions. You are expected to complete the homework before coming to class. 
2. You are expected to actively participate in class by having read the assigned material and having completed the homework assigned for that specific day. Your participation should reflect engagement with the readings, the concepts and the materials under discussion. You should always be respectful with others’ ideas and opinions.
3. You are permitted two absences throughout the semester without penalty.  However, each additional absence will diminish your overall final grade by 2%. 
4. Three late arrivals to class equal an absence.
5. In the event of a health or family emergency, please do not just stop attending classes without letting your instructor know that you have a problem. You must contact your instructor immediately and inform her of your situation.

Homework

Homework will be assigned weekly as needed (short writing assignments in class, readings, grammar activities from the textbook, reviewing of accentuation and orthography, etc.). You are required to do all homework, whether posted on Blackboard or announced a week in advanced in class.

Writing assignments

Students are expected to provide a critical reflection of the data or content analyzed. The Writing assignments are 400-500 word compositions that will be delivered on due time, and must be typed, double spaced, with a 12 point font, Times New Roman. Topics to be announced in advance).

Note: Late homework or writing assignments will not be accepted and no partial credit will be given (no exceptions). If you miss class and your absence is excused, you should email the professor in advance explaining your situation and submitting the homework as soon as possible on Blackboard (do not email your homework). This is just allowed for absences that have been justified (such as medical excuses).  

Tests/exercises

There will be 2 tests/exercises as posted on the syllabus. These tests/exercises will include short questions and practice exercises to demonstrate that you have mastered the material covered in class. 

Oral presentation

All students will have to make an in-class presentation during the semester to present a specific topic. The presentation should last a maximum of 7 minutes and the topic will be free choice.

Final project 

All students have to conduct a final project that will demonstrate their linguistic knowledge and critical language awareness development. The project format is open. Possible formats include:

1) an open-access research project about a topic covered in class;

2) a public writing piece such as an opinion column, an informative poster or handout to share with the community, etc.

All the students will have to share their final projects with the class in a 5-minute presentation or lecture at the end of the semester. Students will have to submit a pilot/plan for their project four weeks before the end of the semester. Information about the project will be provided during the course and will be available in Blackboard.