Beginning

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

Español 100 (C100SI)
Teaching Philosophy
The Universidad Interamericana teaching philosophy is to integrate each of the four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking through task-based activities and link them to real-world, contemporary topics in order to provide a global perspective of the Spanish language. In addition, practical life skills and learning strategies are taught in a student-centered, Spanish-only environment.

Course Guidelines
1. This course is taught in Spanish and it is mandatory that students communicate in Spanish in the classroom.
2. Classes start on time. Arriving more than 10 minutes late is equivalent to being tardy. Three tardies equals one absence. Students who arrive more than 30 minutes late are marked absent. A student who accumulates three (3) or more absences fails the course unless he/she makes up the missed classes. A student must attend make-up classes at his/her level or at a higher level. All missed classes must be made up within one week of the missed class. All make ups must be done before the last two classes. All make ups must be done before the last two classes. A professor has the right, but not the obligation to make special arrangements to make up missed time when there is an extraordinary case.
3. Homework assignments and all other assignments must be handed in on the due date.
4. Quizzes and Exams must be taken on the assigned date and will only be made up in case of emergencies. If an emergency occurs, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the professor and make arrangements. There is a 13,500 colon charge for make-up tests/activities which require the professor’s presence; said fee may be waived by the academic direction in the case of documented emergencies.
5. The course evaluation consists of a class project (20%), an oral exam (20%), a mid-term exam (25%),
a final exam (25%), and in-class oral grade (10%). Course evaluation may vary. In said cases, students are informed of the variation within the first two class sessions.

Course Description: This course assumes no previous knowledge of Spanish. Material seen in this class is at the A-1 level of the Common European Framework.

Course Goals: General course goals for the four areas of language are listed in the table shown below.

Listening and Speaking Reading and Writing
The student can engage in a very basic polite conversation. He or she can understand and make simple imperative statements dealing with common elements of the immediate physical environment. The student is able to understand and create short standard greetings. The student can understand and produce limited written texts about the immediate physical environment. The student is also able to understand and relay very basic personal information.

Required Text: En Acción 1 student book, units 1-6. enCLAVE ELE, 2005. A different, but similar text may be substituted according to the criteria of The Universidad Interamericana.