Spanish Beginner I

Course Description: This course is ideal to take your first steps in Spanish. It is recommended for those who have very little or no previous experience with the language. From the first session you will be introduced in a comfortable and engaging way to the basic foundations of Spanish pronunciation and elementary vocabulary, and in no time will be able to communicate important information.

Through oral activities and exercises in class and focused homework assignments you will learn to describe objects and people, form simple sentences with the two verbs for “to be”, ask basic questions, and schedule an appointment.

Prerequisite: None

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Introductions, Greetings, and the Alphabet
2) Nouns and Articles
3) Adjectives
4) Ser and Estar (Two verbs for "To be")
5) Hay (There is/ There are), Interrogative Words
6) Days of the Week, Months, Seasons
7) Numbers
8) Dates and Time

Key Vocabulary:
1) Greetings
2) First words
3) Friends and Family
4) Common Adjectives
5) Professions
6) Countries
7) Moods & Emotions
8) House, rooms, furniture
9) Dates: Holidays and Birthdays

Bibliography:

1. Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2006
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 1 - ¿Que tal?; D C Heath & Co.1994

Spanish Beginner II

Course Description: In this course you will continue to develop your Spanish abilities in understanding, speaking, reading and writing. It is recommended for those who have successfully completed Spanish Beginner I, or who have studied Spanish previously and have a good understanding of the use of nouns and adjectives, "ser" and "estar", and how to ask questions. In this class we will focus on how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense and use the Spanish version of “going to” for the future.

After completing Beginner II you will be able to write short stories in the present tense, discuss your work, living situation, and hobbies, order a meal in Spanish, and share your future plans.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner I or equivalent

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
2) Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense
3) The Present Continuous
4) Ir a (Going to) for the Future

Key Vocabulary:
1) Action words
2) Passtimes and Hobbies
3) The Weather
4) Food - fruit, veggies, grains, & meat
5) Me gusta/ no me gusta 

Bibliography:

1. Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2006
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 1 - ¿Que tal?; D C Heath & Co.1994

Spanish Beginner I - II Review and Practice

Course Description: This special course provides the opportunity to solidify your newly acquired Spanish skills by reviewing and practicing the concepts covered in Beginner I and Beginner II. It is recommended for those who have completed Spanish Beginner II, or who have previously studied how to conjugate verbs in the present tense. Rather than concentrating on learning new grammar topics, this course follows a pragmatic approach focused on developing Spanish conversational skills and applying grammar concepts through guided practice and dynamic activities.

The fun activities in this course will boost your ability to communicate in Spanish and will be structured around practical usages of the language such as introducing yourself, describing where you live, talking about your family and friends, ordering a meal, going shopping, discussing the weather, sharing about your pastimes, etc. After taking this course, you’ll feel more confident in your Spanish conversation skills and ready to move on to Beginner III.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner II or equivalent

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Spanish Beginner III

Course Description: In this course you will continue to develop your Spanish abilities in the present tense. It is recommended for those who have successfully completed Spanish II, or who have studied Spanish previously and have basic understanding of regular and irregular verb conjugation in the present tense. We will deepen our understanding of the way adjectives and adverbs work as well as explore important idiomatic expressions while we keep expanding vocabulary knowledge and mastering Spanish communication skills.

After completing Beginner III you will be able to talk about how long you have lived somewhere, compare your family members, describe the abilities of your favorite artists, express what you don't do or want, feel comfortable shopping in a marketplace, and navigate a doctor's appointment in Spanish.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner II or equivalent

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline: 

1) Common Idioms
2) Important Uses of "Que" and "Para"
3) Time Expressions with Hacer
4) Possessive and Demonstrative Adjectives
5) Adjectives that Precede a Noun
6) Comparatives and Superlatives
7) Adverbs
8) Negatives

Key Vocabulary:
1) Nationalities
2) Parts of the Body
3) The Extended Family
4) Health, a Doctor’s visit
5) Shopping

Bibliography:

1. Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2006
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 1 - ¿Que tal?; D C Heath & Co.1994

Spanish Beginner IV

Course Description: This course is the culmination of the Tierra Beginner course series and therefore it means that once you have completed it, you will be equipped with a complete and solid understanding of all the main structures of the Spanish language to be used with the present tense. This course is recommended for those who have successfully completed Spanish Beginner III, or who have previously studied Spanish and have a good understanding of the topics covered in the prerequisite course. After successfully completing Spanish Beginner IV, the student is ready to begin the Intermediate course series.

The class activities and homework exercises in Beginner IV will give you the tools to express your likes and dislikes, use those elusive object words (lo, la, le, etc.) correctly, and talk about your daily routine and relationships.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner III or equivalent

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Basic Prepositions, Por and Para
2) Expressing likes and dislikes (Gustar)
3) Verbs like Gustar
4) Indirect Object Pronouns
5) Personal “a” and Direct Objects
6) Double Object Pronouns
7) Reflexive Verbs

Key Vocabulary:
1) Giving Directions
2) Travel - in the Airport
3) At the restaurant
4) Movies: genres and roles
5) Daily routine - reflexives
6) Talking about relationships

Bibliography:

1. Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2006
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 1 - ¿Que tal?; D C Heath & Co.1994

Spanish Intermediate I

Course Description: This is the first intermediate-level course in Spanish, it is recommended for those who successfully completed all of our Beginner series, or who have previously studied Spanish and are able to comfortably converse in the present tense in Spanish. This course introduces students to the two past tenses, preterit and imperfect, and also provides grammar review, additional vocabulary, more writing opportunities in Spanish and enhancement of cultural awareness.

Through intensive practice and writing, after completing Intermediate I you will be capable of talking about past vacations, recent past events, or childhood memories, and of writing stories in the past tenses.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner III or equivalent

Duration:

• Intensive series: 5 weeks (2 classes/week)
• Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Introduction to the Preterit Tense (Past)
2) Irregular Verbs in the Preterit
3) Verbs with special meaning in the Preterit
4) Introduction to the Imperfect Tense
5) Contrast Preterit and Imperfect
6) “Se” and Impersonal Expressions

Key Vocabulary:
1) Travel - in the hotel
2) Traditional Food of Latin America
3) Academic subjects - University
4) Politics - changes in Government
5) Personality adjectives
6) Childhood games and activities
7) Fairy Tales
8) Cooking - Recipes

Bibliography:

1. Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2006
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 2 – Entre Nosotros; D C Heath & Co, 1994.

Spanish Intermediate II

Course Description: In this second level of the intermediate course series, students will expand the range of experiences they can refer to by learning new verb tenses and language skills that will improve their oral and written communication. This course focuses on learning the future, conditional and perfect verb tenses. At this level the class is conducted completely in Spanish and reading, writing, and conversation are emphasized. This course is recommended for those who have successfully completed Intermediate level I, or who have a good grasp of the present and past tenses.

Course materials will include short stories or articles, songs and music videos, and/or film clips in the Spanish language. By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss future predictions, make polite requests, share life experiences, and use the passive voice.

Prerequisite: Spanish Intermediate I or equivalent

Duration:
Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) The Future Tense
2) The Conditional
3) The Perfect Tenses:
        a) present perfect
        b) past perfect
        c) future perfect
        d) conditional perfect
4) Passive Constructions
5) Verbs with Prepositions

Bibliography:

1. Gordon, R.L. and Stillman D.M; The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice; McGraw-Hill, 2011.
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 2 – Entre Nosotros; D C Heath & Co, 1994.
3. Schmitt, C.J.; Spanish Grammar; Schaum's outline series, McGraw-Hill, 5th ed. 2008.

Spanish Intermediate III

Course Description: In the third level of the intermediate course series, students will continue to acquire a full understanding of more sophisticated structures of the language, with an in-depth exploration of the subjunctive mood and its many uses in Spanish. At this level the class is conducted completely in Spanish and reading, writing, and conversation are emphasized. This course is recommended for those who have successfully completed Intermediate level II, or who feel comfortable with the material covered in the course curriculum up to that point. 

Course materials will include short stories or articles, songs and music videos, and/or film clips in the Spanish language. By the end of the course, the elusive subjunctive mood will have been demystified and students will be able to use it correctly in a variety of situations, which will greatly increase both their ability to communicate in Spanish and the students’ appreciation for the nuances of the language and expressive nature of Spanish.

Prerequisite: Spanish Intermediate II or equivalent

Duration:
Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Preterit vs. Imperfect Revisited
2) The concept of subjunctive
3) Commands
4) The present subjunctive in noun clauses
5) The present subjunctive after verbs of influence
6) The present subjunctive after verbs of emotion
7) The present subjunctive with impersonal expressions
8) The present perfect subjunctive

Bibliography:

1. Gordon, R.L. and Stillman D.M; The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice; McGraw-Hill, 2011.
2. Valette, J.P., Valette, R.M.; Spanish for Mastery 2 – Entre Nosotros; D C Heath & Co, 1994.
3. Schmitt, C.J.; Spanish Grammar; Schaum's outline series, McGraw-Hill, 5th ed. 2008.

Spanish Intermediate IV

Course Description: In this final of the intermediate course series, students will further deepen their grammatical knowledge, speaking, and comprehension skills. The topics focus on expanding the students’ ability to use the subjunctive mood in both the present and past tenses. This course is recommended for those who completed successfully Intermediate level III, or who feel comfortable with all of the material previously covered in our courses.

This course will include numerous cultural and literary readings, ample opportunity to practice writing, and a focus on communication and speaking. By the end of this course students will have studied all of the verb tenses and most important grammar structures in the Spanish language. At this point, students will be ready to focus on improving fluency and comprehension and to immerse themselves in Latin American literature, music, and culture.

Prerequisite: Spanish Intermediate III or equivalent

Duration:
Regular series: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

1) Relative Pronouns
2) Imperfect subjunctive
3) Uses of the subjunctive revisited
4) Subjunctive with adverb and adjective clauses
5) Past perfect subjunctive
6) Conditional Sentences

Bibliography:

1. Gordon, R.L. and Stillman D.M; The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice; McGraw-Hill, 2011.
2. Arnaiz, C., Wilkie, I.; Intermediate Spanish:A Grammar and Workbook; Routledge,2008.
3. Schmitt, C.J.; Spanish Grammar; Schaum's outline series, McGraw-Hill, 5th ed. 2008.

Advanced Spanish I

Course Description: This Spanish course is for students who already have enough Spanish language skills to be able to practice and improve through different forms and dynamics in the classroom. A more detailed and thorough study of grammatical structures including the present and past subjunctive, compound tenses, conditional tenses, pronominal verbs among other important subjects; and an exhaustive exploration of idioms and common Spanish pitfalls are also important elements of this course.

This class uses a combination of different Spanish immersion activities such as readings, essays, and guided discussion about diverse cultural and social topics of Latin America and the world. The ultimate goal is to refine and polish student writing, speaking and comprehension abilities through a balanced use of grammar exercises and interesting and engaging cultural manifestations of the Spanish language.

Prerequisite: Spanish Intermediate III or equivalent

Duration: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Advanced Spanish II

Course Description: This Spanish course is a continuation of our first Advanced course and is intended for students who already have a good domain of the language and are willing to engage in diverse discussions about cultural, historical and social topics related to Latin America and the world. Through the exploration of the literary works of an eclectic variety of Latin American writers, interesting documentaries, music and other art manifestations students will come to deeply understand the relationship between language and culture and use their intuition to master advanced grammatical structures without stopping to think about them as they use the language.

If you are interested in improving the fluency of your Spanish and fixing the little nuances that keep you from speaking with the confidence and advanced level that you desire, this is the class that will lead you to fulfill your goal. As a bonus, you will also expand your vision and understanding of authentic cultural manifestations from México and Latin America.

Prerequisite: Advanced I or equivalent

Duration: 10 weeks (1 class/week)

Beginner Spanish for Healthcare Professionals

Course Description: This Spanish course prepares health care professionals to effectively communicate in Spanish at their own health care facilities. It provides the necessary oral and written Spanish skills to acquire patient confidence and creates a more relaxed and reliable information exchange. Any health care professional would benefit profoundly by learning to better communicate and address the needs of their Spanish-speaking patients.

By means of clear and concise explanations and examples, guided conversation or role-play, and creative homework assignments, in this course you will effectively learn how to introduce yourself, calm and comfort a patient, acquire admission data, review medical history, clarify patient symptoms, identify parts of the body and locations in health care facilities, communicate during examinations, and more.

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner III or equivalent

Class Schedule:
Thursdays 7:30-9:20pm, Starting January 9th 2012
Contact us to register.

Duration & Cost:
10 week (1 class/week), $220

Bibliography:

1. Rios, J; Fernandez, J. Complete Medical Spanish; Mc. Graw Hill ed. 2004

Introduction to Mexican Culture and History

Course Description: This advanced Spanish immersion course is intended for students who can speak fluidly in Spanish and are ready to immerse themselves into exciting and interesting narrations and discussions of Mexican culture and history from the pre-hispanic era to the present. The class will provide a historical overview and use texts from representative thinkers of their time to explore the debates, challenges, and triumphs of each era.

Our historical exploration will lead into a discussion of modern social movements, the causes and consequences of Mexican immigration, and immigrant culture in the United States. Students will improve their Spanish skills - learning new vocabulary words and strengthening understanding of advanced grammar structures - through reading, writing, and class discussion.

Prerequisite: Spanish Intermediate IV or equivalent

Duration:
10 classes for each part (1 class/week)

Course Outline:

PART I:
1. Pre-hispanic Mexico within the context of Universal History
2. Overview of Mesoamerican Cultures (The pre-Classic, Classic and post-Classic periods)
3. The Mexicas
4. Introduction to Nahuatl Literature
5. The Spanish conquest
6. Nahua accounts before and after the Spanish invasion

PART II:
1. Spanish Colonialism and American society
2. New Spain's Baroque Culture
3. The collapse of New Spain, Mexican Independence
4. War with the United States
5. War of the Reform, French Intervention and the Second Mexican Empire
6. Benito Juarez and the restoration of the Republic
7. The Mexican Revolution

PART III:
1. The Cristero War
2. Consolidation of the Revolutionary power
3. Cardenas and Oil Nationalization
4. Post WWII economic burst
5. Student movement of 1968
6. Neo-liberalism and NAFTA
7. Chiapas and The Zapatistas
8. Oaxaca and the APPO
9. Civil unrest in San Salvador Atenco
10. Presidential Elections in 2006
11. The Drug Wars

Bibliography:

1. Leon-Portilla, Miguel and Shorris, Earl; In the Language of Kings - An anthology of Mesoamerican Literature, Pre-Columbian to the Present; W.W. Norton & Company, 2001
2. Gisela von Wobeser et al.; Historia de Mexico; FCE, SEP, Academia de la historia, 2010
3. Hamnett R. Brian; A Concise History of Mexico; Cambridge University Press, Second Ed. 2006
4. Leon-Portilla, Miguel; Rostro y Corazón de Anáhuac; Asociación Nacional del Libro, 1a. ed. México, 2001
5. Leon-Portilla, Miguel; Los antiguos Mexicanos; Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2da. ed. México, 1968
6. Leon-Portilla, Miguel; Visión de los Vencidos - Relaciones Indígenas de la Conquista; UNAM, XXIX ed. México, 2007