Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Classes: 4 sessions / week, 1 hour / session

Required Books

Klobucka, A., C. de Jouët-Pastré, et al. Ponto de Encontro: Portuguese as a World Language. 1st ed. Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN: 9780131894051.

———. Brazilian Activities Manual for Ponto de Encontro: Portuguese as a World Language. 1st ed. Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN: 9780131894082.

———. Answer Key to Student Activities Manual for Ponto de Encontro: Portuguese as a World Language. 1st ed. Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN: 9780132393461.

General Description

Portuguese II is a beginning course, which follows Portuguese I, for students with an introductory knowledge of the language. Our goal is communication in Portuguese, which is emphasized in all our classroom activities. Grammar, vocabulary and elements of Luso-Brazilian culture world are presented through class activities, readings, music, video, and film. Our focus is on communication, using all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

At the end of two semesters, students will have mastered the core grammar of Portuguese, as well as basic vocabulary. The students should be able to engage in everyday conversation with native speakers and read simple texts, both fiction and non-fiction, with relative ease.

The class is conducted in Portuguese, with occasional resort to English for clarity purposes.

Evaluation/Grades

Grading is based on frequently relatively small evaluations rather than on one or two major hurdles. The grading scale is as follows:

A+ (98–100); A (94–97.9) A- (90–93.9); B+ (86–89.9); B (84–85.9); B- (80–83.9); C+ (76–79.9); C (74–75.9); C- (70–73.9); D+ (66–69.9); D (63–65.9); F (63 and below).

Class attendance, participation, and homework: 25%

Attendance: As your progress, and that of the class as a whole, will be impeded by excessive absences, your presence in the classroom is imperative. If you must miss a class, there is no excuse for not being prepared for the next one. If you have to be absent, please contact the instructor in advance to find out what material you will miss. Each absence without an official excuse will lower your course attendance and participation grade. Any student who has accumulated more than three absences without an official excuse must see the instructor. Further absences after the warning will affect your final grade.
Participation: Your presence and active participation are essential in each and every session. This will be the most significant part of your grade since it is through continuous class interaction with other students that your communicative abilities in Portuguese will develop and improve. Your grade will be determined daily by the quality and quantity of your preparation and participation in class discussions, activities, group work, etc.
Homework: Students are expected to prepare the assigned materials for each class and complete the written work as stipulated in the syllabus. These assignments include:
- Studying the vocabulary and grammar in the Ponto de encontro text and completing any written exercises assigned.
- Completing the exercises in the Workbook. The Workbook exercises can be checked with an answer key. You are expected to do these exercises and correct them using the answer key before handing them in.
- You can also have extra practice by going on-line and doing the non-mandatory exercises as a review for each lesson. They can be found at the Ponto de Encontro website.
All assignments are to be done on the date indicated. Late homework will not be received. Do the homework in the order the subject is covered in class. If you see the word "entregar", it means you need to hand it in. The Workbook exercises are designed to reinforce the grammar and vocabulary introduced in the textbook, as well as to improve your listening comprehension. They are required components of the course and it's important that you complete them right away, as soon as the material is covered. Don't let your homework pile up. Working a little every day and frequent reviewing are more effective than a few long sessions of study at longer intervals.

Compositions (redações): 25%

Total of four pieces of writing based on the short stories read in class — available on the course website. They should be at least 150-word long (15 lines), typed and double-spaced. Compositions should be turned in on the day assigned in the daily program.

Exams: 35%

4 in-class quizzes

Oral presentation: 15%

In addition to the written quizzes, students will make an oral presentation in front of the class. Students may talk about a place where Portuguese is spoken or a historically or culturally significant figure in the Lusophone world. Guidance for this assignment will be provided.