Writing for Spanish Heritage Speakers

Course Description

This course emphasizes reading and writing in a way that capitalizes prior contact with the language. It expands on language competence through vocabulary building, grammar review, spelling and punctuation, and writing strategies.

Core Objectives

There are various course objectives. The first is to continue to recognize dialects in Spanish and develop context for informal and formal usage. The course aims to develop existing Spanish language skills for an academic context. These skills include the following abilities: • Basic spelling and orthography in formal Spanish. • The ability to read and interpret a variety of texts from authors of native and heritage background. • An appreciation for bilingualism and its advantages in formal and informal contexts. A second objective is to continue to develop basic knowledge about the differences between Hispanic residing in the U.S. and their cultural origins in the Spanish-speaking world. Examples are: • A general overview of Hispanic culture and presence in the U.S. • The roots of Mexican-American culture and its influence in the U.S. • The dual heritage of Puerto Rican culture in the U.S. & Puerto Rico • The place of Cuban and Cuban-american in the U.S.

Student Learning Outcomes

• SLO1. Students will be able to correctly apply the rules of Spanish orthography, including diacritical marks, in their writing. • SLO2. Students will be able to compose essays with a clearly organized structure while applying the transition words, idiomatic expressions, and grammatical lessons civered by the course. • SLO3. Students will be able to apply basic rules of Spanish grammar • SLO4. Students will demonstrate a deepened understanding of Hispanic culture in Latin America while connecting it with Latino culture in the United States.