SPRING QUARTER PROGRAM LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA This program is designed to give students from universities on the quarter system the opportunity to spend the spring quarter in Costa Rica, learning about culture and current issues in Latin America, at the same time as improving their Spanish language skills. The program consists in two topical courses and a Spanish class taught during a period of ten weeks. Each topical course comprises at least 45 teaching hours, and the Spanish class, 60 teaching hours for a total of 10 credits. The program is complemented with cultural activities, visits to sites relevant to the class’ topic, and a weekend field trip where the students will have the opportunity to observe or put into practice the knowledge acquired in their classes.

ACADEMIC COURSES Culture and Development In Central America Latin America Through Film Spanish Language

CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL AMERICA DESCRIPTION: The concept of development is influenced by the culture where it is generated and influences the other cultures where it is appropriated. The aim of the class is to understand Central America, its history, its culture and how different concepts of development have been adopted and adapted to it. This class is organized from a perspective of collaborative construction of knowledge. Preparation, participation and discussion are fundamental for its dynamic. OBJECTIVES: Understand culture as a concept and as diverse thing lived everyday. Convey elements to understand social interaction and discrimination as a cultural issue. Link Central American historical processes to the cultural expressions of its people. Analyze development models and its transcendence in Central American history. Apply the research to the analysis of culture and development in Central America. GRADING SYSTEM 2 Quizzes

20%

Project Outside the classroom

20%

Discussion Leadership on assigned day

10%

Class Participation

10%

Attendance

10%

Final Paper (6 to 10 pages analysis on selected topic)

20%

Final Paper presentation

10% ____ TOTAL

100%

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Week 1  Session 1

1. Introduction to the course Syllabus Calendar and Distribution of Responsibilities Collective Construction of Knowledge  Session 2:

2. Culture Cultural Differences in Everyday Life (the iceberg exercise) Importance on Understanding Cultural Differences

Week 2  Session 3:

3. Intergroup Encounters Social Identity Theory Intergroup Attribution Theory  Session 4:

4. Ethnocentrism and Ethnorelativism Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination

Week 3  Session 5:

5. Cultural Indexes of Difference Edward T. Hall: time and space. Geert Hofstede: hierarchy, self and society.  Session 6

6. project outside the classroom (observation)

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Week 4  Session 7: Quiz 1  Session 8:

7. Central American History and Culture Colonial Central America

Week 5  Session 9:

8. Central American History and Culture From Independence to the mid XX century.  Session 10:

9. Heritage and foreign influence Native, Spanish and Media influences.

Week 6  Session 11:

10.

Discussion of the project outside the classroom

 Session 12

11.

Recent Central American History and Culture From the mid XX to present

Week 7  Session 13

12.

Different perspectives of Development Economic indexes, Social indexes and Gross National Happiness

 Session 14:

13.

Free trade and Culture Positive and negative consequences

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Week 8  Session 15:

14.

Fair Trade, Cooperatives and Microcredit: small is beautiful Tourism, coffee and women empowerment.

 Session 16:

15.

Migration and Transculturation Being “other” to survive Remittances Maras

Week 9  Session 17

16.

Culture and Development Open discussion

 Session 18:

17.

Quiz 2

Week 10  Session 19:

18.

Final Presentations

 Session 20:

19.

Feedback session

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BIBLIOGRAPHY: Asante, Molefi y Gudykunst, William. Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. Sage, Newbury Park, 1989. Bartolomé, Miguel Alberto. Procesos Inter Culturales. Antropología Política del Pluralismo Cultural en América Latina. Siglo XXI Editores, México D.F., 2006. Bhattacharyya, G. et al. Race and power: global racism in the XXI century. Routledge, London, 2002. Calloway-Thomas, Carolyn et al. Intercultural communication. Roots and Routes. Allyn & Bacon, Boston, 1999. Department for International Development. “Reducing poverty by tackling social exclusion”. September 2005. Dodd, Carley. Dynamics of Intercultural Communication. McGraw Hill, Boston, 1998. Ferraro, Gary. The Cultural Dimension of International Business. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1998. Gudykunst, William (Ed.). Theorizing about Intercultural Communications. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 2005. Hall, Edward. The Silent Language. Anchor Books, New York, 1973. Hemmati, Homayoun. “Culture, Diversity and Identity”. Hiller, Patrick, J.P Linstroth y Paloma Ayala Vela. “I am a Maya, not Guatemalan, nor Hispanic”-the belongingness of Mayas in Southern Florida. En: Forum Qualitative Social Research, Volumen 10, número 3, Setiembre 2009. Hofstede, Geert. Cultures and Organizations. Software of the mind. McGraw Hill, London, 1997. Jiménez Matarrita, Alexander. La vida en otra parte. Migraciones y cambios culturales en Costa Rica. Editorial Arlekín, San José, C. R., 2009. Johnson, Madeline J. “Women’s experience with migration in Nicaragua: Connections between globalization and Local Health”. September, 2006. Lowell Gudmundson, Héctor Lindo-Fuentes; “Central America, 1821-1871: Liberalism before Liberal Reform”. University of Alabama Press, 1995. 158 pgs.

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Mogekwu, Matt. Xenophobia as poor intercultural communication: re-examining journalism education content in Africa as a viable strategy. Universidad de Mmabatho Noroeste en Sudáfrica. En línea: Nowalski, J. “The Challenge of a Dignified Quality of Life for Central Americans,” 2001 Nowalski, J. Asimetrías económicas, laborales y sociales en Centroamérica: desafíos y oportunidades, FLACSO, 2002 Robert H. Holden; “Armies without Nations: Public Violence and State Formation in Central America, 1821-1960”. Oxford University Press, 2004. 336 pgs. Sen, Amartya, “Development as Freedom”. Oxford University Press, 1999 Sen, Amartya. “Culture & Development”. Ting-Toomey, Stella. Communicating Across Cultures. The Guilford Press, New York, 1999. United Nations. “Crime and Development in Central America: Caught in the Crossfire”. May, 2007. www.ajs.uwpress.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/1/5 . En línea. (2009, agosto 10)

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LATIN AMERICA THROUGH FILM DESCRIPTION: Film not only entertains, it contributes to the creation and circulation of culture as well as national and regional images and identities, and it portrays and analyzes social problems. Its images and sounds provide an immediacy that written media cannot, making it one of the most accessible forms of cultural diffusion. Thus, film literacy is an important skill in our visual and informationsaturated world. This interdisciplinary course seeks to review and analyze the complexity and richness of Latin American culture and history using films as a vehicle to facilitate students´ understanding.

The films selected will provide social,

historical and ideological frameworks to study the changes which have taken place in contemporary Latin America The course will be a seminar, encouraging student participation and discussion. COURSE OBJECTIVES Convey elements of criteria and interpretation of film as art and social portrait Understanding of specific social cultural issues Political and historical awareness of major events in Latin America Cultural impact of globalization ASSESSMENT: Attendance and participation

25%

Weekly written comments

25%

Two short essays 1.500 words ( weeks 4 and 8 )

20%

One long essay 3.000 words

30%

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Week 1: INTRODUCTION 

Aims and expectations of course



Film Concepts



Tradition



Culture and imagery



Female roles in society

Religion: In the Name of the Father Two different approaches and views on the influence of religion, as a weapon of dominance. Films:  THE MISSION (UK)  THE OTHER CONQUEST (Mexico)

Week 2: Immigration and Migration: With 20 years apart, two different films on the subject of migration... forceful or voluntary? Films:  EL NORTE (Guatemala)  SIN NOMBRE (Guatemala)

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Weeks 3 and 4: Silent Victims of Internal Struggles The innocent victims of war: women and children. Different political situations which illustrate the impact of war on the well-being of vulnerable groups (“The reluctant invited people”) Films:  VOCES INOCENTES (El Salvador) FLFM  LA TETA ASUSTADA (Perú) Sendero Luminoso  EL SILENCIO DE NETO (Guatemala) guerrilla  LA DEUDA INTERNA (Argentina) Falklands War

Week 5: Acts of Disappearance Argentina and Chile. La Junta Militar and Pinochet. Two dictatorships based on tortures. An effective system of getting rid of unwanted individuals who posed a threat to their policies. Films  LA HISTORIA OFICIAL (Argentina)  MACHUCA (Chile)

Week 6: Literature on the Screen: Two of the most influential women writers in the Latin American scene. Films:  THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS by Isabel Allende  ARRANCAME LA VIDA by Angeles Mastreta

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Week 7 : Individual versus Society: Artists, musicians, and gays in a Socialist regime. Films:  HABANA BLUES (Cuba)  STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE (Cuba)

Week 8: Drugs, globalization and in between: Colombia Films:  EL REY (Colombia)  LA VENDEDORA DE ROSAS (Colombia)

Week 9: History Today: Film:  BOLIVAR SOY YO (Colombia) National Outcasts: Film:  DIAS DE SANTIAGO (Perú)

Week 10: Costa Rica on the big screen Films:  TBA

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SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES During the first week of classes, students will complete a Spanish placement exam, according to which they will be placed in the appropriate level Spanish class. Descriptions of the three course levels most commonly taught through ICDS are below. For more detailed information in Spanish, see Appendix. ____________________________________________________________ Level I This course introduces the student to the Spanish language, therefore previous knowledge is not necessary, though some previous exposure would be helpful. The student will develop a basic linguistic capacity to navigate simple daily situations. Also, the student will develop the vocabulary and appropriate expressions to communicate with friends and family and interact in different situations such as restaurants, stores, buses, and the bank. Intensity: 60 hours, 5 hours per week General Objectives Upon finishing the course, the student will be able to: 1. Produce the sounds and patterns of intonation of the Spanish language. 2. Write sentences and short paragraphs. 3. Understand simple readings on a variety of topics. 4. Know about relevant aspects of Latin culture. Specific Objectives 1. Greet and introduce him/herself properly 2. Use pronouns correctly 3. Acquire basic vocabulary for oral and written communication 4. Use the verbs ser, estar, tener, haber, and hacer correctly 5. Conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present indicative 6. Correctly use the simple past and the imperfect indicative 7. Use the imperative appropriately 8. Express likes/dislikes and opinions ____________________________________________________________

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Level II This course is directed to foreign students who need to acquire quickly and efficiently oral and written competence in the Spanish language. Intensity 60 hours: 4 hours per week General Objectives Upon finishing the course, the student will be able to: 1. Use the basic grammatical structures of Spanish in real conversational contexts 2. Write more complex sentences and paragraphs 3. Understand reading on various topics 4. Learn about the Latin culture Specific Objectives 1. Conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present indicative 2. Understand and use appropriately the differences between simple past and the imperfect tenses and the compound indicative tenses 3. Use prepositions correctly 4. Use the present and imperfect subjunctives correctly

Level III This course is for foreign students who want to develop expertise in the use of the Spanish language as well as more fluent and precise oral and written communication. The course will be based around topics of interest that the group will propose. Intensity 60 hours: 4 hours per week General Objectives Upon completing the course, the student will be able to: 1. Communicate effectively 2. Understand and interpret written and oral messages 3. Strengthen intonation and pronunciation of the Spanish language 4. Learn about relevant aspects of Latin American and specifically Costa Rican cultures Specific Objectives 1. Use verb tenses correctly 2. Put into practice complex syntax constructions 3. Write appropriately and with good spelling 4. Acquire and practice orally and written the vocabulary of the chosen topics 5. Reach fluency and confidence in the use of the language

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APPENDIX

CURSOS DE ESPAÑOL

NIVEL: I (BÁSICO) Descripción del curso Este curso introduce al estudiante al idioma español por lo que no se requiere tener conocimientos previos de la lengua. El alumno desarrollará una capacidad lingüística básica para desarrollarse en situaciones diarias sencillas. Además, adquirirá el vocabulario y expresiones adecuados para comunicarse con sus amigos, familiares e interactuar en diferentes situaciones como el restaurante, la tienda, los autobuses, el banco. Intensidad 60 horas: 4 horas por semana Objetivos generales Al finalizar el curso el estudiante será capaz de: 1. Producir los sonidos y patrones de entonación propios de la lengua española. 2. Redactar oraciones y párrafos cortos. 3. Comprender lecturas sencillas de diversos temas. 4. Conocer aspectos relevantes de la cultura latina. Objetivos específicos 1. Saludar y presentarse adecuadamente. 2. Usar correctamente los pronombres. 3. Adquirir el vocabulario básico para comunicarse en forma oral y escrita. 4. Usar correctamente los verbos ser, estar, tener, haber y hacer. 5. Conjugar los verbos regulares e irregulares en el presente de indicativo. 6. Emplear correctamente el pretérito simple y el imperfecto de indicativo. 7. Usar en forma adecuada el imperativo. 9. Expresar gustos y opiniones.

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Contenidos 1. El abecedario y los números 2. Saludos 3. Formas de tratamiento: usted, tú y vos 4. Verbos ser, estar, haber, tener y hacer 5. Artículos definidos e indefinidos 6. Concordancia: Género, número, sustantivos, adjetivos y artículos 7. La hora 8. Pronombres interrogativos, posesivos y demostrativos 9. Presente de indicativo: verbos regulares e irregulares 10. Pretérito indefinido: verbos regulares e irregulares 11. Pretérito imperfecto 12. Verbo gustar y otros similares 13. Preposiciones de lugar 14. Futuro perifrástico 15. Pronombres directos e indirectos 16. Modo imperativo 17. Rutina diaria: Verbos reflexivos Actividades 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Completar frases. Escribir redacciones. Transformar oraciones. Elaborar diálogos. Exponer temas asignados por el profesor. Hacer discusiones sobre algunos videos proyectados en clase. Leer y comentar textos.

Evaluación Tres exámenes cortos de 20 % c/u Un examen final: Participación, tareas, asistencia

60% 20% 20%

NIVEL: II (INTERMEDIO) _______________________________________________________________ Descripción del curso El curso está dirigido a estudiantes extranjeros que necesitan adquirir en forma rápida y eficiente un nivel de competencia de la lengua española tanto oral como escrita.

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Intensidad: 60 horas: 4 horas por semana Objetivos generales Al finalizar el curso el estudiante será capaz de: 1. Utilizar las estructuras gramaticales básicas del español en contextos reales de conversación. 2. Producir los sonidos y patrones de entonación propios de la lengua española. 3. Redactar oraciones y párrafos. 4. Comprender lecturas de diversos temas. 5. Conocer algunos aspectos relevantes de la cultura latina. Objetivos específicos 1. Conjugar correctamente los verbos regulares e irregulares en el tiempo presente de indicativo. 2. Emplear adecuadamente las diferencias entre el pretérito simple, el imperfecto y los tiempos compuestos del indicativo. 3. Usar en forma correcta las preposiciones. 4. Diferenciar la voz activa y la voz pasiva en el discurso escrito. 5. Usar el presente y el imperfecto de subjuntivo en forma correcta. Contenidos 1. Repaso de ser, estar, haber, hacer y tener. 2. Presente de indicativo de verbos regulares e irregulares. 3. Verbos reflexivos 4. Pretérito indefinido de verbos regulares e irregulares. 5. Pronombres directos e indirectos. 6. Gustar y verbos similares. 7. Por y para . 8. Verbos con preposición. 9. Futuro simple. 10. Condicional simple. 11. Pretérito perfecto y pluscuamperfecto. 12. Voz pasiva 13. Imperativo formal. 14. Presente de subjuntivo. 15. Imperfecto de subjuntivo.

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Evaluación Tres exámenes cortos de 20 % c/u Un examen final: Participación, tareas, asistencia

60% 20% 20%

______________________________________________________________________

NIVEL: III (AVANZADO) Descripción del curso Este curso está dirigido a estudiantes extranjeros que desean adquirir cierta pericia en el manejo del español, además un nivel más fluido y preciso de comunicación oral y escrita. El curso se orientará a los temas de interés que el grupo proponga. Intensidad 60 horas: 4 horas por semana Objetivos generales Al finalizar el curso el estudiante estará en capacidad de: 1. Comunicarse eficazmente. 2. Comprender e interpretar mensajes orales y escritos. 3. Reforzar la producción de sonidos y patrones de entonación de la lengua española. 4. Conocer aspectos relevantes de la cultura hispanoamericana y costarricense. Objetivos específicos 1. Utilizar correctamente los tiempos verbales. 2. Poner en práctica construcciones sintácticas complejas. 3. Escribir apropiadamente y con buena ortografía. 4. Adquirir y practicar oralmente y por escrito el léxico de los temas escogidos. 5. Alcanzar fluidez y seguridad en el uso del idioma. Contenidos para la conversación Los contenidos que se elijan estarán en función de los intereses específicos del grupo. La hora de conversación será enfocada en un contenido temático diferente para cada clase. Para el desarrollo del mismo se harán diferentes actividades como ejercicios de lectura y escritura, ejercicios de escucha, entrevistas y otras actividades que impliquen la conversación.

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Contenidos gramaticales 1. Repaso de: a. Pretérito perfecto e imperfecto b. Futuro y condicional c. Tiempos compuestos del indicativo d. El imperativo e. Verbos usados en forma reflexiva y no reflexiva f. Gustar y otros verbos similares 2. Usos del subjuntivo presente, imperfecto, pretérito perfecto y pluscuamperfecto. a. cláusulas nominales b. expresiones de voluntad c. verbos de comunicación d. verbos que indican voluntad, influencia y preferencia e. verbos de influencia f. deseos expresados en forma explícita g. deseos con Ojalá (que) o ¡Quién …! h. Secuencia de tiempos i. Expresiones que indican deseo, duda, emoción sorpresa, lástima, etc. j. El subjuntivo en cláusulas relativas k. Expresiones idiomáticas l. El subjuntivo en cláusulas adverbiales m. El subjuntivo después de conjunciones de tiempo 3. Usos del “se” 4. Oraciones condicionales 5. Usos del gerundio, participio pasado e infinitivo 6. Adjetivos y pronombres indefinidos 7. Discurso indirecto 8. Redacción de: descripciones, narraciones y textos expositivos Actividades 1. Leer textos de diversos tipos, resumirlos y comentarlos en clase. 2. Realizar entrevistas fuera del aula. 3. Relatar oralmente algunas experiencias personales. 4. Asistir a la proyección de películas para comentarlas oralmente y por escrito. 5. Practicar discursos en grupo. 6. Exponer temas improvisados o asignados por el profesor. 7. Escuchar, comentar y aprender canciones en español. 8. Redactar párrafos descriptivos, expositivos y narrativos. Evaluación Tres exámenes cortos de un 15 % c/u Un examen final oral o de investigación Presentaciones orales Participación, tareas, asistencia

45% 25% 15% 15%

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