Spanish 121
Elementary Spanish

Course Introduction

Welcome to Spanish 121, developed with the Destinos telecourse! Destinos is a system of videotapes, audio CDs, and textbooks that allows you to hear Spanish and experience the cultural diversity of Spanish speakers. It exposes you to a living model of contemporary speech throughout the Hispanic world as it introduces you to the cultures of different regions: Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and various areas of the United States populated by Spanish speakers.

At the same time the series will engage you in the plot of the telenovela (the highly popular Hispanic soap opera). Destinos tells a good story, about the search for an old man's secret past. The entire series consists of fifty-two half-hour episodes. In Spanish 121 you will experience the first eighteen episodes of the series. Spanish 122 will take you through Episode 36, and you will find out how the story ends as you work with the last sixteen episodes (through Episode 52) in Spanish 123.

As you follow the story, you will also be learning to understand Spanish in context. In each episodio ("episode") you will listen to Spanish spoken at a slow, deliberate pace, intended to be comprehensible to you, as an off-screen narrator explains the action, and as Raquel Rodríguez (a character in the story) reviews the story at the end of each episode. You will also hear the language at a normal, more rapid rate, as the characters converse with one another; at first you will only understand this by guessing from the context, much as you would in a Spanish-speaking region. You will also have the opportunity to see some sentences in Spanish on-screen as they are spoken aloud.

While this direct method offers a very natural (call it "right brain") approach to learning Spanish, we must not forget the intellectual or "left brain" side of learning! This is provided in your textbook, and is strongly reinforced by the exercises and grammatical explanations in the workbook (and the audio CDs) and the online course materials. You will also do short oral exercises.

I hope that this multifaceted approach to Spanish will bring you rapid and well-rounded learning as well as enjoyment!

Is Spanish 121 Right for You?

To study Spanish by Distance Learning you should have previous experience studying a foreign language in a classroom setting. This can be a high school course or an on-campus, college-level course in any language other than your native one. You will need the experience of learning the unique sounds and grammar of a new language, and the direct instruction that a classroom teacher provides, to prepare you to study a new language on your own.

The duration of this course is twelve weeks.

Objectives

The goal of this series of courses (Spanish 121, 122, and 123) is to provide you with basic language skills—listening and comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing—in Spanish. Upon successfully completing Spanish 123 you will able to

• understand most Spanish spoken more slowly than normal, and some spoken at a normal pace;
• use coping strategies to fill in the gaps in your understanding of spoken Spanish;
• ask and answer oral and written questions in Spanish on a variety of everyday topics, and perform many common routines (such as phone calls and greetings); and
• read most simple material (such as La Voz, the newspaper of Seattle's Spanish-speaking community).

Objectives of This Course

By the end of this course—Spanish 121—you will be able to

• comprehend the story of Destinos as you watch the videos;
• pronounce Spanish words correctly as you hear or read them;
• understand the subtitles that appear on the screen;
• talk about such subjects as your daily life, aspects of Hispanic culture, and the story line of Destinos in Spanish, in the present and past tenses;
• develop and use strategies for understanding simple written texts in Spanish; and
• write short compositions using the vocabulary found in the first eighteen episodes of Destinos.

You will also get your first taste of Hispanic cultural behavior and artistic expression.

Course Structure

Spanish 121 includes nine units plus a final exam preparation, all described in the online course materials.You will be graded on nine assignments, one midterm exam, and one final exam. This course covers the material in lecciones ("lessons") 1–18 of the Destinos textbook and workbook/study guide. You will see and hear eighteen half hours of Spanish spoken by the telenovela characters, and listen to the nine audio CDs for oral practice.

• In the online course materials we will use the word "unit" to indicate the total material you will need to study and do in approximately one week.
• The word lección ("lesson") indicates the chapter (in both your textbook and workbook) whose number and title corresponds to the episodio ("episode") you will be watching. Each unit encompasses two lecciones (and two episodios).
• Throughout the online course materials, we will refer to pages with the letter "T" to indicate "textbook," and "W" for "workbook," followed by page numbers. For example:
  
  • p. T108 means "textbook, page 108."
  • pp. W91–9 means "workbook, pages 91 through 99."
  • p. OCM means "online course materials"

About the Online Environment

Your online course offers several advantages to the traditional classroom, including the comprehensive Online Student Handbook, the ability to communicate electronically with students and with your instructor, and links to online resources.

Online Student Handbook

This handbook answers questions about your online learning course, such as how to purchase your text, schedule an exam, obtain a transcript, and get technical help if you need it. The handbook also provides additional resources, such as how to order books or journals from the library and how to study for an online course.

Communication with Your Instructor and Student Peers

• Online Discussion Forums, designed by the University of Washington award winning Catalyst team, allow you to communicate with other currently enrolled students and with your instructor. You can use the General Discussion Forum to post questions, share resources, or engage in conversations about topical issues.
• E-mail is a quick and efficient way to communicate with your instructor about feedback you've received on an assignment. In fact, many online students comment that they get more support and individual attention about assignments in their online class than in a traditional classroom.

Online Resources

As an online student, you have access to a wealth of Web resources compiled to provide fast, easy access to information that supports your online learning experience. Organized by subjects, Online Resources link you to sites with help for writing and research, study skills, language learning, and library reference materials. All links have been assessed for credibility and reliability, and they are regularly monitored to ensure their usability.

 

Materials

The Textbook

The textbook that accompanies the Destinos series works closely with the audio CDs; each lesson includes one or more actividades ("activities") that give you practice in listening and speaking with the audio CD as you read the exercises in the text. Each lesson also includes a section called Preparación ("Preparation"), which reviews the previous episodes and prepares you for the episode you are about to see, and an "after viewing" section that

• elaborates on the characters or plot of the episode in Tienes buena memoria? ("Do You Have a Good Memory?");
• presents new vocabulary in Vocabulario del tema ("Vocabulary of the Topic");
• explains grammatical points in Un poco de gramática ("A Little Bit of Grammar");

•  Note

  Cultural notes are designed to stretch you a bit beyond your current knowledge of Spanish. Enjoy the challenge!

  introduces some aspect of Hispanic culture in Nota cultural ("Cultural Note"); and
• reviews the complete vocabulary of the lesson in Vocabulario.

The cultural notes are deliberately structured to challenge you, since not all the words appears in the reference vocabulary. This is to encourage you to develop your skill in using cognates (words that are similar in English and Spanish) to decipher a text, as well as stimulate you to use other strategies for reading and understanding.

The Workbook/Study Guide

The workbook helps you expand on your knowledge of Spanish, and gives you opportunities to express yourself in that language. Many actividades in the workbook use the audio CDs to give you practice in listening and understanding as you read. Each lesson in the workbook includes

• more extensive information about the characters and situations in each episode in Más allá del episodio ("Beyond the Episode");
• further grammatical information (Gramática);
• practice in pronunciation, working with the audio CDs (Pronunciación); and
• more vocabulary words (Vocabulario).

The Videotapes

Spanish 121 includes the first nine videotapes of the Destinos series of 26 tapes (52 episodes). Each videotape presents two episodes of Destinos, each 30 minutes long. These nine tapes thus cover the first eighteen episodes. You should watch each episode from beginning to end the first time, to get the general idea of what is going on. I recommend that you watch each episode—or at least some parts of it—more than once if possible. You won't understand everything, especially in the sections where conversations are rapid. Don't worry; your ability to understand will develop over time.

You can view Destinos episodes in three ways:

• Online. Go to http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html and click on the "VoD" (Video on Demand) icon next to the Destinos episode you wish to view.  The episodes are free, and each is a half-hour in length.  You will need to create a username and login password in order to view the episodes.
• Rent the nine-tape series for Spanish 121 from UW Distance Learning. Each tape includes two half-hour episodes of Destinos: a total of 18 episodes for this course. If you decide to rent the tapes, please fill out the video rental agreement and send it in to Distance Learning immediately. Note that your grade for this course will be withheld if you do not return the videotapes to Distance Learning.
• View the tapes for free at the Language Learning center on the University of Washington campus: Denny Hall, Room 108. Be sure to bring your UW Distance Learning ID card! Normal hours at the Language Learning center are:
  • Monday–Thursday: 8A.M.–8P.M.
  • Friday: 8A.M.–4P.M.
  • Sunday: 5P.M.–8P.M.

The Language Learning center is closed during UW holidays and between academic quarters. Be sure to call ahead for current times.

Some television sets are equipped for closed-caption, and will allow you to read the dialogs as well as listen to them. I recommend, however, that after seeing the episode using the close-caption feature, you see it again without the feature, and get used to the sound of the language.

The Audio CDs

The audio CDs are designed to be used with both the textbook (which includes a free set of seven CDs) and the workbook/study guides (for which you must purchase a set of five CDs from the UW Distance Learning office). Many of your assignments will require you to use the audio CDs. In this Distance Learning course, this tool is especially important to your learning process; it gives you a chance to listen to the sounds and rhythms of Spanish and practice speaking the language.

Optional Extra Credit Materials

• Sturam, R., ed. Los Viajes De Rosa y Ernesto, A Step by Step Spanish Reader. Seattle: All Bilingual Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-9745032-6-4

Online Course Materials

The online course materials include eight units covering specific topics. Units Six and Ten prepare your for the midterm and final exams, respectively. Each topical unit includes the following:

• a reminder of the sequence of activities you should follow;
• supplementary explanations about grammatical structure;
• observations about certain items in your text; for example, apparently minor details that deserve your attention;
• instructions for the assignments you will submit. Each assignment is titled Tarea (meaning "task" or "chore"). Some come directly from the workbook. I have designed others especially for this course; these are often activities not found in the other Destinos material, and include some translations from and to English;
• questions about a reading, either from your textbook or from an original reading included in the online units.

The comments in the online course materials are supplementary explanations to help you better understand the lección. Don't skip over certain points in the lección just because there is no commentary; this only means that the explanation in the text seems sufficient.

Dictionary and English Grammar

It's a good idea to have a dictionary for Spanish 121, even though your text provides a Spanish-English glossary. Besides providing you with the Spanish translations of English words, a good dictionary includes alternate meanings of words, and you will be able to use it through Spanish 122 and 123. I suggest that you buy one of the following:

• Harper Collins Spanish dictionary. New Standard edition, 2000
• Larousse Standard English/Spanish Spanish/English Dictionary. King, Fisher and Chambers, l996 or newer
• Larousse English/Spanish Spanish/English Dictionary. King, Fisher and Chambers, l998 or newer
• Harper Collins Spanish Unabridged Dictionary, l996 or newer

You can often find great bargains on dictionaries in used-book stores.

How to Use Your Dictionary

Using a foreign language dictionary can be tricky if you do not have a basic knowledge of English grammar. If you are looking up an English word, you have to decide, for example, if the word is a verb or a noun. The word "fly" (a noun) is mosca in Spanish, an insect. But, "to fly" (a verb) is volar (an action) which becomes vuelo for "I fly." If you do not pay attention to the difference between "fly" as a noun and "fly" as a verb, you may end up with something like Yo mosca ("I a fly") when you want to say Yo vuelo, ("I fly"). The other problem is trying to break apart an expression with a preposition (very common in English, but not in Spanish) such as "fly back" or "go down." For example, one student who wanted to write "I want to fly back home" ended up with this sentence: "Quiero mosca espalda casa," which could be interpreted as "I want a fly in back house." The correct sentence is "Quiero volver a casa en avión."

These are two of the reasons I recommend English Grammar for Students of Spanish.

English Grammar for Students of Spanish

I recommend this book especially if you need a refresher in the basics of English grammar. The book explains the Spanish grammatical terms used in your textbook, and shows how they relate to English grammar, pointing out similarities and differences between the two languages. You will notice that the grammars of English and Spanish are not very different.

Using Flash Cards

You can make your own flash cards using 3 x 5 index cards, and use them to practice anything you need work on. For example, test your knowledge of new vocabulary by writing the English word on one side of the card, and the Spanish translation on the other. This works especially well with nouns and adjectives.

Practice difficult or confusing grammatical constructions in context. For example, in Unit Seven you'll learn how to express liking for something. A flash card for this concept will be most helpful if it looks like this:

Sample Flash Card

Side A	Side B
I like fruit.	Me gusta la fruta.
He likes fruit.	Le gusta la fruta.
We like fruit.	Nos gusta la fruta.
Mary likes fruit.	A Mary le gusta la fruta.

Make a flash card for any mistake that you find yourself repeating, and check it regularly. Note the mistakes you make on the self-tests, or on assignments I've returned to you; make a flash card with your wrong sentences on one side and the correct ones on the other; and practice with the card. But be sure to write "Wrong!" on Side A, and "Correct!" on Side B.

At various places in the online course materials, I'll suggest other ways you can use flash cards, as you encounter new parts of speech or grammatical concepts.

Free Online Grammar and Vocabulary Practice

Here are three Web sites where you can practice your grammar and vocabulary:

• Learn Spanish: http://www.studyspanish.com
• Spanish at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, USA: http://www.spanish.sbc.edu
• Spanish grammar exercises by Barbara Kuczon Nelson (Colby Web site): http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/exercises/

Written Assignments to Be Turned In

The complete written assignment for each unit (except Units Six and Ten) are actually composed of two assignments, one at the end of Part I and one at the end of Part II. Each of these two assignments is called Tarea (which means "task, assignment, chore, homework") followed by a letter "A" (for the Tarea in Part I) or "B" (for Part II's Tarea). Most Tareas consist of several numbered exercises from the workbook/study guide (often in connection to the audio CDs), or the online course materials. They may also include readings from your text or the online course materials.

How to Complete Each Unit

This section shows the steps you will follow as you use the textbook, workbook, audio CD, and videotape to complete each unit. You must also read the online course materials, since I have presented information in each unit that is not offered in any of the other materials.

Each unit includes three parts:

• Part I: 1st leccion/episodio of the unit. Tarea A.
• Part II: 2nd leccion/episodio of the unit. Tarea B.
• Part III: Wrapping Things Up. Oral assignment.

Summary of Steps for Each Unit

Instructions in the online course materials are all in English in the first lessons. Gradually, I will be introducing some instructions in Spanish: commands will be directed to the formal "you" (usted).

Every unit follows this pattern:

Part I

1. Textbook

Work with the Preparación section of your lección in your textbook.

2. Textbook

Familiarize yourself with the vocabulary and the grammar explanations given in the boxes in your textbook, called Vocabulario del Tema and Un poco de gramática. You will find more extensive grammar explanations in the online course materials and/or in the workbook, but at this point it will be enough to use the textbook to prepare yourself for the video.

3. Videotape

Watch the corresponding episodio (available online at http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html). Then check the answers you gave in "preparación."

4. Textbook/audio CD

Work with your textbook and audio CD in the section called "After Viewing." Always look at the online course materials for additional explanations and exercises.

5. Workbook/audio CD

Turn to your workbook/study guide and complete as many reading and actividades for the lección as you can, using the audiocassette as required. Check your answers using the answer key.

6. Tarea A

Do the Tarea A found in the online course materials. Do these exercises by yourself, and then check your answers in the answer key of your textbook, when applicable.

Part II

Repeat the sequence shown above to complete the second lección for the unit, that is, Tarea B.

Part III: Wrapping Things Up

1. Complete your oral assignment.
2. Do the self-tests in the workbook/study guide for the lección. Check your answers in appendix 2 of the workbook "Answers to Self-Tests." Although this is just for your own practice, it is a good review for your exams.
3. Revise your written Tareas and send in your assignment. Send Tarea A and Tarea B as a single document.

Tips for Completing Each Unit

• I recommend that you dedicate one week per unit. (See the planning calendar in your online syllabus.)
• I also recommend that you do all actividades orally to acquire fluency in Spanish.
• As you work on the actividades, refer to the vocabulary list at the end of the lección when you need to.
• When you work with the audio CDs, listen to the information, then turn off your CD player when you hear "Here are the correct answers." Do the actividades on your own, and then go back to the CD to check your answers. Follow the instructions on your CD to go back and forth from your text to the CDs. Be sure to study the vocabulary list.

Oral Practice

Your assignment for each unit includes an oral portion.

Oral Assignments

• The first part of each oral assignment is drawn from the Pronunciación section of the current lesson in the Destinos workbook. The speaker on the audio CD will model the pronunciation for you; you will listen to the CD, read the words, and practice repeating after the speaker until you think you can imitate the speaker's pronunciation.
• Do not listen to the CD and repeat after it while you are actually sending your oral assignment. You should practice this as many times as necessary, so you will remember the pronunciation when you record it.
• The second part of the assignment will ask you to answer one or two questions about some grammatical structures you have studied in the lesson. Read these questions in the online course materials, practice the pronunciation, and compose your answer.

I will give you corrections and comments through your voice-mail.

Setting up Your Voice-mailbox

Here's how to set up your voice-mail account.

1. Call your voice-mail phone number.
2. When it answers, immediately interrupt the message by pressing "7," then follow the instructions. Note: After you enter your temporary password you will be asked to enter your permanent password. Please enter the password provided in the letter that accompanied your course materials.

Sending Your Oral Responses

1. First, get into your own voice-mail by dialing the number 934-0XXX (see the number assigned to you in the confirmation letter that you received).
2. Press "7" as soon as the "operator" picks up. When you are prompted, enter the password provided to you in the letter that accompanied your course materials.
3. Press "1" to see if you have any message from your instructor (feedback from your last oral assignment) before you proceed to the next assignment.
4. Press "2" to send a message, and record your message. Note the following options:
   
   • to listen to your recording press "1";
   • to re-record your message press "*" (the "star" button);
   • to add additional information to your message press "5."
5. When you are finally satisfied with your message, press "#" (the pound key).
6. Type in your instructor's message box number.

As you submit your oral exercises, speak slowly and clearly. Repeat whatever you think necessary. I would like you to follow the following format, so that I can record the submission of your assignment.

• Introduce yourself in Spanish: Me llamo  . . .
• Give your course number: Soy estudiante de uno dos uno.
• Give your five-digit class ID number in Spanish (you'll find it printed on your online course syllabus): El número de mi clase es . . .
• Give the number of the oral assignment: Ejercicio oral número . . . (e.g., uno, dos, tres).
• Give your voice-mail number in Spanish: Mi número de teléfono es . . .

Later in this course you will be also asked to give the date in Spanish.

If you have any questions on using this system, please call the Program Support Services office at (206) 543-2320 or (800) 543 2320, extension 4, and ask for the Instructional Materials Coordinator.

Sending E-Mail

When you send me an e-mail with assignments, questions, or requests, please follow this model on your Subject line: Distance Learning, UW, SPAN 121, Unit #

Creating Special Characters for Spanish

On a PC

• To place an accent over a letter: press the Ctrl key and the single quote key (') at the same time. Then type the letter.
• To create a tilde over an n: press the Ctrl and Shift keys on the right side of your keyboard while you press the ~ key; then press the n key.
• To create a Spanish question mark or exclamation point at the beginning of a sentence: press the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys as you press the ? or ! key.

You can also look up these characters using the Insert menu. Select Symbol … and start searching for the character you want (this is a very tedious process—it's much easier to learn the keyboard shortcuts).

On a Mac

• To place an accent over a letter: Press OPTION(Alt) + the letter "e" , then release both and press the vowel you need. For example for sí (yes) you would press OPTION + e, and then i.
• To create a tilde over an n: Press OPTION(Alt) + n, then press n.
• To create a Spanish question mark or exclamation point at the beginning of a sentence: Press Option + Shift + ? or !

What the Examinations Cover

The written portion of each examination (the midterm and the final) is divided into five parts:

• short questions in Spanish about the episodios;
• vocabulary: fill-in blanks with words, sometimes provided (multiple choice), sometimes not;
• grammar: fill-in blanks with words from a list;
• reading and comprehension;
• translation of short English sentences into Spanish; and
• a topic (sometimes related to the Destinos story) about which you will write a short composition in Spanish.

Each examination also includes an oral part. You will be provided with a CD as part of your exam; this may include a dictation in Spanish for you to write as you listen to it; written translations of sentences you hear; or oral questions for you to answer on paper. This section is much like your oral assignments.

If you are taking the exam at one of the University of Washington facilities, a CD player is provided. If you are taking the exam elsewhere, you should bring a CD player to your examination.

You will have two hours to finish your exam. You may not bring dictionaries or other books to your examination.

Please see "About Scheduling Examinations" on your online course syllabus.

Preparing for Examinations

• The best way to prepare yourself for the exams is to do the self-tests provided at the end of the workbook/study guide. After you finish a self-test, check your answers in Appendix 2, of the workbook, "Answers to Self-Tests."
• Another way to prepare is to maintain a notebook of new words.
• Finally, you can practice with the always helpful flash cards.
• For the oral portion of the exam, be sure to listen to the audio CDs, first following the script in your text, workbook, or corrected assignments); then listen without reading the script, to check your understanding; finally, try to write what you hear, and check it against the script. The oral sections of the exam will be based on parts of the audio CDs that have a script, either in your text, your workbook, or your returned assignments.

I will send you a page with your grade for the examination, and my comments about what (if anything) you need to improve—either to successfully finish the course (after the midterm) or continue to Spanish 122 (following the final examination).

This course is demanding; if you are aiming for the best results you should devote a minimum of two hours a day to your studies.

How Is Your Grade Determined?

Your final grade is made up of four components, equally important, as shown in table i.2:

Table i.2: Grading Weights

Grading Weights
Oral assignments	25%
Written assignments	25%
Midterm exam	25%
Final exam	25%

All your assignments will be graded with a percentile.

The average of your nine written assignments, plus the average of your eight oral assignments, plus your midterm and final exams will give you a total of 400 or less. Divide it by 4 and you will have your final percentile.To figure out your numerical grade for the course (0-4) refer to the scale for conversions shown in table i.3.

No matter what your grades on your written and oral assignments, you must pass your final exam with at least 60 percent correct answers to pass this course.

Extra Credit

Students will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by reading part of the book listed under "Optional Material," Los Viajes de Rosa y Ernesto, A Step by Step Spanish Reader, Audio Book and Grammar Guide. To turn in extra credit, the audio CDs are not necessary, although they are recommended for students interested in refining auditory understanding. The CDs are the AudioBook, and they narrate the complete story.

Do not be scared by the word "book." It is actually a short story, which makes an easy and interesting read/listen. Give it a try!

For each chapter there will be several multiple choice questions, and 40 possible points could be added to your accumulated points if you read the seven chapters. For example:

If your total is 320 /4 = 80% = 2.5 final grade

You will have 360/4 = 90% = 3.5 final grade

Spanish 121 students need to choose from chapters 1 to 7. You may complete any number of chapters you wish. When you are finished reading your selection, contact the teacher to receive the questions for you to answer.

Deadlines

This course was designed to be completed in 12 weeks.

You will take your midterm exam after Unit Five; you must have completed and turned in all assignments, written as well as oral, for Units One through Five before you take the exam. Part I of Unit Six is a fast review of the material you have already studied, to prepare you for the exam.

Your final examination will be after Unit Nine; as with the midterm, you must have completed and turned in all assignments (as well as your oral assignments) for Units Six through Nine before you take the exam. The final exam will focus mainly on the grammar and vocabulary you have studied since the midterm, but because the process of learning a language builds on what you have previously learned, you will have to know the grammatical structures and basic vocabulary you covered in the first part of the course. Use "Preparing for Your Final Exam," after Unit Nine, to get ready for your final exam.

Failing to complete this course (including the final exam) in the 12-week period will give you an "Incomplete" for the course. Please see the planning calendar in your online syllabus. Note, however, that this is a working tool, not an inflexible plan, to help you organize your time.

Student Information Form

Please submit the Student Information Form with your Tarea for Unit One, so I can know something about you and any specific needs you may have.

About the Course Developer

My name is Rita Wirkala. Spanish is my native language, since I was born in Argentina. In 1987, after thirteen years of living in Brazil, I moved to the United States and became a Spanish instructor at several community colleges and the University of Washington.

I received my doctoral degree in Spanish Medieval Literature from the University of Washington; I specialized in ancient Middle Eastern stories, called "teaching-stories" which have passed to Europe through the eight centuries of Arab presence in Spain. Other personal interests are poetry, psychology, traveling, environmental problems, the effect of globalization on developing countries, and other current events. You will find some of these interests reflected in the readings I have written or selected for this course. I also do volunteer work with several international organizations related to human rights and humanitarian projects in developing countries, activities which I always share with my students and in which I invite them to participate. This sometimes involves actual travel; I have organized several study trips, which combine the study of language, culture, and community service, to Guatemala and Argentina.

My main concern, however, is to excel in my profession, which is to teach the Spanish language and culture in the challenging way represented by a "distance learning" approach. I want to make sure that my students know they can count on my help, guidance, and flexibility, as well as prompt availability.

I hope you will find the time and energy to invest in this course. If there is a lesson that I can pass on to you from my own experience, it is this: The things that most lead to success in this enterprise of learning a foreign language are motivation and patience. If you apply yourself, you will learn!

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