The best parts of this course were the laid-back class environment, the engaging professor, and the oral presentations. The small class size made for a lot of opportunities to practice speaking. The negative aspect of the course was the textbook, which was not advanced enough and did not provide interesting readings. Students also disliked the exams, which counted for most of the course grade, but did not match the material taught in class. Students suggested making the speaking exercises and presentations worth more of their grade, and using a different textbook. Students should be prepared to speak a lot in class and know that the exams are difficult.

Students thought that the best aspect of this course was the smal class size, which encouraged class participation and conversation. Students found the professor to be very encouraging and that he made the course interactive and engaging. Students thought that they really grew comfortable speaking in Spanish. The worst aspects of this course were the focus on grammar and the lack of cultural discussions. Students suggested that the course include a greater variety of contemporary media, such as movies, music, and literature, to help them learn about the culture and some of the expressions. They also suggested changing some of the homework assignments in order to rely less on the online system, which many did not like. Prospective students are highly recommended to take this course to help them improve their comfort levels in hearing and speaking Spanish. They should be prepared to complete a fair amount of work and to participate regularly in class.

Students praised this course for having a friendly instructor who spurred timely discussions in Spanish. Perceived issues with the course varied; multiple students found that the course’s exams were surprisingly difficult and students felt unprepared for them. Suggestions for improvement largely centered on students desiring a change to the way exams were handled in the course. Some students wanted the number of exams increased so that each tested less vocabulary. Others wanted more in-class practice in order to prepare for exams. Prospective students should know that students should come into the classroom prepared to speak Spanish. In addition, students found it important to practice and think in Spanish outside of class.

Students praised this course for having an instructor who worked to engage al students in this course that used a complete immersion approach to mastering Spanish. Perceived issues with the course 176included a belief from most students that it took a long time to get grades back on assignments, a nd when they did receive them, there was little feedback. Suggestions for improvement largely centered on receiving more homework assignments and an increased amount of feedback when assignments were returned. Prospective students should know that students found the course was a great way to improve their comprehension of Spanish and their ability to speak conversationally.

The best aspects of this course included the manageable homework assignments, the instructor’s willingness to help, and the overall organization of the class. Students felt that the required movies were too depressing and violent to watch. Other students felt like they were being “held back” by peers who could not speak conversational Spanish. Suggestions included varying the structure of the course throughout the semester and incorporating more conversational topics that are applicable to current 153 events. Prospective students should feel comfortable speaking Spanish in public before going into this course.

The best aspects of this course were the teaching style and the emphasis on participation in class. Most students had complaints regarding the online assignments, in particular the VoiceThread program. Many thought the online assignments were too frequent and too repetitive. Better spacing between assignment due dates, along with more emphasis on learning idiomatic phrases, were suggested improvements to the course. Prospective students should know that though the homework assignments are repetitive, the class was fun and interesting.

The best aspects of the course included the interesting topics discussed, the engaging in-class activities, and the helpful instructor. Students felt that the workload was significant and that the audio parts of exams were difficult. Suggestions for improvement included having informal group presentations, incorporating small group discussion into the class time, and spreading the assignments more evenly throughout the semester. Prospective students wil improve conversational skil s and are encouraged to participate in all class activities.