The best aspects of this course included the consistent speaking opportunities, the instructor’s enthusiasm for the course material, and the cumulative coverage of vocab, history, literature, culture, and grammar. One student felt that grammar was not taught enough. Another student felt the unit themes were strange and applied very little, if at all, to important facets of the Italian language. Suggestions included incorporating more of an emphasis on grammar and assigning less “busy work” as homework. Prospective students should know that participation is crucial in order to receive a passing grade in this course.

Students thought the group writing assignments, effective instructor, and the level of writing were the highlights of this course. However, many students found the emphasis on grammar, as opposed to a mastery of composition, to be the worst aspect of the course. More complexity in the readings and writing assignments was suggested as an area for improvement. Prospective students should know that the challenge of this course varies a great deal based on your previous knowledge of Spanish. Some students thought the material was repetitive, while others did not. The emphasis is on writing, but at times the topics are bland.

The best aspects of the course were the engaging instructor who gave helpful feedback to students and the strong conversational elements of the course. Students felt that there were not enough assignments to practice concepts and that there was a large learning curve from Intermediate to Advanced courses. Suggestions for improvement included creating opportunities for more informal discussions and increasing the amount of grammar exercises. Prospective students should be aware of the heavy workload and challenging course material.