SPN 601D: ¡A Hablar!

# 1

Once per chapter, approximately fifteen minutes of class time will be spent on an oral activity
called ¡A Hablar! This speaking activity will be related to the chapter vocabulary themes and
grammar topics you’ve learned in chapter 1 and 2. The purpose of this activity is to
communicate, interact with your classmate (s), and keep a conversation going!
At home:
1. Bring a picture of a family member (your mom, dad, brother…) to class.

2. Prepare the following questions in Spanish, which you will use in class to find out about a
classmate’s picture:
-What is his/her name?
-Who is the person in the picture?
-Where does he/she live?
-What is his/her profession?
-What is his/her age?
-What are her/his physical and personality traits?
-What are her/his favorite colors?
-What does she/he like to do?
-Any other questions you want to ask about the person in the picture.

3. Write the questions in Spanish to ask your classmate and prepare a list of useful words form
the vocabulary from chapters 1 and 2. Also study conjugations of the verbs that you will use to
answer to your classmates’ questions.

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Useful words or expressions:

1
 1.

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In class:

1. You instructor will divide the class into pairs.

2. Each student will have his/her picture ready. Classmates will take turns to ask questions
(prepared at home) about the other classmate’s picture.
3. After you are finished with the interview, you will say one additional sentence or sentences in
Spanish about the person in your picture (something that your classmate did not ask).
Por ejemplo:
- Mi hermano habla dos idiomas y estudia en la Universidad de Colorado.
- Mi hermana toca el piano todos los días.
4. No English allowed!
5. During ¡A Hablar # 1!, your instructor will walk around the room and listen to your
conversations.
6. You will be graded based on how actively you participate in the conversation, how effectively
you express your ideas, how well you maintain the conversation without very long pauses, etc.
Note: As your instructor walks around the room, he/she will check to see that you completed
the above sections and if you brought the picture for the activity. If you haven’t, 10 points will
be deducted from your final ¡A hablar # 1! grade.
The following is the rubric that will be used to grade this activity:

Student is very well prepared and participates actively. A true conversation leader who 100
interacts well with classmates and helps keep conversation going. Speech is fluid and
comprehensible, with meaningful content and a wide range of grammar and vocabulary.
Student is well prepared and participates actively. Few pauses. Speech is 90
comprehensible, with meaningful content and a wide range of grammar and vocabulary.
Student is well prepared with good participation. Few pauses. Speech is mostly 80
comprehensible, with meaningful content but somewhat limited grammar and vocabulary.
Participates in a limited fashion. Speech is not always comprehensible and content is 70
weak. Shows little command of appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
Student is not well prepared and only participates minimally. Does not express many 60
ideas. Struggles due to insufficient grammar and/or vocabulary.
Absent or no participation. 0

Be creative and have fun!!! :)