Metas is an exciting new version of the best-selling intermediate Spanish textbook Punto y aparte, created in response to requests from reviewers for a version of Punto y aparte with enough material to be used over the entire second year. Metas achieves this goal by essentially doubling the amount of material in each of the six main chapters of Punto y aparte (originally designed as a fourth-semester book), and then by dividing each of these expanded chapters (now called Unidades in Metas) into two self-contained sections (Capítulo A and Capítulo B) to make the amount of material more manageable. Thus, Metas offers the same 12-unit structure found in most intermediate Spanish textbooks (6 units x 2 chapters each = 12 manageable chapters).

In terms of grammar, Metas focuses on key grammatical structures (los puntos clave) critical to the seven communicative functions or goals (las siete metas comunicativas) that are central to intermediate-level study. The seven communicative functions are:

1. Description (Descripción)
2. Comparison (Comparación)
3. Reactions and recommendations (Reacciones y recomendaciones)
4. Narrating in the past (Narración en el pasado)
5. Talking about preferences (Hablar de los gustos)
6. Hypothesizing (Hacer hipótesis)
7. Talking about the future (Hablar del futuro)

By organizing the text around key grammatical structures, Metas retains the framework of Punto y aparte, resulting in a logical and manageable progression. Additionally, the continual reinforcement and recycling of all seven communicative functions offer students many opportunities to communicate, produce, and create with the language, rather than to simply review the scope and sequence of Spanish grammar of their first-year course.

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Supplementary Materials to Accompany Puntos de Partida

From the first edition to the present edition, one of the most important features of the Supplementary Materials is the built-in recycling of linguistic functions. In this edition besides the “Guided Writing” re-entry activities, and the “Communicative Goals” speaking practices, we have added a section called “Recycling of Major Linguistic Functions” which was previously in the Teacher’s Guide and as is now in the student Supplement. We have also added suggestions about how to incorporate student-initiated questions into picture-based activities. All activities have been updated to reflect the changes to the new edition of Puntos and current Hispanic popular culture.

What will you find in the new Supplementary Materials and the accompanying Teacher’s Guide?

• Communicative Goals and Grammatical Structures Checklists

• Pronunciation

• Listening Comprehension

• Grammar

• Chapter Reviews

• Integrative and Information Gap Activities

• Guided Writing

• Communicative Goals Practices

• Round Robin Grammar Monitor Activities

• Recycling of Major Linguistic Functions

• Games

The Supplementary Materials and Teacher’s Guide are meant, first and foremost, to be a time-saver when doing lesson plans. Here, in one manual, you will find a wide range of imaginative, classroom-tested materials and activities, designed by experienced teachers who have taught extensively with Puntos de partida. It is our earnest hope that this supplement and teacher’s guide will make teachers’ lives easier when planning classes, and that students find the materials interesting, enjoyable and beneficial.

...

Supplementary Materials to Accompany Puntos de Partida

From the first edition to the present edition, one of the most important features of the Supplementary Materials is the built-in recycling of linguistic functions. In this edition besides the “Guided Writing” re-entry activities, and the “Communicative Goals” speaking practices, we have added a section called “Recycling of Major Linguistic Functions” which was previously in the Teacher’s Guide and as is now in the student Supplement. We have also added suggestions about how to incorporate student-initiated questions into picture-based activities. All activities have been updated to reflect the changes to the new edition of Puntos and current Hispanic popular culture.

What will you find in the new Supplementary Materials and the accompanying Teacher’s Guide?

• Communicative Goals and Grammatical Structures Checklists

• Pronunciation

• Listening Comprehension

• Grammar

• Chapter Reviews

• Integrative and Information Gap Activities

• Guided Writing

• Communicative Goals Practices

• Round Robin Grammar Monitor Activities

• Recycling of Major Linguistic Functions

• Games

The Supplementary Materials and Teacher’s Guide are meant, first and foremost, to be a time-saver when doing lesson plans. Here, in one manual, you will find a wide range of imaginative, classroom-tested materials and activities, designed by experienced teachers who have taught extensively with Puntos de partida. It is our earnest hope that this supplement and teacher’s guide will make teachers’ lives easier when planning classes, and that students find the materials interesting, enjoyable and beneficial.

...

This best-selling intermediate level Spanish textbook was widely embraced by the market when it first published in 1999, ushering in a new approach to instruction. The unique methodology, which emphasizes seven communicative goals (metas comunicativas) has been praised by professors and students as an original way to review and refine language development at the intermediate level....