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BA English Language and Spanish

Year of entry: 2021

Course unit details:
Spanish Language 2

Unit code SPLA51022
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Spanish, Portuguese and Latin
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This is an intensive course unit for post-beginners in Spanish, which follows on from, and complements, the SPLA51011 Spanish language unit taught in semester 1. 

Focussing on a variety of topics (including culture, society, current affairs, etc.) and using a range of teaching methods and audio-visual as well as printed media, this course aims to continue giving students sound foundations in the language and to develop intermediate writing and reading skills, and pre-intermediate speaking and aural skills. 

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Spanish Language 1 SPLA51011 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

  • to provide students with thorough grounding in Spanish grammar and syntax, and expand it further; 

  • to enable students to become independent users of the target language and to communicate with some confidence on familiar routine matters related to their interests and professional field through a range of written, oral and comprehension exercises, including translation. 

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to perform at Level B1 of the Common European Framework (CEFR) for Languages in their written and reading skills, and at Level A2+ in their oral and aural skills. 

Knowledge and understanding

  • Passive and active knowledge of a range of grammatical structures of the Spanish language. 

  • An awareness of the nature and extent of cultural diversity within the Hispanic world.

Intellectual skills

  • Use of the target language with the skills acquired at a basic level. 

  • Extract and synthesise basic key information from written and spoken sources. 

  • Organise and present ideas within the framework of a structured argument at levels of appropriate difficulty. 

  • Develop deductive reasoning. 

Practical skills

  • Communicate in written and oral Spanish. 

  • Manage time and work to deadlines. 

  • Work creatively and flexibly with others as part of a team. 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Communication and presentation skills: oral, written and IT.  

  • Self-management and study skills, including learning how to learn through self-reflection activities and self-evaluation.  

  • Self-confidence, empathy and understanding others. 

  • Intercultural awareness.  

Employability skills

Other
- Communication and presentation skills developed through frequent presentations and teamwork. - Self-management skills which are promoted through independent work. - Problem-solving, decision making and creative skills, fostered through a variety of tasks such as creative writing, simulations, translations, etc. - IT skills through web and computer assisted language learning.

Assessment methods

Grammar, Reading and Writing Examination - 60%

Grammar and Essay Writing - 15%

Oral Examination - 25%

Weekly Tasks - Formative 

 

 

Feedback methods

Feedback method  

Formative or Summative 

Students will regularly receive individual written feedback on completed and marked assignments and oral presentations plus face-to-face discussion if desired. The tutor will also provide in-class comments on homework, presentations and other exercises. 

Additionally, global feedback (delivered orally in class/posted to Blackboard/as a hand-out) on frequent errors or omissions will be provided to the whole class to indicate problem areas and allow questions and discussion.  

Finally, the collaborative group/pair work used in class to practice presented language also facilitates peer feedback. 

Formative 

Written feedback on the in-class test and on oral exam performance. 

One-to-one feedback by request on written exam during office hours or by appointment during the School’s allocated feedback period. 

Summative 

 

Recommended reading

Set texts:   

  • F. Rosales et al., Campus Sur, Libro del Alumno (Barcelona: Difusión) 

  • P. Muñoz and M. Thacker, A Spanish Learning Grammar (London: Arnold) 

  • Diccionario Oxford español-inglés, inglés-español (O.U.P.)  

  • Diccionario Clave (SM): http://www.smdiccionarios.com/home.php  

Recommended texts:  

  • E. Spinelli, English Grammar for Students of Spanish (Arnold) 

  • R. E. Batchelor & M. A. San José, Using Spanish Vocabulary (Cambridge University Press)  

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Seminars 55
Independent study hours
Independent study 145

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Susana Lorenzo-Zamorano Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Students will be encouraged to contribute to The Spanish Newspaper and to attend the cultural events at the Instituto Cervantes. 

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