Aims

In consonance with the overall aims of the degree offered in SML this module will:

- Focus on developing the students' communicative competence in the foreign language (including fluency, grammar and lexical accuracy, range and pronunciation);
- Prepare students for the future study of the language (written communicative and oral / aural skills);
- Facilitate students' ability to establish and maintain effective social and working relations with speakers of the foreign language in written and spoken output.
- Develop independent language learning strategies.


This is a post-beginners Spanish module suitable for students who have completed who have completed SPA1065 or who have an intermediate level in the language. This is a general language class offering students the opportunity to study and practise Spanish (speaking, reading, writing and listening skills) for four weekly contact hours.

Outline Of Syllabus

Examples of themes and communication skills addressed in the module include:

- Talking (including listening) and writing about city life.
- Asking for/ giving directions: finding your way in a city.
- Expressing reactions and opinions in speaking and writing.
- Making requests formally and informally.
- Referring to past and future events (including plans and intentions, in speaking and writing).
- Writing informal letters, descriptions, simple reports and narratives.
- Talking (including listening) and writing about the environment.
- Talking (including listening) and writing about key aspects of the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
- Talking (including listening) and writing about cultural diversity.
- Talking (including listening) and writing about hypothetical situations, predictions and probabilities.
- Talking (including listening) and writing about likes and preferences
- Talking (including listening) and writing about jobs and careers

Please note that tasks concerning talking involve both speaking and listening.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Rationale:

- Linguistic knowledge and the ability to use language effectively (i.e. linguistic skills) are intrinsically linked.
- Teaching and learning these outcomes (knowledge and skills) effectively implies presenting, practising and consolidating them via language classes, structured guided learning and guided independent study as indicated above.

Relationship of Teaching and Learning Methods to Learning Outcomes:

- The integration of linguistic knowledge i.e. vocabulary, grammar, functions, notions and knowledge of the cultures in Spanish-speaking countries and the key skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening is appropriately served by the language classes through suitable presentations and plenty of practice through individual, pair and group work.
- In common with other foreign languages, Spanish requires substantial ’structured guided learning’ and ‘guided independent study’. Through this study:
(1) the knowledge introduced and practised in the classes is previewed, revised, consolidated and expanded.
(2) students are also given opportunities to practise further reading, writing and listening skills.
(3) students learn to evaluate their own performance and develop a range of strategies for language learning.

- To ensure the learning of the above outcomes is effective, formative feedback is given in two ways:
(1) indirectly through self-assessment e.g. through internet and commercially available answer keys and
(2) directly by the teacher e.g. in the writing skills exercises which students carry out on a regular basis.

The module will be taught and assessed in Spanish and English.

If necessary, all teaching can be delivered online.

* (Continued from above) Includes ‘readings from published work authored for this purpose covering key concepts and content; a curated set of external resources or activities; student tasks to support and reinforce understanding of key concepts’.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Knowledge outcomes will be assessed by each of the modes of assessment defined above.

- Reading, grammar and writing – written examination. The written examination will test students’ ability to read and understand texts in the target language, and to write in the target language. Students may be allowed to type their own answers provided that spell check/grammar check has been disabled.

-Listening – aural examination. This assessment will test students’ ability to listen and to understand audio sources and to respond appropriately in written form

- Speaking – oral examination. This assessment will test students’ ability to produce and present their own output orally.

These assessment methods are commonly used in language testing and are appropriate to the individual skills being assessed.