Aims

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

- Focus on developing the students' written communicative and oral communicative competences in the target language (including fluency, grammatical and lexical accuracy and range, register and pronunciation);
- Facilitate students' ability to establish and maintain effective social and working relations with
speakers of the foreign language in written and spoken media. This includes students’ ability to use and understand authentic material and produce their own written and spoken output.
- Prepare students for the future study of the target language (including written and oral communicative skills, and intercultural awareness) and for their future learning experience (including independent learning and study skills; reflective skills and self-regulation).

This module is available to all students with an A-level or equivalent in the target language.

Outline Of Syllabus

- Communication; development of spoken and written communicative competence by study of a thematic programme which includes topics and aspects of Spanish and Latin American culture and contemporary society such as 'en busca de identidad biológica, la mujer hispana and la descolonización';
- A wide-ranging coverage of the grammar system of modern Spanish including study of the noun, adjectives, adverbs, articles, the major tenses, the indicative and subjunctive moods and the active and passive voices; 'ser' and 'estar'; pronouns, comparative constructions, prepositions, participles, negations, infinitives and gerunds; and
- Systematic development of lexis in a wide range of contemporary themes and settings.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Synchronous language seminars, either on campus if possible or online in case it becomes necessary for the teaching format to change in the light of the public health situation. In which case, the provision for the seminars would be to have one zoom hour with half of the group whilst the other half does some guided activities online and swap during the second hour.

2. Teaching in the language seminars will focus on communication skills while the recorded lecture materials will focus on key study skills and the formal structures of the language. All four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking are fully integrated in the language seminars, associated work and preparation.

3. Independent learning and learner autonomy are further developed through the means of online grammar videos
and related activities, online guided tasks, pair and group work, assessment preparation and completion, and selfstudy at home, via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Canvas and in the Language Resource Centre. Particular initiative is expected from students at this level, e.g. course participants will be asked to contribute their own materials to the classes and activities.

4. All students will be supported in their study of formal and informal aspects of the Spanish language and their study skills via their weekly practical sessions, seminars and consultations with seminar leaders.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The Written Examination at the end of Semester 1 (100%) will enable students to produce a 250 to 300-word written piece of work. This will be based on a text of 1000-1500 words. It will test students’ ability to read and understand written sources in the target language and to respond appropriately in written (or typed) form in the target language. [Students may be allowed to type their own answers provided that spell check / grammar check has been disabled].