UCL - Espagnol - niveau moyen

[ESPA1300]

[90h] 9 credits

This course is taught in the 1st & 2d semester.

Teacher(s): Isabel Baeza Varela

Language: S

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

At the end of the course students are expected to have reached a B2 level (intermediate level) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Regarding competences, students should be able to :

- Understand long texts written in current language and the description of events and impressions in personal documents, as well as understand the essential points from an extended and complex spoken message if the language is clear and standard and the topic reasonably familiar.
- Follow current affairs TV or radio programmes if spoken relatively slowly ; read articles concerning contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular viewpoints ; can write essays/reports reporting an information, developing a viewpoint or explaining the arguments for and against a particular point of view or option.
- Tell in a simple way experiences, events or purposes ; relate the plot of a book or film and express a reaction ; participate actively in a conversation with a native speaker in familiar situations and defend an opinion on a topical issue.
- Write personal letters describing experiences and impressions ; write clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest.

Main themes

- The object of this course is to develop the student¿s communicative competence, and particularly spoken production and writing, in general Spanish, to consolidate the vocabulary, the grammatical contents and the linguistic exhibitors of basic Spanish and to extend them, and to sensitise students with the culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
- The subjects and the functional contents are related to four large fields: 1) describing and comparing countries, cities, cultures and costumes giving personal judgements; 2) expressing augmented opinions on familiar topical issues of contemporary problems; 3) telling stories of experiences ; 4) making hypotheses.

Content and teaching methods

The course is centered on the communication and uses a method halfway between the communicative and the notion-functional one. Therefore, the elements of the code are not acquired by the study of lists of vocabulary or the structural approach of grammar exclusively. These elements are built-in in significant contexts and grouped according to functional contents. These contents are practiced with exercises requiring the development of an integral communicative competence. The didactic materials include very elaborate grammatical tables and exercises of systematization, but the typology of exercises is very heterogeneous: songs, games, debates, articles, advertisements, comical sketches, films, etc.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites:
To have reached ESPA 1100 goals, that is to say an A2 level (elementary level).

Assessment:
Continuous Assessment : various written tests and an oral test throughout the year, work to be returned, presence and participation.

Course material:
Español 2 : communicative method used during the course and made by the professor according to the described method and from current bibliography.

References:
- Español G. Bases de gramática : grammar reference book for the autonomous practice. It presents 27 subjects of basic Spanish suitable for the elementary and low intermediate level.
- Español G. Cuaderno de ejercicios : exercise book of grammar for the autonomous practice. It presents a broad range of exercises for 27 subjects suitable for the elementary and low intermediate level. This book is accompanied by the key of the exercises and an audio support available in the ILV self-tuition centre (CAA).
- Español 1300. Cuaderno de lectura : reading book which contains mainly articles suitable for the intermediate level. The articles concern the important figures, the culture, the history, the society and contemporary topical issues of Spanish-speaking countries. Each article contains historical, cultural or linguistic explaining notes.
- La llamada de La Habana : novel for the autonomous reading accompanied by a CD with the recording of the novel. The subjects, structures, functions and vocabulary follow the most usual progression of a course of this level.

Training staff:
The teacher is available in his/her hours of reception and can be contacted by e-mail.
- The course gives the student a guide of electronic addresses and materials to support the autonomous training and other didactic materials for the controlled autonomous practice.
- The teacher supports and accompanies the autonomous training in the CAA of the ILV.