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Spanish Language

Module description

The module provides you with the opportunity to develop your language skills in Spanish through the medium of translation, reading and listening comprehension and oral debates. The course book for this module has been chosen to incorporate the most advanced techniques in the learning of the Spanish language but in a focused and varied manner. Different grammar points will be studied throughout the course, but they will be always explored in context. The translation classes will enhance the vocabulary acquisition as the students will be able to learn the use of bilingual and monolingual dictionaries effectively and appreciate the differences of style and structure between the English and the Spanish language. In the oral classes, the students will be given the opportunity to become acquainted with cultural elements of Spain and Latino America and to explore them in depth through the medium of individual presentations and debates.

This module is designed for students who have A-level or AS-level in Spanish language or equivalent, and who wish to acquire the foundation for studying Spanish at level two and beyond.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module's aims to teach:

• Grammatical knowledge of Spanish
• Increased lexicon
• Improvement of comprehension
• Expression in both written and oral forms

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a secure knowledge of the core grammatical features of the Spanish language and be able to tackle structured grammatical exercises
• 2. Attempt straightforward translation exercises into and out of Spanish and present a basic argument in written Spanish in answer to clearly defined topics
• 3. Demonstrate skills in understanding Spanish by carrying out aural and reading comprehensions
• 4. Within the context of a small group, express basic ideas and opinions orally in Spanish and respond to the ideas of others in the group and to the questions of the tutor

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Recognise and understand core linguistic terminology
• 6. Use a bilingual and learner’s monolingual dictionary to establish basic meanings and to find key grammatical information
• 7. Engage, under guidance, with the Spanish language media printed and online

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Work in groups at solving a variety of basic linguistic tasks
• 9. Communicate at an adequate level in Spanish
• 10. Express and discuss views as a group

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Plenary session: Introduction to the grammatical point under study in context
• Reading Comprehension/Composition/ grammar
• Translation: Development of translation techniques and strategies from Spanish into English and from English into Spanish
• Oral practice: Debates and presentations

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

You will only be required to retake any failed assessments. Marks for any passed assessments will be carried forward. If you have failed any assessments but managed to pass the module overall, you will not be allowed to retake the failed assessments. 

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Neus Sans, Ernesto Martín Peris, Jaume Muntal Tarragó, Rosana Acquaroni Muñoz, Emilia Conejo López-Lago, Bitácora 4 Nueva Edición. Curso de español (B2). Libro del alumno. Difusión ISBN 978-84- 16347-82-7
• Ane Ortega, Tita Beaven, Cecilia Garrido and Sean Scrivener ¡Exacto! A practical guide to Spanish grammar. Third edition. 2018 (Routledge) ISBN: 978-0-415-78506-8
• Christopher J Pountain, Teresa de Carlos and Angela Howkins, Practising Spanish Grammar (a workbook). Fourth edition 2019 (Routledge) ISBN: 978-1-138-33927-9
• Pilar Seijas, Bibiana Tonnelier, Sergio Troitiño. Cuadernos de gramática española (Difusión. Barcelona 2011) ISBN: 978-84-8443-476-4
• A bilingual dictionary, e.g. C Smith, Collins Spanish-English, English-Spanish Dictionary(6th edition 2000)
• A monolingual dictionary, e.g. Larousse, Pequeño Larousse ilustrado

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE:https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1421
• Also in addition, the coursework booklet (a collection of newspaper articles and literary extracts) containing the texts for assessment for the course are posted at the beginning of the academic year in ELE.

Follow links to MLS 1001 and it is possible to access “enlaces de utilidad” (useful links) with access to online dictionaries, newspapers, magazines, television channels including the Cervantes television channel, and radio programmes, as well as access to the web page of the Cervantes institute: www.cervantes.es

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• Regular showings of Spanish and Latino American films during the year and a very comprehensive audiovisual section in the library. Very good set of resources also for developing language skills at the Foreign Language Centre.

Key words search

Spanish, written, oral