Sussex Centre for Language Studies
Open courses in modern languages
Spanish Language and Culture Stage 3
20 weekly meetings, 1.5 hours each
A course for those who have recently completed an Elementary or Stage 2 class
and feel confident enough to speak at a basic level. At least two years of part-time
study will have been completed at this stage. The emphasis is on speaking and
understanding, but new grammatical structures will be learned and reading and
writing skills will be developed. A course book is sometimes used to allow you to
work on your own and to form a framework for your learning.
The Intermediate class aims to build on the knowledge of basic language structures
and functions allowing you to express yourself more freely in everyday situations.
You will be encouraged to work out your own strategy for learning and, within the
framework of the syllabus, develop language structures and functions for your own
perceived needs and interests. The syllabus contains the following topics and
language structures in addition to the revision and consolidation of those in the
earlier courses:
Topic areas:
the media (press) • regions • work • current affairs • social
problems • introduction to politics.
Grammar
and
functions:
more literary tenses • passives • subjunctive forms • simple notetaking • idea of register • skimming/scanning techniques • letter
writing • simple indirect discourse • giving an opinion/expressing
feelings.
You will be given an insight into the history and culture of the country within the
framework of your language studies. You will be given the opportunity to pursue
your own personal research into a topic of cultural interest which contains some
analysis or debate.
Course learning outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to express opinions in simple language.
You should be able to handle everyday situations and discuss the topic areas from
the syllabus with reasonable ease.
Skimming and scanning techniques to
understand longer texts will be developing. You will have a good appreciation of the
society and culture of the country and should be able to direct your own language
learning to a greater extent.
Teaching and learning methods
Your knowledge of the language will be revised and developed via the four skills,
listening, speaking, reading and writing, usually in tutor-led group situations. Both
authentic and specially prepared audio-visual and written material will be used to
introduce new structures and to allow you to broaden your vocabulary and
communicate more freely in the topic areas of the syllabus. Although many of the
activities will be tutor led, you will be encouraged to take responsibility for group
learning situations. Preparation work will be set and some written tasks assigned
which may be taken from a course book.
Built into the course will be a number of assignments to allow you and your tutor to
gauge progress made. These assignments naturally form part of the course and will
usually be multi-skilled, involving some reading, writing, speaking and listening. It
will be important to complete a learning/study plan and take an active part in the
classes by completing the assignments set. You will be given an opportunity to
pursue your own personal research into a topic of cultural interest which contains
some analysis or debate.
Certificate of Completion
At the end of the course you will receive an individual Record of Learning on
request, giving details of the course and your achievement of the aims and
objectives. If the tutor considers that you have gained as much as possible from the
course, have achieved the learning outcomes and have participated in the assessed
activities, a Certificate of Completion of the course will subsequently be issued, on
request.
Bibliography
A course book may be recommended by the tutor at the first meeting.
Suggested supplementary reading:
Bilingual dictionary:
Large edition Collins
For self-study:
Breakthrough Spanish (Macmillan)
BBC Spanish courses
Grammar reference:
Practice in Spanish Grammar – Mark Cholij (Mary
Glasgow publications)
Punto por punto (Nelson)
Background reading:
The New Spaniards - John Hooper (Penguin)