Course and Examination Fact Sheet: Spring Semester 2017
2,847: Spanish B1
ECTS credits: 4
Overview examination/s
(binding regulations see below)
Central ‑ Oral language examination (individual in groups ‑ individual grades) (50%, at least 10 mins.)
Central ‑ Written language examination (50%, 120 mins.)
Attached courses
Timetable ‑‑ Language ‑‑ Lecturer
2,847,1.00 Spanish B1 (Extended Course for Beginners) ‑‑ Englisch ‑‑ Griesser Alexander
Course information
Course prerequisites
This is a two‑semester course intended for students whose Spanish‑language skills are very basic (level A2 or below of the
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and for students who have never learned Spanish before.
Please keep in mind that this is a two‑semester course. It starts in the Autumn Semester and continues in the Spring Semester.
The examinations take place in June and July.
The choice of the appropriate level of learning is important for the success of the examination.
The language grid according to the CEFR (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/resources/european‑language‑levels‑cefr) will help
you if you want to assess your language skills.
Course content
It is the aim of Spanish B1 course to familiarize the student with the structure of Spanish. Central, in this regard, is the
acquisition and consolidation of the Spanish tense system and its adequate usage, of simple and complex syntactic patterns, and
of a current basic vocabulary of about 2,000 words.
The students gain a solid pragmatic language competence by the end of the Assessment period. They exhibit good reading
comprehension skills and an adequate linguistic basis for solid communication in both oral and written contexts.
In the Spring Semester we put a strong emphasis on the communicative expression skills in everyday contexts (how to introduce
oneself, buy something, etc.), as well as on Spanish varieties on either side of the Atlantic Ocean—in Spain and in Latin America.
Over the year, short and simple texts will be understood, translated and written by the students. Furthermore, they learn to
engage in a dialogue. The following grammatical topics will be addressed:
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Phonetics and orthography
Correct pronunciation
Rules of accentuation
Spanish intonation
Spanish orthography
Grammar
Adjective‑substantive congruence
Comparison
For the verb, form and function of the indicative mood:
Present tense (presente) of regular and irregular verb forms
In the past, the perfect (pretérito perfecto), past tense (pretérito imperfect), simple past (pretérito indefinido), and pluperfect (pretérito
pluscuamperfecto)
Both futures (futuro simple and futuro próximo)
Conditional (conditional)
Infinite verb forms: Gerund (gerundio), infinitive (infinitivo), and participle (participio)
Differentiation of ser / estar / haber
(double) negation
Pronouns: personal, possessive, demonstrative, relative, reflexive, indefinite, and interrogative
Prepositions
Vocabulary
To build up the vocabulary on the basis of: Tschirner: Spanisch nach Themen. Grund‑ und Aufbauwortschatz. [Translation will be
given]
Vocabulary build on topics like numbers, time, food and beverage, working environment, family, etc.
Course structure
In the Assessment year, as well as in the Bachelor and Master programs, Spanish B1 is held four lessons per week over the course
of two semesters. Regular attendance is recommended, as well as a thorough preparation and follow‑up (homework,
independent learning of vocabulary and conjugations).
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Course literature
Tschirner, E. (2008): Spanisch nach Themen. Grund‑ und Aufbauwortschatz. Berlin: Cornelsen.
(based on the Davies (2006) frequency list: Davies (2006)_A Frequency Dictionary of Spanish‑Core vocabulary for learners.pdf)
Second semester:
Álvarez Martínez (coord.) et al. (4 2015): nuevo sueña 1. A1‑A2. Libro del alumno. Anaya.
Besides this textbook supplementary teaching materials will be provided.
Additional Literature (optative):
R. Alonso, A. Castañeda, P. Martínez, L. Miquel, J. Ortega, J. Plácido (2011): Gramática básica del estudiante de español.Edición
revisada y ampliada, Barcelona, Editorial Difusión.
Additional course information
Aim
The students gain a solid pragmatic language competence by the end of the Assessment year. They exhibit good reading
comprehension skills and an adequate linguistic basis for solid communication in both oral and written contexts.
Workload
In order to complete level B1 by the end of the two semesters you must regularly attend the classes. Individual learning should
complement the classroom time. You are encouraged to join one of the conversation classes offered through the Language Center
of the University (Sprachenzentrum) or to travel to a Spanish‑speaking country, if you have the opportunity.
Instructor:
Alexander Griesser studied Art History, Translation and Spanish Studies at the University of Salamanca and International
Affairs at the University of St.Gallen. He teaches Spanish at the HSG and works as a Research Assistant and Specialised Editor.
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Examination information
Examination sub part/s
1. Examination sub part (1/2)
Examination time and form
Central ‑ Oral language examination (individual in groups ‑ individual grades) (50%, at least 10 mins.)
Remark
‑‑
Examination-aid rule
Language examinations
Only the aids and dictionaries (without hand‑written notes) that are listed exhaustively under ʺSupplementary aidsʺ are
admissible.
Any type of communication, as well as any electronic devices that can be programmed and are capable of communication
such as notebooks, tablets, PDAs, mobile telephones and others, are inadmissible.
Students are themselves responsible for the procurement of examination aids.
Supplementary aids
None.
Examination languages
Question language: Spanish
Answer language: Spanish
2. Examination sub part (2/2)
Examination time and form
Central ‑ Written language examination (50%, 120 mins.)
Remark
‑‑
Examination-aid rule
Language examinations
Only the aids and dictionaries (without hand‑written notes) that are listed exhaustively under ʺSupplementary aidsʺ are
admissible.
Any type of communication, as well as any electronic devices that can be programmed and are capable of communication
such as notebooks, tablets, PDAs, mobile telephones and others, are inadmissible.
Students are themselves responsible for the procurement of examination aids.
Supplementary aids
A monolingual English dictionary is admissible. The dictionary may not contain hand‑written notes.
Examination languages
Question language: Spanish
Answer language: Spanish
Examination content
The Spanish B1 examination is an obligatory part of the Assessment year. Consequently, once you have passed the exam, you will
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receive credits and it will be included as Foreign Language on a B1 level in your Bachelor degree. It can be thus used as proof of
your foreign language level (Spanish B1) for the Bachelor degree. Bachelor students are also allowed to sign up for the Spanish B1
examinations every semester. The course and examination maximally yield four credits and if the grade is sufficient, it will be
included in your Bachelor degree as an additional foreign language (required for the Bachelor’s degree). The course level (Spanish
B1, B2, or C1) will be listed besides the result in your academic record.
Written Exam
Students must prove their knowledge of the grammar, language structure and a basic vocabulary of approximately 2,000 words
in order to understand substantially, for example, general politics, and social or economic texts.
a) Duration: 120 minutes
b) Exam description: The written exam is divided into four parts:
A. Reading comprehension
B. Grammar exercises: fill‑in‑the‑gap exercises on preposition use, the correct tense application of past tense, ser and estar
usages, accents and verb forms in present tense.
C. Vocabulary and syntax: Translation of sentences from English into Spanish.
D. Autonomous production: Composition of a short text, e.g., an e‑mail of about 120‑150 words.
Oral exam
a) Duration: 20 minutes per two‑student group
b) Exam description:
The exam is interactive and divided into two parts:
First, each student must introduce her/himself to the instructor and answer general questions about her/himself.
Afterwards, students describe, interpret and comment pictures of everyday life about a given topic (dancing, music, family,
holidays, trips, food and beverages, sports and clothes). They must spontaneously talk about the pictures with each other and
engage in a dialogue about the topic.
Examination relevant literature
The bibliography consists of all course materials and literature.
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Please note
We would like to point out to you that this fact sheet has absolute priority over other information such as StudyNet,
faculty members’ personal databases, information provided in lectures, etc.
When will the fact sheets become binding?
Information about courses and examination time (central/decentral and grading form): from the start of the bidding
process on 26 January 2017
Information about decentral examinations (examination‑aid rule, examination content, examination relevant
literature): after the 4th semester week on 20 March 2017
Information about central examinations (examination‑aid rule, examination content, examination relevant
literature): from the start of the enrolment period for the examinations on 10 April 2017
Please look at the fact sheet once more after these deadlines have expired.
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