THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION
CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING
COURSE DOCUMENTATION
COURSE TITLE: SPANISH FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
NO. OF HOURS: 32 (4 hours per week)
COURSE DELIVERY: Blended (4 face-to-face contact hours + 1 hour online)
SEMESTER: III
LEVEL: ALL
PREREQUISITES: NONE
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Candidates for this course should have some basic, formal academic knowledge of the Spanish
language. At the CLL we are dedicated to the promotion of communicative and cultural
competence in our programmes. To this end, the focus will be on the development of skills
involved in language learning (speaking, listening, reading and writing). The tutor will also work
towards introducing students to pertinent cultural aspects of the language. Learners will develop
an initial ability to communicate in the target language in situations relating to their professional
lives. Participants will be introduced to the concept of learner autonomy in language learning.
COURSE RATIONALE:
This course will give students the opportunity to begin the study of one of the languages spoken
in the Caribbean region. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the foundation
necessary to become independent language learners. Students will become more familiar with
the basic learning strategies available to support them in this endeavor.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Name: Ms. Shawna Sealey
Office address and phone: Office 2, CLL second floor, Centre for Language Learning. Ext:
83895
Email: [email protected]
Office hours: By appointment
1
LETTER TO THE STUDENT
Dear Student,
Welcome to Spanish for Customer Service. It is hoped that you are here because you have a clear
interest in the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. We hope we can help you develop your
language skills as well as motivate you to expand your cultural knowledge and your ability to be
an independent learner. Remember to walk with your language learning tools of trade: a
dictionary and an open mind! We hope you enjoy this educational experience that begins today!
Warm regards,
Your Tutor
CONTENT:
This course focuses on introducing students to the basics of the Hispanic language involved in
the day-to-day needs of customer service personnel. The following are the communicative skills
and grammar topics that will be covered in this course.
Communicative skills:
 Introducing and presenting
 Requesting and providing information
 Dealing with complaints
 Giving directions
Grammar:
 Basic common verbs and subject pronouns
 Nouns and articles
 Some irregular verbs
 The present tense and the simple future
Greater detail will be provided in the course calendar.
GOALS/AIMS:
At the end of this course the student will be equipped with the basic tools needed to interact with
Spanish speakers during the course of their professional routine:
Students will:
 begin to develop their language learning skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
 communicate orally, on a basic level, once the other person is willing to repeat, rephrase
and repair
 develop an understanding of basic Spanish grammar and syntax
2

develop a basic understanding of themselves as adult language learners
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
Students in this programme will be able to:
 understand basic and familiar, written and aural information
 develop basic competencies in conversing and interacting in a simple way provided the
other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, students will:





recognise familiar words and very basic phrases concerning their professional
interactions
understand familiar names, words and very simple sentences, for example on notices and
posters or in catalogues
interact in a simple way provided the other person is prepared to repeat or rephrase things
at a slower rate of speech and help formulate sentences
ask and answer simple questions in areas of immediate need or on topics in their
professional environment (e.g. basic personal information, descriptions, directions)
use simple phrases and sentences to describe people, situations
ASSIGNMENTS:
Course Assignments:
During the course students will be expected to fully participate in all class activities. These
activities include, but are not limited to:




listening to and responding to basic professional information, e.g. greetings, descriptions,
directions
communicating with classmates in the target language
listening to recordings, videos for specific information
designing and performing role plays
In-Course Assessment:
Students will be assessed on two language skills (speaking and listening), as well as on aspects
of language structure and intercultural competence1. Students will be asked to create typical
dialogues, representative of their professional duties, to re-enact in the class room.
1
Intercultural competence is the ability to develop targeted knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to
visible behaviour and communication that are both effective and appropriate in intercultural interactions.
3
TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIES:
This course is designed to develop the level of communicative competence of the students by
using, print and digital materials, exercises designed for their level, as well as authentic materials
where appropriate. It also sensitizes participants to some aspects of Hispanic culture. The course
will place special emphasis on developing communicative skills (writing, listening and
speaking). Authentic audio material as well as audio tailored for the students will be used weekly
in the language lab keeping in mind that a communicative approach will be used in every class.
Classroom sessions
These sessions include but are not limited to:
 pair work and group discussions
 interviews and role plays
 vocabulary and grammar drills
 use of recordings either in the language laboratory or in the classroom
HOW TO STUDY FOR THIS COURSE
Students are required to attend their sessions with a total teaching time of 4 hours per week. They
are also required to spend one hour online completing assignments given by the tutor.
Manage your time well. We recommend that students spend at least 3-4 hours per week engaged
in studying. This includes reviewing your notes and ensuring that concepts are understood. Jot
down any questions you may want to research or ask the tutor. This is also the time you take to
complete your assignments. It is important to read up on what you have learnt and practice with a
partner, perhaps someone from your class or another class, but at your level.
Preparation time: 2 hours per week. Have a look at the course outline and review or research the
material for the upcoming class. Make a note of any questions that may arise; after the
explanation by the tutor it may be clearer, if not, ask your question.
4
COURSE CALENDAR:
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Content
INTRODUCTIONS
 common greetings
 the alphabet
 numbers 0-100
 nationalities
 subject pronouns
 tú vs. usted
 verbs: ser, estar, vivir, tener
 question words
Objectives
 to introduce oneself and others
 to spell one’s name
 to exchange personal
information:
 name
 address
 origin
 age and date-of-birth
 nationality
 profession
 contact information
RECEIVING CLIENTS
 welcoming phrases
 giving commands: dar, girar
 vocabulary: documents, obligations,
directions
COMPLAINTS
 stem changing verbs
 entender, querer, pensar
 future time expressions
 ir a + infinitive
 vocabulary: complaints, professions
 to give instructions, directions
 to communicate information via
telephone or email
 to understand and respond to
complaints
 to make recommendations
SHOPPING
 stem changing verbs
 contar, recomendar
 vocabulary: shopping at the
supermarket, clothing store,
restaurant, numbers
ROLE PLAYS
During this week students will have to create and present a mini theatrical performance
that is indicative of their interaction with foreigners in their professional capacity.
They should be able to respond to questions from their classmates and tutor.
Distribution of certificates (2 hours)
Course evaluation
5