Course content: This stage builds upon the linguistic knowledge acquired at stage 4. It covers topics relating to aspects of the Spanish-speaking culture. It also deals with topics of contemporary relevance, such as, indicatively, political, economic, social and cultural issues, and with contemporary varieties of the language.

• Understand most spoken discourse, recognise regional variation (indicatively, vocabulary, accent) and understand the significance and appropriateness of different spoken registers
• Keep up with and participate in discussion and conversation on familiar and complex topics and present similar topics, with reasonable effectiveness and precision
• Understand some complex factual, literary and persuasive material and some specialised texts and read longer texts, extracting main points and/or detail
• Write clearly in a variety of styles and registers with fluency and accuracy
• Transfer information from spoken and written TL texts into English, indicatively, through translation, summary and commentary, and do the same from English into the TL

3 contact hours per week.

• 2 hours of Spanish Language (grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing)
• 1 hour of Translation (English into Spanish and vice versa)

• To develop further analytical skills
• To develop and encourage accurate writing in the TL
• To develop cultural and linguistic awareness in preparation for the year abroad
• To encourage the development of advanced IT skills
• To encourage both independent and group working skills
• To improve the knowledge of the TL through listening and comprehension exercises
• To develop and encourage accurate spoken expression in the TL
• To develop awareness of registers (both written and conversational), accents and pronunciation
• To develop further the understanding of social and cultural aspects of the TL
• To develop the skill of translating short passages from the TL into English (and, when possible, from English into the TL)
• To develop awareness of key translation problems and techniques for overcoming these
• To develop transferable skills

Outline of the Grammar Course for Ex-Advanced Students

Here is a list of the main grammatical points that will be covered during the Autumn Semester:

1. Oraciones Condicionales
2. Oraciones Concesivas
3. Oraciones Temporales (1)
4. Oraciones Temporales (2)
5. Oraciones Causales
6. Oraciones Finales
7. Expresión de Magnitudes (1)
8. Expresión de Magnitudes (2)

Outline of the Grammar Course for Ex-Advanced Students

Here is a list of the main grammatical points that will be covered during the Spring Semester:

     1.  Perífrasis Verbales.

     2.  Estilo Directo e Indirecto.

1. Oraciones Impersonales.
2. Formas no personales del verbo.
3. Contrastes entre los verbos de cambio.

Outline of speaking, listening and reading topics for Ex-Advanced Students (Autumn semester)

            1. Culturas hispánicas.

            2. Banco, compras, vivienda.

            3. Trabajo y estudios en Latinoamérica.

            4. Cine, televisión, cultura hispana.

Outline of speaking, listening and reading topics for Ex-Advanced Students (Spring semester)

            1. La salud y la medicina. Latinoamérica.

            2. El medioambiente.

            3. Ciencia y Tecnología.

            4. Ocio y deportes en Latinoamérica.

Recommended texts for Spanish language modules

ALL students should buy:

John Butt & Carmen Benjamin: A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish. 5^th edition, Hodder Education 2011.

ALL students should also own one of the following bilingual dictionaries:

Collins Spanish Dictionary: Complete and Unabridged(Spanish/English, English/Spanish). 9^th edition. London: Collins, 2009. (Also available in digital format)

[Alternatively: Collins Concise Spanish Dictionary (Spanish/English, English/Spanish). 7^th edition. London: Collins, 2008. (Also available in digital format)]

OR

Oxford Spanish Dictionary(Spanish/English, English/Spanish). 4th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

[Alternatively:Concise Oxford Spanish Dictionary. 4^th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.]

Spanish Grammar Course Kit located in Learning Central.

Spanish Translation Course Kit located in Learning Central

Spanish Conversation and Reading comprehension Course Kit located in Learning Central.

Spanish Self-study exercises located in Leaning Central.

Students of Spanish are further encouraged to access Spanish or Latin American newspapers (El País, ABC, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, La Jornada etc.) available on the Internet.