This stage builds upon the linguistic knowledge acquired at A level stage or equivalent. It focuses on consolidating oral and written skills in working with Spanish at a high level.  It integrates a number of topics, such as, indicatively, intercultural differences and the political and educational systems and key historical issues in the countries in which contemporary Spanish is spoken, with a deepening study of the structures, vocabulary and sounds of the language. You will manipulate information from spoken and written texts in the Target Language, through, indicatively, translation into English, and vice versa, summary and commentary.

• Understand the gist of spoken language in a wider range of registers, delivered at normal speed. You should be able to follow some films and television programmes in the TL;
• Engage confidently in conversations relating to everyday topics;
• Read and understand the main ideas in authentic texts in a variety of contemporary genres (indicatively, e-mails, newspapers, textbooks and literature) without too much effort;
• Write with a fair degree of accuracy in everyday language in order to communicate information, ideas, concepts and opinions relating to a variety of situations and topics;
• Use more complex grammatical structures and appropriate vocabulary, although possibly with some first language interference; and
• Read some short stories in Spanish, understand the main ideas and give your opinion about them.
• Academic and key skills developed include learning, research and organisational skills; communication and IT skills; intercultural awareness and interpersonal skills.

3 contact hours per week

-2 hours of Spanish language (reading, writing, listening, speaking)

-1 hour Translation (English into Spanish and Spanish into English)

Teaching and learning methods:Teaching, learning and assessment are designed to enable you to achieve the learning outcomes described above. While part of any class is likely to involve direct teaching, the emphasis is on student participation and you will be expected to take part actively in discussion and in a variety of language tasks. Your tutor will give you plenty of support to build your confidence, and in the case of assessed work, will provide feedback which will help you to make progress. Teaching materials will be derived from authentic print and audio-visual media. Whenever possible, the target language will be used.

Independent learning:You will be expected to spend time studying outside the class, and we provide guidance, facilities and materials to help you develop your expertise as an independent language learner. At stage 4, you will be asked to consolidate your class work, to read, watch or listen to material in the TL, to prepare exercises and activities for the class, to write assignments, undertake projects and generally acquire a repertoire of effective language learning strategies.

Course materials:Teaching materials will be derived from authentic print and audio-visual media. Up-to-date advice and information will be provided in the course-kit located in Learning Central.

-    To develop the skill of translating short passages from Spanish into English and vice versa.

-    To write an accurate and well-structured Spanish essay.

-    To develop a social and cultural awareness of topical issues in different Spanish speaking countries.

-   To develop and encourage accurate spoken communication in Spanish.

-   To improve their listening comprehension skill in Spanish

-   To improve their ability to understand different Spanish accents and pronunciation.

Formative Assessment

Weekly grammar exercises: multiple-choice, fill in the blanks, short answer.

Self-study (located in Learning Central): grammar exercises, listening comprehension, videos.

Weekly translations: English into Spanish and vice versa.

Oral presentations/listening comprehension during language classes.

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Students will be permitted to resit the module during the August resit period for a maximum of 40%

Those wishing to continue with Spanish Language beyond Year One must achieve a mark of at least 40%.

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

1.  The Article.

1.1. The definite article. Forms and use.

1.2. The indefinite article. Forms and use.

2.  The Noun.

2.1. Gender.

2.2. Gender associated with meaning.

2.3. Gender associated with ending.

2.4. Number. Formation of the plural.

3.  Accentuation. Stress. Diphthongs. Vowels.

4.  Ser and Estar.           

4.1. Meaning and functions of SER.

4.2. Meaning and functions of ESTAR.

5.  The Passive Voice.

5.1. Formation.

5.2. Use.

5.3. Avoidance.

6.  Verbs. Use of the tenses.

6.1. Tenses: present, indefinite, imperfect, perfect, pluperfect.

6.2. Irregular verbs.

7.  Special Problems with some Spanish verbs.

8.  The expression of “becoming” in Spanish.

9.  Prepositions and verbs plus prepositions.

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

1.       El Subjuntivo

1.1              El presente de subjuntivo 1: formación, uso.

1.2              El presente de subjuntivo 2: más usos.

1.3              El pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo: formación, uso.

1.4              El pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo: formación, uso.

1.5              El pretérito pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo: formación, uso.

1. Los indefinidos.

1. Los pronombres de objeto directo e indirecto.

1. El imperativo: formación y uso.

Topics for conversation, reading and listening comprehension

1.      Unemployment

2.      Tourism

3.      Education

4.      The environment

5.      The media

6.      Transport

7.      Social problems (poverty, immigration, racism, health)

8.      Free time

9.      The economy (banks, shopping)

10.  Science and technology

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 Short Stories 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