THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST.

AUGUSTINE
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION
CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

COURSE DOCUMENTATION

COURSE TITLE: LEVEL 1B SPANISH

SEMESTER: I, II, Mid-Year Programme
LEVEL: 1

PREREQUISITES: LEVEL 1A SPANISH or equivalent.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Candidates for this course should have some prior, formal academic knowledge of the language.
This course will build on the skills learnt in LEVEL 1A Spanish and aims to enhance the
learner’s ability to communicate effectively in Spanish. The tutors will continue to promote and
foster communicative and cultural competence. To this end, the focus of each synchronous
online session will be on the continued development of the four predominant skills involved in
language learning (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

The course consists of four contact hours per week. As the semester progresses, learners will
continue to develop themselves so as to be able to communicate in the target language in
predictable everyday situations. Participants will continue to develop their autonomy in the
language learning process.

COURSE RATIONALE
This course will give students the opportunity to further their study of one of the languages
spoken in the Caribbean region. The purpose of this course is to continue to provide students
with the basic communicative skills necessary to function in predictable everyday situations.
Students will continue to acquire learning strategies to support them in this endeavour.

COORDINATOR INFORMATION
Name: Dr Diego Mideros
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Tuesday 2 – 4 pm

LETTER TO THE STUDENT

Dear Student,

Welcome to your second semester of Spanish at the CLL! It is hoped that you are here because
you either have a clear interest in the Spanish language and Hispanic culture or your interest was
piqued enough in Level 1A Spanish. We hope we can continue to 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 have your textbook and dictionary for each session.
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For those enrolled in remote classes, we wish to remind you that learning a language is a social
experience, which usually involves verbal and non-verbal communication. When teaching and
learning remotely, it is even more important that we ensure that both types of communication can
be had, allowing for that human element in every session. Therefore, in as much as your
circumstances allow, we would like to encourage you to turn your camera on during the sessions
so that your tutor and classmates can interact with you.

We hope you continue to enjoy this educational experience that you’ve begun!

Warm regards,
Your tutor

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS

You are hereby prohibited from reproducing, re-publishing, re-broadcasting, reposting, re-
transmitting or transferring in whole or in part any Course Outlines, Course Materials or
Lectures which have been provided to you as part of your course of study at The University
of the West Indies (The UWI), without the prior permission of The UWI its authorised
agents or copyright holders.

CONTENT
The course focuses on building on students’ basic knowledge of the Hispanic language and
culture with an aim to achieving an A1+ competence in Spanish. The following are some of the
communicative skills and grammar topics that will be covered in this course.

Communicative skills
 Speaking about daily habits and eating habits, expressing agreement and disagreement,
interacting in a restaurant, describing places, talking about skills and past experiences

Grammar
 More basic common verbs, irregular and reflexive verbs; direct object pronouns,
prepositions and adverbs of place, the perfect tense.

Greater detail will be provided in the course calendar.

GOALS/AIMS

At the end of this course the student will be on his/her way to becoming a Basic User A1+
according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for the language. A more
detailed description can be found at https://bit.ly/1SrYDpO.

This course aims to help students:

 Move from the A1 to A1+ level in reading, writing and listening
 Practice their conversation skills – A1 level
 Further their understanding of Spanish grammar and syntax
 Know further characteristics of life and culture in the Hispanic world

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 Continue to develop themselves as adult language learners
 Promote independent and autonomous language learning

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

Students in this level will be able to:

 Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases aimed at the
satisfaction of needs of a concrete type
 Introduce and speak about others providing descriptions about their physical appearance,
personality, interests, and occupation
 Ask and answer questions about personal details about personal, academic, and
professional spheres of life
 Interact in a simple way in familiar and predictable situations

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 Recognise concrete information (e.g. places and times) on familiar topics encountered in
everyday life such as daily habits, food and eating habits, the city, among others
 Understand short, simple texts picking up familiar names, words and basic phrases and
rereading as required
 Interact in a simple way rephrasing and repairing when necessary
 Ask and answer simple questions about eating and other habits, places in a town or city,
past events
 Initiate and respond to simple statements in areas of immediate need or on topics related
to the course
 Take part in a simple conversation on a predictable topic, e.g. his/her home country,
family, school, daily habits, past events, etc
 Give information in writing about matters of personal relevance (e.g. likes and dislikes,
family, pets) and relevant to the course using simple words and the structures studied in
the course

COURSE ASSESSMENT
Assessment for this course is face-to-face and students must be physically present for both
weeks of testing. There will be NO make-up tests. Assessment for this course consists of
100% in-course tests and participation, which is divided into 45% test 1, 50% test 2 and 5% class
participation. Both tests 1 and 2 assess the four skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.

Test 1 Oral Test 1 (15 marks)

Week 7 Writing Task 1 (10 marks)
(45%) Reading Quiz 1 (10 marks)
Listening Quiz 1(10 marks)
Final Test Listening Quiz 2 (15 marks)
(50%) Reading Quiz 2 (10 marks)
Writing Task 2 (10 marks)
Oral Test 2 (15 marks)
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 Participation Participation (5 marks)
(5 %)

1. Test 1 50% (Week 7)

 Reading test 1 – Students must complete a reading test in class in Week 7. 10 marks
 Writing test 1 – Students must complete a writing test in class in Week 7. 10 marks
 Oral test 1 – In pairs, students will complete a role play exercise in response to a
scenario. Students will be given time to prepare the role play. The test will take place in
Week 7. 15 marks
 Listening test 1 – Students must complete a listening test in class in Week 7. 10 marks

2. Test 2 (Weeks 13): 50%

 Reading test 2 10 marks
 Listening test 2 15 marks
 Writing test 2 10 marks
 Oral test 2 15 marks

3. Participation
Participation and attendance. 5 marks

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION RUBRIC

Student attended at least 10 sessions or more and was punctual. Student makes a great effort
to contribute when called upon and takes the initiative to contribute actively to any
5 marks discussions or activities. Student’s questions and comments during sessions (written/oral)
demonstrate excellent preparation. Student does not interrupt others during discussions and
demonstrates excellent netiquette.
Student attended at least 8 or 9 sessions and was punctual. Student regularly contributes to
class discussions and activities. Student’s questions and comments during sessions
4 marks
(written/oral) often demonstrate good preparation. Student does not interrupt others during
discussions and demonstrates good netiquette.
Student attended 6 or 7 sessions and was mostly punctual. Student sporadically contributes
3 marks to class discussions and activities. Some prompting needed to encourage participation.
Student does not interrupt others during discussions and demonstrates adequate netiquette.
Student attended 5 sessions. Student only contributes to sessions when repeatedly prompted
2 marks and is generally unwilling to contribute. Student does not interrupt others during discussions
and demonstrates adequate netiquette.
Student attended less than 5 sessions. Student’s lack of questions or comments demonstrate
1 mark a lack of preparation for the session. Student is hardly ever willing to contribute. Student
does not demonstrate proper netiquette.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The best way to develop and improve your language skills is to always use your own words and
draw on your knowledge to complete the tasks assigned. It is unacceptable to copy responses
from another classmate for any assignment or copy a body or part of text from translation

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programs. Should copying occur, the student(s) involved will either lose a significant number of
points on their assignment or receive a grade of zero for the task.

TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIES
This course is designed to develop the level of communicative competence of the students by
using, the textbook, 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 (listening and speaking). Authentic
audio material as well as material tailored for this level will be used while we will work on
reading and writing skills, a communicative approach will be used during every session.

Synchronous Online and Face-to-Face Sessions

These sessions include but are not limited to:
 Group work and group discussions
 Interviews and role plays
 Vocabulary and grammar drills
 Use of recordings
 Exercises from the textbook
 Online exercises and quizzes
 Discussions on pertinent cultural aspects of the language

COURSE EVALUATION
Summative evaluation will be conducted using The UWI’s SECL System. The CLL will
disseminate a mid- and end-of-semester student feedback questionnaire.

RESOURCES
Required reading
Corpas, J., García, E., Garmendia, A. (2013). Aula Internacional 1 Nueva Edición (Units 5–10).
Difusión. ISBN: 9788415640097

Students will use internet resources provided by the tutor to review, revise and practice their
language learning skills.

HOW TO STUDY FOR THIS COURSE

Students are required to attend their online sessions for a total of 4 hours per week. Remember
that you must attend 75% of classes in order to be eligible for the final test.
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
or higher.
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.

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COURSE CALENDAR
Level 1B Spanish Aula Internacional 1: Units 5 – 9
Week Unit Title Communicative Grammar Vocabulary
Assessment objectives

1 To talk about The verb gustar Family

personality and
physical Quantifiers muy, Adjectives
YOUR FRIENDS appearance bastante, un poco
5 ARE MY FRIENDS Music
(TUS AMIGOS SON To express and to Possessives
2 MIS AMIGOS) contrast likes and
Introducing and interests También/tampoco
describing a person
To ask about
likes

To talk about
personal
relationships

2 To talk about The present indicative The days of the

habits for some irregular week
DAY TO DAY (DÍA A verbs
3 DÍA) To express The different
6 Finding out our frequency Reflexive verbs parts of the day
classmates’ habits and
giving out awards To ask for and to Yo también / Yo Daily activities
4 express time tampoco / Yo sí / Yo
no

Primero / Después /
Luego

4 To interact in bars The impersonal form Meals of the

and restaurants of se day
LET’S EAT! (¡A
5 COMER!) To ask for and to The verbs poner and Food
7 Creating a provide traer
restaurant’s menu and information about Modes of
6 choosing the meals we food Direct object cooking
like pronouns: lo, la, lo, las
To talk about Typical dishes
eating habits from Spain and
the Hispanic
world

7 Revision Reading comprehension test 1

Test 1 5, 6, 7 Listening comprehension test 1
Writing test 1
Oral test 1

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 8 To describe Quantifiers: algún, Services and
towns, ningún, muchos places in a city
neighbourhoods
THE IDEAL and cities Prepositions and Adjectives to
NEIGHBOURHOOD adverbs of place: a, describe a
(EL BARRIO IDEAL) To talk about en, al lado de, lejos, place
8 Imagining and what we like cerca…
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describing the ideal about a place
neighbourhood
To ask for and to
provide
information to get
to a destination

To express likes
and to stress a
specifics

10 To talk about past The perfect tense Expressions of

DO YOU KNOW experiences frequency
HOW TO DRIVE? Saber + infinitive
9 (¿SABES To talk about Poder + infinitive Adjectives of
CONDUCIR?) skills and character and
11 Choosing the ideal aptitudes personality
candidate for a job
To talk about
persons’ qualities

12 8 Revision Revision Revision Revision

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13 Reading comprehension test 2

Test 2 Listening comprehension test 2
Writing test 2
Oral test 2

GRADING SYSTEM:
The following is The UWI’s mark scheme:

Grade GPA Mark% Grade GPA Mark%

A+ 4.3 90-100 C+ 2.3 55-59
A 4.0 80-89 C 2.0 50-54
A- 3.7 75-79 F1 1.7 40-49
B+ 3.3 70-74 F2 1.3 30-39
B 3.0 65-69 F3 0.0 0-29
B- 2.7 60-64