Students taking this module will have no previous knowledge of Spanish, but will require to have achieved an H4 pass in Leaving Certificate in another Modern Language, or be able to demonstrate an equivalent knowledge of the language in all four skills of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing at B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for language qualifications.
A communicative approach is adopted in the teaching, making maximum appropriate use of Spanish throughout, to develop all four language skills in an integrated manner, whilst ensuring that students are supported in developing a declarative knowledge of Spanish grammar appropriate to Year 1 of third level study, and are able to apply that knowledge systematically to all four language skills.
An extensive range of additional materials, benchmarked at A1.2/A2.1 Level on the CEFR which are not used in class will be available online to support independent learning.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to regularly perform a range of tasks at A2 Level in all four skills and may occasionally be able to perform at a higher level in Reading, in familiar contexts when they have access to appropriate sources of reference.
The minimum exit level for this module is A1.2 on the CEFR.
On successful completion of the module, students will be working towards A2 Level in all four skills.
Successful completion of the course will require regular attendance at these classes and engagement with the additional learning resources provided. By doing so, students will have the opportunity to develop a solid grounding in one of the major languages of the world in a supportive, learner-centred environment.
By the end of the course students will be able to use a limited range of words and simple sentences in predictable and familiar situations, especially when they have sufficient time to prepare. Although they may be hesitant and make grammatical errors, particularly in less familiar situations, they should be able to get their messages across in spite of error. They will be able to perform effectively in simple transactional/information exchange contexts such as, for example, at a hotel reception desk or in a restaurant, and provide standard personal and study-related information, concerning home, family, college, daily routine and obtain goods and services, by making requests and/or placing orders.
Tasks practiced in class will ensure that they can regularly:
- Introduce themselves and others
- Meet, greet, thank, apologise and take leave of others.
- Use key spoken/written polite conventions so that the register of their language is appropriate.
- Ask and answer simple questions.
- Express simple factual information.
- Make simple requests and invitations.
- Express simple wishes, opinions/feelings, needs and preferences.
- Indicate understanding, asking for repetition or explanation when necessary.
- Check that they have been understood.
- Pronounce/articulate clearly enough to be understood when using simple, familiar words and phrases.
- Speak/write with sufficient grammatical accuracy to be understood when using simple, familiar words and phrases.
Effective engagement with course materials will ensure that students are exposed to approximately 1,500 of the words most commonly in use in everyday Spanish. With access to appropriate reference materials, they will generally be able to understand these in simple written texts in familiar contexts. The level of comprehension of these when spoken by native speakers and fluent learners of the language in such contexts will depend on clarity of pronunciation and speed of delivery.
Students’ active vocabulary will include:
- Simple set phrases and common words/signs in everyday use.
- Common words used in talking/writing about their studies.
- Simple everyday connectors.
- Common set phrases expressing politeness (e.g. introductions and greetings, forms of address, leave-taking, mealtime conventions).
- Days of the week, months, time; yesterday, today and tomorrow.
- Simple numerical terms (e.g. 1-100, prices, 24 hour clock, dates).
Students will also have sufficient knowledge of the grammatical system of Spanish to have a basis for further study of the language at A2 Level on the CEFR. They will be familiar with:
- The ways in which number and gender are expressed in nouns and pronouns.
- The conventions for making adjectival agreements.
- The formation and use of adverbs of manner.
- The most common regular and irregular verbs.
- The appropriate ways to distinguish past, present and future events by conjugating common verbs accurately and/or using adverbs of time as appropriate.
- Simple ways to make positive and negative statements.
- Common question words and interrogative verb forms.
Ways to give an opinion, ask permission and/or give orders or instructions using appropriate forms of address.
Attendance, participation and self-directed learning are viewed as essential elements of the learning process and a minimum of 75% of student attendance/ participation will be expected.
The class will normally be delivered by communicative language classes. Students will normally undertake approximately 40 minutes of study/preparation for each class hour.
Indicative Learning Hours:
| Staff led activities: Communicative Language Classes | 72 |
| Student directed: class preparation | 48 |
| Student led: class test preparation and completion | 20 |
| Student led: online assessment preparation and completion | 20 |
| Student led: personal access to additional online resources | 40 |
| TOTAL | 200 |
E-learning
All basic class information, together with some teaching materials and additional support materials will be available online, normally through Brightspace.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |