Spanish Language (SPANL-UH)

Beginning Spanish 1 is for students with no prior knowledge of Spanish. It serves as an introduction to Spanish and focuses on the four key areas of language study: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The primary purpose of the course is to prepare students to communicate effectively in Spanish and to learn about Spanish culture. Students will learn how to fulfill simple everyday life tasks in Spanish, including introducing themselves in professional and personal settings, booking tickets, asking for directions, and ordering food in a restaurant. Students will master proper Spanish sentence constructions, articles and adjectives, subject-verb agreement, and verb conjugations in the present tense. Students will be provided opportunities to read, write, listen, and speak Spanish while they work towards becoming linguistically and culturally literate. It corresponds to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) level A1.1. This is a pass/fail course (no letter grade).

Elementary Spanish 1 is the first part of the beginning sequence for this language, a language spoken by more than 500 million people. By enrolling in this course, I assume that you have no or very limited prior experience with Spanish. If that is not the case, you will need to take a placement test. By emphasizing communication, grammar comprehension and vocabulary development, this course will target the four basic language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking, plus some level of cultural competence. The course is designed so that you can reach the A2 level or higher by the end of the semester (cfr. CEFR). This means that you should be able to understand common sentences and expressions of practical use, communicate about ordinary tasks and familiar settings in simple and direct language, and describe yourself and your immediate background to some degree. This is a highly interactive course where you are expected to participate frequently and practice consistently.

Elementary Spanish 2 is the second part of the introductory Spanish sequence. This is a dynamic and engaging course that emphasizes conversation, grammatical competence and vocabulary building with a communicative and task-based approach. You will continue to develop the four basic language skills in Spanish: listening, reading, writing, and speaking, plus some level of cultural competence. Some of the readings and activities will address historical events in the Hispanic world and their significance today, various Hispanic cuisines, and current issues affecting Hispanic communities. By the end of the semester, you should be able to understand the main points during conversations encountered in familiar settings. You will be able to handle spoken language while traveling and be able to describe events and experiences with attention to details and different views. This is equivalent to the A2.2 level (cfr. CEFR). This is a highly interactive course where you are expected to participate frequently and practice consistently.

Intermediate Spanish 1 is the first part of the Intermediate Spanish sequence. This course is taught entirely in Spanish and builds upon the knowledge and experience gained at the introductory level. Students will get to use Spanish for a variety of purposes such as talking about work-related experiences, current social issues, the world of advertising, and how to narrate stories in different timeframes. This will allow them to further refine their mastery of complex grammar structures and diverse vocabulary. By the end of the semester, students should be able to engage with speakers in common settings (i.e., school, home, work) and handle expected, and some unexpected, situations that may occur as they travel around the Spanish-speaking world. This is in line with the B1 level (cfr. CEFR). This is a highly interactive course. Students are expected to practice regularly outside of class and participate actively in the classroom.

Intermediate Spanish 2 is the second part of the Intermediate Spanish sequence. This course is taught entirely in Spanish and will push students to engage more deeply with the cultures of the Hispanic world. Students will use Spanish to discuss current issues and complete meaningful tasks such as news reporting, debating in small teams on issues affecting cities, and hypothesizing different solutions. Course activities will give students a chance to improve their proficiency and confidence with Spanish. By the end of the semester, students should be able to understand the language used in everyday situations; communicate with native speakers in an effortless way; and write on a range of topics from multiple perspectives. This is in line with the B2 level (cfr. CEFR). This is a highly interactive course. Students are expected to practice regularly and participate actively in the classroom to maximize their learning.