Course Descriptions

Spanish I

Spanish I will teach students to communicate in present tense, simple future and simple past tenses in order to express basic needs, opinions and form questions in a real life situation. By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding that language and culture are intertwined and that communication is not only speech, but also understanding the products of another culture, which in turn will help them understand their own selves. At this level, the primary emphasis is on developing listening and speaking skills in Spanish.  Students talk about everyday situations using simple questions and short answers at the phrase or sentence level.  Cultural awareness of the world where Spanish is spoken is an integral component of the course. Lastly, students will understand that successful communication is knowing how, when and why to convey a message to different audiences.

 

Spanish II

The second year expands the basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills so that students can begin to create with the language. Students feel more at ease with simple conversations and brief written descriptions on familiar topics. Students also gain a deeper appreciation of, and sensitivity to, diverse cultures and customs of Latin America and Spain. Students will see that (a) Language reflects and is influenced by the culture in which it is found, (b) Cultural perspectives are gained by using the language and through experience with its products and practices, and that (c) Strategies for communication must go beyond vocabulary acquisition and that circumlocution is just as important as word retention in terms of making meaning.

 

Spanish III

During the third year of study, students begin to feel comfortable communicating in the language. As more complex language patterns are introduced, students become increasingly able to describe, narrate, and state opinions on familiar situations and cultural themes. To maintain whatever level of proficiency students have acquired over the course of their lingual education, students must develop habits that offer them opportunities to use the language in different settings (ie. writing to a pen pal, visiting a Latino market, traveling aboard, watch/listen to Spanish programming …etc.). Students will be aware that members of one culture may make assumptions about other cultures based on their own attitudes, values and beliefs. Lastly, students will discover strategies needed to communicate in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways.