RATIONALE

Learning a foreign language such as Spanish opens up a whole new world to people who would otherwise not have been able to participate in the reality of the native speakers of that language. This knowledge provides insight into alternative paradigms and other ways of looking at the world. It is essential therefore, that students of the various programmes offered by this institution be provided with the resources to interact and foster relationships with Spanish-speaking citizens of the world. This Introduction to Spanish course is designed to help learners understand this medium of communication and so develop the ability to express themselves orally and in writing as well as acquire an understanding of the culture of this important international language.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will introduce students to the basic functions and structures of the Spanish language. Students will learn to communicate in everyday situations – at the workplace, in the business environment, in formal settings, at home, in an educational setting and during periods of leisure. Students will develop the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing with emphasis placed on the oral communication skills. These learners will also be exposed to important aspects of the culture of the Spanish-speaking world.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course students should be able to:

1. Communicate effectively using basic lexical items and grammatical structures of the Spanish language.

2. Listen and respond orally and in writing, to questions and comments as well as initiate and participate, with confidence, in conversation on everyday topics and general matters.

3. Read, analyse and respond appropriately and competently to written forms of the language.

4. Respond in writing to information given in simple Spanish prose and in response to other types of material presented in the target language, express opinions and discuss topics of interest through writing at the beginners’ level.

5. Provide information and otherwise display an awareness of other cultures, show empathy and demonstrate an appreciation of other people.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Express themselves at the beginners’ level using a range of grammatical structures and appropriate vocabulary to provide information and treat relevant areas of personal, professional, informal and formal interactions.

2. Respond appropriately after having listened to information given in the target language.

3. Comment and converse on a range of topics using vocabulary and linguistic features relevant to the beginners’ exposure to the foreign language.

4. Read with a view to responding appropriately to texts prepared using the linguistic structures, vocabulary and topics with which the students are familiar.

5. Write short notes, respond in writing via messages, e-mail, composition and other written forms of the target language on matters relating to students’ daily activities and other issues of interest.

6. Express orally and/or in writing an appreciation of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world.