Spanish Language I: High Intermediate (Lengua Española I: Nivel Intermedio Alto)

Lengua Española I (nivel intermedio alto)
(Spanish Language I: Upper Intermediate)
Cursos de Estudios Hispánicos

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS THAT WILL BE ACQUIRED AND LEARNING RESULTS:

This course is aimed towards high ntermediate Spanish-speakers who will develop their language skills in both written and spoken Spanish. Specific relevance is given to the use of language in context, and therefore the course will particularly focus on cultural aspects of its use in Spain. The course aims to:

1. Develop the student's capability to think about the language and apply strategies that allows for the improvement of the learning process.
2. Follow a conversation on day-to-day topics or a discussion, and recognize the fundamental differences between the formal and informal use of language.
3. Participate actively in debates, relating arguments to current issues and epxress ideas, needs and feelings according to their attitudes.
4. Understand information from different types of texts, identifying characteristics and specific aims.
5. Express with clarity, cohesion and correct grammar facts and events related to their environment using the appropriate tone, vocabulary, particles and stylistic resources of the language.

DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS:

COMMUNICATIVE, VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR CONTENT:

Section 1. Ask for and give information about personality, tastes, hobbies, pet peeves, experiences,e tc. Express similarities and differences between people. Describe people. Express tastes and feelings. Adjectives and nouns related to personality. Virtues and flaws. Likes and pet peeves. Habits and hobbies, family, expriences. Pronominal form of verbs like "gustar". Indirect interrogatives with "si" and direct interrogatives with "qué, cuál, cuáles, con quién, por qué, dónde, cuándo," etc. Feminine nouns: "-dad, -ez, -eza, -ía, -ura."

Section 2. Ask for objects, actions and help in varying degrees of formality. Ask for permission. Give excuses and justify. Bars and restaurants. Foods, typical dishes in Spain. "Poder, importar, dar, dejar, prestar, ir, venir, llevar, traer," etc. Conditional.

Section 3. Talk about future actions and situations. Express conditions. Formulate hypotheses about the future. World issues. Predictions about personal future. "Si´" + present indicative, future, "depende de si" + noun; "depende de si" + present indicative. Some uses of the future. "Seguramente/Supongo que/Posiblemente" + future. Future temporal particles.

Section 4. Propose, accept and reject invitations and proposals. Express desire to do something. Make appointments. Places, leisure activities, shows and cultural offer in Madrid.

Section 5. Give advice. Imaginary situations. Give opinion on actions and behaviour. Body parts (themes: tattoos Página 1 de 2 and piercings). Life events. Forms and uses of the conditional.

Section 6. Talk about abilities ("dársele bien/mal; ser bueno/malo" + gerund, etc.). Talk about feelings, tastes and sensations to different degrees ("dar vergüenza, miedo, etc. Ponerse nervioso/a, triste, etc. Adverbios: muchísimo, mucho, bastante, demasiado, muy, un poco, nada, etc."). Express agreement and dissent ("A mí también/Yo también, etc.").

Section 7. Discuss past experiences. Talk about the beginning and duration of an action. Locate that action in time. Work and studies. Life events. Cinema and TV Series. Contrast "Pretérito Perfecto - Pretérito Indefinido (espacios actuales y no actuales). Hace, desde, desde que, desde hace. Perífrasis de infinitivo y gerundio."

Section 8. Talk about habits and circumstances in the past. Locate actions in the past and present. Arguments and debate. Life stages. Interneet. Habits and changes in communication. Imperfect past. Past time particles.

Section 9. Talk about the past. Secuence actions. React to anecdotes. Historical events. Life events. Feelings. Combination of past times in a story (past indefinite, past imperfect, past pluperfect). Time particles and speech organizers. Resources to react: interjections and exclamations.

Section 10. Declare or question information. Express desire and aims. Describe habits. Talk about the future and make hypotheses. Show agreement and dissent, make arguments and clarify opinions. Society, education, technology, ecology, social media, etc. Present subjunctive. Introduction to indicative vs subjunctive. Affirm and suppose. Reject information and consider possibilities. Desires and aims.

Section 11. Evaluate information. Express moods and feelings. Romantic relationships. Moods and personality. Present subjunctive and past perfect subjunctive.

ASSESSMENT SYSTEM:

The course evaluation is the following:
- Two midterms (40%).
- Final exam on the whole course content (45%).
- Daily homework, participation and attendance (15%).

CEH attendance policy:
Full attendance is required, including the last day. Absence justifications should be directed towards the Carlos III International School for their approval by the student's program coordinator. Absences that are not justified have the following penalizations: - First unjustified absence subtracts 0,3 points. - Second unjustified absence subtracts 0,5 points. - Three unjustified absences entail failing the course.