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This course is designed to place students’ practical knowledge of Spanish within a broader, and scientific framework. Students will be introduced to a variety of linguistic and sociolinguistic topics including a general overview of the history and formation of the language, the sound system, morphology, syntax, varieties of Peninsular and Latin American Spanish, writing styles and register, and idiomatic expressions. The content of this course is designed to engage students to reflect on the use and formation of the Spanish language from a theoretical and a practical approach, and on significant cultural aspects of the Hispanic world, so that they can develop critical skills and do further research while they master their communicative and writing proficiency.
This course is designed to place students’ practical knowledge of Spanish within a broader, and creative framework. Students will be introduced to a variety of linguistic approaches, including syntactic structures, discourse analysis, and stylistic nuances, which will enhance their understanding of how Spanish functions in different contexts. Additionally, they will explore creative writing techniques such as narrative construction, poetry, storytelling, and other forms of expression that encourage experimentation with language and style. Through the study of contemporary and historical texts, media, and other cultural artefacts, students will explore topics such as identity, social issues, traditions, and the arts. This theoretical and practical integration allows students to build a strong foundation in language theory while simultaneously applying their knowledge in creative and engaging ways. By the end of the course, students will have developed enhanced critical thinking skills and the ability to conduct further research on topics of interest.
By the end of the course students will... Have developed heightened linguistic proficiency in the Spanish language across the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) through the acquisition of advanced knowledge of complex grammatical structures and parts of speech (C1 level ) which will enable them to communicate clearly, accurately, and effectively on a variety of topics, and with Spanish speakers from Hispanic communities/countries in the global network.Master colloquial speech patterns and idiomatic expressions in Spanish enabling them to comprehend natural speech patterns produced by native speakers in a given community.Have developed advanced reading comprehension skills through the reading and analysis of, and reflection on a variety of advanced literary, historical, political and academic style texts in Spanish, available on a diverse range of media types.Be able to write accurately analytical essays on a variety of topics that require the use of a wide range of verbal tenses, idiomatic expressions, and cultural knowledge that foster reflection and awareness of their own culture and others’ cultures in Aotearoa New Zealand and in the global network.Show a good level of critical thinking and argumentative skills, thus further engraining critical competence in students, which extends far beyond Spanish studies, through active participation in class, writing up analytical essays, and oral presentations.Have gained confidence in public speaking (rhetoric: argumentation and persuasion), a highly employable trait for many disciplines practice, and enhanced their debating skills, thanks to class discussions and an oral presentation.Have acquired a deeper understanding of the cultures of the Hispanic world and the multifaceted nature of the people who inhabit Spain and Latin America today alongside the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, through the analysis of relevant texts and documentaries, and the writing up of analytical essays.Have developed intellectual curiosity and be able to comprehend the influence of global conditions on Spain and Latin America, and Aotearoa New Zealand, and, thus, acquired enhanced global and intercultural understanding and competency in engaging with global, bicultural and multicultural contexts.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Employable, innovative and enterprising
Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.
Biculturally competent and confident
Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.
Engaged with the community
Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.
Globally aware
Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.
SPAN302 or equivalent
SPAN412
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Victoria Escaip
Vista Higher Learning; Taller de Escritores: Grammar and composition for Advanced Spanish; 3rd Edition; Vista Higher Learning, 2021 (Digital version only). Available at: Vista Higher Learning to receive the discounted price for UC students.There is a Learn (Moodle) component to this course. Other material, which may be helpful, can be found in the Library Subject GuidesUseful websites: Language learning apps (free and paid):o Guadalingo video game o www.duolingo.com o www.lingrolearning.como www.thefablecottage.como www.lingualia.com o es.babbel.como www.memrise.como www.clozemaster.como www.hello-hello.como www.lingohut.como www.busuu.como fluent-forever.appo www.lingq.comOnline dictionaries:o www.wordreference.com – free (based on bilingual entries)o www.linguee.com – free + context (based on a text corpus)o iate.europa.eu - free (terminological database)Online tools for learning vocabulary:o www.quizlet.com – useful for learning vocabulary through flashcardso apps.ankiweb.net - useful for creating your own vocab flashcards
Library portal
Domestic fee $1,687.00
International fee $7,900.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .