Skip to main content Skip to navigation

HP101-30 Modern Spanish Language I

Department
School of Modern Languages and Cultures
Level
Undergraduate Level 1
Module leader
Leticia Villamediana Gonzalez
Credit value
30
Module duration
22 weeks
Assessment
35% coursework, 65% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

This module will consolidate existing skills in Spanish language acquired at A level or equivalent and extend them through translation, writing, reading, speaking and listening activities.
A range of assessments will be offered for students to track and reflect on their progress through the provision of regular feedback. Students will also be provided with complementary autonomous learning activities and directed to appropriate activities for self-study in order to develop independent learning strategies.

Module web page

Module aims

The aim of this module is to encourage and enable students to develop further their knowledge and competence in Spanish language acquired at A level or equivalent, in alignment with the B2 goals of the CEFR. The module will be shaped around the four key skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. It will offer a grounding in the fundamental tenets of grammar and in the skills of translation and writing. It will also provide a sound understanding of register and develop competence in vocabulary acquisition, both general and specialised.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Every week, students will learn grammar, vocabulary and functional aspects of Spanish which they will then put into practice when writing, translating and speaking.
Each week will also be dedicated to study a cultural theme or topic of the Hispanic World, including climate change, history, politics, cinema, music, festivals, gender rights, and immigration among other.
They will also produce a language portfolio, which includes reflecting about their linguistic and cultural learning during their Virtual Exchange as well as a group-work audio-visual translation exercise into English.
Regarding writing skills, students will practice creative writing, summaries, film and book reviews, and argumentative texts.
Below it is the description of grammar, vocabulary and functional aspects of the language, which will be covered in this module:

  1. Revision of ser, estar; narration and temporal expressions (en ese momento, de repente, al mismo tiempo).
  2. Adjectives, verbs and adverbs interacting. Present subjunctive.
  3. Use of preterites: indefinido vs imperfecto. Temporal expressions and constructions in the past (durante, al cabo de, poco después).
  4. Verbs of change: hacerse, quedarse, ponerse. Periphrastic verbs.
  5. Final constructions: para + infinitive, para que + subjunctive.
  6. Expressing probability: quizás/probablemente + Indicative /subjunctive.
  7. Temporal constructions with subjunctive: cuando, en cuanto, tan pronto como. Use and formation of Imperfect subjunctive.
  8. Conditional sentences: si + Present indicative, si + imperfect subjunctive, siempre y cuando / a no ser que + Present subjunctive. Use of lo: lo más + adjective.
  9. Use of conditional: habría que / deberíamos + Infinitive. Subordinated sentences.
    Connectors.
  10. Sentences with verbs of affection or emotions: Indignar, estar harto de, no aguantar. Me gustaría + infinitive / Me gustaría que + imperfective subjunctive.
  11. Causal constructions. Concessive constructions: a pesar de/ aunque.
  12. Discourse markers: en cuanto a, por el contrario, a pesar de ello.
  13. Pronominal verbs. Passive voice (se). Imperative negative.
  14. Compound conditional. Pluperfect subjunctive.
  15. Conditional constructions: Si + Pluperfect subjunctive. Compound conditional / Pluperfect
Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Thorough grounding in the fundamental tenets of grammar, ensuring a firm platform for honours level study
  • Thorough grounding in writing skills in various genres, registers and styles
  • Accurate reading skills that include anticipating comprehension problems deriving from syntax, lexis and grammar
  • The development of syntactical awareness, grammatical accuracy and vocabulary acquisition through translation into Spanish
  • A sound understanding of the challenges inherent in translation into English (syntax, register, idiom) leading to the development of a range of translation strategies
  • Accurate and idiomatic listening and speaking skills that include anticipating common areas of misunderstanding
  • Sound understanding of selected aspects of contemporary Hispanic society and culture
  • A systematic approach to proof reading with due attention to accuracy
  • Development of independent language-learning skills
Indicative reading list

Essential:
Palencia del Burgo, Ramón y Luis Aragonés Fernández, Gramática de uso del español: teoría y
práctica Nivel B: B1-B2 (con solucionario) (Madrid: SM, 2014)
Rosa, Issac, Aquí vivió. Historia de un desahucio (Barcelona: Nube de tinta, 2016)

Recommended:
John Butt and Carmen Benjamin: A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish (5th edition,
2011);

View reading list on Talis Aspire

International

All modules delivered in SMLC are necessarily international. Students engage with themes and ideas from a culture other than that of the UK and employ their linguistic skills in the analysis of primary materials from a non-Anglophone context. Students will also be encouraged to draw on the experiences of visiting exchange students in the classroom and will frequently engage with theoretical and critical frameworks from across the world.

Subject specific skills

This module will build students’ linguistic skills through activities that stimulate authentic target language production and develop sensitivity to the transference of meaning across languages. Students will work towards the production of nuanced, accurate and contextually sensitive materials through a range of language classes and guided independent learning.

Transferable skills

All SMLC culture modules demand critical and analytical engagement with artefacts from target-language cultures. In the course of independent study, class work and assessment students will develop the following skills: written and oral communication, creative and critical thinking, problem solving and analysis, time management and organisation, independent research in both English and their target language(s), intercultural understanding and the ability to mediate between languages and cultures, ICT literacy in both English and the target language(s), personal responsibility and the exercise of initiative.

Study time

Type Required
Seminars 22 sessions of 4 hours (29%)
Private study 212 hours (71%)
Total 300 hours
Private study description

Students should complete all activities in Moodle and work in their e-portfolios. They will participate in all activities of VLE: forums, quizzes...

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group D3
Weighting Study time
E-Portfolio 20%

Students will have to reflect about their linguistic and cultural learning during their Virtual Exchange.

Language in Use Tests (Term 1 & Term 2) 15%

Two 1-hour online test assessing grammar.

Oral Examination 20%

An oral examination, locally held.

Online Examination 45%

A 2-hour exam (+ 15 minute reading time) involving reading, writing and grammar.

~Platforms - AEP


  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
Feedback on assessment

Feedback will be provided in the course of the module in a number of ways. Feedback should be understood to be both formal and informal and is not restricted to feedback on formal written work.
Oral feedback will be provided by the module tutor in the course of seminar discussion. This may include feedback on points raised in small group work or in the course of individual presentations or larger group discussion.
Written feedback will be provided on formal assessment using the standard SMLC Assessed Work feedback form appropriate to the assessment. Feedback is intended to enable continuous improvement throughout the module and written feedback is generally the final stage of this feedback process. Feedback will always demonstrate areas of success and areas for future development, which can be applied to future assessment. Feedback will be both discipline-specific and focussed on key transferrable skills, enabling students to apply this feedback to their future professional lives. Feedback will be fair and reasonable and will be linked to the SMLC marking scheme appropriate to the module.

Past exam papers for HP101

Pre-requisites

Student must hold an A-Level in Spanish or equivalent

Post-requisite modules

If you pass this module, you can take:

  • HP201-30 Modern Spanish Language II

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9Q2 Undergraduate Modern Languages with Linguistics

This module is Core optional for:

  • Year 1 of ULNA-R1A4 Undergraduate French with Spanish
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R2R4 Undergraduate German with Spanish
  • Year 1 of UHPA-R400 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies
  • Year 1 of UIPA-R4L8 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Global Sustainable Development
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4RH Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Italian
  • Year 1 of UHPA-R4T6 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Arabic
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4RJ Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with French
  • Year 1 of UETA-Q1A4 Undergraduate Linguistics with Spanish (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9Q1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Linguistics
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9Q2 Undergraduate Modern Languages with Linguistics

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 1 of ULNA-R2R4 Undergraduate German with Spanish

This module is Core option list A for:

  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4L1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4V1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and History
  • Year 1 of UFRA-R900 Undergraduate Modern Languages
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9L1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 1 of UPOA-M166 Undergraduate Politics, International Studies and Hispanic Studies

This module is Core option list B for:

  • Year 1 of UHPA-R4T1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Chinese

This module is Core option list C for:

  • Year 1 of UHPA-R4T6 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Arabic
  • Year 1 of UFRA-R900 Undergraduate Modern Languages

This module is Core option list D for:

  • Year 1 of UHPA-R4R7 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Russian
  • Year 1 of UFRA-R900 Undergraduate Modern Languages

This module is Core option list E for:

  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9L1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Economics (4-year)

This module is Core option list G for:

  • Year 1 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4RF Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and French
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4RG Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and German
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4Q1 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Linguistics
  • Year 1 of UHPA-R4W4 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies and Theatre Studies
  • Year 1 of UHPA-RP43 Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Film Studies
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R4RL Undergraduate Hispanic Studies with Italian
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9L1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Economics (4-year)
  • Year 1 of ULNA-R9Q1 Undergraduate Modern Languages and Linguistics

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 1 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies