Students taking this module require to have achieved an H4 pass in Leaving Certificate Spanish or be able to demonstrate an equivalent knowledge of the language in all four skills of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing at B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for language qualifications.
While recognising what learners have already achieved in their study of Spanish to date, this module seeks to extend the range of their competencies beyond the limited domains that typically feature in school-based language qualifications.
A communicative approach is adopted in the teaching, making maximum appropriate use of Spanish throughout, to develop all four language skills in an integrated manner, whilst ensuring that students are supported in developing a declarative knowledge of Spanish grammar appropriate to Year 1 of third level study, and are able to apply that knowledge systematically to all four language skills.
An extensive range of additional materials, benchmarked at B1.2/B2.1 Level on the CEFR which are not used in class will be available online to support independent learning.
The minimum exit level for this module is B1.1 on the CEFR. This is the same as the entry level, reflecting the research findings of the Association of Language Testers Europe (ALTE) that successful learners generally take more than 200 hours of learning to progress from B1 to B2 Level.
On successful completion of the module, students will be working towards B1.2 Level in all four skills
This module will be delivered as a series of communicative language classes, making maximum appropriate use of Spanish throughout.
Topics covered may vary, depending on the textbook chosen by the teaching team, but are likely to include such areas as:
Yourself (home, family, local area, studies, free time and passtimes)
Work and Employment
Food, Drink, Health
Education
The Media
Technology
Current Affairs
By the end of the module you should understand spoken Spanish in a wider variety of study and work-related contexts and you will be able to speak Spanish with greater confidence and fluency in these contexts. You will be able to understand a range of written texts of different types and styles, from a paragraph to two or three pages in length. You will be able to work out the meaning of some unfamiliar vocabulary, use reference sources efficiently when you need to, and conduct a straightforward Internet search. You will be able to write simple texts of about 200-250 words using a variety of expressions and sentence structures. Although you may make some grammatical errors in doing so, these will not generally be so serious that a sympathetic reader would not understand what you have written.
You will have a broad general vocabulary, including a range of ways to link ideas and help clarity and fluency.
Your knowledge of Spanish grammar will have improved and you will be able to use and understand all of the common grammatical structures for expressing the present, past, future and conditional of verbs. You will know how to ask permission from and give instructions to people that you call tú or usted
Your use of sources of reference, such as dictionaries, grammar books and online resources, will also have improved.
You will have a good basis for further study of the language, working towards B2 Level on the CEFR.
| The class will normally be delivered by communicative language classes. Students will normally undertake approximately 40 minutes of study/preparation for each class hour. Attendance Attendance, participation and self-directed learning are viewed as essential elements of the learning process and a minimum of 75% of student attendance/participation will be expected. Indicative Learning Hours:
E-learning All basic class information, together with some teaching materials and additional support materials will be available online, normally through Brightspace. |
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |