SPAN103 - Elementary Spanish B

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

SPAN102 Elementary Spanish A or equivalent

Unit rationale, description and aim

Proficiency in an additional language enhances employment opportunities and cross-cultural awareness.

This unit is designed for basic users of Spanish progressing to more independent language use. It is linked to A2+ on the expanded Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and aims to provide students with the ability to manage simple exchanges without undue effort and deal with everyday situations with predictable content. The unit focuses on developing students’ Spanish language skills across the listening-speaking-reading-writing spectrum of competencies, with particular emphasis on spoken interaction.

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to describe past activities and events and tell a simple story. They should be able to ask for and give opinions, ask and answer simple questions about familiar topics, give and follow simple directions and instructions (for example, make travel plans and reservations, talk about food, food preparation and ordering meals in restaurants and exchange basic correspondence).

While the focus is on language, the unit will include relevant cultural and social elements, to increase students’ intercultural awareness and their ability to effectively interact in Spanish.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Produce and maintain verbal exchanges in familiar contexts with a moderate level of independence and accuracy (GA5)

LO2 - Demonstrate knowledge and use of a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures required to express or describe simple past activities and personal experiences (GA5)

LO3 - Demonstrate an understanding of cultural language conventions in the context of written communication, for example when writing emails to friends or teachers (GA1)

LO4 - Communicate in Spanish at the level of proficiency linked to selected ‘Can do’ statements at A2+ level in the EAQUALS expanded Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (GA5).

Graduate attributes

GA1 - Demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA5 - Demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

Content

Topics may include:

• Music
• Diet
• Parts of the body and illnesses
• Sports
• Gestures
• Living abroad
• Stereotypes, misconceptions and luoghi comuni

Language Functions and Competencies:

• Talking about past events
• Making future plans
• Writing emails
• Making comparisons
• Giving simple instructions and recommendations
• Giving opinions
• Giving and asking for advice
• Making complaints and giving feedback

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Mode: 4 hours per week (8 hours per week in intensive mode). The usual semester pattern is 2 hours by video conference/virtual classroom across campuses and 2 hours face-to-face laboratory sessions. Presentation of new materials will be available for review on LEO.

Duration: 12 week-semester or equivalent in intensive block mode.

Students should expect to undertake 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, weekly online exercises in LEO, interactive language practice and assignment preparation.

The approach to language learning and teaching is communicative with new language material presented in context using video and audio dialogues. Students are expected to be active participants in all class activities including individual, pair and group work. Students will continue to develop their independent learning skills through completing a structured learning and development portfolio which provides a weekly record of completed learning tasks.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Students will be advised of textbook requirements in the first week of semester.