Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies with a A2 Spanish level
Description
This is a language course for advanced students, that it has a communicative approach. Attention will be paid to the use of the language in practical everyday situations. The course is going to be divided into lecture and practical classes. The focus will be on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. For this purpose, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and the most important standard phrases will be taught as the key elements of this course.
Course objectives
<table><tr><td>Skills</td> <td>Description</td> </tr><tr><td>(Audio)visual reception (reading)</td> <td>B1. Can understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters well enough to correspond regularly with a pen friend.
Can scan longer texts in order to locate desired information, and gather information from different parts of a text, or from different texts in order to fulfill a specific task.
Can find and understand relevant information in everyday material, such as letters, brochures and short official documents.
Can identify the main conclusions in clearly signaled argumentative texts.
Can recognise the line of argument in the treatment of the issue presented, though not necessarily in detail.
Can recognise significant points in straightforward newspaper articles on familiar subjects.
Can understand clearly written, straightforward instructions for a piece of equipment.
Can understand a large part of many TV programmes on topics of personal interest such as interviews, short lectures, and news reports when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
Can follow many films in which visuals and action carry much of the storyline, and which are delivered clearly in straightforward language.
Can catch the main points in TV programmes on familiar topics when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.</td> </tr><tr><td>Written production (writing)</td> <td>A2. Can write about everyday aspects of his/her environment, e.g. people, places, a job or study experience in
linked sentences.
Can write very short, basic descriptions of events, past activities and personal experiences.
Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences about their family, living conditions, educational
background, present or most recent job.
Can write short, simple imaginary biographies and simple poems about people.</td> </tr><tr><td>Aural reception (listening)</td> <td>A2. Can understand enough to be able to meet needs of a concrete type provided speech is clearly and slowly articulated.
Can understand phrases and expressions related to areas of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment) provided speech is clearly and slowly articulated.
Can generally identify the topic of discussion around him/her, when it is conducted slowly and clearly.
Can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.
Can understand simple directions relating to how to get from X to Y, by foot or public transport.</td> </tr><tr><td>Oral productions (speaking)</td> <td>B1. Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of a variety of subjects within his/her field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence of points.
Can give straightforward descriptions on a variety of familiar subjects within his/her field of interest.
Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a linear sequence of points.
Can give detailed accounts of experiences, describing feelings and reactions.
Can relate details of unpredictable occurrences, e.g. an accident.
Can relate the plot of a book or film and describe his/her reactions.
Can describe dreams, hopes and ambitions.
Can describe events, real or imagined.
Can narrate a story.
Can develop an argument well enough to be followed without difficulty most of the time.
Can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions, plans and actions.
Can deliver short, rehearsed announcements on a topic pertinent to everyday occurrences in his/her field which, despite possibly very foreign stress and intonation, are nevertheless clearly intelligible.
Can give a prepared straightforward presentation on a familiar topic within his/her field which is clear
enough to be followed without difficulty most of the time, and in which the main points are explained with reasonable precision.
Can take follow up questions, but may have to ask for repetition if the speech was rapid.</td></tr></table>### Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website
Mode of instruction
- Lecture
2 h. per week of lecture and 4 h. per week of practical classes
Assessment method
- 1 Midterm exam: 20% – 4 Assignments: 5% each, 2 per block. – 1 Listening evaluation: 10% (1st block) – Oral Presentation: 10 % (2nd block) – Final exam: 1st Part: grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension: 25%
2nd Part: speaking and listening: 15%
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used. Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.
Reading list
Mandatory books:
-Vía Rápida, Libro del alumno; ISBN: 9789460301964
-Vía Rápida, Cuaderno de ejercicios; ISBN: 9789460301971
- Apuntes de gramática (a través de Blackboard) – Ejercicios de gramática (a través de Blackboard) – Textos y ejercicios de comunicación y lectura (a través de Blackboard)
Recommended books:
-The Oxford Essential Spanish Dictionary; Ed. Oxford University Press. 2010
ISBN: 9780199576449
-Palabras, Methode woordenschatverwerving Spaans; Ed. Coutinho. 2011
ISBN: 9789046902578
Registration
Students are requested to register through uSis, the registration system of Leiden University for this course. General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Remarks
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