Estudios Hispánicos Spanish Language Programme Levels of Knowledge, objectives, contents & bibliography
Introduction Estudios Hispánicos is the Centre at the Universitat de Barcelona which teaches courses of Spanish as a foreign language. Courses in Spanish language and Spanish culture are offered. The duration of the courses can be annual, quarterly, bimonthly or monthly during the academic course. During the summer, courses can last a fortnight, a month or two months. Estudios hispánicos also teaches courses of Spanish as an instrumental language for students at the Universitat de Barcelona who partake in European programmes (ERASMUS- SOCRATES- TEMPUS) or in specific exchange programmes. Estudios Hispánicos also oversees the organization of exams to obtain the Diplomas of Spanish as a foreign language (D.E.L.E), held by the Instituto Cervantes. In the same way, Estudios Hispánicos designs, organizes and teaches courses for groups with specific needs and requirements. Spanish Language Courses Annual and quarterly courses Students are grouped homogeneously in five levels of knowledge of Spanish (beginner, elementary, intermediate, superior and proficiency) according to the placement test result. Students are taught 9 hours of language per week. Each course allows for a certificate to be obtained, once an exam is passed, which accredits the level of language taken, the grade attained and the ECTS s obtained The annual course of 226 hours allows for 36 ECTS s and the quarterly course of 113 hours allows to obtain 18 ECTS s. The Diploma in Estudios Hispánicos of 426 hours allows to obtain 56 ECTS s. In order to obtain the Diploma it is necessary to pass the exam at the intermediate, superior or proficiency level, plus five subjects in Spanish culture. Under the same conditions, those students taking the beginner or elementary level courses will obtain a certificate. In the eventuality of not passing the exam, the certificate granted will state the level of the course, its duration and the level achieved.
Intensive Courses The 40 hour-long intensive courses allows to obtain 4 ECTS s (European Credit Transfer System). The duration of each one of the Spanish language courses totals 40 hours. These are per month, term or fortnight (according to the time of year, the module is of 2, 3 or 4 hours of class per day). The courses are taught throughout the year. Students are grouped homogeneously in three levels of knowledge of Spanish (elementary, intermediate and superior). The placement test is held on the first day of every course. Students may take several intensive courses in a row. In the eventuality of not achieving the adequate competence in order to pursue the next level, the student may follow the course just taken, with different content and exercises. Attending each and everyone of these courses allows the student to obtain an attendance certificate. Special summer courses In summer, Estudios Hispánicos proposes 4 types of language and culture courses. 1. Spanish language courses (40, 60 and 80 hours long, which respectively amount to 4, 6 and 8 ECTS s). 2. Courses in Spanish culture (20 hours long, 2 ECTS s). 3. Combined course of Spanish language and culture (80 hours long 60 hours of language and 20 hours of culture-- 8 ECTS s). 4. Special courses in instrumental languages (40 or 20 hours long, 4 or 2 ECTS s).
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: Beginner OBJECTIVES To provide an introduction to the Spanish language, with special attention being paid to the vocabulary used in everyday life. To achieve a level of language skills that enable students to communicate freely in the most common everyday situations. To place particular emphasis on developing oral skills (comprehension and expression). COURSE CONTENT 1. Asking for and giving personal information. Asking for and giving information about the situation of people and places: the verbs estar/haber, definite and indefinite articles, prepositions, the imperative. 2. Expressing likes/dislikes and opinions. The verb gustar: special forms of agreement, indirect object pronouns. The verb encontrar: direct object pronouns. 3. Speaking about oneself and others (describing people s appearance and character). 4. The verbs ser/estar and tener/llevar. 5. Speaking about habitual actions: form of the regular present indicative and the most common irregular forms, adverbs of frequency and reflexive pronouns. 6. Speaking about past experiences (I): form and uses of the past perfect indicative; form of the regular indefinite and the most common irregular forms. 7. Speaking about past experiences (II): form and uses of the past imperfect and the pluperfect indicative. 8. Making plans and developing projects (I): form of the regular and irregular future. 9. Making plans/future projects (II): the present subjunctive and sentences with cuando. 10. Expressing wishes and giving advice: form and uses of the conditional. 11. Prohibitions: form of the negative imperative. The present subjunctive. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOROVIO, V. (1992), Ele 1. Curso de español para extranjeros. Libro del alumno. Madrid, SM. BOROVIO, V. (1992), Ele 1. Curso de español para extranjeros. Cuaderno de ejercicios, Madrid, SM. MIÑANO, J. (1999), Y, ahora,la gramática, Barcelona, Publicacions de la Universitat de Barcelona. MIQUEL, L. SANS, N., (1994), Rápido. Curso intensivo de español. Libro del alumno, Madrid, Difusión. MIQUEL, L. SANS, N., (1994), Rápido. Curso intensivo de español. Cuaderno de ejercicios, Madrid, Difusión.
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: Elementary OBJECTIVES To master the forms and uses of the most common language units and sequences used in everyday life. Special attention will be paid to learning the basic vocabulary in everyday use. To develop the skills required to speak fluently and learn the basic aspects of constructing a written text. COURSE CONTENT 1. Basic problems of pronunciation, spelling and accents. 2. Describing people and objects. Asking for and giving information. Speaking about habits and likes/dislikes. Forms and uses of the present indicative tense. The verbs ser and estar. Gender and number in nouns and adjectives. Adverbs and adverbial expressions. Reflexive verbs and pronouns. 3. Personal experiences. Oral and written expression (forms and uses of the past indicative tense; personal object pronouns; comparisons). 4. Planning and speculating (forms and uses of the future indicative tense; prepositions). 5. Polite language. Writing informal letters (forms and use of address; registers: colloquial speech/formal writing style). 6. Information and objective description. Probable form and uses of the indicative tense. Prepositions. 7. Acting and having an influence on others. Requests, instructions, orders, advice (forms and uses of the imperative and the present subjunctive). 8. Expressing subjective views, opinions, wishes, feelings and value judgements (forms and uses of the subjunctive tense). COURSE BOOKS MIQUEL, L. - SANS, N., (1994), Rápido, libro del alumno, Barcelona, Difusión. MIQUEL, L. - SANS, N., (1994), Rápido, cuaderno de ejercicios, Barcelona, Difusión. Practicar y consultar la gramática. Barcelona, Difusión. SANCHEZ, N. - CLARK, D., (1995), Destrezas integradas, Madrid, SM.
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: Intermediate OBJECTIVES To master complex forms of syntax and sentence construction. To master the form of sentence construction in processes of both derivation and composition. Dealing with Anglicisms. To develop communication skills in both the conversational and formal registers, with special attention being paid to vocabulary. To master the following communicative functions: narration, description. COURSE CONTENT 1. Spelling of letters and words. Accents and punctuation. 2. The indicative: its different forms. 3. The article. Personal pronouns: stressed and unstressed forms. Impersonal structure with se. Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns and verbs. 4. The verbs ser and estar: defining and describing. Passive structures of action and result. Voice, tense and aspect in verb clauses. 5. The subjunctive: its different forms. 6. Examples of subordinate noun clauses (temporal correlation and conjunctions). 7. Examples of subordinate adjective or relative clauses (structure and conjunctions). 8. Subordinate adverb clauses: time, place and manner. Examples of conditional, concessive, causal, consecutive and final clauses. 9. Indirect style. Reproducing other people s speech: prepositions: tense, place and verb patterns. 10. Constructing descriptive, narrative and argumentative texts. COURSE BOOKS CHAMORRO GUERRERO, Mª D. et al, (1995), Abanico, Madrid, Difusión. MARTÍN PERIS, E., (1985), Esto Funciona A, Madrid, Edi-6. MARSÁ, F. (1997), Nuevos modelos para ejercicio lingüístico, Barcelona, Ariel MIQUEL, L. - SANS, N., (1988), Esto Funciona B, Madrid, Edi-6 MIQUEL, L. - SANS, N., (1990), Intercambio 2, Madrid, Difusión. MILLARES, S. - CENTELLAS, A., (1998), Método de español para extranjeros, Madrid, Edinumen.
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: Upper intermediate OBJECTIVES This course focuses particularly on communicative strategies in the formal register, although conversational language will also be addressed: structures of syntax and function, vocabulary and semantics. Emphasis will also be placed on producing texts (coherence, cohesion and appropriateness) and students will be helped to develop their skills in both written and oral expression as well as in reading and listening comprehension. COURSE CONTENT 1. Sentence structure (I). Updating and genericity. Uses of pronouns and impersonal expressions. 2. Sentence structure (II). Verb tenses and modal verbs. 3. Sentence structure (III). Periphrastic verb phrases expressing modality. 4. Sentence structure (IV). Grammatical structures in sentences with ser, estar and other linking verbs. Main functions. 5. Sentence structure (V). Functions and uses of adjectives according to their position. 6. From sentence to text. Constructions with adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions. Functions and uses. 7. Narrative and descriptive structure in written texts. Noun sentences with double infinitive constructions. Relative clauses with an indefinite object. Informative structure in temporal sentences. 8. Argument and counterargument (I). Conditional, concessive and adversative phrases. Connectors. 9. Argument and counterargument (II). Causal, consecutive, final and comparative sentences. 10. Objective text and modal text. Use of the superlative in syntagmas and whole sentences. COURSE BOOKS GARCÍA SANTOS J. F. (1997), Sintaxis del español. Nivel de perfeccionamiento, Madrid, Santillana. MARSÁ, F., (1997), Nuevos modelos para ejercicio lingüístico, Barcelona, Ariel. MATTE BON, F., (1992), Gramática comunicativa del español, 2 vols., Madrid, Difusión. MILLARES, S., (1995), Método español para extranjeros. Nivel superior, Madrid, Edinumen.
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE: Advanced OBJECTIVES This course focuses particularly on communicative strategies in the formal register. Emphasis will also be placed on text production (coherence, cohesion and appropriateness) and students will be helped to develop their writing skills in the formal and informal registers, that is, the strategies used in discussion and the formal register of debate: exposition, giving opinions, arguing, counterarguments and summing up. COURSE CONTENT 1. The indicative verb system: standard uses and dislocation. 2. Modal uses of the subjunctive. 3. The attributive system in Spanish and pseudo-copulative structures. 4. Situational and textual deixis. Quantifiers. Comparisons. 5. Expressing impersonality. Structures and functions. 6. Word order and dislocation. 7. Direct and indirect speech: the change of perspective. 8. Concept and limits of verb clauses. Time, aspect and mood. 9. Juxtaposition, coordination and subordination: presence/absence of connectors. Discourse markers. COURSE BOOKS ALARCOS LLORACH, E., (1980), Estudios de gramática funcional del español, Madrid, Gredos. FERNÁNDEZ, J. - FENTE, R. - SILES J., (1995), Curso intensivo de español: Gramática, Madrid, SGEL. MILLARES, S., (1995), Método español para extranjeros. Nivel superior, Madrid, Edinumen. ROJO, G., (1974), "La temporalidad verbal en español", Verba,1, pp. 68-149.
Estudios Hispánicos, Universitat de Barcelona Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585 08007 BARCELONA (España) Tel.: 34. 934 035 519 Fax: 34. 934 035 433 e-mail: info@eh.ub.es web: http://www.eh.ub.es