Introduction to Spanish Language and Culture (2025/2026: Semester 1 – Fall)

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:

- understand and demonstrate general knowledge and insight in Spanish and Latin American Culture, Art and History from 400 AD until the present moment and are able to interact and communicate in Spanish as basic users. Exit level is A2 of the CEFR and intermediate low IL as defined in the ACTFL Guidelines 2012.

In general, students will be able to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment); communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters and describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.


Relationship between assessment and learning goals:

More specifically, the students:

1. Listening
  1. 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.
  2. Can generally identify the topic of discussion around them and extract the essential information of simple messages, announcements and short recorded passages when those are delivered clearly and slowly.
  3. Can identify the main point of TV news items where the visual supports the commentary.
2. Reading
  1. Can understand short, simple texts on familiar matters of a concrete type which consist of high frequency everyday- or job/study-related language.
  2. Can understand basic standard routine letters on familiar topics and simple personal letters.
  3. Can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material (advertisements, prospectuses, menus, etc.) and understand everyday signs and notices.
  4. Can identify specific information in simpler written material such as brochures and short newspaper articles describing events.
  5. Can understand the storyline of a short and simple graduated novel.
3. Spoken interaction and production
  1. Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters to do with work/study and free time.
  2. Can ask and answer questions and exchange ideas and information o familiar topics in predictable everyday situations.
  3. Can ask for and provide everyday goods and services (info about travel and public transport; transactions in shops, order a meal).
  4. Can make a short and simple rehearsed presentation describing people, living or working conditions, daily routines, a city and its traditions, etc., with basic information.
  5. Can tell a story in a simple list of points and describe everyday aspects of their environment.
4. Writing
  1. Can write short and simple essays about familiar topics (daily life, family, hobbies, etc.).
  2. Can write a very brief report or a personal letter telling a recent experience, expressing their likes and dislikes about it.
5. Cultural knowledge
  1. Can show general knowledge about geographical and demographical facts of Spain and Latin America.
  2. Can understand clear references and demonstrate general knowledge about the main historical events of Spain and Latin America.
  3. Can show general knowledge about Hispanic artists and artistic movements from the Modern Age until the present time.
  4. Can understand and demonstrate general knowledge about traditions, society and life style in the Hispanic world and compare them to those of their own country.
  5. Can establish cross-disciplinary relations between the facts studied during this course and other disciplines of their studies.

Vakinhoudelijk

New course code and title from Fall 2025 onward
The level and content of this course remain largely the same as the previous version UCHUMSPA10 Beginner Spanish. There are no entry requirements for this course.
If you want to proceed to a higher level, choose UCHUMSPA21 Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture. This was previously called UCHUMSPA11 Spanish Language and Culture I.

***
This course focuses on the language, but also on the history, geography, artistic works, traditions and current events of the Spanish-speaking countries and their communities. Language learning constitutes the 85% of the course assignments, whereas Culture assignments constitute 15% of the final grade.

Tasks in various forms related to language and cultural topics will be performed individually and in groups.

The students´ linguistic performance will be assessed by the following tasks:
  • a midterm assignment and a final assignment, both covering the vocabulary and grammar studied during the course (CG 1ab, 2abcd, 4ab)
  • an oral test in which the student must hold a conversation with the course instructor about topic of the most immediate relevance (CG 1a, 3abce)
  • a portfolio with different writing and oral activities related to the main thematic areas of the course (CG 1c, 2abcd, 3, 4 and 5)

The student cultural knowledge will be assessed by:
  • a cultural project in which the students will have to research and present a country of the Spanish-speaking world and/or delve into a related specific topic that is relevant for both our understanding of the Hispanic world and the individual interest of the learner.(CG 2e, 3ad, 5)
Format
Contact hours focus on language practice in line with the textbook chapters. Students will mainly work in pairs and small groups. All participants have to complete obligatory self-study assignments before class. Students are expected to take part during the lessons as well as in group tasks.

Werkvormen

UCU 0 language course

Toetsing

Oral test

Verplicht | Weging 15% | ECTS 1,13

Language and culture portfolio

Verplicht | Weging 30% | ECTS 2,25

Cultural group work

Verplicht | Weging 15% | ECTS 1,13

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Midterm exam

Verplicht | Weging 20% | ECTS 1,5

Final exam

Verplicht | Weging 20% | ECTS 1,5

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Internationale en interculturele oriëntatie
  • Luisteren
  • Presenteren
  • Samenwerken
  • Talen

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • BOEK
    Rosales Varo F. et al (2017) Campus Sur. Libro del alumno. Barcelona: Difusión. ISBN: 9788418032448
  • BOEK
    Rosales Varo. F et al (2017) Campus Sur. Cuaderno de ejercicios. Barcelona: Difusión ISBN: 9788416347995

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Opmerkingen

Counts as L&C requirement. Recoded from SPA10 to SPA11.

Coördinator

E. Muñoz Moreno MA E.MunozMoreno@uu.nl

Docenten

E. Muñoz Moreno MA E.MunozMoreno@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Naar OSIRIS-inschrijvingen
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien