Spanish Language & Cultures: Beginner - LAN00075I

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Module summary

Learning a language can be a transformative and enriching experience. Both the process and the outcomes are beneficial at various levels, from increased neuroplasticity to improving your overall academic performance, fostering empathy and intercultural awareness, and enhancing your career opportunities. This course is aimed at those with no previous knowledge of Spanish. The module aims to take students rapidly to about A1-level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), in the understanding and use of written and spoken Spanish.

Related modules

No previous knowledge of Spanish is required.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2025-26
B	Semester 2 2025-26

Module aims

This module will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to communicate and interact in Spanish over the course of a semester. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at beginner level, to about A1-level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in communicative activities and tasks emphasising three modes of communication:

1. Reception activities (oral, audio-video, and reading comprehension)

2. Production activities (oral and written production)

3. Interaction activities (oral, written, and online interaction)

The mediums of instruction are English and Spanish.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students should be able to:

• Understand everyday expressions and short, simple informational material and texts on sports, music, travel, or short, illustrated narratives about everyday activities, etc.

• Produce short simple phrases about people and places and about themselves, including personal information such as: names, addresses, relationship, nationalities, etc. to describe themselves as well as simple aspects of their everyday life in a series of simple sentences prepared in advance.

• Interact in a simple way and to ask and answer simple questions about themselves, their friends and family, and their daily routines.

• Recognise basic cultural differences, for example in the use of: cardinal and ordinal numbers, years, measuring distance, asking & giving the time, etc. and to establish basic social contact by using the simplest, but appropriate, everyday polite forms of greetings, farewells, and introductions.

• Reflect upon language use and justify linguistic choices.

• Self-monitor and self-regulate their own learning and resources.

Module content

Topics may include:

• Greetings, countries, and nationalities.

• Expressing likes and dislikes.

• Introducing yourself, your family, your hobbies, what you do for a living, and understanding when others tell you about themselves and their circumstances.

• Asking and answering basic questions about a city/ neighbourhood, asking about opening/closing times and how to find facilities.

• Describing your daily routine.

• Talking about your feelings, emotions, skills, and attributes.

• Sharing your plans and wishes.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)	60.0
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40.0

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The written exam will include one or two questions aimed at assessing students’ ability to reflect on language use and justify their responses and choices when using the language (in English) and a task related to students’ ability to monitor their own learning.

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)	60.0
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40.0

Module feedback

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the semester and assessed via end of semester exams.

Formative assessment and feedback:

• Formative tasks done individually or in groups throughout the module

• Feedback will include written comments for written formative work

• Oral feedback during class discussions

Summative assessment and feedback:

• Students will be given written feedback and marks for their work within the University mandated schedule.

Indicative reading

Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the semester.