Note: A placement exam will be required when you arrive on site.

Advanced

This course is designed for students who have completed or tested out of a minimum of four semesters (or six quarters) of college-level Spanish. However, students must take a placement exam to determine the course level into which they will be able to enroll.

Description:

This course is directed towards those students with a good domination of the Spanish language and who wish to learn and put in practice conversation techniques that will allow them to improve their fluency in Spanish.

The methodology employed is theoretical-practical which is developed by the professor and the student.

General Objective:

To provide the student with the basic techniques that permit them to express themselves orally in an efficient and coherent manner.

Specific Objectives:

1- Identify the different types of communication and recognize the elements that within these. Learn common techniques of oral communication.
2- Study and suggest techniques and styles of group communication
3- Integrate the techniques of communication in the development of a group reunion or activity.
4- Elaborate and exercise public interventions such as: talks, conferences, discussions and presentations.
5- Analyze the types of people that are part of a conversation.
6- Create communication exercises with the goal of achieving confidence and fluency in speaking.

Contents:

1) Expression and Communication:
- Differences between expression and communication. Elements of communication.
- Types of communication. Differences between written and oral communication.

2) The dissertation:
- Oral communication.
- Advantages of oral communication.
- Common vices in oral communication.
- Obstacles and difficulties in oral communication and how to overcome them.

3) The speaker:
- Preparation.
- Qualities.
- The image.

4) The receiver:
- Characteristics.
- How to react to interruptions.

5) The conversation:
- Brief forms of conversation: presentations, compliments, congratulations, toasts, telling of stories or events, commentaries.
- Group dynamics: symposium, round-table discussions, public debates, oral dialogue, interviews and panels.
- Extensive dissertations: conferences, discussions.
- Public speaking: style, pronunciation, look, body control, facial expression, mannerisms, and attitude in front of the audience.
- Diction and the voice: elements of the voice, physiological aspects of oral communication, articulation of sounds, qualities of articulation, respiration and hygiene, conserving of the voice.

6) How to choose the best technique?
- Objectives to look for.
- Maturity and group experience.
- Group size.
- Physical environment.
- Characteristics of the members.

Suggested Activities:

1- Movies in Spanish or another language (not English) with subtitles in Spanish.
2- Readings: “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupéry. Other short readings.

Evaluation:

Attendance and Participation 10 %
Homework 10 %
Oral Presentations 30 %
Mid-term exam 20 %
Final exam 20 %
Report over “The Little Prince” 10 %

Suggested Bibliography:

- Müller Delgado, Marta Virginia. Técnicas de Comunicación Oral. San José, Costa Rica. Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica. 1993.

- Blanc Marcelo. Dinámica de Grupos. San José de Costa Rica. Editorial Educa. 1976.

- Alpizar, Wilbert. Técnicas didácticas: técnicas para el trabajo con grupos.
2º Edición. San José, Costa Rica. Editorial Universidad de Costa Rica. 1982.