[Please note that the descriptions for "Spanish Grammar: Composition" and "Spanish Grammar: Conversation" are the same. Although these courses appear separately on the transcript issued by the University of Valencia, they are taught in unison and are therefore combined in one description.]
Objective
The objective of this course is to help the students realize an effective use of the Spanish language as an instrument of communication. For this, the course will pay special attention to the development of strategies and techniques that permit the students to manage diverse means of expression, as much oral as written. The course will also focus on grammatical concepts that will allow the students to communicate better in daily situations (talking on the phone, buying something in a store, friendly banter with others, etc.).
Methodology
In each class, the students will study different grammatical content with the objective of giving students the necessary tools for the elaboration of a series of oral and written assignments.
Grammatical Content
1. The article; gender and number
2. Adjectives and possessive pronouns
3. The adverb
4. Present indicative; principal irregulars
5. Uses of ser and estar
6. Pronominal and reflexive verbs
7. Personal pronouns
8. Preterite; contrasts between the use of the perfect preterite, indefinite preterite, and imperfect preterite; pluperfect preterite
9. Future
10. Conditional
11. Most common Spanish prepositions; verbs that require prepositions
12. Imperative; irregulars; negative imperative; pragmatic values
13. Present subjunctive; irregulars and uses
14. Syntactic schemes that need subjunctive
15. Conjunctions; temporal, causal, locational, consecutive, concessive, final
16. Imperfect preterite of subjunctive; irregulars; temporal (contrast with other subjunctive tenses) and semantic (use in conditional phrases, etc.) values
Composition Coursework
1. Leaving written instructions; personal notes
2. Composing personal letters (invitations, letters of congratulation, thanks, and apology)
3. Composing simple formal letters
4. Composition of Curriculum Vitae
5. Compositions that imply an element of creativity from specific models (humor texts, horror texts, public announcements, recipes, etc.)
6. Composition of narrative texts, with or without previous instruction
7. Elaboration of reviews of all types of text
Conversation Coursework
1. Appropriate use of title (tu, usted, don, senor, etc.)
2. Physical and intellectual description of people
3. Description of objects by their form and function
4. Communicating physical and animate states
5. Emphasize the positive and negative qualities of a person or object
6. Formulate invitations, requests, and offerings
7. Accept and reject invitations and offerings
8. Formulate advice and suggestions and accept/reject them
9. Formulate hypotheses and desires
10. Argue in favor or against an idea; accept ideas from other people or refute them completely or partially
11. Coordinate group actions that require cooperation (give instructions)
12. Speak spontaneously and without forethought
13. Narration of stories (existing or created)
14. Spontaneously dramatize situations in daily life
Evaluation
Participation: 25%
Exercises: 25%
Partial exam: 25%
Final exam: 25%
Bibliography
Castro, F.; Marín, F.; Morales, R.; Rosa, S. (2004): Nuevo ven 1. Madrid. Edelsa
Encinar, A. (1997[1991]): Palabras, palabras... vocabulario temático. Madrid. Edelsa.
Fente R. y Alonso E. W. (1993): Órbita 1 Curso de español para extranjeros, SGEL, Madrid.
González Hermoso, A. y Romero Dueñas, C. (2004): Eco 1 y 2. Curso modular de ELE. Madrid. Edelsa
Iglesias, I. y Prieto, M. (2000[1998]): ¡Hagan juego!. Madrid. Edinumen.
Makin, D. y Kattán-Ibarra, J. (1987): Se escribe así. Letter writing practice. China. Nelson
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