CIEE Barcelona, Spain

Course title: Spanish Language - Beginning II

Course code: (GI) SPAN 1202 BASP
Programs offering course: First Year Abroad in Barcelona, Spain
Open Campus Track: Language, Literature, and Culture
Language of instruction: Spanish
U.S. semester credits: 4.00
Contact hours: 60.00
Term: Fall 2024
Course Description

Using a communicative approach, this course builds upon previously acquired skills and knowledge of Spanish
vocabulary, grammar structures, and culture. Students will learn to describe familiar present, future, and past
activities and to exchange information about daily routines, experiences, and interests. This course will take full
advantage of the study abroad location and context. Spanish language and culture are brought to life through co-
curricular activities in and around the city. This is a Beginning II Spanish language course corresponding to level
A1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and Novice High of the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Learning Objectives

By completing this course, students will:

Communicate effectively in a range of everyday situations and practiced contexts, such as asking for and
giving directions, making recommendations, and expressing preferences, while making effective use of
Spanish grammar, high-frequency vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Comprehend and discuss authentic brief oral and written Spanish texts, while being able to identify word
family roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
Express thoughts by producing appropriate grammatical and sentence structures in Spanish with a focus on
accuracy and comprehension by using known language to compensate for missing vocabulary.
Understand and produce coherent, short written texts in Spanish that are contextually and grammatically
appropriate about familiar present, future, and past events.
Possess a better grasp of the social and cultural practices of the Spanish-speaking country, including
customs, traditions, and celebrations.
Deliver brief presentations on studied topics using grammatically correct phrases, series of sentences,
personalized vocabulary, and graphic organizers.

Course Prerequisites

Students must have completed Spanish – Beginning I, or equivalent (e.g. Low to Mid Novice in ACTFL, A1.1
CEFR).

Methods of Instruction

The course follows a communicative approach and covers all five language skills: spoken interaction, spoken
production, writing, reading, and listening, with an emphasis on developing oral and written interaction. In addition
to regular classes, the course includes fieldtrips and language exchange activities to help students develop their
intercultural competence. Attendance to fieldtrips is mandatory.

Assessment and Final Grade

1. Midterm Exam 20%
2. Final Exams 30%
3. Oral Tasks 20%
4. Written Tasks 20%
5. Participation 10%
TOTAL 100%
Course Requirements
Midterm Exam
Final Exams

The midterm and final exams are cumulative; this means that they consist of all the materials studied up to that
point. Each exam will likely contain all the following components: a) Grammar and Vocabulary (20%), b) Reading
comprehension (15%), c) Writing (15%), d) Listening comprehension (20%) and e) Speaking (30%).

Oral Tasks

On designated dates during the semester the student will have to present two oral tasks:
Oral interaction: This is a group, out-of-class assessment. Students will prepare a conversation to make an
appointment. The conversation should last about 5 minutes and will be recorded with video and sent to the
professor. The assessment will consider linguistic competence (lexical competence, grammatical
competence, phonological competence), sociolinguistic competence and pragmatic competences
(coherence and cohesion, thematic development, turn-taking, fluency).
Oral presentation: This is an individual, out-of-class assessment. Students will record a video introducing
their family/friends. Each presentation should last from 5 to 10 minutes. The assessment will consider
linguistic competence (lexical competence, grammatical competence, phonological competence) but also
pragmatic competences (coherence and cohesion, thematic development, fluency).

Written Tasks

Students will have two 750-word composition on different themes/genres. One of the tasks will be related to
course field trips/co-curricular activities, which they must attend to obtain the information required for fulfilling
the written task. The other will be written on topics related to Readings. Written tasks will be graded on the
following four parameters: (i) content, (ii) adequacy, (iii) coherence and cohesion, and (iv) grammar and
vocabulary. Instructors will return the task to the student indicating, where possible, linguistic errors, which must
be revised and turned in again to be reviewed. The first version will not contain a grade; the second version will
be graded. Both versions are mandatory in order to obtain a final grade. Late assignments will be marked down 5
(out of hundred in the grade scale) after each day.

Participation

Participation is defined as meaningful contribution in the classroom, using the resources and materials presented
to students as part of the course. Meaningful contribution requires students to prepare in advance of each class
and regularly engage with resources, discussions, reflective assignments, and all other learning activities.
Students are required to demonstrate engagement with course materials, for example, through insightful,
constructive comments and by using subject-appropriate terminology in: peer-to-peer feedback (after viewing
the presentations of others), interaction with guest speakers, where available, and submissions related to other
outside-of-class activities. Students should ensure that submitted commentary balances opinions, general
impressions, and specific and thoughtful criticisms or contributions.

Attendance

CIEE promotes experiential learning that requires class attendance. Students should notify their instructor and
CIEE academic staff of foreseen absences. Accommodations for missed classes, if any, will be determined by the
course instructor and CIEE academic staff. Chronic absences may result in Withdrawal or Failure. Please see your
Academic Manual for more details.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is essential to a positive and inclusive teaching and learning environment. All students are
expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness, respect, and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking
unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own can result in grade penalties or
disciplinary action. See the CIEE Student Academic Manual for further information on academic integrity.
N.B. Course schedule and co-curriculars are subject to change. The final duration and distribution of
content and assignments will be determined and presented to students at the onset of the course.

Weekly Schedule
Week 1
Class: 1.0 Written and Oral Level test

Introduction to class. Syllabus and course content reviewed.

Class: 2.0 Course introduction: Living in the City: Everyday Interactions

Students review grammar and vocabulary related to greetings friends and ordering food at
restaurant. In groups or pairs, they discuss typical local dishes and talk about their preferences.
Grammar: verbs poner and traer
Vocabulary: Daily meals, food, typical Spanish dishes
Readings: booklet of activities provided in class.
Week 2
Class: 3.0 Getting to Know One Another (I)

Students introduce themselves and talk about their studies and daily activities. They have
conversations with each other about habits and learn how to express duration. They also practice
asking and answering questions about learning motivations.
Grammar: regular and irregular present tense verbs, reflexive verbs.
Vocabulary: language learning resources, daily activities, days of the week, parts of the day.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 10-14; 120-121)

Class: 4.0 Reinforcing the Spanish Language We Know

Students continue to explore expressions used to talk about daily routines and activities, specifying
duration and time frames. They observe and practice the use of time prepositions while also
exchange more dialogue about their motivations, interests, and preferences.
Grammar: regular and irregular present tense, reflexive verbs, duration structures (desde, desde
hace, hace…que).
Vocabulary: language learning resources, daily activities, days of the week, parts of the day.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 15-19; 122-123).
Week 3
Class: 5.0 Meet up with Local Students- Field trip/Co-curricular Activity

Students meet with local, native-speaker students and engage in conversations with them. After
introducing themselves, they talk about daily routines, activities, local dishes, as well as likes and
dislikes.

Class: 6.0 Writing a Biography (I)

Focusing on the past, students learn to narrate and relate events using verbs in the pretérito
indefinido tense. They discuss film plots from their favorite films or shows, and they recount details
of someone’s life to each other. They also practice expressing the beginning and ending of an
action while relying on the use of past temporal markers.
Grammar: past tenses (Pretérito Indefinido), past temporal markers.
Vocabulary: cinema and biographies
.Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 22-27; 126-128)
Week 4
Class: 7.0 Writing a Biography (II)

Students continue to exchange dialogue about events in the past tense, making use of related
time expressions. They engage in additional discussions of movies and biographies to practice
asking each other questions about the beginning and the ending of an action.
Grammar: past tenses (Pretérito Indefinido), past temporal markers.
Vocabulary: cinema and biographies.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 27-32; 129-131)

Class: 8.0 At the Bookstore- Field trip/Co-curricular Activity

Students visit a local bookstore. In pairs or small groups, they peruse biographical books of their
choice and explain who the book is about to their classmates, mentioning some life facts and
events.
Due: Written Task 1 (version 1)
Week 5
Class: 9.0 Describing People (I)

Students explore qualifiers and adjectives used to describe appearance and personality (their own
and of other people). They practice naming clothing items by observing what their classmates are
wearing. Moreover, in either groups or pairs, they maintain dialogues focusing on personal
relationships and important people in their lives, talking about differences and similarities.
Grammar: irregular present tense, demonstratives (este, esta, estos, estas, etc.), identifying
structures (el/la/los/las + que + verbo, etc.).
Vocabulary: Clothes vocabulary, physical description adjectives, description verbs (ser, tener y
llevar).
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 34-39; 132-134)
Due: Written Task 1 (version 2)

Class: 10.0 Describing People (II)

Students continue to talk about personal relationships. They bring to class photos of their friends
and loved ones, describing them to their classmates. Students participate in conversational
activities aimed at strengthening their grasp of nouns and adjectives qualifying physical
appearance and personality traits.
Grammar: irregular present tense, demonstratives (este, esta, estos, estas, etc.), identifying
structures (el/la/los/las + que + verbo, etc.).
Vocabulary: Clothes vocabulary, physical description adjectives, description verbs (ser, tener y
llevar).
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 40-45; 135-137)
Week 6
Class: 11.0 Review for Midterm Exam

Due: Oral Interaction

Class: 12.0 Written Midterm Exam

Week 7
Class: 13.0 Oral Midterm Exam

Class: 14.0 House and Home (I)

 Students learn house-related vocabulary. Using a range of prepositions, they practice talking about
the location and the characteristics of various objects. They describe the shape and material of
different items around them. In groups or pairs, they exchange dialogues focused on describing
their apartment or room. They talk about likes and dislikes, make comparisons, and express
coincidences.
Grammar: comparative structures, prepositions (debajo, encima, etc.), some uses of ser y estar.
Vocabulary: types and parts of a house, adjectives to describe a house; shapes, styles, and
materials.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 46-49; 138-139)
Week 8
Class: 15.0 House and Home (II)

Students strengthen their knowledge of nouns and adjectives used to describe a house, an
apartment, a room, as well as related objects such as furniture. They deepen their understanding
of place prepositions by specifying, in conversations, the location and the characteristics of
different objects. They continue to express likes and dislikes, make comparisons, and practice
discussing coincidences.
Grammar: comparative structures, prepositions (debajo, encima, etc.), some uses of ser y estar.
Vocabulary: types and parts of a house, adjectives to describe a house; shapes, styles, and
materials.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015:50-53; 140-143)

Class: 16.0 Buildings and Architecture in the City- Field trip/Co-curricular Activity

Students explore the city’s buildings. They ask each other questions about the structures they
see, describing their shapes, styles, sizes, and colors. Students brainstorm with each other and try
to guess what the buildings may look like inside, what furniture items they contain, and so on.
Week 9
Class: 17.0 Hobbies (I)

Students narrate experiences and events of the past, with a focus on trips and leisure activities.
Working in small groups, they show each other photos from their past trips and describe the places
they visited and what they did. Then, they engage in conversations about future projects and
plans, asking and answering questions using the appropriate time words.
Grammar: Past tenses (Pretérito perfecto, Pretérito Indefinido), future structures (ir a + infinitive),
present continuous (estar + gerundio).
Vocabulary: Traveling and free time activities.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 70-73; 150-152)
Due: Written Task 2 (version 1).

Class: 18.0 Hobbies (II)

Students continue to communicate experiences and events of the past, focusing particularly on
trips and leisure activities. Working in pairs or groups, they describe a city or landmark of their
choice and ask classmates to guess which one it is, indicating whether they have been there
before. To further solidify their ability to talk about the future using appropriate verb conjugations
and time words, students chat more about upcoming projects and plans.
Grammar: Past tenses (Pretérito perfecto, Pretérito Indefinido), future structures (ir a + infinitive),
present continuous (estar + gerundio).
Vocabulary: Traveling and free time activities.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2015: 74-79; 153-155)
 Due: Written Task 2 (version 2)
Week 10
Class: 19.0 Food and Dining (I)

Students talk about their diets and food-related preferences. They engage in conversations about
food preparation, describing their favorite recipes and how they prepare various dishes. They
practice naming ingredients and specifying quantities as well as cooking duration.
Grammar: direct object pronouns, some uses of ser y estar, discourse markers (y, pero, además)
Vocabulary: food, recipes, weights, and measures.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2014: 82-86; 156-158)

Class: 20.0 Food and Dining (II)

Students continue to discuss their diets, food-related habits, and preferences. They ask and
answer questions about recipes, food preparation, ingredients, and quantities. Then, they reflect
on the difference between local dishes and the food back home.
Grammar: direct object pronouns, some uses of ser y estar, discourse markers (y, pero, además)
Vocabulary: food, recipes, weights, and measures.
Readings: Corpas et al. (2014:87-91; 159-161)
Due: Oral Presentation
Week 11
Class: 21.0 Potluck – Field trip/Co-curricular Activity

Each student brings a dish to class. They explain how they prepared, naming the ingredients,
quantities, cooking time, and so on.

Class: 22.0 Review for the Final Exam

Week 12
Class: 23.0 Written Final Exam

Class: 24.0 Oral Final Exam

Course Materials
Readings
Textbook: Corpas, J.; Garmendia, A.; Soriano, C. (2013): Aula 2. Curso de español. Nueva edición. Barcelona:
Difusión.