30828 - SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will gain a comprehension of the fundamental elements of Spanish language and culture and will be able to understand and produce written and oral texts at an intermediate level. Students will be guided in the development and knowledge of contemporary Spanish language and culture through an intensive and extensive reading programme on the subject, as well as through similar activities involving aural texts (videos, radio broadcasts, etc.). The reading and listening activities will provide the basis for the production of written and oral texts by the students. By focusing on a variety of texts and genres, students will learn to critically analyze discourses and cultural practices which inform and characterize the current Spanish debate on national and cultural identity with a view to its current role in Europe and globally.

Course contents

The course "Comunicazione scritta e orale in spagnolo (Seconda lingua) I", which will take place in the first semester, has a duration of 40 hours (5 CFU) and will focus mainly on oral communication. Together with the course Comunicazione scritta e orale in spagnolo (Seconda lingua) II”, which will take place in the second semester and will also be 40 hours long (5 CFU), it constitutes the course “Lingua e comunicazione (Seconda lingua spagnola) (C.I.) II”.

On the basis of the knowledge acquired in the first year, and up to level B2 (CEFR), the course will cover a series of grammatical and structural elements particularly relevant to oral communication (discursive signals, register, connectives, idiomatic expressions, etc.).

The course will also explore cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world, giving students a deeper understanding of the different traditions, customs and values of Spanish-speaking countries. Students will gain a broader and more nuanced perspective on the context in which Spanish is used through the analysis of cultural texts, films and discussions on socio-cultural issues.

Readings/Bibliography

• Barbero, Juan Carlos; Bermejo, Felisa e Félix San Vicente (2018): Contrastiva. Grammatica della lingua spagnola, Clueb: Bologna. - Barbero, Juan Carlos; e Félix San Vicente (2017): Quaderno di esercizi della lingua spagnola, Clueb: Bologna.
• San Vicente, F., Bazzocchi, G. e P. Capanaga (a cura di) (2018) Oraliter: Formas de la comunicación presencial y a distancia, Bologna: BUP.

• San Vicente, F., Morillas, E. (eds.) (2014): Oralidad contrastiva español-italiano: aspectos gramaticales, discursivos y textuales. Cuadernos AISPI 4.
• Castillo, C., San Vicente, F. (coord.) (2016): La oralidad: recepción y transmisión. Orillas Rivista d'Ispanistica. Padova: University press.

Teaching methods

All lessons are face-to-face. Students are encouraged to participate actively and critically in all planned activities. In addition, a 70% attendance rate is required from students.
This module will use teaching methods and tools aimed at creating opportunities for discussion, oral production and listening in the classroom.
In particular, the following activities will be proposed with a strong communicative approach:
Debates and discussions: Group activities that encourage argumentation and the expression of opinions on current issues.
Role plays: Role-playing exercises to practise the use of idiomatic expressions and spontaneous conversation.
Oral presentations: Preparation and delivery of presentations on specific topics, followed by question and answer sessions.
Listening and comprehension: Activities based on authentic materials such as interviews, podcasts and videos to improve listening comprehension.

Assessment methods

Students will be required to pass a final oral examination covering the course content in order to demonstrate learning of the language content and skills.

In addition, there will be oral presentations during the course, which will be assessed for the purpose of the examination and, if successful, will be added to the above examination grade up to a maximum of 2 points. Such oral presentations will assess cultural knowledge, methodological and documentary skills and the ability to work in a group.

The grading scale is as follows:

30-30L: Excellent evidence of full acquisition of encyclopaedic cultural knowledge, completeness and accuracy of content, and accurate critical analysis of content.

27-29: Above average work, demonstrating very good acquisition of encyclopaedic-cultural knowledge, with minor inaccuracies and omissions affecting only minor aspects of the content, and accurate personal reflection on the same.

24-26: Fairly good test, with some problems of content in terms of cultural and encyclopaedic knowledge, with inaccuracies and omissions concerning various secondary aspects of the content, and not always accurate reflection on them.

21-23: Sufficient analysis, but with noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in terms of cultural and encyclopaedic knowledge, with numerous inaccuracies and omissions concerning secondary and primary aspects of the content, as well as a poor level of analysis and personal reflection on the same.

18-20: Barely sufficient examination, meeting the minimum criteria of cultural and encyclopaedic knowledge, with serious inaccuracies and omissions concerning various primary aspects of the content, as well as a non-existent ability to reflect on cultural phenomena.

Insufficient: Evidence that does not demonstrate adequate acquisition of the expected knowledge, skills and abilities; the examination must be repeated.

Teaching tools

- PC with Internet connection, webcam and microphone and video projector, Microsoft Teams;

- Virtuale platform with materials uploaded by the lecturer.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Fernanda Sabarros