96582 - Language and Culture of Spanish-Speaking Countries

Learning outcomes

The program consists of a 30-hour course followed by an additional 30-hour workshop. By the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate the ability to read academic texts or essays in Spanish related to social sciences and political science. They should be able to summarize or discuss these texts using vocabulary and syntax that correspond to at least a B2 level, ideally reaching C1, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In terms of written language, students must also be able to write and organize texts utilizing vocabulary and syntax appropriate to the course content. Throughout the course and workshop, topics related to the culture and socio-political history of Spanish-speaking countries and territories will be explored, with a focus on metalinguistic reflection and analysis.

Course contents

The Language and Culture of Spanish-speaking Countries program includes the study of the following topics:

-Módulo 1 El ambiente

• El caso del Parque Nacional Doñana (España) Pasado y presente.
• El trigo transgénico (Argentina) oportunidad o daño.
• El Acuredo de Escazú (América Latina) y la riesgosa vida de los activistas medioambientales.

-Tema de transición: Claudia Sheinbaum: de científica a presidenta de México.

-Módulo 2 Cuestiones de género y poder

• Los desafíos de las mujeres en cargos de poder:discurso de asunción de Claudia Sheinbaum. El caso Cristina Kirchner y los medios de comunicación italianos.
• El lenguaje inclusivo: historia, posiciones y debate sobre si es una posición política o ideológica.

LABORATORIO (LANGUAGE WORKSHOP)

30- hour course

The following topics in particular will be covered in the laboratory:
PART I
MODULE I: Construct articulate descriptions about places, things and people in the present and past. Talking about habitual actions and describing places, things and people in the past (I)
1. Language content:
- Deepening and reinforcement of ser and estar: specific uses, peculiarities and contrasts with adjectives that change meaning.
Systematization and reinforcement of the uses of the Indicative: Pretérito imperfecto, Pretérito ndefinido, Pretérito perfecto, Pretérito pluscuamperfecto, Futuro y Condicional
2. Communicative practice:
- Composition where you describe situations in present and past from a simple topic concerning current political and social events in Spain and Hispano-America mainly.
- Describing situations and recounting past events to refer to biographical facts.
MODULE II: Construct articulate descriptions about places, things and people in the present and past. Talk about habitual actions and describe places, things and people in the past (Part II)
1. Language content:
- Reduplication of OD and OI. The phenomenon leísm of person. Uses of se to express involuntariness and impersonality. Verbs with/without -if.
- Impersonal constructions: “la gente; se/uno + 3rd pers. Singl.; Usos de los pron. tú y ellos con valor generalizador...”
- Expressions for general speech: use with pronominal verbs and with verbs of the gustar type: “Me gusta/me encanta"

2. Communicative practice:
- Composition where you describe situations in present and past from a simple topic concerning current political and social events in Spain and Hispanic-America mainly.
- Describe situations and narrate past events to refer to biographical facts.
FIRST PRACTICE FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT.
MODULE III: Expression of opinion, value judgments, advice, suggestions, feelings, certainties and doubts in present and past.
1. Language content:
- Basic forms of the indicative (present past, future) and subjunctive (present and past).
- The “v1 + que + v2” structure for expressing value judgments, advice, suggestions, feelings, certainties and doubts in present and past tense.
2. Communicative practice:
- Composition where value judgments are expressed in present and past tense from a simple topic concerning current political and social events in Spain and Hispanic-America mainly.

MODULE IV: Expression of objections or a difficulty in performing an action in present and past tense. Establishing conditions on the performance of an action, in the past, present, and future.
1. Language content:
- The conjunctions aunque/a pesar de que + indicative/conjunctive in present and past tense
- The conditional yes. Other conditional conjunctions and locutions.
- Assumptions of the first, second and third types.
- Discourse connectors: pero; sin embargo; además; entonces
2. Communicative practice:
- Composition where opinions and value judgments are expressed in present and past tense from a starting from a historical or socioeconomic topic.
- Composition on hypothetical situations in past, present and future. Talk about hypothetical situations in the past, present and future.
MODULE V: Convey what others have said.
1. Language content:
- Reported speech. Verb decir and other verbs of transmission.
- Perífrasis de gerundio: “seguir/continuar + gerundio”
- Dejar de+ infinitive
2. Communicative practice:
Composition where opinions and value judgments are expressed in present and past tense from what has been said or written by others.
MODULE VI: Expression of objections or a difficulty in performing an action in present and past tense. Establishing conditions on the performance of an action, in the past, present, and future.
1. Language content:
- The conjunctions aunque/a pesar de que + indicative/conjunctive in present and past tense
- The conditional yes. Other conditional conjunctions and locutions.
- Assumptions of the first, second and third types.
- Discourse connectors: pero; sin embargo; además; entonces
2. Communicative practice:
- Composition where opinions and value judgments are expressed in present and past tense from a starting from a historical or socioeconomic topic.
- Composition on hypothetical situations in past, present and future. Talk about hypothetical situations in the past, present and future.

 

Office hours

See the website of Martina María Adúriz Valdettaro