Form C4
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor
1. Course
Code
C47SY
2. Course
Title
Spanish Beginners Elective 2
3. SCQF 7
4. Credits
Level
6. Course
Pablo La Porte
Co-ordinator
15
5. School
Management and Languages
7. Delivery:
Location &
Semester
Edin
SBC
Orkney
Dubai
IDL
Collaborative Partner
Approved Learning Partner
Sem 2.
Sem…….
Sem………..
Sem……..
Sem….
Name…………………….....Sem..…...
Name …………………………………Sem………..
8. Pre-requisites
9. Linked Courses
(specify if synoptic)
10. Excluded Courses
11. Replacement Courses
C47SX or equivalent
The 2 semesters are synoptically linked
Code:
12. Degrees for which
this is a core course
Date Of Replacement:
13. The course may be
delivered to:
UG only
PG only
UG & PG
14. Available as an Elective?
Yes
No
15. Aims
 To equip students with a thorough command of the basics of oral and written Spanish equivalent to a good ‘standard grade’ pass
 To enable students to communicate orally, using simple sentence structures.
 To understand and respond to authentic spoken discourse (simple statements, dialogues, questions).
 To understand and respond to authentic texts written in Spanish (advertisements, short articles).
16. Syllabus

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Pronunciation: stress, tones, consonant and vowel sounds.
Writing: Spanish characters.
Grammar: word order, nouns, articles, adjectives, verb-adjectives, gender and number agreement, measure words, pronouns, numbers, verbs.
Topics used for language learning: greetings, spelling, describing a person, describing yourself, family, ordering food and drink, asking the time, the date and
the weather, shopping, asking for directions, at the hotel/train station/bus station, making telephone calls.
Culture: Each session will also cover a specific item on Spanish culture
Text required for use in class and self-study are: Muñoz, P. and Thacker, M., A Spanish Learning Grammar (Arnold, 2006)
The lecturer will provide additional written and listening materials in class as well as making use of the BBC Spanish language programme and other web
material.
The teacher will be a native speaker of Spanish and hence will record some additional material as MP3 files which students can take home with them to
practise.
The expectation is that students will finish the textbook by the end of the year (19 units).
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Form C4
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor
17. Learning Outcomes (HWU Core Skills: Employability and Professional Career Readiness)
Subject Mastery
Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills
Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research-Informed Learning)
Demonstrate ability to understand and respond in English and Spanish to
authentic spoken discourse
Engage in simple spontaneous conversation with peers and native
speakers of Spanish
Present information orally in Spanish
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of grammatical structures of
Spanish.
Personal Abilities
Industrial, Commercial & Professional Practice
Demonstrate ability to gather and sort information
Structure and make simple presentations
Acquire an awareness of Spanish culture.
Learn appropriate Spanish register and vocabulary.
Demonstrate ability to identify and analyse grammatical issues in Spanish
Formulate adequate solutions to basic translation-related problems.
Acquire and awareness of language evolution and changes in language
production.
Autonomy, Accountability & Working with Others
Self-management skills fostered by the need to be
committed to a purpose, to manage self-study
effectively and to work to deadlines
Participate in teamwork, peer conversation, group
activities.
Begin to take account of own and others’ roles,
Responsibilities and contributions in carrying out and
evaluating certain tasks.
18. Assessment Methods
Method
Communication, Numeracy & ICT
Communicate effectively in Spanish
Use presentation software to make
simple presentations.
19. Re-assessment Methods
Duration of Exam
Weighting (%)
Synoptic courses?
Method
(if applicable)
Duration of Exam
(if applicable)
Formative Assessment: Lecturer,
peer and self-assessment of exercises
(group discussions, role plays, partner
discussions)
50%
Continuous Assessment:
Lecturer assessment of various
written, aural comprehension and oral
exercises.
2 hours at end of
year
50%
Yes.
Exam at the resit diet
2 hours
Summative Assessment: Written
examination
20. Date and Version
Date of Proposal
Date of Approval by
School Committee
Date of
Implementation
Version
Number
2/2
Diet(s)