UCL CENTRE FOR LANGUAGES
& INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Course Units 2015-2016
Spanish for Academic Purposes - Introduction
Prerequisite for entry
Successful completion of Spanish Syllabus B at the UCL CLIE or a similar course and have experience of dealing with
relevant authentic material.
Course duration
20 x 2-hour classes.
Self-Study
80 hours in total.
Course codes
LCSP6803, LCSPG803, LCSPM803.
Aims and Objectives
The course is designed for intermediate level students requiring the language for studying abroad for a short period (e.g.
2-3 months).
The course comprises knowledge and understanding both of the structure of the Spanish language and its use in academic
environments, such as attending cultural events and taking notes related to their studies. The course covers academic
culture and university life to prepare students for a short study period in Spanish-speaking countries. Students will
develop critical thinking and read academic texts. This will be related back to the student’s degree subject.
The course will enhance knowledge and use of linguistic structures (a variety of styles and registers from a range of
appropriate authentic academic material). Various transferable skills will also be further developed.
Functions
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suggesting and expressing specialised opinions, critical topic-related comments;
debating, commenting, critical thinking, suggesting;
describing institutions;
defining specialised academic concepts;
composing written pieces of information for academic purposes (essay work, synthesis, summaries, reports);
conducting oral presentations on complex academic topics;
conference skills (simulating conference and academic discussions – academic oral registers);
summarising academic information from English to Spanish (and vice versa);
note taking;
reading specialised texts;
interviewing.
Course Content
Main topics/themes to be covered
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university system/professional qualifications
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applications and interviews;
seminar papers/presentations;
group debates;
conference papers;
research projects.
Skills
Reading
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reading for gist, scanning for specific information in academic sources;
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in-depth analysis of academic topics in relevant publications.
Writing
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formal academic letters;
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analysis and review of articles;
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note-taking from presentations;
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writing up presentations;
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academic reports and conference papers;
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journal articles.
Listening
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radio, TV, audio- and video-tapes;
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presentations;
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academic debates.
Speaking
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formal and informal discussions, debates, round table;
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presentations;
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seminars;
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conferences.
Linguistic Structures
Discourse Strategies
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analysing/comparing various professional sources (different text types, styles and registers);
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preparing oral contributions for different audiences;
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spoken versus written professional communication.
Main Aspects of These Strategies
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structuring (logical structures);
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linking devices (lexical, grammatical);
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stylistic levels and their usage;
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professional vocabulary.
Application of Complex Grammatical Features and Registers
Learning Resources
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Nueva gramática de la lengua española, manual (Espasa Libros) – optional – ISBN: 9788467032819
The Oxford Spanish Dictionary, New Second Edition (OUP) – ISBN: 9780199543403
Materials for the course will be drawn from:
Authentic written material from various sources to be advised by tutor;
Authentic audio and audio-visual material.
In addition there is a wide range of language learning materials available for self-study in the Self-Access Centre.