Module: Spanish Language & Contemporary Society

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Spanish Language & Contemporary Society
Module Code	SP379 (ITS) / SPA1035 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	SALIS
Module Co-ordinator	Rosa Ana Lozano Fulleda
Module Teachers	Lucía Pintado Gutiérrez
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination

Description

In this module students are encouraged to develop a critical awareness of globalisation as a political, social and economic phenomenon in the contemporary world. Specific topics include: globalisation and current affairs, immigration, linguistic diversity, cultural identity, social movements, and global citizens. The methodologies followed are content & language integrated learning (CLIL) and task-based instruction, which will give students the opportunity to explore and present complex topics in a critical and interactive manner with a good degree of fluency and accuracy. Students will also develop intercultural awareness, understanding of current affairs, autonomy, responsibility, and reflective practice.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the ability to understand a wide range of spoken and written registers drawn from a variety of sources (including broadcast media, documentaries, films, radio and academic discussions, journalistic texts, literary pieces) and extract information, ideas and opinions at an advanced level.
2. Interact with native and non-native speakers of Spanish with a degree of fluency & spontaneity, displaying adequate oral comprehension in conversation, and take active part in discussions in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining/negotiating his/her views.
3. Present orally clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest and be able to explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options, privileging analysis and discussion over simple presentation of facts.
4. Produce written pieces to express oneself in clear, well-structured text, expressing points of view at some length, presenting arguments and offering constructive peer critique, while selecting a style (formal or informal) appropriate to the reader in mind.
5. Show a relatively high level of grammatical control and connectors and a grasp of complex syntax and cohesive devices to enable full comprehension and a structured confident expression in a variety of contexts (formal and informal language registers). Display adequate proficiency in the pronunciation of Spanish.
6. Engage in activities to develop capacity for lifelong learning and transferable skills: Reflect on his/her own development and learning experience by making effective use of digital tools and resources; teamwork and negotiation skills.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Face to face sessions.
Independent Study	44	Students will need to work autonomously beyond class preparation in order to make progress and to allow the cohort to work in a timely manner.
Directed learning	50	Completion of in-class work. The lecturer will provide the students on a weekly basis with explanatory videos, presentations, reports, webpages and documentaries that they will have to prepare in a timely manner.
Assignment Completion	15	Students are required to devote time to prepare and complete the short report. Students may also be required to hand in assignments for correction throughout the semester. Such assignments are intended to prepare the students for the assessment. Assignments submitted outside the time/date agreed will not be collected.
Assignment Completion	15	Students are required to devote time to prepare and complete the oral critical piece. Students may also be required to hand in assignments for correction or practice in class throughout the semester. Such assignments or tasks are intended to prepare the students for the assessment. Assignments submitted outside the time/date agreed will not be collected.
Assignment Completion	20	Students are required to devote time to prepare and complete the oral examination. Students may also be required to hand in assignments for correction or practice in class throughout the semester. Such assignments or tasks are intended to prepare the students for the assessment. Assignments submitted outside the time/date agreed will not be collected.
Group work	84	Individual preparation or preparation with peers of classroom work, including presentation and activities.
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Language practice
Based on the principles of content & language integrated learning, the purpose of this module is twofold: to improve Spanish language skills and to develop a better understanding of globalisation as a phenomenon. Taking into account the needs and interests of the class, the activities in this module include: (a) the study and use of vocabulary of contemporary issues, higher intermediate grammar and styles related to genres and registers encountered in a variety of current affairs texts and media; (b) weekly practice of listening and reading skills through comprehension exercises based on advanced level podcasts, broadcasts, films, news reports, articles; (c) the exploration and guided discussion in small groups of social, political and cultural issues related to the target language context; and (d) the production of oral and written tasks (such as infographics, argumentative essays, video projects, etc.).

Methodology
This module includes weekly classes, It is essential that students complete the assigned work before each class session in order to be able to participate in class discussions. This module follows a task-based methodology so students will be required to complete one task/project in each of the units. A flipped approach to instruction may be followed in this module.

Work format
Coursework involves individual and pair/group work to complete oral and written tasks. Students will need to communicate with classmates during class as well as outside our timetabled sessions in order to complete group tasks and assignments.

Beyond the classroom
Students are expected to practice all skills (production, reception and interaction) outside the classroom, using all available resources provided by the teacher, library, and other cultural events.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Report(s)	Students will have to write a report in Spanish. They will work from an infographic, interpret the meaning in relation to the content seen in class and acquired independently, and write a report on it.	25%	n/a
Presentation	Students will have to do research on a film related to one of the contents in class in order to analyse it. They will follow guidelines to discuss in Spanish the film in a critical manner. The presentation will be in class.	20%	n/a
Written Exam	Students will take grammar tests in order to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired.	15%	n/a
Oral Examination	Students will have to maintain a sustained monologue in Spanish upon choosing an image. They will need to describe such image interpreting the meaning. They will then have a discussion with the examiner(s) in relation with the sustained dialogue they carried out and other topics seen during the module.	40%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Other Resources

None

Revised assessment