Beyond Memorization
Intermediate Spanish (SPN 217) will help you feel more comfortable with grammar structures you learned in previous Spanish classes. The course will also give you the tools to write effectively and teach you to analyze literature in Spanish. It will also prep you for off-campus study programs in Spanish-speaking countries by providing language skills proficiency along with a solid foundation of cultural contexts and differences in the Spanish-speaking world.
Beyond improved reading, speaking, writing, and comprehension skills, the course has been recently redesigned to include cultural awareness and cultural competency with the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. As you review grammar concepts, you’ll practice real conversations about migration, human rights, geopolitical relations, and the history of Spanish-speaking populations in Spain, Latin America, and diaspora communities throughout the world. You’ll develop a more real-world, complex understanding of the Spanish language and culture.
Assistant Professor of Spanish John Petrus says his own experience as a student of Spanish was quite different than Intermediate Spanish at 51²è¹İapp. “Personally, my intermediate Spanish courses focused on memorizing grammar rules, repeating them on tests, and reading excerpts of adaptations of canonical Spanish and Latin American literature. In Intermediate Spanish, while some memorization is necessary, the focus is more on practicing grammar to communicate more effectively on topics that matter to us.â€
As part of a small group, you’ll prepare a cultural presentation that requires research on a cultural topic of your choice. With your group, you’ll develop a presentation for your peers, combining language skills, research, and cultural competency. Students in the course also listen to contemporary music and podcasts, watch recent films, and analyze visual culture from authors and creators reflecting the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. Traditional literature is another element of the course.
“While we understand that many won’t be using literary analysis as a primary skill in their future careers, we believe that literature and art are intrinsically tied to culture and expression of identities,†says Petrus. “Those are elements that are relevant life skills in any career.â€