Teaching and learning objectives
General
The definition of the teaching and learning objectives of the Spanish section recognises:
* the plurality of these objectives, given varying student profiles: the section must provide for students with different learning experience in the discipline area, ranging from secondary school experience (supplemented by study or travel in Spain or Latin America) to no learning experience at all - thus there are three first-year entry levels (beginners, intermediate, post-VCE);
* varying course configurations: the section's offerings include first-year sequences, the minor, the major and honours;
* a general commitment to provide students with the opportunity to acquire and develop (i) skills of critical analysis that are transferable from one construct to another; (ii) the intellectual and practical skills necessary for obtaining suitable professional employment; (iii) the theoretical and practical training required to write research papers and undertake postgraduate studies; and (iv) a sensitive awareness of cultural differences and traditions.
Objectives vary according to the duration of study in the discipline, but any course (eg beginner/first-year only) is both discrete, with its own set of objectives, and a component of a longer course (ie a minor, a major and honours) with correspondingly more extensive objectives. None of the section's discrete offerings (with the exception of the first-year first-semester subjects) have as their only justification their belonging to a longer course. For example the justification of a first-year subject, and therefore its teaching and learning objectives, are not solely defined in terms of access to and preparation for later-year study.
The above has important implications for language-teaching methodology and the definition and co-ordination of the units of increasing complexity offered by the section.
Language acquisition
In general, language teaching objectives include:
* acquisition of communicative competence involving oral/aural and reading/writing skills commensurate with course type and length;
* acquisition, at the same time, of the metalanguage/metadiscourse required for an understanding of the phonetics, sentence structure, intonation patterns and discourse patterns of Spanish (as commensurate with course type and length) - this will promote autonomous language-learning and research skills;
* acquisition, at more advanced levels, and in conjunction with general language courses, of Spanish-specific professional communication skills and an understanding of problems of intercultural communication;
* acquisition, at more advanced levels, of skills necessary to translate and interpret into and from English and Spanish;
* exposure to the varieties of language in Spain and Latin America;
* a developing appreciation and understanding of language generally.
Cultural competence
Integral to language acquisition, making it significant in terms of the general aims of the university, is the acquisition of `cultural competence'. This is understood as:
* the acquisition of a broad awareness of key areas of cultural knowledge relating to Spain and/or Latin America;
* the development of skills in the description and analysis of the social construction of reality, self (individual and collective, ie personal and national identity) and other that is peculiarly Hispanic;
* the development of the ability to recognise the specificity of Hispanic cultural constructs;
* the ability to relate this new knowledge to the wider context of the contemporary world.
The modes of social construction studied are various - literary, cinematographic, historical, graphic - and they range from high art to popular culture; they are canonical and marginal.
At a minimal level, students should be able to analyse the basic processes through which a variety of texts using Spanish produce meaning. At advanced levels, students should be able to understand and apply competing theoretical models of analysis of social constructs.
Pass courses
SPN1010 (Introductory Spanish IA) and SPN1020 (Introductory Spanish IB) are beginners subjects for those with little or no knowledge of the language. SPN1070 (Spanish language IA) and SPN1080 (Spanish language IB) are for students with at least a pass in Spanish at HSC/VCE or equivalent knowledge of the language.
Minor sequence
A minor sequence in Spanish may be completed in one of two ways: (a) by taking at first-year level SPN1010 and SPN1020 (Introductory Spanish IA and IB) and at second-year level, SPN2110 and SPN2120 (Intermediate Spanish IA and IB) together with either SPN2130 (Introduction to modern Spain) or SPN2150 (Introduction to modern Latin America) or by taking at first-year level SPN1070 and SPN1080 (Spanish language IA and IB) and at second-year level SPN2170 and SPN2180 (Spanish language IIA and IIB) together with one of SPN2130, SPN2150 or SPN2190.
Major sequence
A major sequence in Spanish is completed by taking a minor sequence followed, as appropriate, either by SPN3210 and SPN3220 (Advanced Spanish IA and IB) or by SPN3270 and SPN3280 (Spanish language IIIA and IIIB) together with eight points of third-year work and eight further points chosen from either second or third-year subjects.
Students are strongly encouraged to take additional subjects in Spanish at either second or third-year level. Some subjects may not be offered if there are insufficient enrolments.
Honours
Coordinator: Alun Kenwood
Students are admitted to honours at fourth-year level if they achieve credit grades to the value of twenty-four points at second and third-year levels, of which sixteen points must be at third-year level.
Combined honours may be taken in Spanish and another discipline provided that all honours requirements have been met in both disciplines and subject to the approval of the heads of both departments/centres.
Students who wish to apply for mid-year entry should consult with the head of section.
All intending honours students are strongly advised to take more than the minimum number of subjects required for admission to honours. It is in their own interest to do so, since this will increase their linguistic proficiency and broaden their knowledge of Hispanic culture.
First-year level
First-year students wishing to take, in second semester, an additional subject providing broader background to their Spanish studies are directed to EUR1020 (Contemporary Europe II). This subject does not normally form part of a first-year sequence in Spanish.
* SPN1010 Introductory Spanish IA
* SPN1020 Introductory Spanish IB
* SPN1070 Spanish language IA
* SPN1080 Spanish language IB
Second-year level
Students are strongly encouraged to choose additional subjects which relate their studies in Spanish to the wider context of European culture and society. They should read carefully the entries under European studies, comparative literature, cultural studies and critical theory
General prerequisite: SPN1010 and SPN1020 or SPN1070 and SPN1080 or equivalent experience in Spanish.
* SPN2110 Intermediate Spanish IA
* SPN2120 Intermediate Spanish IB
* SPN2130 Introduction to modern Spain
* SPN2150 Introduction to modern Latin America
* SPN2170 Spanish language IIA
* SPN2180 Spanish language IIB
* SPN2190 Individual option
* SPN2290 Spanish linguistics in trading and communication
* SPN2310 Study abroad program
* SPN2550 Second language acquisition and attrition
Third-year level
All intending honours students are strongly advised to take more than the minimum number of subjects required for admission to honours. All students are encouraged to choose additional subjects which relate their studies in Spanish to the wider context of European culture and society. They should read carefully the entries for European studies, comparative literature, cultural studies and critical theory. EUR3520 (Reading the past: European cinema, history and national identity), which contains a four-week segment on Spanish cinema, is especially recommended.
General prerequisites: SPN2110 and SPN2120 or SPN2170 and SPN2180 and at least one other second-year level subject in Spanish.
* SPN3210 Advanced Spanish IA
* SPN3220 Advanced Spanish IB
* SPN3230 Spanish literature 1868-1936
* SPN3250 Twentieth century Spanish American literature
* SPN3270 Spanish language IIIA
* SPN3280 Spanish language IIIB
* SPN3290 Spanish linguistics in trading and communication
* SPN3310 Study abroad program
* SPN3430 European cultural history: the Spanish Civil War
* SPN3550 Second language acquisition and attrition
* SPN3630 Nineteenth century Spanish literature
* SPN3730 Contemporary Spanish fiction and film
* SPN3750 Spanish American fiction since 1940 A
* SPN3780 Women's writing in Latin America today
* SPN3850 Spanish American fiction since 1940 B
* SPN3910 Spanish for special purposes
* SPN3930 Individual option
* SPN3990 Language study abroad program
Fourth-year level
The fourth-year honours course consists of either
* SPN4500 Honours dissertation (16 points)
* SPN4990 Language study abroad program (16 points)
* two eight-point subjects (which may include SPN4400 Spanish Language IV)
or
* SPN4500 Honours dissertation (16 points)
* SPN 4400 (Spanish language IV)
* two eight-point subjects
Under exceptional circumstances students may be allowed to replace SPN4400 with a literature or linguistics subject.
* SPN4230 Spanish literature 1868-1936
* SPN4250 Twentieth century Spanish American literature
* SPN4400 Spanish language IV
* SPN4430 European cultural history: the Spanish Civil War
* SPN4500 Honours dissertation
* SPN4630 Nineteenth century Spanish literature
* SPN4730 Contemporary Spanish fiction and film
* SPN4750 Spanish American fiction since 1940 A
* SPN4780 Women's writing in Latin America today
* SPN4850 Spanish American fiction since 1940 B
* SPN4910 Spanish for special purposes
* SPN4930 Special reading course
* SPN4990 Language study abroad program