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Academic program
Name of subject: Spanish language and Hispanic cultures
Goal Levels of this course: A1-A2
Professor: M.S. Miguel Ángel Valdés Lizano

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I- Aims of the subject:
-Introducing the student to the knowledge of the morphosyntactic and phonetic structure
of Spanish language.
-Developing communication skills in accordance with levels A1-A2 of the Common
European Framework of Reference.
-Encouraging a multicultural spirit with emphasis on the contribution of Spain and
Hispanic America to the universal culture.
-Promoting a civic culture consistent with European values, linking the subject with the
Estonian relations with Spain and Latin America.
- Offering a socio-cultural panorama of the Hispanic countries, as a base reference for
further studies in higher education.

II- Total number of lessons: 45 hours

III-Duration of each class: 45 minutes.

IV- Assessment
1-A Final Proficiency Test at the end of the academic year. Here the different skills
developed throughout the Spanish language program will be evaluated. The score format
should consider the general system established by the school and the scale established
by the teacher for this test. The exam should have five questions (4 written and 1 spoken).
2-Partial Achievement Exams
This kind of tests will take place every three months (November-February-May) for a total
of three partial achievement exams during the academic year. These exams evaluate the
contents worked during the previous three months. They will have three questions, two
written tasks and another oral part. The score format will be adjusted considering the
system established by the school and the scale established by the professor.
3- Progress tests
As “progress tests” is understood in this subject those written or spoken evaluations,
during lessons to check the contents of each didactic unit. This type of evaluation will be
at least twice per month. The structure of these tests will be simpler, shorter and more
flexible than the others mentioned above, since it focuses on specific knowledge. This
also includes regular assessments of participation, presentation of tasks and
representation of dialogues.
4-Teacher's criteria
The teacher’s criterion is a numerical value (from zero to five points) that quantitatively
expresses the professor’s judgment about each student considering his performance
during the whole course. This will take into account discipline, class participation,
motivation, attendance, punctuality and completion of individual tasks.
5-Treatment of failed students
It will conform to the general system established by the school.
6-Final grade of the subject

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The professor should calculate the average considering all assessments of each student.
This, plus the teacher's criteria, will be the final grade of the subject.

V-Teaching methods (in order of hierarchy):

-Communicative.
-Lexical approach.
-Focusing on tasks.
-Grammar-translation.
-Audiolingual.

VI- Auxiliary language

English, as an international lingua franca, will be the main bridge language for this subject.
However, the use of Spanish as a target language will be enhanced, based on the
communicative method. The teacher will use Estonian when he considers it necessary.
The use of Russian for some materials is not ruled out.

VII- Syllabus:
1-Motivational introductory unit
1.1-Presentation on the subject, teacher and the group members.
1.1.1- Greeting and introducing yourself briefly in Spanish. Greetings for every time
of the day. Expressions of politeness. Asking and saying your age in Spanish.
1.1.2-Expressing moods, physical and emotional states in Spanish. The verb
"estar" in Spanish and its uniqueness regarding English, Russian and Estonian.
Personal pronouns.
1.1.2.1- Communication practice of oral interaction through a dialogue using the
verb “estar”.
1.1.3-Why study Spanish is a good choice? Spain and Hispanic America as a very
diverse community of countries. Dialects variety of Spanish. Presentation on the
professor's trips in the Hispanic world.
1.4-Practicing the audiovisual comprehension by presenting a song in Spanish.
Unit 2: aspects about the Spanish phonetic system and pronunciation
2.1-The Spanish alphabet and special letters combinations.
2.2-Reading practice on the clothes in Spanish. Spelling the name of clothes in
Spanish.
2.3-Suprasegmental phonetic aspects and “seseo” in Spanish. Audiovisual
comprehension practice of an illustrative video of the suprasegmental elements.
2.6-Reading practice on Spanish cities. Vocabulary related to the city. Asking and
giving directions in Spanish.
2.7-Practicing audiovisual comprehension by presenting a song in Spanish related
to the topic of this unit.
Unit 3: The school
3.1-Studing a dialogue about the unit.
3.1.1-Vocabulary related to the school.

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 3.3-Using the Spanish articles (1).
3.3.1-Using the Spanish articles (2)
3.3.2-Practicing the correct usages of the Spanish articles.
3.4-Reading comprehension practice.
3.5- Talking in Spanish about colors, flavors, sports, tastes, hobbies and
preferences.
3.5.1-Communication practice of conversation about preferences in Spanish. The
Hispanic music.
3.6-Practice of audiovisual comprehension through a video related to Hispanic
American music.
Unit 4: House and neighborhood
4.1-Studing a dialogue related to the topic of this unit.
4.1.2-Vocabulary about the house and the neighborhood. Using the simple present
in Spanish to talk about everyday actions.
4.1.3-Communication practice of conversation about house, its parts and everyday
actions.
4.2-Gender and number of Spanish nouns. Special cases. Exceptions.
4.2.1-Communication practice of the written expression about gender and number
of Spanish nouns (I).
4.3- Possessive pronouns in Spanish.
4.3.1-Communicaton practice of possessive pronouns.
4.4-Practicing the audiovisual comprehension.
Unit 5: the family
5.1-Reading a dialogue related to the vocabulary about the family.
5.1.1-Communication practice of conversation related to the vocabulary of family
using possessive pronouns.
5.2-Adjectives to describe the physical and psychological states of people in
Spanish. The verb "ser" and its uniqueness respect to other languages such as
English, Russian and Estonian.
5.3-Concord between nouns and adjectives in Spanish.
5.3.1-Communication practice of written expression about the agreement between
nouns and adjectives in Spanish (I).
5.3.2-Communication practice on the agreement between nouns and adjectives
(II). Description of family members using adjectives studied in the classroom.
5.4-Communication practice of audiovisual comprehension related to the topic of
this unit.
Unit 6: Shopping center
6.1-Practice of reading compression by studying a dialogue about the topic of this
unit.
6.1.1-The numbers in Spanish. Talking about prices in Spanish.
6.2-Talking about time in Spanish. The days of the week, months and seasons of
years in Spanish.

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 6.3-Comparisons in Spanish. Grades of adjectives in Spanish: el comparativo, el
superlativo and special cases.
6.3.1-Practicing conversation about unity.
6.4-Using the simple past tense to talk in Spanish about recent actions.
6.4.1-Practicing the simple past tense.
6.6-Practicing the audiovisual comprehension through a video related to past
actions.
Unit 7: Traveling in Spanish and Latin America
7.1-Practicing the reading comprehension with a text about places of touristic and
cultural interest in Spain and Latin America. Vocabulary about travels.
7.2- Using the future tense in Spanish to plan actions on trips.
7.2.1-Practicing the future tense in Spanish.
7.3-Audiovisual comprehension to end the course. Fiesta latina.

VIII-Bibliography and online resources for this subject

• Abcdeele
• Actividades Marcoele
• Aprender español en La Habana
• Archivos ELE ACCEM
• Aula diez
• Aveteca
• Centro Virtual Cervantes
• Cuaderno intercultural
• Cursos de ELE en la Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas
• Cursos ELE, Universidad de Buenos Aires
• Didactiteca
• Editorial Edelsa
• Ejercicios de gramática
• Escuela de gramática española «Emilio Alarcos»
• Formación para especialistas UNAM (México)
• Formespa
• Ideas para clase
• Máster ELE UniOvi
• Material para identificar los sonidos y mejorar la pronunciación
• Palabras (actividades para desarrollar en clase)
• Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes
• Portal de Hispanismo
• Profes de ELE
• Programas de inmersión lingüística en España y América Latina
• SIELE, certificado de ELE más internacional
• TodoELE
• Tripod (actividades interactivas para trabajar vocabulario)
• VideoELE