Pasos 1 video notes

The Pasos 1 DVD consists of 12 episodes (1-6 and 8-13) which mirror the lessons in the
coursebook.* As we follow the everyday life of four characters in Barcelona, these 12
episodes offer further practice opportunities for the language presented and practised in
the coursebook.

1. La llegada de Isabel
2. ¡Tengo mucha hambre!
3. Hoy visito Barcelona
4. Un hotel para mis amigos
5. ¿En qué trabajas?
6. Las chicas van de compras
-------------------------------
8. Tiempo libre en Barcelona
9. Haciendo planes
10. Mis próximas vacaciones
11. ¿Qué tiempo hace?
12. En el estudio de Juan
13. Isabel está enferma

* There is no accompanying video footage for Lessons 7 and 14, which are revision
lessons. You may wish to use part of the video to supplement these revision lessons
in order to go over the material you have covered in each half of the course.

General

These notes are directed equally at the learner working alone or together with another
student, or alternatively as source material for teachers working with a group of learners.

There are numerous ways in which the videos will enhance your learning. Firstly, the tasks
which accompany the DVD and are located in the video section of the Pasos 1 4th edition
coursebook are invaluable in checking understanding and providing extra practice material
throughout the course.

The video material can also be used to supplement and consolidate the language from each
lesson. It incorporates both visual and audio components so that short sections can be
played without sound to work on vocabulary, eg identifying food items in the market. You
can use the freeze frame to describe what is in an image, or play a short section without
sound then add your own dialogue, or try recreating the conversations you hear to build
fluency and confidence.

Don’t be afraid to experiment in any way you like to ensure that the material helps with
both learning and practice.

Video ideas

Here are some ideas which can be used at any stage and with any of the suitable material
contained within the video. They are suggestions only, which can be modified and added to
where appropriate.

1. Play a short sequence with no dialogue (or without sound) and answer the questions:
¿Dónde está(n)? / Where are they?
¿Qué hay? / What is there in the scene?

2. Stop the video at key moments. Describe what you see.

¿Cuantas personas hay? / How many people are there?
¿Qué dicen? / What do they say?
¿Qué hacen? / What are they doing?
¿Qué llevan? What are they wearing?
¿Qué hay en la escena? / What can you see in the scene?
¿Qué ves en la escena?

>> Research and practise vocabulary.

3. Stop the video just as a conversation is about to start.

¿De qué hablan? / What are they talking about?
¿Qué dicen? / What do they say?

4. After a short dialogue, make your own version of the same (or similar) dialogue.

5. After seeing/hearing a dialogue/conversation between two characters, use the text

version of the dialogue, with one person’s lines blanked out. Complete the dialogue, then
watch the video dialogue again to check it against your version.

6. Use a text version of the dialogue with the questions blanked out and only the responses
visible. Fill in the questions, then check with the original dialogue.

7. Use the text version of the dialogue with gaps for vocabulary and complete. Then check
against the video.

8. Practise the original dialogue by recreating it with alternative vocabulary:

e.g.
Lesson 13
A: Me duele la garganta; me duele la cabeza.
B: Tienes que tomar estas pastillas.

Change to the following:

A: Me duele el estómago.
B: Tienes que tomar este jarabe.

9. Play a short section of a dialogue with no sound and interpret what the characters are
saying.

¿Qué dice(n)? / What do they say?

¿Qué ha(n) dicho? / What have they just said?
¿Qué va(n) a decir? / What do you think they are going to say?

10. Use the subtitle facility at any time. You might want to watch a clip without subtitles
then add the subtitles afterwards to check your or your students’ work, or to clarify a
section. Or there may be a word students don't know and need to check for spelling or
meaning. Or you may want to carefully check on a structure a character is using. There are
many ways you can use the subtitles, but it is recommended that you always try to do the
tasks first without them.

NOTE: Any episode can be used for any task at any stage of the course. For example, you
can revisit the first lesson to practise vocabulary for clothes, colours, etc. Lesson 2 can be
used to practise furniture in a room.