This course is directed at those students who already have knowledge of the Spanish language. Students will reinforce linguistic resources for communicating in everyday situations. They will work on communicating socially and with more precision and pragmatic adequacy. Students will develop linguistic and communicative competence by acquiring analytical abilities with the objective of promoting a certain level of autonomy and linguistic reflection. Students will also begin to become familiar with specific linguistic resources in an academic and professional context.
This course aims to improve the four skills by means of task-based activities, structural and written exercises, and oral practice in the classroom. This four credit Spanish language course is specially designed to promote consolidation and fluency of narrative structures and develop reading and writing of quality texts at a more speculative level.
Student Profile
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will start to become creative, spontaneous and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, express their opinions, likes and dislikes in the culture. Although students will still make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and are starting to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Prerequisites:
Completion of IES Abroad’s SP303 Emerging Independent outcomes, determined by placement exam.
Attendance policy:
Class attendance is compulsory. Each student will be allowed only three unexcused absences throughout the whole course. For each unexcused absence beyond this there will be a reduction in the final grade. Punctuality: Students who are late to class on a regular basis will also receive a reduction in their final grade.
Learning outcomes:
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes defined by the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course students will be able to achieve the outcomes for Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will begin to identify at a basic level key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will start to identify their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to identify some gestures and body language, and they may be able to integrate some of those non-verbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand some spoken communications of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will begin to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate and respond actively in a variety of interactions.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will begin to read and understand the main ideas of academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet many everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, and online forums).
B. Students will be able to write brief essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with developing degrees of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors covered in class.
Method of presentation:
At IES Abroad Salamanca Spanish is taught by means of an eclectic approach, integrating the main educational and methodological techniques from different second language teaching approaches such as the communicative method, the task-based approach and some elements from the cognitive method.
Taking advantage of students’ linguistic immersion, these courses meet their real communicative needs by creating communicative situations as authentic as possible inside the classroom. For this reason, these courses maximize work in groups and in pairs in order to give students the opportunity to practice and try out language in a safe context. Nonetheless, this communicative practice is carried out in an organized and ordered manner so that it substantially benefits the progress of students’ linguistic learning.
First of all, students are provided with certain linguistic input so that they can start practicing through a gradual sequence of controlled, semi-controlled and free activities with an increasing degree of difficulty. The purpose of these activities is to avoid that students get immersed in too difficult communicative situations without real linguistic and communicative motivations. Additionally, as another essential element for the communicative practice in the classroom, students receive an explicit linguistic teaching (grammatical, lexical, functional, pragmatic content), which is carried out in an inductive or deductive manner, depending on the case. In this sense, some advances of the cognitive approach are included, using a cognitive grammar whose content is also put into practice through input-processing activities, grammatical-awareness tasks and output activities.
Another essential aspect of Spanish courses at IES Abroad Salamanca is the promotion of intercultural competence as an effective bridge between the classroom and the reality outside the classroom. For this purpose, students will have to carry out a research project that makes them come into direct contact with the city of Salamanca. They will freely choose the topic of the research project, which must be related to Spanish culture, society or lifestyle. Research will consist of choosing a linguistic topic in order to investigate certain lexical and grammatical aspects as well as conversational resources, using bibliographical and on-line sources, interviews with native speakers and information about the city.
The IES Abroad Salamanca Moodle platform will be used to complement classroom sessions throughout the whole course: https://sala.elearning.iesabroad.org/login/index.php. The course syllabus, PowerPoint presentations and any other materials or information that students may need will be posted on this platform. All the IES Abroad Salamanca courses require the use of Moodle as an additional learning tool. Nevertheless, as Moodle can be adapted to any type of teaching styles and methodologies, instructors will use Moodle in the manner they consider the most appropriate for the course.
Required work and form of assessment:
■ Class participation (10%):
Active participation, interacting with the rest of the students and getting involved in class activities will be positively evaluated.
■ Language journal and written compositions (20%):
A language journal will be submitted weekly. Students will hand in one page per week. It will be submitted in class, sent by e-mail or posted in Moodle every Thursday. The following week the instructor will give the journals back to the students with corrections and/or comments.
Form of assessment for language journal and written compositions: Written tasks will be assessed by instructors in accordance with criteria of adequacy, discourse organization, lexical richness, grammatical correctness and thematic depth.
■ Exams (40%):
Throughout the course there will be two exams: a mid-term and a final exam. Each exam will include exercises of oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, reading comprehension and some other possible exercises to assess different course content. Established exam times cannot be modified.
-Mid-term exam: Around midterm ----------------20%
-Final exam: At the end of the course -------------20%
(The final exam will include all course content)
■ Research project (20%):
The research project incorporates field work where, in groups of two, three or four, students will have to carry out research about socio-cultural issues in Spain. The written version of the project will be submitted on the dates established by IES Abroad Salamanca.
-Research written paper: 10%
-Oral presentation: 10%
■ Field study (10%):
The instructor and the students will carry out a field study activity related to course content outside the classroom for one or several sessions. This activity will use the city as a text, emphasizing the importance of learning a language in an immersion context and taking advantage of the cultural and historical richness of Salamanca.
Students must participate in this activity in the following way:
Previously preparing the readings or tasks indicated by the instructor.
Doing the corresponding tasks after the activity.
Actively participating during the activity and even presenting a part of the activity if necessary.
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
1. Functional: Telling and writing anecdotes about customs and traditions.
2. Grammatical: Review verb tenses of indicative mood.
3. Vocabulary: Social relations.
4. Culture: El Rastro (flea market) in Madrid. Haggling.
Read chapters 1 and 2 of the required reading.
Summarize those chapters (200-250 words, for both chapters).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write an academic e-mail.
I.A
I.B
II.B
III.A
IV.A
V.A
V.B
V.C
Week 2
1. Functional: Talking about the past. Controlling communication.
2. Grammatical: Review past tenses. Contact markers.
3. Vocabulary: Biographies. Anecdotes.
4. Culture: Important Spanish figures in history.
Read chapter 3 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write the biography of a historical figure in North American history.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.C
IV.A
V.B
Week 3
1. Functional: Giving instructions. Giving advice and recommendations.
2. Grammatical: Obligation periphrases. Review and broaden knowledge on the imperative mood.
3. Vocabulary: Social life.
4. Culture: How to choose between tú or usted in conversations.
Read chapter 4 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
I.A
I.B
I.C
II.A
III.A
III.B
IV.A
V.B
V.C
Week 4
1. Functional: Expressing doubts and wishes.
2. Grammatical: Review and broaden knowledge on present subjunctive.
3. Vocabulary: School language.
4. Culture: Field study activity (outside the classroom). Visit old University of Salamanca library.
Read chapter 5 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Composition on North American school life.
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Composition describing fashion weeks (Cibeles vs. New York).
I.B
II.A
III.A
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 9
1. Functional: Connecting two moments in time. Expressing the moment when an action occurs. Establishing future moments.
2. Grammatical: Time structures and connectors.
3. Vocabulary: Life stages.
4. Culture: Las Edades del Hombre exhibition.
Read chapters 10 and 11 of the required reading.
Summarize those chapters (200-250 words, for both chapters).
I.B
II.A
III.A
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 10
1. Functional: Explaining the reason or cause of an action.
2. Grammatical: Cause structures and connectors.
3. Vocabulary: Obsessions and customs.
4. Culture: The work world in Spain.
Read chapter 12 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write a CV.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.B
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 11
1. Functional: Expressing results and purpose.
2. Grammatical: Argument connectors.
Oral presentations.
Read chapter 13 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.B
IV.A
V.B
Week 12
Review course content for final exam.
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Dossier with review grammar exercises.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.B
IV.B
V.A
dates
Final Exam
-oral
-written
Required readings:
Martín Gaite, C. Caperucita en Manhattan. Madrid: Siruela, 1990.
Student book: Método de español para extranjeros. Prisma – Progresa. Nivel B-1. Madrid: Edinumen.
Recommended readings:
Cerrolaza, Ó. Diccionario práctico de gramática. 800 fichas de uso correcto del español. Madrid: Ed. Edelsa, 2005. [It is complemented by the exercise book and the answer key].
VV. AA. Gramática básica del estudiante de español. Barcelona: Ed. Difusión, 2005. It covers from levels A1 to B1 of the CEFR. [It includes many exercises and the answer key is at the end].
VV.AA. Gramática. Madrid: Anaya, 2007. Intermediate level B1. [Practical grammar book with exercises, answer key and self-assessment test].
Dictionaries
Diccionario Salamanca de la lengua española. Madrid: Santillana. Several editions. [Monolingual dictionary especially designed for students of Spanish as a Second Language. It includes good examples to illustrate the use of words. Definitions are usually clear and simple].
Real Academia Española. Diccionario de la Lengua Española. Madrid: Espasa‐Calpe, 2001 (22nd edition). [Especially useful to look up words in disuse that are found in the classic works of the Spanish literature. An on-line version is available at www.rae.es, which can also be added to the browser toolbar in the computer. From this link, we can access the Diccionario Panhispánico de dudas].
Seco, M. and others. Diccionario del Español Actual. Madrid: Santillana, 1999. Dictionary designed for native Spanish speakers. [This is an absolutely “new” dictionary, that is to say, it is not based on other previous dictionaries. It only includes the definitions of words that are really used today. There is a two-volume version with examples of every word and a one-volume abridged version without examples].
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Vanesa Álvarez earned her Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies at the University of Salamanca. She pursued her doctoral studies in Discourse Analysis and its Applications in the Faculty of Philology at this university. Prof. Álvarez earned her B.A. in Hispanic Studies at the University of Almería in 2004. She also pursued postgraduate studies in an editing program (Santillana Ediciones-Universidad de Salamanca) in 2007. During that year, she completed an internship at Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. Since 2009 Prof. Álvarez works as a professor in the Spanish Language Department and she collaborates as an instructor in Cursos Internacionales at the University of Salamanca. Currently, she combines her teaching and research activities with undergraduate studies to obtain a B.A. in Portuguese Studies.
Her research projects are focused on the study of discourse genres and procedures to create texts (paying special attention to explanatory and argumentative texts). Likewise, she has found an interesting connection between SSL and Discourse Analysis in projects (still in progress) focusing on the study and analysis of discourse markers.
She has published various articles and she has been invited as a speaker to international conferences.
This course is directed at those students who already have knowledge of the Spanish language. Students will reinforce linguistic resources for communicating in everyday situations. They will work on communicating socially and with more precision and pragmatic adequacy. Students will develop linguistic and communicative competence by acquiring analytical abilities with the objective of promoting a certain level of autonomy and linguistic reflection. Students will also begin to become familiar with specific linguistic resources in an academic and professional context.
This course aims to improve the four skills by means of task-based activities, structural and written exercises, and oral practice in the classroom. This four credit Spanish language course is specially designed to promote consolidation and fluency of narrative structures and develop reading and writing of quality texts at a more speculative level.
Student Profile
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will start to become creative, spontaneous and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, express their opinions, likes and dislikes in the culture. Although students will still make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and are starting to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Completion of IES Abroad’s SP303 Emerging Independent outcomes, determined by placement exam.
Class attendance is compulsory. Each student will be allowed only three unexcused absences throughout the whole course. For each unexcused absence beyond this there will be a reduction in the final grade. Punctuality: Students who are late to class on a regular basis will also receive a reduction in their final grade.
Students who are placed in this level should be capable of achieving the outcomes defined by the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course students will be able to achieve the outcomes for Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will begin to identify at a basic level key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will start to identify their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to identify some gestures and body language, and they may be able to integrate some of those non-verbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand some spoken communications of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will begin to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate and respond actively in a variety of interactions.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will begin to read and understand the main ideas of academic texts with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet many everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, letters, emails, chats, and online forums).
B. Students will be able to write brief essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with developing degrees of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors covered in class.
At IES Abroad Salamanca Spanish is taught by means of an eclectic approach, integrating the main educational and methodological techniques from different second language teaching approaches such as the communicative method, the task-based approach and some elements from the cognitive method.
Taking advantage of students’ linguistic immersion, these courses meet their real communicative needs by creating communicative situations as authentic as possible inside the classroom. For this reason, these courses maximize work in groups and in pairs in order to give students the opportunity to practice and try out language in a safe context. Nonetheless, this communicative practice is carried out in an organized and ordered manner so that it substantially benefits the progress of students’ linguistic learning.
First of all, students are provided with certain linguistic input so that they can start practicing through a gradual sequence of controlled, semi-controlled and free activities with an increasing degree of difficulty. The purpose of these activities is to avoid that students get immersed in too difficult communicative situations without real linguistic and communicative motivations. Additionally, as another essential element for the communicative practice in the classroom, students receive an explicit linguistic teaching (grammatical, lexical, functional, pragmatic content), which is carried out in an inductive or deductive manner, depending on the case. In this sense, some advances of the cognitive approach are included, using a cognitive grammar whose content is also put into practice through input-processing activities, grammatical-awareness tasks and output activities.
Another essential aspect of Spanish courses at IES Abroad Salamanca is the promotion of intercultural competence as an effective bridge between the classroom and the reality outside the classroom. For this purpose, students will have to carry out a research project that makes them come into direct contact with the city of Salamanca. They will freely choose the topic of the research project, which must be related to Spanish culture, society or lifestyle. Research will consist of choosing a linguistic topic in order to investigate certain lexical and grammatical aspects as well as conversational resources, using bibliographical and on-line sources, interviews with native speakers and information about the city.
The IES Abroad Salamanca Moodle platform will be used to complement classroom sessions throughout the whole course: https://sala.elearning.iesabroad.org/login/index.php. The course syllabus, PowerPoint presentations and any other materials or information that students may need will be posted on this platform. All the IES Abroad Salamanca courses require the use of Moodle as an additional learning tool. Nevertheless, as Moodle can be adapted to any type of teaching styles and methodologies, instructors will use Moodle in the manner they consider the most appropriate for the course.
■ Class participation (10%):
Active participation, interacting with the rest of the students and getting involved in class activities will be positively evaluated.
■ Language journal and written compositions (20%):
A language journal will be submitted weekly. Students will hand in one page per week. It will be submitted in class, sent by e-mail or posted in Moodle every Thursday. The following week the instructor will give the journals back to the students with corrections and/or comments.
Form of assessment for language journal and written compositions: Written tasks will be assessed by instructors in accordance with criteria of adequacy, discourse organization, lexical richness, grammatical correctness and thematic depth.
■ Exams (40%):
Throughout the course there will be two exams: a mid-term and a final exam. Each exam will include exercises of oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, reading comprehension and some other possible exercises to assess different course content. Established exam times cannot be modified.
-Mid-term exam: Around midterm ----------------20%
-Final exam: At the end of the course -------------20%
(The final exam will include all course content)
■ Research project (20%):
The research project incorporates field work where, in groups of two, three or four, students will have to carry out research about socio-cultural issues in Spain. The written version of the project will be submitted on the dates established by IES Abroad Salamanca.
-Research written paper: 10%
-Oral presentation: 10%
■ Field study (10%):
The instructor and the students will carry out a field study activity related to course content outside the classroom for one or several sessions. This activity will use the city as a text, emphasizing the importance of learning a language in an immersion context and taking advantage of the cultural and historical richness of Salamanca.
Students must participate in this activity in the following way:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
1. Functional: Telling and writing anecdotes about customs and traditions.
2. Grammatical: Review verb tenses of indicative mood.
3. Vocabulary: Social relations.
4. Culture: El Rastro (flea market) in Madrid. Haggling.
Read chapters 1 and 2 of the required reading.
Summarize those chapters (200-250 words, for both chapters).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write an academic e-mail.
I.A
I.B
II.B
III.A
IV.A
V.A
V.B
V.C
Week 2
1. Functional: Talking about the past. Controlling communication.
2. Grammatical: Review past tenses. Contact markers.
3. Vocabulary: Biographies. Anecdotes.
4. Culture: Important Spanish figures in history.
Read chapter 3 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write the biography of a historical figure in North American history.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.C
IV.A
V.B
Week 3
1. Functional: Giving instructions. Giving advice and recommendations.
2. Grammatical: Obligation periphrases. Review and broaden knowledge on the imperative mood.
3. Vocabulary: Social life.
4. Culture: How to choose between tú or usted in conversations.
Read chapter 4 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
I.A
I.B
I.C
II.A
III.A
III.B
IV.A
V.B
V.C
Week 4
1. Functional: Expressing doubts and wishes.
2. Grammatical: Review and broaden knowledge on present subjunctive.
3. Vocabulary: School language.
4. Culture: Field study activity (outside the classroom). Visit old University of Salamanca library.
Read chapter 5 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Composition on North American school life.
I.B
I.A
II.B
III.B
IV.A
V.B
Week 5
1. Functional: Expressing probability. Regretting.
2. Grammatical: Probability markers. ¡Por qué + conditional!
3. Vocabulary: Education.
4. Culture: Field study activity (outside the classroom).
Read chapter 6 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Essay contrasting Spanish with North American university life.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
IV.A
V.B
Week 6
*Mid-term exam
Review course content.
Mid-term exam
-oral
-written
Read chapter 7 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 7
1. Functional: Expressing agreement and disagreement. Arguing for/against a theory.
2. Grammatical: Opinion verbs and expressions. Discourse organization markers.
3. Vocabulary: Cinema.
4. Culture: Hispanic Oscar awards.
Read chapter 8 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Discussion on film festivals (San Sebastián, Oscars, Sundance, etc.)
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 8
1. Functional: Describing and defining. Identifying objects, places and people, and giving secondary information.
2. Grammatical: Ser/estar. Uses (review). Relative sentences. Known/unknown antecedents.
3. Vocabulary: Fashion.
4. Culture: Cibeles/Gaudí Fashion Week.
Read chapter 9 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Composition describing fashion weeks (Cibeles vs. New York).
I.B
II.A
III.A
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 9
1. Functional: Connecting two moments in time. Expressing the moment when an action occurs. Establishing future moments.
2. Grammatical: Time structures and connectors.
3. Vocabulary: Life stages.
4. Culture: Las Edades del Hombre exhibition.
Read chapters 10 and 11 of the required reading.
Summarize those chapters (200-250 words, for both chapters).
I.B
II.A
III.A
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 10
1. Functional: Explaining the reason or cause of an action.
2. Grammatical: Cause structures and connectors.
3. Vocabulary: Obsessions and customs.
4. Culture: The work world in Spain.
Read chapter 12 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Write a CV.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.B
IV.A
IV.B
V.B
V.C
Week 11
1. Functional: Expressing results and purpose.
2. Grammatical: Argument connectors.
Oral presentations.
Read chapter 13 of the required reading.
Summarize that chapter (200-250 words).
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.A
III.B
IV.A
V.B
Week 12
Review course content for final exam.
Tasks indicated by the instructor: Dossier with review grammar exercises.
I.B
II.A
II.B
III.B
IV.B
V.A
dates
Final Exam
-oral
-written
Martín Gaite, C. Caperucita en Manhattan. Madrid: Siruela, 1990.
Student book: Método de español para extranjeros. Prisma – Progresa. Nivel B-1. Madrid: Edinumen.
Cerrolaza, Ó. Diccionario práctico de gramática. 800 fichas de uso correcto del español. Madrid: Ed. Edelsa, 2005. [It is complemented by the exercise book and the answer key].
VV. AA. Gramática básica del estudiante de español. Barcelona: Ed. Difusión, 2005. It covers from levels A1 to B1 of the CEFR. [It includes many exercises and the answer key is at the end].
VV.AA. Gramática. Madrid: Anaya, 2007. Intermediate level B1. [Practical grammar book with exercises, answer key and self-assessment test].
Dictionaries
Diccionario Salamanca de la lengua española. Madrid: Santillana. Several editions. [Monolingual dictionary especially designed for students of Spanish as a Second Language. It includes good examples to illustrate the use of words. Definitions are usually clear and simple].
Real Academia Española. Diccionario de la Lengua Española. Madrid: Espasa‐Calpe, 2001 (22nd edition). [Especially useful to look up words in disuse that are found in the classic works of the Spanish literature. An on-line version is available at www.rae.es, which can also be added to the browser toolbar in the computer. From this link, we can access the Diccionario Panhispánico de dudas].
Seco, M. and others. Diccionario del Español Actual. Madrid: Santillana, 1999. Dictionary designed for native Spanish speakers. [This is an absolutely “new” dictionary, that is to say, it is not based on other previous dictionaries. It only includes the definitions of words that are really used today. There is a two-volume version with examples of every word and a one-volume abridged version without examples].
Vanesa Álvarez earned her Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies at the University of Salamanca. She pursued her doctoral studies in Discourse Analysis and its Applications in the Faculty of Philology at this university. Prof. Álvarez earned her B.A. in Hispanic Studies at the University of Almería in 2004. She also pursued postgraduate studies in an editing program (Santillana Ediciones-Universidad de Salamanca) in 2007. During that year, she completed an internship at Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. Since 2009 Prof. Álvarez works as a professor in the Spanish Language Department and she collaborates as an instructor in Cursos Internacionales at the University of Salamanca. Currently, she combines her teaching and research activities with undergraduate studies to obtain a B.A. in Portuguese Studies.
Her research projects are focused on the study of discourse genres and procedures to create texts (paying special attention to explanatory and argumentative texts). Likewise, she has found an interesting connection between SSL and Discourse Analysis in projects (still in progress) focusing on the study and analysis of discourse markers.
She has published various articles and she has been invited as a speaker to international conferences.
Contact details
vane@usal.es, valvarezrosa@gmail.com
Tel. +34 616 212 671