5 Course Topics

Grammar:

This course will be taught by Gabriela. The course will review key grammatical structures in Spanish. An important component of this course will focus on the exposure and application of Spanish vocabulary, in particular, vocabulary that is used in Spain. Students will complete tasks to solidify usage of grammar and vocabulary in everyday contexts (i.e., planning a dinner party, decorating a home). Evaluation will consist of weekly grammar and vocabulary exercises, tasks to be completed with host families, and active participation.

Linguistics:

This course is taught by Alicia and serves as an introduction to the theoretical and applied aspects of linguistics. The course covers 4 main topics, which include an introduction to Phonetics/Phonology, Syntax-Morphology, Pragmatics, and Sociolinguistics/Dialectology. Additionally, the course will discuss the variety of Spanish specific to Almería, el andaluz. The course will also include a variety of activities reflecting basic linguistic analysis.

Literature:

Mónica will teach the Literature course, which will provide students with an introduction to Spanish peninsular literary texts and traditions from the Golden Age through to the 20th Century, but mostly based on genre. Beyond introducing students to important Spanish poetry and different types of narratives and orienting these works in their historical context, the course will also provide basic foundations in literary analysis, focusing on building critical reading and writing abilities. Finally, the course will give students the opportunity to engage creatively with the literary forms that they are reading with the ultimate goal of having students think critically about the readings that are going to be covered in class discussions.

Culture:

In the culture course, there will be an exploration of different aspects relevant to Spanish culture. Topics related to the history of Spain, and specifically the region of Almería, will be addressed. Additionally, more general topics such as Spanish gastronomy, popular music of the country, sports, architecture from various regions, politics, important festivals, among others, will be covered. Similarly, there will be a greater emphasis on the culture of the autonomous region of Andalusia, from which the coastal city of Almería belongs. The aim of the course is to enable students to get closer to the general aspects of Spanish culture so that their experience is more informed and comprehensive.