This 10-week course is pitched at level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). To help develop your fluency in the language, the course will focus primarily on speaking and listening skills, but will also include practice in reading and writing. You will have plenty of opportunities to practise the target language through hands-on class activities such as discussions and role-plays.
Spanish: Lower Intermediate - Part 2
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Course starts: 21 Jan 2025
The weekly course schedule below is intended to give an indication of the main topics likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change according to the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.
Week 1: Talking about winter holidays; general revision of tenses with special emphasis on past actions using the present perfect.
Week 2: Lectura y comprensión de textos sobre estrategias de aprendizaje; opinar y comparar; expresar acuerdo y desacuerdo.
Week 3: Permiso y favores: asking for permission and favours; accepting, refusing and/or giving excuses; asking for help; asking if something is allowed; borrowing and asking for things.
Week 4: ¿Cómo quedamos?: making arrangements on the phone; accepting and refusing an invitation; fixing an appointment.
Week 5: De viaje (2): asking about and expressing preferences; making comparisons; asking about transport and location; expressing distances.
Week 6: ¿Qué tal el fin de semana?: discussing last weekend and pastimes.
Week 7: Objetos y regalos: describing objects ; expressing purpose/possession; talking about gifts.
Week 8: Famosos: talking about someone's life; biographies: the biography of a well-known person.
Week 9: Preterite versus Imperfect.
Week 10: General revision.
Key grammar points:
* Indicative tenses revision: present, present perfect and past simple.
* Phrases for expressing an opinion: yo pienso / yo creo que + opinión.
* Speech organisers: primero, para empezar, además, por un lado...
* The imperative mood, commands and requests.
* Modal verbs: poder, querer, gustaría + infinitivo.
* The future tense: estudiaré, iré, tendré.
* Direct and indirect objects: verbos dar, recibir, invitar, ofrecer.
* El pretérito imperfecto.
Key functions:
* Expressing needs and making plans for these needs.
*Exchange opinions, expressing agreement and disagreement.
*Giving and following instructions.
*Offering food and drinks, accepting and refusing an invitation.
*Comparing people and places then and now.
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO, the library catalogue.
Preparatory reading
- ELE Actual A2 "Libro del Alumno" / Virgilio Vorobio
Certification
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add your badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £275.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutors
Mr Esteban Cichello Hubner
Esteban Cichello-Hubner studied International Relations, Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at Hertford College, University of Oxford and completed a teaching degree at the OU Education Department. He then pursued his Spanish Philology studies at the University of Salamanca. Esteban is an author and an experienced Foreign Modern Languages tutor who has taught several courses at the OUDCE.
Mr Leonardo Sanchez Gorosito
Leonardo Sagor is a native qualified Modern Foreign Languages tutor. He is originally from South America and has taught several courses at the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education throughout his career. He is also a composer, a guitar player and a talented singer. Leonardo graduated from the University of Salamanca and obtained his PGCE at the University of Bedfordshire. He is a tireless traveller who has explored more than 50 countries.
Course aims
To help students to practise and consolidate their interactive skills in the target language in a wider range of simple and routine everyday situations requiring straightforward descriptions and direct exchange of information on family and other people, living conditions, educational background and work.
Course objectives:
- To further develop the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing at level A2 of the CEFR.
- To consolidate listening and speaking skills to enable students to communicate in a wider range of simple everyday work and leisure settings and matters in areas of most immediate relevance.
- To equip students with the vocabulary items and grammatical structures required to read and write short, simple texts on familiar topics
- To develop an insight into the cultural practices relating to simple everyday work, study and leisure settings.
Teaching methods
You will learn through a communicative teaching approach with the emphasis on actively engaging in classroom activities in the target language. These are likely to include role-plays, pair- and small group-work, and conversational practice conducted in a supportive, friendly and informal learning environment. The course has been structured to help you primarily to improve speaking and listening skills and to further develop your insight into the culture and daily life of the target language. You will also learn and practise new grammatical structures in a communicative context and will be encouraged to develop your reading and writing skills in your own time.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- communicate in simple everyday situations requiring direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters;
- understand and respond appropriately to simple spoken language in everyday situations provided speech is slowly and clearly articulated;
- read and demonstrate comprehension of a wider range of short simple texts on familiar matters of concrete type and consisting of everyday language;
- write short, simple notes, messages, descriptions and/or personal letters;
- demonstrate intercultural awareness in everyday social situations and language use generally.
Assessment methods
You will be set optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace.
Application
Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).
Level and demands
Selection criteria
Our public programme is open access, and most adult language classes are mixed ability. To benefit from this course, participants will have completed our Lower Intermediate - Part 1 course. New students are very welcome to join.