- Greet others, introduce themselves, describe things, narrate basic events, discuss their preferences, daily habits and routines, and express desires and wishes in the present tense, the past tense and the future tense.
- Produce and comprehend Spanish speech and text using basic vocabulary to discuss and/or compare: clothing, colors, physical and character attributes of people (including nationality), birthdays and holidays, classroom objects, weather and seasons, family, personal information, food, and emotions. Students will gain a very basic understanding of various countries and Hispanic cultures. They will demonstrate an awareness of some of their customs and geography and will begin to make connections between these Hispanic cultures and their own.
In addition, we will focus on acquiring the following areas from the SUU Essential Learning Outcomes:
- Communication: Gain intellectual and practical skills, particularly in written and oral communication.
- Intercultural Knowledge and Competence: Demonstrate that they possess a set of cognitive and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
- Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
General Education Designation: Humanities
This course fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
2.2.1. Examine
Examine how humanities artifacts (such as oral narratives, literature, philosophy, media, and artworks) express the human condition.
Students examine authentic cultural and literary artifacts from the Spanish-speaking world, including short stories, videos, digital media, cultural readings, and works of art presented throughout the course. Materials such as Finita la Gringa, El eclipse by Augusto Monterroso, and the exploration of Hispanic artistic traditions encourage students to examine how language, literature, and art express identity, migration, memory, creativity, and other dimensions of the human experience.
2.2.2. Explain
Explain how humanities artifacts take on meaning within networks or systems (such as languages, cultures, values, and worldviews) that account for the complexities and uncertainties of the human condition.
Students explain how cultural practices, artistic expression, and literary works reflect the historical, social, and cultural contexts of diverse Hispanic communities. Exploración Cultural activities on fashion, environmental issues, art, and influential Hispanic writers help students understand how language and culture work together to communicate values, beliefs, and perspectives across the Spanish-speaking world.
2.2.3. Analyze
Analyze humanities artifacts according to humanities methodologies, such as close analysis, questioning, reasoning, interpretation, and critical thinking.
Students analyze authentic texts through close reading, classroom discussions, written compositions, presentations, and oral communication. Literary selections and cultural media require students to interpret meaning, analyze themes and perspectives, and support their interpretations using evidence while practicing communication in Spanish.
2.2.4. Compare and Contrast
Compare and contrast diverse humanistic perspectives across cultures, communities, and/or time periods to explain how people make meaning of their lives.
Throughout the course, students compare cultural traditions, historical experiences, and social perspectives across Spanish-speaking countries while reflecting on similarities and differences with their own cultural backgrounds. Topics such as fashion, environmental awareness, artistic expression, and literature encourage students to recognize the diversity of Hispanic cultures and appreciate multiple perspectives on human experience.
2.2.5. Apply
Using humanities perspectives, reflect on big questions related to aesthetics, values, meaning, and ethics and how those apply to their own lives.
Students apply humanistic perspectives through oral practice, written compositions, engagement activities, and classroom discussions conducted in Spanish. By engaging with literary and cultural texts, they reflect on questions related to identity, cultural diversity, migration, artistic expression, environmental responsibility, and community while connecting these themes to their own experiences and developing intercultural competence.