BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
1) Main Course
From a metalinguistic and disciplinary perspective, by the end of the course students will have developed theoretical knowledge and analytical skills for textual analysis, with particular reference to word formation processes and phraseology in contemporary Spanish.
2) Language Practice and Communicative Skills
By the end of the course, students will also have acquired, deepened, and improved their practical competence in the four communicative skills in Spanish at B2 level of the CEFR. To this end, it is strongly recommended (although not formally mandatory) to attend the dedicated language learning activities (AAL).
Course Prerequisites
A B1 level proficiency in Spanish is required.
Course prerequisites: Students enrolled in the Degree Programme in Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures must have passed Spanish Language I – Linguistics and Translation before taking this course (This does not apply to Erasmus students).
Teaching Methods
1) Main Course
Lectures in Spanish using slides. During the lessons, students will be encouraged to participate in short individual or group exercises, aimed at verifying comprehension of content, stimulating critical reflection, and fostering interaction in Spanish. All links and materials used during the course will be progressively uploaded to the Moodle e-learning platform.
Guest lectures may be offered to further explore specific aspects of the syllabus.
2) Language Practice and Communicative Skills
For information on the teaching methods of the B2-level language practice sessions (AAL), please refer to the relevant section of the University Language Centre website, under Spanish – LLCS:
https://www.unibg.it/studiare/frequentare/apprendimento-linguistico/spagnolo/spagnolo-llcs
Assessment Methods
The exam consists of two parts: a) an assessment of Language Practice and Communicative Skills and b) an assessment of Main Course content. Part b) can only be taken after successfully passing part a).
a) The Language Practice and Communicative Skills assessment (B2 level) includes:
1. Computer-based test: grammar test (70 min) + listening comprehension (15 min), preparatory to the following tests.
2. Written production: guided writing of approximately 200 words (carta de reclamación), duration: 40 minutes.
3. Translation IT>ES: short text (approx. 170 words) to assess grammatical and lexical skills. Duration: 45 minutes. Use of dictionaries is not permitted.
4. Oral test: a 10-minute interview with the examiner on current topics, to be prepared by regularly reading the Spanish press. The list of topics is published in October on the Moodle page AAL – Spanish B2 (Temario para la conversación) and is valid until the winter session (January/February) of the following academic year.
Bonus: students who complete the self-learning activities on the AVE GLOBAL platform (levels B2.1–B2.4) within the established deadlines published on the e-learning platform will receive a 2-point increase on the AAL grade, provided all tests have been passed.
Tests must be taken during the same exam session, even if spread over more than one day. The grade for the written tests is valid for 18 months. After this period, all written tests must be repeated. All tests must be passed with a positive result. As this are midterm exams, it is not possible to decline the grade awarded
b) The Main Course assessment is conducted in Spanish and consists of a written test (90 min) including:
• 4 open questions (5 points each);
• 1 question requiring identification of 5 word formation processes (5 points);
• 1 question requiring identification of 5 phraseological units (5 points).
The test assesses both disciplinary competence on the course content and communicative competence in Spanish: coherence, cohesion, clarity, correctness, appropriateness of language and style.
Final evaluation:
The final grade is calculated as follows: 1/3 from the AAL tests (written and oral), and 2/3 from the official course. Passing all tests is mandatory to receive a final grade.
Grading scale (out of 30):
• Excellent (30 cum laude): complete knowledge, applied with precision and autonomy. No errors.
• Very good (30–27): solid knowledge, applied correctly. Minor and non-recurring errors.
• Good (26–24): adequate knowledge, with some inaccuracies. No serious or systematic errors.
• Sufficient (23–18): basic knowledge, with evident errors but sufficient understanding.
• Insufficient (<18): insufficient knowledge, numerous errors compromising the exam result.
Contents
1) Main Course Content
The main course provides students with an introductory overview of the fundamental tools for linguistic and textual analysis in Spanish, with the aim of developing metalinguistic awareness and critical reflection on the mechanisms underlying language functioning. Particular attention is devoted to two key areas of lexical structure: on the one hand, the main processes of word formation; on the other, the phraseological units of contemporary Spanish, which are examined in their various types and degrees of fixation, idiomaticity, and semantic and syntactic variability.
2) Language Practice and Communicative Skills
The content of the B2 level language practice sessions (AAL), as defined by the CEFR, is available on the University Language Centre’s website under the section for Spanish – LLCS: https://www.unibg.it/studiare/frequentare/apprendimento-linguistico/spagnolo/spagnolo-llcs.
Online Resources
More information
The course will take place during sub-periods II, III, and IV, that is, from November to May.
Reading List
The reading list for the Main Course is final and includes all the texts essential for exam preparation, both for attending and non-attending students.
The list is available within this syllabus under “Leganto url for Reading list: Leganto".
Access to the AVE GLOBAL platform for self-study, assessment, and consolidation of communicative competence in Spanish is available on Moodle for all CEFR levels. The use of the platform is strongly recommended.