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Spanish Grammar in the Foreign Language Classroom

Code: 106039 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2504012 Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture OB 2

Contact

Name:
Dolors Poch Olive
Email:
dolors.poch@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

By obtaining the minimum of credits in basic training subjects, students have demonstrated to have acquired the basic competences and they will be able to express themselves orally and in writing. For this reason, any spelling and expression errors that may be committed will lead to a score decrease in the final grade.


Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject has as its fundamental objective to knowledge and to domain the procedures that allow the incorporation of grammar content in the Spanish as a Foreign Language.

At the end of this course, students must:

(1) To know the different methodologies to teach grammar in the ELE classroom,

(2) To identify the main grammatical problems that can appear during the ELE teaching process,

(3) To know how to use and create didactic resources oriented to the knowledge of the notions of grammar in the different levels of ELE according to the Curricular Plan of the Cervantes Institute (PCIC),

(4) To assess the skills of ELE students effectively, in general, and people whose mothern language is Chinese, in particular.


Competences

  • Analyse the phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic properties of the Spanish language and the Mandarin Chinese language.
  • Demonstrate the capacity to work autonomously, engaging in self-analysis and self. Criticism.
  • Describe the linguistic foundations on which the standards of Spanish and mandarin Chinese are based.
  • Evaluate the influence of cultural references in Chinese studies in interlinguistic and intercultural communication.
  • Identify and apply different methods and focuses for teaching Spanish as a foreign language.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Use techniques for compilation, organisation and use of information and documentation with precision.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and compare linguistic structures in Spanish and Chinese.
  2. Analyse the structure of words according to the morphological structure: derivatives and compounds.
  3. Apply knowledge and competences acquired during professional academic activities related to Spanish grammar.
  4. Apply techniques of description and analysis to discursive pieces for the comparison of languages.
  5. Correctly identify linguistic units.
  6. Create an organised and correct discourse, spoken and in writing, in the corresponding language.
  7. Describe the morphological and syntactic structure of Spanish to analyse the differences related to morphosyntax between the Spanish and the Chinese systems.
  8. Describe the phonic structure of Spanish to analyse the phonetic differences between the Spanish and the Chinese systems.
  9. Explain grammar errors in the Spanish language.
  10. Express yourself in the language being studied in speaking and writing, making adequate use of the vocabulary and grammar.
  11. Handle concepts, principles, theories and models related to the different fields of applied linguistics for foreign languages.
  12. Identify cultural implications in grammar.
  13. Identify evaluation instrument employed to measure knowledge of a foreign language.
  14. Identify the linguistic knowledge appropriate for each level of knowledge.
  15. Identify the linguistic problems in teaching Spanish as a foreign language.
  16. Identify the non-normative syntactic structures of the Spanish language.
  17. Identify the pragmatic factors affecting the use of different linguistic structures.
  18. Identify the primary and secondary ideas and express them correctly.
  19. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
  20. Recognise the influence of cultural differences in the areas of pragmatics.
  21. Use digital tools for collecting, classifying, interpreting and analysing relevant data.
  22. Use the adequate terminology in the construction of an academic text.
  23. Use the necessary resources, both digital and non-digital (data bases, text repositories, dictionaries, reference works), for the analysis of any document, spoken or written, from a linguistic point of view.

Content

1) What is grammar. Parts of grammar. Grammar and variation. 

2) Grammar and ELE teaching: descriptive grammar and prescriptive grammar.

3) The treatment of grammar in the history of teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

4) Grammar from a cognitivist perspective. Current theories for grammar teaching. 

5) Techniques, resources and typology of activities to teach grammar in the ELE classroom. 

6) Grammatical problems: problematic particular cases in Spanish.

7) The evaluation of grammar in ELE: contents, procedures and instruments.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theoretical-practical sessions 60 2.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 13, 10, 11, 22, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 23
Type: Supervised      
Tutoring 15 0.6 4, 14, 6, 10, 22, 21, 16, 18, 19, 23
Type: Autonomous      
Study and preparation for exams and assignments 75 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 14, 13, 6, 10, 11, 22, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 20, 23

Students must carry out a continuous follow-up of the subject:

In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, theoretical explanations will be combined by the teacher with the practical realization of exercises in the classroom.

The learning of this subject is distributed as follows:

  • Directed activities (35%). These activities are divided into master classes and seminars and classroom practices led by the teacher, in which theoretical explanation is combined  with performance of exercises.
  • Supervised activities (10%). These tutorials are programmed by the teacher, dedicated to correcting and commenting on problems at different levels of literary analysis.
  • Autonomous activities (50%). These activities include both time devoted to individual study as well as performance of exercises, analytical feedback and preparing oral presentations.
  • Evaluation activities (5%): the evaluation of the subject will be carried out through written tests and orla presentations.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
A theoretical-practical test 20% 0 0 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 10, 11, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 20, 23
A theoretical-practical test 30% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 14, 13, 6, 9, 10, 11, 22, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 20, 23
Active Participation. Activities and exercises done in class 10% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 14, 13, 6, 10, 11, 22, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 20, 23
To design a didactic unit related to grammar 40% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 7, 14, 13, 6, 10, 11, 22, 21, 5, 17, 15, 16, 18, 12, 19, 20, 23

The subject will be assessed on an ongoing basis in order the teacher can observe the progress of the students and how they have assimilated and applied the contents.

The evaluation of the subject will be carried out in the following way:

  • A theoretical-practical test. Students must apply the theoretical and practical contents dealt with the subject (30%)
  • To design a didactic unit related to grammar (40%)
  • A theoretical-practical test in which the student must analyze different problems related to some of the grammatical aspects studied in class (20%)
  • Participation, activities and exercises done in class (10%)

To pass the subject all the evaluation activities must be done. The final grade, once all the notes have been added and the percentages indicated above applied, must be equal to or greater than 5.

The completion of spelling, expression, lexicon and syntax will have a penalty of 0.25 each, without limit, on the final grade in the activities and exams.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Obviously, all activities, tests and papers must be original. The total or partial copy of materials already published in any medium is not allowed. In case of presenting non-original material without indicating its origin, the grade of the activity or work will be a fail (0) and the right to recovery will be lost.

A student who does not perform any of the activities / tests will be considered “Not assessed”. The elaboration of an activity / test supposes, therefore, the will of the student to be evaluated in the subject and, therefore, its presentation to the evaluation.

Students will be ablea second-chance examination taking a theoretical-practical content test again, which will take place at the end of the course. The student will lose the right to reassess if the average of the tests performed with the corresponding percentage is less than 3.5 points. Only students who have presented all the practical activities and who have taken the theoretical tests will be eligible for this second-chance. Oral presentations in a second-chance are not possible.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

 


Single assessment

This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting.

Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the teacher responsible for the subject, for the record.

Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website.

On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be presented as a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).

Single assessment activities

The final grade for the subject will be calculated according to the following percentages:

  • A theoretical-practical test. Students must apply the theoretical and practical contents dealt with the subject (30%)
  • To design a didactic unit related to grammar (40%)
  • A theoretical-practical test in which the student must analyze different problems related to some of the grammatical aspects studied in class (20%)
  • Participation, activities and exercises done in class (10%)

 

Grade revision and resit procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this study guide.


Bibliography

Alonso, R., Castañeda, A., Martínez, P., Miquel, L., Ortega, J., Ruiz, J. P. (2015). Gramática básica del estudiante de español. Barcelona: Difusión.

Bosque, I. (dir.) (2004): REDES. Diccionario combinatorio del español contemporáneo. Madrid: SM.

Brucart, J. M.ª (2005): “La gramática en ELE y la teoría lingüística: coincidencias y discrepancias”, RedELE (Revista electrónica de didáctica del español como lengua extranjera), 3.

García Folgado, M. J. y Fuertes, M. (eds.) (2020): Enseñanza de la gramática en ELE: resultados de investigación y nuevas propuestas. MarcoELE, n.º 31.

Gómez del Estal, M. (2004). “La enseñanza de la gramática dentro del enfoque por tareas”. Forma, vol 8, pp. 83-107.

Gutiérrez Araus, M. L. (2014). Problemas fundamentales de la gramática del español como 2/L (Manuales de formación profesores español 2/L). Madrid: Arco libros.

Herrera, F. y Sans, N. (eds.) (2018): Enseñar gramática en el aula de español: nuevas perspectivas y propuestas. Barcelona: Difusión.

Instituto Cervantes (2006): Plan curricular del Instituto Cervantes. Niveles de referencias para el español. Madrid: Instituto Cervantes. Biblioteca Nueva. Disponible en https://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/biblioteca_ele/plan_curricular/

Llopis, R., Espinosa, J. M., Campillo, J. P. (2012). Qué gramática enseñar, qué gramática aprender. Madrid: Biblioteca Edinumen.

López García, A. (2005). Gramática cognitiva para profesores de españolL2. Madrid: Arco Libros.

Martín, E. (CVC). Gramática y Enseñanza de Segundas Lenguas. Universidad Pompeu Fabra.

Matte Bon, F. (2010). “Implicaciones de un enfoque comunicativo en el análisis gramatical”. Marco ELE, n.º 11, pp. 83- 111.

Martín Sánchez, M. A. (2010): “Apuntes a la historia de la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras: la enseñanza de la gramática”, Tejuelo, n.º 8, pp. 59-76.

Real Academia Española y Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (2009): Nueva gramática de la lengua española, Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.


Software

It is not necessary to install software on personal computers.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 30 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 30 Spanish second semester morning-mixed