Academic Catalogs

SPAN A180H: Elementary Spanish 1 Honors

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 04/12/2022
Top Code 110500 - Spanish
Units 5 Total Units 
Hours 90 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 90)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S), 
  • Pass/No Pass (B)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)
  • OC Humanities - AA (OC1)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
  • Cal-GETC 6A Language Other Than English (6A)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • IGETC 6A Lang other than Engl (6A)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)
  • CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

The focus is on development of elementary proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish, with an introduction to cultures related to the Spanish language. This course is equivalent to two years of high school Spanish. Enrollment Limitation: SPAN A180; students who complete SPAN A180H may not enroll in or receive credit for SPAN A180. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: SPAN 100.C-ID: SPAN 100.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Recognize and produce the Spanish language at the beginning level in the four primary areas of communication: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
  2. Demonstrate a better understanding and appreciation of the cultures related to the Spanish language by comparing and contrasting them with the students' own culture(s).
  3. Use current technologies to further develop their language and cultural competencies.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Comprehend beginning-level spoken Spanish.
  • 2. Produce beginning-level spoken Spanish.
  • 3. Read and understand beginning-level Spanish.
  • 4. Express basic ideas and opinions in beginning-level written Spanish.
  • 5. Acquire beginning-level Spanish vocabulary.
  • 6. Understand and use beginning-level Spanish grammatical structures.
  • 7. Recognize the more important cultural aspects of living in the Spanish-speaking worlds.
  • 8. Use technologies such as the Internet, online workbooks and multimedia to enhance learning.
  • 9. Value the process of language learning.

Lecture Content

This course uses a communicative-based approach to develop elementary-level proficiency in the Spanish language. The subject material is presented in a functionally-based manner, and focuses on the immediate environment of the student.  The materials used in the course emphasize situations that the student will likely encounter both in and outside of the classroom, and address the affective needs of the student by allowing for interpersonal communication. The student learns to perform these functions both orally (through in-class teacher-student and/or student group interaction) and in writing (through in-class and at-home textbook and workbook activities).  Written activities include true/false, multiple choice, fill-in and essay formats.  There is also an effort to communicate much of the material in a cultural context.  Numerous readings present social, political and cultural differences and similarities within the various Hispanic cultures, as well as in comparison to other, non-Hispanic cultures.  Other readings emphasize the Hispanic presence in the United States.  Still others focus on the development and diversity of the language itself.  There are readings from important literary figures of Hispanic origin, as well as realia (genuine advertisements, newspaper articles, menus, jokes, etc.).  The student learns strategies to comprehend these readings such as recognizing cognates, using background knowledge to anticipate included information and identifying principal ideas. The table below describes in detail the thematic areas covered in this course as well as corresponding functions, vocabulary and grammar constructions.  The table need not be considered a strict prescription of the chronological order of presentation of the material.       THE MATIC AREA   FUNCTIONS   CORRESPONDING VOCABULARY   CORRESPONDING GRAMMAR   The Class and The Students   Responding to Instructions   Common Commands   Introduction to Commands       Giving Ones Name and Naming Others       The Verb Llamarse       Identifying and Describing People and Things - Describing Peoples Clothing     ¨Descriptive Adjectives (Physical Attributes) ¨Number (0-39) ¨Clothing ¨Colors   ¨Subject Pronouns (Part I) ¨The Verb ser ¨Gender (Part I) ¨Definite and Indefinite Articles (Intro) ¨Plural Forms (Part I) ¨Negation ¨The Verb llevar       Greeting and Taking Leaves of Others   Greetings and Farewells       Descriptions   Addressing Others       Informal and Polite (tú vs. usted)   Descriptions   Identifying and Describing People   The Human Body Descriptive Adjectives (Personality)   Subject Pronouns (Part II) Gender (Part II) Plural Forms (Part II) Adjective-Noun Agreement       Expressing Existence   Common Classroom Objects Numbers (40-69)   The Verb hay   Family and Friends   Expressing Possession   The Immediate Family   ¨The Verb Tener ¨ser de(l) ¨Possessive Adjectives       Expressing Age   Numbers (10-100)   The Verb Tener       Describing People   Languages and Nationalities   Adjectives of Nationality         Discussing Habitual Actions       Present Tense: Regular-ar Verb   Personal Information   Expressing Dates   Days of the Week, Month Seasons   ¨Numbers (100-1000) ¨Dates   and Activities   Telling the Time       Time       Giving and Eliciting Personal Information - Spelling   Vocabulary Related to Personal Information (Phones Number, Address, Date of Birth, etc.)

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
  • DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

13">       Discussing Jobs/Careers -Pointing Out People and Things   ¨Common Jobs/Careers ¨Related Activities   Demonstrative Adjectives       Expressing Future Plans and Desires -Ordering Events       ¨pensar, quisiera, me gustaria, tener ganas de + Infinite ¨Infinitives after Prepositions       Making Suggestions       Vamos a + Infinitive

Writing Assignments

Reading assignments are used at every step through the semester to reinforce the vocabulary, grammatical structures, and communicative-oriented language skills being studied. In addition to helping the students develop linguistic proficiency, many of the reading selections provide practical insights into the culture(s) in which the language is used. Students will spend approximately two (2) hours weekly reading: Preparatory material in the textbook and their class notes; Literary and cultural reading selections from the textbook, online components of the textbook, and other materials, such as books, websites, and (physical and/or online) magazines and newspapers

Out-of-class Assignments

Communicative-oriented language activities based on thematically organized exercises allow and prepare students to progress through stages of language acquisition.  These activities occur through teacher-student and/or student group interaction.   2.    Situational-based small group exercises allow students to role-play and use the language in contexts that simulate real-life situations.   3.    Task-oriented group exercises allow students to use the language in a functional manner.   4.    Material is presented through the use of both cognitive- and sensorial-based methods and materials (TPR, overhead transparencies, pictures, etc.), thus addressing the needs of different types of learners.   5.    Grammar learning through lecture and application of ideas is stressed to the extent needed to support the language skills at the level of usage.   6.    The primary use of the target language in the classroom encourages students to apply critical thinking skills such as deduction in acquisition of the material.   7.    Listening comprehension and pronunciation skills are reinforced through instructor input, audiovisual components of the course, and language laboratory activities.  Both listening passages and video episodes present the language in context and provide additional cultural information.   8.    The use of the CD-ROM and the Internet reinforces vocabulary and grammatical constructions learned in class, and encourages the use of modern technology (video, e-mail, web sites) in language acquisition.   9.    The use of teacher-guided activities on the Internet allows the students to perform specific, functionally-oriented tasks using the most up-to-date information on a variety of global issues. 10.    Discussion of cultural topics allows students to learn about and relate to other cultural experiences, and encourages consideration of and respect for cultural differences as well as an awareness of global similarities.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Writing assignments are used at every step through the semester to further develop structural, vocabulary, and communicative-oriented language skills. The textbook and other online or offline supplementary materials contain numerous writing activities in both short response and essay formats. Students will spend approximately two (2) hours weekly writing: Homework assignments in the textbook and their class notes; Compositions of appropriate length on topics related to themselves and/or the world around them; Other formats, such as: skits; poems; stories; advertisements; emails; letters; recipes; etc.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Final Exam Oral Presentations Written Assignments

Textbooks Resources

1)   Additional reading practice through Spanish childrens books. 2)   Production by each student of a “Book of Creations” in Spanish. 3)   Written and oral presentations of topic found in each chapter. 4)   Hispanic cultural oral report.

Manuals Resources

1.   The student will compare and contrast English and Spanish vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. 6.       Small groups of students will discuss and analyze certain aspects of Hispanic culture. Examples may include (but not be limited to): The United States role in the construction and subsequent history of the Panama Canal; positive and negative effects of N.A.F.T.A.; possible reasons for, and implications of, the “Chiapas” revolt in Mexico; the enduring legacy of Aztec, Mayan, and Inca culture; solutions to the difficulties of increasing Mexican emigration into the United States; post-Castro Cuba; etc.

Periodicals Resources

1. Required Andrade, Magdalena, et al.. Tu mundo, latest ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Education , 2019 Rationale: -