This module builds on Spanish studies 1 (L116), its predecessor En rumbo: intermediate Spanish (L140) or equivalent knowledge. It will enhance your cultural knowledge and develop the skills needed to study at a higher level, as well as your practical language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. By studying a variety of authentic audio, video and printed materials from Spanish-speaking countries, you will learn how to communicate in situations ranging from everyday conversation to putting forward your point of view in a debate. You will also improve your command of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary acquisition. A compulsory residential school takes place in Spain (or you can study an online alternative, subject to University approval).
What you will study
This module further extends your language competence as well as enhancing your cultural knowledge and developing key skills necessary for studying at a higher level. The themes of the module cover different aspects of life in Spanish-speaking countries today.
You will be working with print-based materials as well as practising listening and speaking with video footage and audio interviews. A range of online activities gives you access to further authentic materials from Spanish-speaking countries and fosters your ICT and communication skills. The themes covered in the module are:
- educación y cultura (education and culture)
- historia y leyendas (history)
- trabajo y sociedad (the workplace)
- tradiciones y creencias (traditions and beliefs)
- vida urbana (urban living)
- recuerdos y utopías (past, present and future).
The module is lively and varied, with a wide range of mixed-media material that has been selected in order to build up your confidence in the different language skills. The structure of the materials allows you to evaluate your progress regularly and provides confidence-building strategies to improve your learning skills. The materials are interactive and encourage your participation.
This module is designed to enable you to achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level B2 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Residential school
A compulsory residential school takes place in Spain (or you can study an online alternative). The one-week residential school provides excellent opportunities to enhance and develop the skills covered in the module, to practise your Spanish in a variety of situations and learn more about the country. On most days the programme runs from approximately 09:00 until 19:00, with breaks for meals.
Online alternative
If you cannot attend the school for reasons beyond your control, an alternative learning experience (ALE), which runs in April, must be completed. This is provided online using a computer conferencing system which allows you to speak with your tutor and fellow students in real time. However, the residential school in Spain offers a wider range of learning opportunities than the ALE.
In order to successfully complete the module you have to participate satisfactorily in either the residential school or the ALE.
Entry
There are no formal entry requirements to study this module.
However, as this is an OU level 2 module, you’ll need an appropriate knowledge of Spanish obtained through any of the following:
- Spanish studies 1: language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world (L116)
- En rumbo: intermediate Spanish (L140) – now discontinued
- equivalent Spanish knowledge
If you’re not sure you’re ready, talk to an adviser.
Preparatory work
Anything you can do to keep practising your Spanish will be helpful, for example:
- redoing some of the activities in L116 (or L140)
- watching and listening to the L116 (or L140) audio and video materials
- listening to Spanish radio broadcasts
- accessing authentic resources online
- borrowing Spanish books and films from the local library
- reading a Spanish newspaper
Qualifications
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with an adviser before registering.
If you have a disability
Please note that this module makes substantial use of audio and visual materials. Full transcripts of audio and video materials are provided. The study materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Comb-bound versions of the written study materials, including residential school materials, can be provided on request. You are advised to contact us to discuss your individual requirements before you register. After you have registered you will receive detailed information about the residential-school site and the facilities available to help with the academic programme.
You need to make extensive use of a personal computer throughout the module and will need to access the module website on a regular basis. You will also be offered tutorials, some of which will take place via an online conferencing system.
At the residential school there are visits in the afternoons, for which suitable transport can be arranged.
There is a dedicated member of staff to support students with additional requirements during the week in Spain. Some classrooms at the university have better accessibility than others so the needs of students with limited mobility are taken into account as much as possible when allocating rooms.
Study materials
What's included
Books, other printed materials and a dedicated website with access to a range of electronic tools including real-time conferencing and asynchronous tools such as forums.
You will need
You need a headset with a microphone and earphones to take part in online tutorials, record spoken TMAs and complete speaking activities.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor to help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written and spoken tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). You can also ask your tutor for advice and guidance. This module usually includes a mix of face-to-face and online tutorials. Please note that depending on where you live, the mix will vary and in some places face-to-face tuition may be replaced by telephone conferencing. Although you are not obliged to attend any of these, you are strongly encouraged to take part as they will provide you with plenty of opportunities to speak and listen to Spanish. How tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the module in your area.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
The TMAs test your written or spoken skills. There is a Writing Test at the end of the module, which takes the form of a three hour examination at a standard examination centre. You may have to travel some distance to the examination centre.
Professional recognition
The Chartered Institute of Marketing now recognises this module under their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.
Future availability
Viento en popa: upper intermediate Spanish (L204) starts once a year – October 2018 is the last time we expect it to start.
We plan to replace Viento en popa: upper intermediate Spanish (L204) with a new module – Spanish studies 2: language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world (L226) – that will start for the first time in October 2019.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our
Student Policies and Regulations website.