Spanish Offerings
College
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First-year Spanish
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Second-year Spanish
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Third-year Spanish
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Fourth-year Spanish
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Analysis of Communication in Spanish
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Spanish Phonetics and Phonology
Pre-College
Each year of pre-college Spanish is roughly equivalent to one semester of college Spanish.
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Foundations
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Spanish 1
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Spanish 2
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Spanish 3
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Spanish 4
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Spanish 5 (Language and Culture)
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Spanish 6 (Literature and Culture)
Supplementary Studies (All Levels)
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Enunciation
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Using the pronunciation rules of Spanish to develop a more native-sounding speech style, crucial for being understood by native speakers and advanced students. Varying dialects can be chosen from; standard is Mexican Spanish. By learning how Spanish-speakers pronounce words, understanding of spoken Spanish vastly increases.
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Language Learning Techniques
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Research-backed techniques to learn and retain languages. Draws on psychology, sociology, linguistics, and neuroscience to increase facility with learning languages. Application to Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Catalan available.
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Grammar in Context
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Understanding Spanish grammar through reading, listening to, and watching Spanish-language media. Analyzing real-world media and then creating based on those models.
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The International Phonetic Alphabet
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An introduction and guide to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and its uses and applications. Main examples from English and Spanish; examples available from Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Catalan, German, French, Middle Egyptian, and Coptic as desired by the the student. Dictation, transliteration, and pronunciation from the IPA.
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Translation
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Translating Spanish to English and English to Spanish, including an overview of standard stumbling blocks, contextual research, and literal vs. poetic approaches. Work with poetry, short stories, and dialogue. Applications to professional written and spoken translation.
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Supplementary study can be tutored separately or easily integrated as part of the learning for another course. In particular, Enunciation and Language Learning Techniques are useful at all stages. The International Phonetic Alphabet and Translation are extremely useful and interesting for those looking to study at a higher level, and Grammar in Context is interesting for those more interested in culture than language.
I am not a native Spanish speaker, but I have acquired fluency through education, personal study, and engagement with Hispanic cultures. Additionally, I have a reading knowledge of Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, and Catalan and an understanding of cognates, false friends, and Latin etymology, allowing me to predict, preempt, and work through standard stumbling blocks for English speakers learning Spanish. In May 2017 I graduated from college with a minor in Spanish. I have also worked as a bilingual customer service representative in a call center, taking calls in both English and Spanish.