Intermediate Spanish: Perspectives on Spanish-speaking Cultures

MLL 2055

This course offers a contemporary, interactive, and interdisciplinary approach at the intermediate level to the study of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. It introduces students to the analysis of topics such as education, family values, traditions, work ethic, urban life, multicultural society, migration, consumption of resources, politics, identity, stereotypes, and cultural heritage, as well as notions relevant for intercultural communication, such as politeness and formality of interactions. Aiming to promote an in-depth cross-cultural understanding, this course exposes students to a large variety of print and electronic media, film, music, literature, and other forms of Hispanic cultural expression. Students perform individual reflection tasks and work in small teams and other collaborative formats that allow them to consolidate and expand their understanding and their writing and speaking skills, as well as to refine their grammatical and lexical competence in a culturally rich context.