General description

The virtual university specialist course intends to satisfy the training needs of current and future Spanish language professors in key didactical and language learning areas. The course is suitable for any teacher who cannot detain their personal or professional activity to attend an academic course that demands their continued presence. 

Objectives

The main aim of this course is to help the student in the learning process through cooperative learning techniques. This involves compiling knowledge with colleagues on the virtual CIESE-Comillas platform, guided at all times by a specialized professor. Thus, the student also learns to help in the communal build-up of knowledge, including among his future Spanish students.

Attendees

Current and future Spanish language teachers

Contents

Acquiring a second language

This subject consists of four sections and a final conclusion. After a general introduction and the explanation of basic concepts, there is a brief presentation of the acquisition of L1 to compare it with subsequent languages; several theories about the acquisition of second languages (ASL) are analyzed. Afterwards, the various types of analyses and interpretations concerning errors that are caused by the learning of second languages are explained. A research model is proposed, a synthesis of error treatment is offered in the classroom and an explanation is given about how the process of L2 acquisition takes place, from a cognitive perspective. Finally, the various factors that influence in the ASL process are dealt with.

Non-verbal communication

The aim of this subject is to offer a general introduction to non-verbal communication and its study with the intention of providing students with a simple theoretical and methodological foundation. This foundation will permit them to apply the acquired knowledge of the subject matter to the Spanish language as a second or foreign language.

Spanish language teaching methodology

This subject consists of ten topics: a brief introduction to situate the subject matter in the context of its importance for the profession and the clarification of terminological matters, six topics dedicated to the main methodological lines of study and three final topics dedicated to current difficulties.

Methodology

• Course materials include activities in different formats:
• Individual work: encourages the student to reflect on what he or she has learned in the course in a practical manner.
• Forum questions: promote knowledge building through tasks that involve the participation of all group members.
• Evaluation quizzes: permit close, practical monitoring of the theoretical knowledge of the course.

Grading

All the work performed by the student in each subject will be taken into account to grade this course. The final grade will be the result of the following percentage distribution:

• Participation in the forum by performing the task proposed by the professor for this setting (teamwork): 40% of the grade.
• Performing one of the individual activities proposed by the professor in order to apply the contents of the program (final individual task): 40% of the grade.
• Test on learning material: 20% of the grade.