Spanish I Curriculum Overview

The study of our first year Spanish language course, must be a combination of   conversations, reading and writing.  Emphasis will be placed on providing and obtaining information, conversations, expressing feelings and emotions, and exchanging opinions.  The main goal of first year Spanish is to make a student feel comfortable with speaking the language and starting to build a good  background of vocabulary.  As a student learns how to speak the language they will secondarily also learn how to read and write basic words and statements in Spanish.  
We will use the textbook ˇBuen viaje! (uno), and the workbook along with other textbook related materials.  With added emphasis on being able to speak Spanish and use vocabulary words, a student can express themselves by presenting information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners and readers on a variety of topics.  This will help a student to develop a good foundation in Spanish.  

The specific materials covered are:

         1.       Use of present tense.  The past tense will be covered later in the text.
 
  2.       Verb conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the present tense and a brief start of verb conjugation in the past (preterit) tense.
 
  3.       Groups of vocabulary:  family members, descriptive adjectives, school items, sports, foods, hobbies, seasons, weather conditions, numbers, pronouns, household articles, telling time, clothing, colors, parts of the body, professions, nationalities, ailments, greetings and good-byes, describing people and places, school subjects and courses, sizes, shopping, school activities, after school activities, beverages, eating at a café, telling your age, medical exams, teen dating customs, travel-related activities, daily routines, grooming habits, camping, and restaurants.  
4.       Also students will learn the alphabet, pronunciation rules, study of Spanish idioms, sentence agreement, use of direct and indirect objects, reflexive pronouns, conjugation of verbs, and genders of nouns and adjectives.

5.   The study of the culture of Spanish speaking countries, including our own Southwest.  This will include the geography, economy, literature, customs, religion, art and music of each country.  Religious holidays, historical dates, and “Fiestas” will also be attained.

6.    Also through the use of Spanish to English, and English to Spanish translations, both oral and written, the ability to create the beginnings of a working language will be attained.