Ateneo - UPO

The teaching and learning of specialised languages within the field of Spanish as a foreign language: approaches, methods, and techniques; Task-Based Language Teaching, and gamification.

A) Compulsory readings (for all students):
A1. Maria Vittoria Calvi et al. [2023], "Las lenguas de especialidad en español", pp. 89-126, 153-185, 263-299;
A2. Blanca Aguirre Beltrán [2016], «Análisis de necesidades y diseño curricular», in Jesús Sánchez Lobato e Isabel Santos Gargallo, "Vademécum para la formación de profesores: enseñar español como segunda lengua (L2) / lengua extranjera (LE)", Madrid: SGEL, pp. 35-56;
A3. Leticia Santana Negrín (ed.) [2022], "La enseñanza de Español para Fines Específicos", Madrid: enClave-ELE, cap. 1;
A4. Materials uploaded to the DIR platform by the professor.

B) Additional readings for non-attending students:
B1. Francisco Jiménez Calderón e Ana Rufat Sánchez [2019], "Manual de formación para profesores de ELE", Madrid: SGEL, capp. 1, 3 e 7: «Enseñanza comunicativa y aprendizaje del español. Conceptos básicos» (pp. 9-29); «Currículo, programa y unidad didáctica» (pp. 53-77); «Enseñanza del vocabulario» (pp. 143-163).

C) Recommended readings for further study:
C1. Leticia Santana Negrín (ed.) [2022], "La enseñanza de Español para Fines Específicos", Madrid: enClave-ELE, capp. 2-3;
C2. Anna Dalmases Muntané [2017], "Uso de la gamificación en la enseñanza de ELE", Madrid-Alcalá de Henares: E-eleando - ELE en Red, cap. 2.

D) Reference bibliography for consultation only during the course (available online):
D1. Consejo de Europa [2002], "Marco común europeo de referencia para las lenguas. Aprendizaje, enseñanza, evaluación", Madrid: Ministerio de Educación, Cultura, Deporte - Instituto Cervantes - Editorial Anaya;
D2. Instituto Cervantes [2006], "Plan curricular del Instituto Cervantes. Niveles de referencia para el español", Madrid: Instituto Cervantes - Biblioteca Nueva.

The course aims to introduce students to the study of specialised languages in Spanish and to provide them with the theoretical and methodological tools to analyse the main linguistic, discursive, and textual characteristics of the different genres examined. Furthermore, it aims to offer the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the main approaches, methods, and techniques for the teaching and learning of specialised languages within the field of Spanish as a foreign language, as well as to develop the methodological and practical skills required for the design and development of teaching proposals consistent with the identified learning objectives, contents, and learning contexts, through the application of strategies and tools specific to the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language, with particular attention to Task-Based Language Teaching and gamification.

A level of knowledge of Spanish above B1 [CEFR]. It is also preferable that they have already taken an exam of Modern Language Teaching [GLOT-01/B].

Lectures and seminar/workshop activities with the active participation of students.

Given the practical nature of the workshop, attendance of at least 70% of classes is recommended. Students who do not reach this attendance percentage should be considered non-attending students (see Textbooks).
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, must refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Oral presentation of a learning unit/session developed by the student, who will be required to critically discuss the teaching choices made. The interview is also aimed at assessing the acquisition of the theoretical contents of the course. The characteristics, learning objectives, and contents of the learning unit/session must be agreed with the Professor, according to the procedures published on the course DIR page. The outline of the teaching proposal must be submitted at least 7 days before the date of the official exam session in which the student intends to take the exam.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND GRADE ASSIGNMENT: The exam will be considered excellent if it demonstrates: excellent knowledge of the theoretical contents of the course; the design of a coherent and adequately structured teaching proposal, with a clear definition of objectives, contents, activities, and assessment methods; excellent argumentative skills and command of specialised terminology. The exam will be considered satisfactory if it demonstrates: good knowledge of the fundamental contents of the course; the ability to apply the approaches and methodological tools presented, although with some inaccuracies in the design or in the argumentation of the teaching choices; clear presentation and generally appropriate use of language. The exam will be considered sufficient if it demonstrates: essential knowledge of the course contents; partial or predominantly descriptive application of the approaches and methodologies addressed; a teaching proposal that is not always coherent with regard to objectives, contents, and activities; limited ability to critically discuss the choices made. The exam will be considered insufficient if it demonstrates: serious gaps in the knowledge of the theoretical contents of the course; difficulties in applying methodological principles to the didactic planning and in justifying the teaching choices adopted; inadequate use of the specialised terminology.

The first part of the course [approx. 10 hours] is aimed at analysing the main characteristics of specialised languages [in the fields of journalism, economics, advertising, and tourism] in relation to the Spanish language, as well as their respective discourse genres and text types. The second module [approx. 20 hours] focuses on the process and strategies of learning and teaching specialised languages within the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language, with particular attention to Task-Based Language Teaching and gamification. More specifically, through a practical approach, the different stages of instructional design will be examined [from the analysis of educational needs and the identification of learning objectives, to the selection of contents and the sequencing of activities], as well as the development and selection of activities and materials, and the assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes.

At the end of the course, students will know:
1. the main characteristics of specialised languages in Spanish [with particular reference to the fields of journalism, economics, advertising, and tourism], as well as the related discourse genres and text types;
2. the most common approaches, methods, and techniques for the teaching and learning of specialised languages within the field of Spanish as a foreign language, focusing on Task-Based Language Teaching and gamification;
3. the principles and criteria of didactic planning applied to Spanish as a foreign language.

Furthermore, in terms of skills/compentences, students will be able to:
1. analyse texts belonging to different specialised languages in Spanish, recognising their linguistic, discursive, and textual characteristics;
2. design learning units/sessions aimed at teaching specialised languages in Spanish as a foreign language, defining coherent objectives, contents, activities, and assessment methods;
3. develop and select teaching materials suitable for different learning contexts and identified learning objectives;
4. justify and critically discuss the methodological and teaching choices adopted in the design of a teaching proposal.