Gramática avanzada y cultura contemporánea para la argumentación I

This course is the first segment of the third-year (advanced) Spanish language sequence. It aims to strengthen all four linguistic skills, advanced argumentation, critical thinking and transcultural competence via discussion of press articles, short stories, films, and recorded interviews with native speakers from a variety of regions. Grammatical structures, syntactic patterns and vocabulary known to be problematic for English speakers will be reviewed and practiced. Controversial topics in politics, contemporary culture and modern Spanish and Latin American history will be debated and discussed orally and in writing through a formal debate, several argumentative essays, weekly posts on online discussion boards, class discussions, and summaries of texts and audios assigned. Students will also be asked to formulate well-supported arguments on these topics, and to reflect on similarities and contrasts between their own culture and those of the Spanish-speaking world.