Instructor: Lucia Reyes de Deu

Prerequisites: A grade of C- or higher in HISP 20b or the equivalent. Students enrolling for the first time in a Hispanic Studies course at Brandeis should refer to https://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/new-student/testing.html and scroll down to "Romance Languages" and expand that section for information about Spanish Language placement exams

Course Description: </br>Welcome to HISP 32A (Intermediate Spanish Conversation), our third course in the Brandeis language sequence. </br></br>
If this is the first Spanish course that you take at Brandeis, you may find that the way we teach might be different from how you were taught before. This course is predicated on the belief that language learning is not a list of rules and words to memorize, but rather an intellectual challenge that involves making creative and intentional choices about how to create meaning. Consequently, you will not need to complete mechanical grammar and vocabulary exercises in order to be successful in this course; rather, you will be asked to actively use your emerging language skills as you complete real-world tasks that are relevant to you as a college student.
As you complete these practical tasks, such as interviewing for a volunteer position, planning a trip, or sharing your opinion with university leaders, your Spanish is not expected to be perfect. In fact, you are encouraged to make mistakes as you experiment with new ways of expressing your ideas in Spanish. Part of this process will involve interacting with authentic texts – social media posts, YouTube videos, infographics, newspaper articles, etc. -- to identify linguistic models to consider in your own speaking and writing.
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The three units in this course are designed to build upon what you have already achieved as a language learner, whether you are coming from HISP 20B at Brandeis or another learning experience. Each unit will provide brief opportunities for review before introducing new themes, linguistic models, and contexts for communication.
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This course is structured around three thematic units:</br>
- Unidad 1: mi personalidad. In this unit, we will reflect on two questions: Who am I? How have I changed? We will go beyond the basics of describing someone’s personality and likes/dislikes and learn how to use simple storytelling in order to describe ourselves and share the experiences that define us.</br>
- Unidad 2: los viajes. In this unit, we’ll identify the benefits of traveling, narrate formative experiences we’ve had while traveling, and give recommendations to fellow travelers. We will also consider how traveling intersects with issues of social justice.</br>
- Unidad 3: la inmigración. In this unit, we will engage with various artistic representations of immigration—a film (Los niños de Las Brisas) and contemporary tapestries—in order to understand the goals, difficulties, and experiences of immigrants in different parts of the contemporary Spanish-speaking world.</br></br>
HISP 32 is a language and culture course that fulfills the World Languages and Cultures requirement of the Brandeis Core.

Session: Session I

Day: M-F

Time: 11:10am - 1:40pm

Credit Hours: 4 Credits

Course Format: On-Campus Course for Summer 2025

Brandeis Graduation Requirement Fulfilled: FL

Course Classification: Undergraduate Level Course

Course Tuition: $3,700

Course Fees: None

Open to High School Students: Yes