Spanish
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Spanish for Reading and Translation: Basic
Summary
Develop the skills you need to read and accurately translate Spanish texts to English. Using texts from various disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, you learn the fundamentals of the Spanish language and Spanish-to-English translation. Start with the basics and work your way through progressively more challenging grammatical concepts that appear in the scholarly texts you translate. Along the way, you learn key grammar structures and reading strategies, and build your vocabulary.
While no prior knowledge of Spanish is required, basic to high-intermediate Spanish-speakers can use the course to review essential grammar, build vocabulary, and increase accuracy in translation.
Details
Course components
This course uses a free open online textbook and builds on that material through more examples and explanations, as well as a variety of activities and assessments that you access via the Canvas course site:
- Comprehension checks (quick, non-graded self-checks)
- 31 quizzes (in-depth, graded practice that can be repeated)
- Self-practice activities (short texts that you translate and compare to sample translations)
- Written assignments (6 assignments that increase in complexity and are corrected by the instructor with personal feedback)
- Final project (you choose 1 of 3 scholarly texts to translate and turn into the instructor for comments)
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Read and understand, with the help of a dictionary, scholarly texts pertinent to their field of research
- Identify fundamental Spanish grammatical structures and syntax
- Recognize essential Spanish vocabulary words
- Have increased confidence in translation abilities
Required reading
- Spanish for Reading Knowledge, courses.dcs.wisc.edu/wp/readingspanish
- Spanish/English dictionary (not a pocket dictionary)
Is this course right for you?
If the following statements accurately describe you, you are a good candidate for our online course:
- I am a skilled reader who is at ease with written instructions and lessons.
- I am a self-directed learner, with the initiative to visit a course site regularly.
- I am comfortable participating in a course in writing.
- I can continue learning independently while waiting for feedback on assignments.
- I am organized and able to meet deadlines.
- I enjoy working on a computer.
- I have 5 to 8 hours weekly that I can devote to this online course.
If these statements do not accurately describe you, please consider taking a face-to-face class.
Outline
Course organization
This course is typically scheduled to last about 13 weeks and consists of 16 modules or units. Here you can see the major topics covered in each module.
Week 1 Modules 1-3
- Alphabet, how to use a dictionary, punctuation and capitalization rules
- Gender of nouns
- Definite and indefinite articles
- Adjective/noun agreement
- Introduction to present tense verbs
Week 2 Modules 4-5
- More present tense verbs
- Irregular present tense verbs
- Prepositions por and para
Week 3 Modules 6-7
- Pronouns (Parts 1 and 2)
- Reflexive verbs
- Preterite tense (Part 1)
- Negative, positive and indefinite words
Week 4 Module 8
- Irregular verbs in the preterite
- Other verbs used to express “to be”
- Present participle and progressive forms
Week 5 Module 9
- Pronouns (Part 3)
- Pronoun summary
Week 6 Module 10
- Structures with hacer
- Past participle and compound tenses
Week 7 Module 11
- Introduction to the subjunctive
- Forms of the present subjunctive
- Formal commands
Week 8 Module 12
- Uses of se
- Future tense
- Conditional tense
Week 9 Module 13
- Past subjunctive
- Contrary-to-fact sentences
Week 10 Module 14
- More commands
- Future and conditional compound tenses
Week 11 Module 15
- Past perfect subjunctive
- Relative pronouns
- Passive voice
Week 12 Module 16 and Final Project
- Common translation topics to consider
Week 13 Final Project
Develop the skills you need to read and accurately translate Spanish texts to English. Using texts from various disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, you learn the fundamentals of the Spanish language and Spanish-to-English translation. Start with the basics and work your way through progressively more challenging grammatical concepts that appear in the scholarly texts you translate. Along the way, you learn key grammar structures and reading strategies, and build your vocabulary.
While no prior knowledge of Spanish is required, basic to high-intermediate Spanish-speakers can use the course to review essential grammar, build vocabulary, and increase accuracy in translation.
Details
Details
Course components
This course uses a free open online textbook and builds on that material through more examples and explanations, as well as a variety of activities and assessments that you access via the Canvas course site:
- Comprehension checks (quick, non-graded self-checks)
- 31 quizzes (in-depth, graded practice that can be repeated)
- Self-practice activities (short texts that you translate and compare to sample translations)
- Written assignments (6 assignments that increase in complexity and are corrected by the instructor with personal feedback)
- Final project (you choose 1 of 3 scholarly texts to translate and turn into the instructor for comments)
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Read and understand, with the help of a dictionary, scholarly texts pertinent to their field of research
- Identify fundamental Spanish grammatical structures and syntax
- Recognize essential Spanish vocabulary words
- Have increased confidence in translation abilities
Required reading
- Spanish for Reading Knowledge, courses.dcs.wisc.edu/wp/readingspanish
- Spanish/English dictionary (not a pocket dictionary)
Is this course right for you?
If the following statements accurately describe you, you are a good candidate for our online course:
- I am a skilled reader who is at ease with written instructions and lessons.
- I am a self-directed learner, with the initiative to visit a course site regularly.
- I am comfortable participating in a course in writing.
- I can continue learning independently while waiting for feedback on assignments.
- I am organized and able to meet deadlines.
- I enjoy working on a computer.
- I have 5 to 8 hours weekly that I can devote to this online course.
If these statements do not accurately describe you, please consider taking a face-to-face class.
Outline
Course organization
This course is typically scheduled to last about 13 weeks and consists of 16 modules or units. Here you can see the major topics covered in each module.
Week 1 Modules 1-3
- Alphabet, how to use a dictionary, punctuation and capitalization rules
- Gender of nouns
- Definite and indefinite articles
- Adjective/noun agreement
- Introduction to present tense verbs
Week 2 Modules 4-5
- More present tense verbs
- Irregular present tense verbs
- Prepositions por and para
Week 3 Modules 6-7
- Pronouns (Parts 1 and 2)
- Reflexive verbs
- Preterite tense (Part 1)
- Negative, positive and indefinite words
Week 4 Module 8
- Irregular verbs in the preterite
- Other verbs used to express “to be”
- Present participle and progressive forms
Week 5 Module 9
- Pronouns (Part 3)
- Pronoun summary
Week 6 Module 10
- Structures with hacer
- Past participle and compound tenses
Week 7 Module 11
- Introduction to the subjunctive
- Forms of the present subjunctive
- Formal commands
Week 8 Module 12
- Uses of se
- Future tense
- Conditional tense
Week 9 Module 13
- Past subjunctive
- Contrary-to-fact sentences
Week 10 Module 14
- More commands
- Future and conditional compound tenses
Week 11 Module 15
- Past perfect subjunctive
- Relative pronouns
- Passive voice
Week 12 Module 16 and Final Project
- Common translation topics to consider
Week 13 Final Project
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Continuing Education Hours
30
Continuing Education Units, CEU
3
What Attendees Are Saying:
“The professor provided excellent feedback.” – Amy Bauschicher
“The feedback provided throughout the course was invaluable—I don’t think I would have progressed through the term as easily or quickly without the timely and easy to understand feedback that was given.” – Kyle Keeler
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Questions?
Registration:Questions about this program:
- Christopher Moore
- christopher.moore@wisc.edu
- 608-262-7389
Cancellation Policy:
$25 fee if you cancel before the course opens. If you cancel less than 3 business days but before the course opens and up to 4 business days after the course opens, there will be an 80% refund minus a $25 fee. No refunds after 4 business days.
Continuing Studies FAQs
What Attendees Are Saying:
“The professor provided excellent feedback.” – Amy Bauschicher
“The feedback provided throughout the course was invaluable—I don’t think I would have progressed through the term as easily or quickly without the timely and easy to understand feedback that was given.” – Kyle Keeler
Have Questions?
Contact:- Christopher Moore
- christopher.moore@wisc.edu
- 608-262-7389
Stay In Touch
Keep up to date about Spanish offerings at Continuing Studies. You'll receive upcoming announcements and information related to Languages.
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Continuing Education Hours
30
Continuing Education Units, CEU
3
Questions?
Registration:Questions about this program:
- Christopher Moore
- christopher.moore@wisc.edu
- 608-262-7389
Cancellation Policy:
$25 fee if you cancel before the course opens. If you cancel less than 3 business days but before the course opens and up to 4 business days after the course opens, there will be an 80% refund minus a $25 fee. No refunds after 4 business days.
What Attendees Are Saying:
“The professor provided excellent feedback.” – Amy Bauschicher
“The feedback provided throughout the course was invaluable—I don’t think I would have progressed through the term as easily or quickly without the timely and easy to understand feedback that was given.” – Kyle Keeler
- Christopher Moore
- christopher.moore@wisc.edu
- 608-262-7389
Cancellation Policy:
$25 fee if you cancel before the course opens. If you cancel less than 3 business days but before the course opens and up to 4 business days after the course opens, there will be an 80% refund minus a $25 fee. No refunds after 4 business days.
Have Questions?
We have collected answers to common questions in our
FAQs.
You can also contact Customer Service at or
608-262-1156.
Continuing Studies FAQs
Previous Class
7067-21-LSA
Schedule
May 18-Aug 21
Instructor(s)
ERIN PAUL-SCHUETTER
Location
Complete online