SPANISH SOCIOLINGUISTICS - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module builds on knowledge and understanding of how language and society interact, acquired in previous language modules, as well as real world knowledge acquired during PTY. It introduces students to sociolinguistic concepts and terminology in Spanish and explores a range of sociolinguistic phenomena in the Spanish-speaking world, including regional and national variation, and language contact situations. Students will develop research and presentation skills and discover the Spanish-speaking world through a sociolinguistic lens.

Module provider

Literature & Languages

Module Leader

YUNES VINCKE Estefania (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Historic development of the Spanish language and the other languages of Spain and Spanish America


• Regional and national variations


• Overview of language contact situations between Spanish and other languages


• Language policy. Impact  of English, technology and social change on developments in modern Spanish

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• advanced knowledge and understanding of the target language


• ability to analyse and interpret texts critically, and to develop original arguments


• ability to select and synthesise information from written and oral texts


• ability to take notes effectively and use IT skills to find and present relevant information in an appropriate and engaging manner


• subject-specific knowledge of Spanish sociolinguistics

• Individual class presentation) (40%)
  Students give a 12 minute presentation, with ppt slides. This enables students to demonstrate communicative and presentation skills, as well as subject-specific knowledge, command of spoken and written Spanish, and research skills.
   


• Written assignment of 2,500 words (60%)
  Takes the form of an extended piece of writing. This enables students to demonstrate subject specific knowledge, command of written Spanish, and research skills.

• Formative assessment will focus on student participation and class discussions throughout the module.


• Students will be provided with detailed written feedback following coursework assignments.


• Verbal feedback will also occur in class and individual appointments if required.

Module aims

• The module aims to: develop understanding of sociolinguistic concepts and the ability to use sociolinguistic terminology to describe and analyse a range of phenomena in Spanish

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy will enable students to:

* develop their language skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing in the target language
* confidently work and learn independently through reading outside contact hours and preparing for and participating actively in seminars
* develop research skills, through preparing informal class presentations and preparing the assignments
* engage in analytical and evaluative thinking, analyse and interpret texts and other cultural products, through attending classes and engaging in individual study
* acquire an in-depth knowledge of the sociolinguistics of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world.

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

* Two contact hours per week: practical seminars based on discussion of work prepared in advance.
* Flipped classroom methods are used to maximise class time and student engagement.
* Guided learning each week– suggested readings and activities to prepare for seminars
* Interactive seminars which enable students to refine their communications and presentation skills.
* Some of the interactive tools used in class will be Jamboard and Google Docs.
* Guidance on how to prepare and present assignments via SurreyLeaarn and during practical seminars.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SPA3018

Other information

Surrey's Curriculum Framework is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Digital Capabilities: students will refine their ability to source, select and engage with appropriate online resources in their target language for research purposes. Additionally, during class students will work with different platforms such as Jamboard and Google Docs. They will also have opportunities to learn how to use different digital resources to record their oral presentation.

Employability:.weekly activities in this module will often require students to work together and learn to plan and delegate tasks, thus developing communication and project management skills useful in professional life. The assignments also relate to aspects of professional life – recording a presentation in order to engage an audience; writing content for a specific audience. Students also benefit from the focussed and applied language skills that they develop in engaging with this module, communication skills that are very desirable for modern employers.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: this module explicitly introduces students to the ways in which language and society interact throughout the Spanish-speaking world, creating awareness of the diverse nature of Spanish speaking cultures. Students will engage with contemporary research into language growth, shift and death, thus developing awareness of the ever-changing nature of languages, cultures and societies.  The module will also specifically focus on the sociolinguistic impact of colonialism on Spanish American countries.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students will be asked to research a range of complex topics, often having to rely on their own resourcefulness to find relevant and appropriate materials. Discussing, researching, and writing complex topics in correct and authentic Spanish is challenging for students; by doing this the module builds their intellectual self-confidence and resilience.   

Sustainability: although the SDG do not mention linguistic diversity, it is a fact that many languages, including those in the Spanish-speaking world, are endangered, often because they are spoken by endangered populations. This module will cover the issue of linguistic diversity as parallel to biodiversity and will explore initiatives aiming at recording and preserving the languages of marginalized communities.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.