CURRICULUM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
CELIA VILLA-GUILLÉN: YOUR SOURCE FOR SPANISH LESSONS AND TRANSLATIONS IN DURANGO, COLORADO
Below are detailed descriptions of each course. If some of the grammar explanations are not clear, please feel free to contact Celia with questions.
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BEGINNERS LEVEL – There are six courses (seven weeks each)
True Beginners Grammar – Part A For people totally unfamiliar with the Spanish Language, we start from zero.
1. The alphabet, the sounds of letters, numbers
2. Basic vocabulary, pronunciation, basic information about the culture and grammar
3. Climate, cognates, practice recognizing words
4. Gender and number. Articles, nouns (singular, plural, masculine, feminine), vocabulary of nouns, subjects, objects. Regular verbs
5. Verb SER (to be) explaining the conditions, basic characteristics, origin, profession
6. The time and date, material, events, marital status, relationships, impersonal expressions
7. Oral practice questions and answers
At the end of this course, students will understand noun gender and number, applying articles, and when to use the verb SER.
True Beginners Grammar – Part B For students that have mastered Part A.
1. Verb ESTAR (to be), location, state, and condition
2. Present participle and past participle. Idiomatic expressions
3. Practice with SER and ESTAR, conjugating those verbs in the present tense
4. Possessive and demonstrative adjectives and pronouns
5. Verb TENER, to express obligation and condition
6. Verb IR in present tense; the informal future tense
7. Differences between HABER, TENER, SER, and ESTAR. "Para que sirve?" Explaining what things are used for; relating nouns and verbs (things with their principle action)
At the end of this course, students will be able to understand simple questions, give short answers, and feel comfortable with short conversations.
THE PRESENT TENSE
Beginners I – Grammar
This course is for students who already know all the basics and know the differences between SER and ESTAR as well as the informal future; and can handle a vocabulary of verbs, nouns, adjectives; and can manage the present tense conjugation for regular verbs. Here they learn:
1. Conjugation in present tense for regular verbs
2. Conjugation in present tense for nine types of irregular verbs
3. Practice for irregular verbs, recognizing the changes
4. Stem changing verbs, and their conjugations
5. Practice with stem changing verbs, recognizing the different types
6. Oral practice with transparencies
7. Practice using the regular verbs in short conversations
At the end of this course, students will be able to conjugate any verb in present tense and have short conversations.
Beginners II – Grammar
1. Explanation of reflexive pronouns
2. Practice with reflexive pronouns
3. Introduction to indirect object pronouns (e.g. me gusta)
4. Practice with indirect objects
5. Direct object pronouns
6. Present progressive substituting pronouns
7. Oral practice, substituting nouns with pronouns
At the end of this course, students can have short conversations using pronouns.
Beginner Readers
In this course, students read a book in Spanish written only in the present tense. Here they review all the grammar learned in class.
Beginner Conversation
This class is conducted only in Spanish, and students should not sign up for this class unless they are proficient with the verbs ser and estar, possessive, demonstrative, indirect and direct object, and reflective pronouns, and all present regular and inrregular conjugations. For homework, students write short paragraphs from provided topics and present them in class. Students have short conversations about their writing in the present and informal future tenses. They will be able to present and understand what others are saying, ask questions, and give answers. Students will achieve confidence in their capabilities to write, listen, and speak in Spanish.
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SECOND LEVEL - PAST TENSES - 6 COURSES
Mid Level I Grammar
1. Prepositions
2. Por and Para
3. Different types of adverbs
4. Adverbs and prepositions
5. Comparative adjectives
6. Written exercises
7. Verbal practice with transparencies
At the end of this class, students will give extra information when explaining details in a story.
Mid Level II Grammar
This course is for students who know the present tense, regular and irregular verbs, and can manage pronouns. Here they learn:
1. The preterite tense of regular verbs
2. The preterite tense for irregular verbs and changes in spelling
3. Changes in stem changing verbs in the preterite tense.
4. Practice with the preterite tense
5. Direct objects in the past
6. Indirect object pronouns in the past
7. Oral exercises with practical situations
At the end of this course, students will be able to tell stories using the preterite tense, and will be able to understand what other students say.
Mid Level III Grammar
Here students will learn about another past tense.
1. Imperfect tense for regular and irregular verbs
2. Using the imperfect tense for situations in the far away past
3. Imperfect progressive, two actions at the same time
4. Using reflexive pronouns and direct object pronouns in the imperfect tense
5. Using indirect object pronouns in the imperfect tense
6. The imperfect tense vs. preterite tense. Oral practice with transparencies
7. Telling stories, using imperfect vs. preterite tense
At the end of this course, students will be able to tell stories combining verb tenses.
Mid Level IV Grammar - Double Pronouns
1. Four uses of the impersonal SE
2. Reciprocal pronouns
3. Passive voice
4. Unplanned events - the impersonal SE with pronouns
5. Accidents
6. The double object pronouns in intentional situations
7. Double pronouns in different clauses; oral practice
At the end of this course, students are confident having conversations and talking about anecdotes of their childhood.
Mid Level Conversation
This class is conducted entirely in Spanish. Students must be proficient with preterite and imperfect tenses and double prounouns. Their homework involves writing stories and anecdotes. During class, they have conversations, interact giving their opinions, and have discussions regarding various themes.
Mid Level Readers
Conducted only in Spanish. In this class, students read a book telling stories with past tenses. We make grammar comparisons and gain understanding of colloquial expressions.
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THIRD LEVEL - ADVANCED - 5 COURSES
All these courses are taught completely in Spanish
Advanced Grammar I - The Future and Conditional Tenses
1. Introduction to the future tense. Regular and irregular verbs
2. Wondering in the future tense
3. Different uses of the conditional tense
4. Pondering the future
5. The imperative tense
6. Giving commands and instructions
7. Giving advice and directions
Advanced Grammar II - The Present Subjunctive Tense
1. Uses of the present subjunctive tense
2. With verbs of negation and probability and uncertainty
3. Expressing needs and feelings with verbs of emotion
4. Expressing opinions and value judgments
5. With impersonal expressions and paraphrasing others
6. Giving advice, recommendations, and suggestions
7. Exercises of translation
At the end of this class, students will be able to feel confident having conversations, giving their opinions, instructions, and directions.
Advanced Grammar III
The entire time we speak only in Spanish and we have interactive classes.
1. The imperfect subjunctive tense
2. Uses of the imperfect subjunctive tense
3. Two formulas of imperfect subjunctive
4. Probability, negation, uncertainty
5. Combination of conditional and imperfect subjunctive when talking about the past
6. The hypothetical situations and contrary to fact using the formula of the future subjunctive
7. Using the tenses of the past in all possible combinations
At the end of this class, students will be totally confident having long conversations and confidently expressing their thoughts freely.
Advanced Level Readers Readers
In this class, we read somewhat more complicated books written by Latin American authors, studying the grammar and the colloquialisms.
Advanced Conversation
This class is for students who already know the grammar, are able to handle all the verb tenses, and are reasonably fluent in Spanish. Here students acquire proficiency and have fun. As homework, they write long stories and converse about them in class, discussing topics such as literature and culture, giving opinions, and having totally creative and open conversations in Spanish.
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FOURTH LEVEL – EXPERT (EXPERIENCED STUDENTS ONLY)
Expert Grammar I
The whole time we speak only in Spanish. We study grammar for practical situations.
1. Relative pronouns, mas, pero, sino, sino que
2. Lo que, el que, la que, de lo que, por lo que
3.Synonyms and antonyms
4. Double pronouns in different clauses
5. Prefixes and suffixes
6. Homophones and homographs
7. Colloquial situations, compound words
At the end of this class, students are prepared for expert readers classes, feeling confident in their capabilities.
Expert Grammar II - The Perfect Tenses
1. Practice with the "perfect tenses"
2. Presente Perfecto y Preterito Perfecto
3. Pluscuamperfecto
4. Futuro Perfecto y Condicional Perfecto
5. Presente Perfecto de Subjuntivo
6. Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo
Expert Readers Classes
Students purchase a selected book for the class. They are assigned to read a segment in advance of class and come to class prepared to discuss the content. The purpose of these classes is to practice fluent pronunciation, examine how phrases are constructed, and gain confidence in discussing topics.
Experienced Listeners
We practice listening skills with videos, music, and listening to the teacher read.
At the end of this class, students will feel confident about having conversations with native Spanish speakers, watching movies, and having full control of the language.
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For an overview of courses offered, see Overview of Courses.
To determine which course might be right for you, see Course Level Placement.
To learn when classes are offered, see the Current Schedule of Classes.
