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Basic Spanish Program 121, 122 & 123

Goals

The Basic Spanish Program at the University of Louisville is rooted in the oral proficiency movement and, as such, seeks to assist students in acquiring a functional knowledge of the language.  The program focuses on developing students' abilities to use the language in everyday situations and to appreciate Hispanic cultures.  The Basic courses provide students with the opportunity to complete the preliminary steps towards Intermediate-level proficiency in the Spanish language through practice of the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in meaningful communicative contexts.  

Students who successfully finish Spanish 123 (the final courses of the Basic Spanish sequence) should be able to do the following:

1. speak Spanish well enough to function in a Spanish-speaking country (e.g. greet people, ask for directions, give basic information about oneself, talk about one’s interests, studies and family, cope with everyday needs),
2. understand spoken Spanish well enough to follow directions, get the gist of a broadcast or understand the speech Spanish speakers accustomed to non-native speakers,
3. read Spanish popular newspapers and magazine articles for main and current events with the help of a dictionary,
4. write well enough in Spanish to fill out forms, take notes, write postcards and letters and
5. become familiar with and respectful of the rich cultural, linguistic and artistic legacy of the Hispanic world.

Spanish 121-122-123 is a three-semester sequence of three 4 credit hour courses, consisting of Basic Spanish I, II and III, for a total of twelve hours. Successful completion of Spanish 123 fulfills the foreign language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Spanish 121-122-123 is generally taught in the daytime, but there are a limited number of evening sections with modified schedules.   Because of the long-term nature of language learning, course goals are given for the end of the sequence. Students who successfully complete Spanish 123 are expected to be at the Novice-Hi to Intermediate-Low level (as defined by ACTFL), and to meet the course goals.

Spanish 121 is designed for students who have had no high school or other study of Spanish, or who have placed into the course. Students with previous study of Spanish should only take the course if they have placed into it. Students should take 122 only if they have taken Spanish 121 or it they have placed into 122 with a score of 281-337 on the Placement Exam.  Students should take 123 only if they have taken Spanish 122.  Currently, it is not possible to place into 123.

Spanish 121, 122 and 123 do not count toward the Spanish major  or minor.

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