Spanish (certificate)

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Title of Certificate: Certificate in Spanish

Award: Certificate

Code: CRT.SPANISH

Total Credit Hours: 16-22

About World Languages at AACC

Purpose:

This certificate builds on 21^st-century competencies that students need to navigate a multicultural workplace, such as communication, collaboration, and social and cross-cultural skills. Upon successful completion of the Spanish certificate, students will be able to engage in meaningful conversation, understand spoken language and written text, and present information, concepts, and ideas in Spanish. In addition, students will learn to use their native and acquired language to work cooperatively across cultures with global team members, sharing responsibility and making necessary compromises while working toward a common goal. Finally, they will understand diverse cultural perspectives and use appropriate sociolinguistic skills to function in diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

21^stCentury Skill Map for languages can be found at: https://www.actfl.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/21stCenturySkillsMap/p21_worldlanguagesmap.pdf

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is the national organization that provides guidance on teaching and learning in world language classrooms. Students will earn the credential by completing the required courses listed in the certificate and by demonstrating that they can communicate in Spanish at a specific proficiency level. We will use the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) to gauge students’ proficiency levels according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. This interactive assessment tool measures how well a person communicates in a second language. The OPI score along with the required courses show an employer and/or community organization what students can actually do with the Spanish language. This certificate will give the students a tangible credential enhanced by a nationally-recognized assessment tool that reveals their true proficiency levels.

A description of the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) can be found at: https://www.actfl.org/professional-development/assessments-the-actfl-testing-office/oral-proficiency-assessments-including-opi-opic

Range of Occupations:

Educator
Law enforcement
Medical professional
Childcare provider
Contractor
Landscape services
Restaurant management
Hotel management
Social worker
Home health aide
Occupational therapy assistant
Speech-language pathologist

Occupations can be explored further through the Career Services at https://www.aacc.edu/resources/careers-and-employment/career-services/.

Certificate Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a certificate, students must have demonstrated eligibility for ENG 101 , ENG 101A , ENG 111, ENG 115, or ENG 121. See Academic Regulations on Graduation Requirements .

Planning Tool: Sequences of Courses

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Explanation of Course Sequence Options

The Elementary and Intermediate Spanish sequences provide students with the foundation and grammar skills necessary to be successful in more advanced Spanish courses. Students who have previously studied Spanish may request from the academic chair a waiver for both SPA 111 and SPA 112. Once the Elementary Spanish sequence requirement has been satisfied, students recommended for SPA 211 and SPA 212 will select three other courses required for the certificate (SPA 221, SPA 225, SPA 226, SPA 227, and/or SPA 230), along with SPA 260. Students approved to enroll in SPA 213 will earn the certificate with a combination of four other courses (SPA 221, SPA 225, SPA 226, SPA 227, and/or SPA 230) and the required SPA 260. SPA 260, Oral Proficiency Interview, is a mandatory 1-credit course required for all students enrolled in the Spanish certificate program.

Certificate Requirements: 16 - 22 credits

SPA 111 and SPA 112 form the gateway courses to the upper level certificate requirements. SPA 111 and SPA 112 can be satisfied in any of the following ways: (i) successful completion of both courses, (ii) completion of two years of high school Spanish, or (iii) departmental assessment. Upon satisfying the SPA 111 and SPA 112 requirement, students will enroll in SPA 211 and SPA 212 and a three course concentration or SPA 213 and a four course concentration designed to provide students with the foundation to become proficient in Spanish at the intermediate level according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. SPA 260, Oral Proficiency Interview, is required for the Spanish certificate. Please see the Academic Chair of World Languages for assessment and/or placement.

SPA 111 and SPA 112 are only required for beginning level students. All students must see the academic chair for placement.
SPA 111 - Elementary Spanish 1 3 credit hours
and
SPA 112 - Elementary Spanish 2 3 credit hours
SPA 211 - Intermediate Spanish 1 3 credit hours
and
SPA 212 - Intermediate Spanish 2 3 credit hours
or
SPA 213 - Intermediate Spanish Grammar Review and Composition 3 credit hours
If taking SPA 211 and SPA 212, select three courses from the following list of electives. If taking SPA 213, select four courses from the list of electives:
SPA 221 - Intermediate Spanish Conversation 3 credit hours
SPA 225 - Intermediate Spanish Civilization and Culture 3 credit hours
SPA 226 - Intermediate Latin American Civilization and Culture 3 credit hours
SPA 227 - Intermediate Spanish and Latin American Film 3 credit hours
SPA 230 - Spanish for Business and Finance 3 credit hours
Required course:
SPA 260 - Oral Proficiency Interview Preparation 1 credit hour

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Communicate orally and in writing in Spanish in the community and workplace.
Work with native and heritage speakers of Spanish in a variety of contexts.

This program aligns with all the college’s core competencies.

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