Examine aspects of popular culture and leisure within Spanish-speaking contexts

This four-week course will introduce you to some of the contemporary aspects of leisure and culture in the Spanish-speaking worlds, such as popular activities, television programmes, newspapers, sport and gastronomy.

You’ll draw on your existing vocabulary and develop new ways to describe your leisure preferences and those of your co-learners. Using real life case studies, you’ll examine and reflect on leisure time in Spanish-speaking cultures.

You’ll develop skills to express your feelings and emotions and explore ways of describing your personality and free time activities.

Discover Spanish gastronomy

Enjoying locally produced food is one of the most popular pastimes of locals and tourists across Spanish-speaking countries. On this course, you’ll broaden your knowledge of the varied gastronomy of Spain and Latin American countries. Furthermore, you’ll discover the importance of the food industry and ‘produce landmarks’ in the Worlds of Spanish.

Explore popular recreational activities

You’ll expand your language skills to be able to talk about games and sports in Spanish-speaking countries, such as pádel, basketball, and football.

You’ll gain confidence by discussing popular sports in your own country and the sports that you like the most with other learners on the course.

Understand the influence of the media in Spanish-speaking countries

You’ll develop your skills to be able to talk about the mass media in Spanish, focusing on aspects of the press, radio, and television programmes and discuss why this sort of media is still growing in popularity.

By the end, you’ll have the confidence to use your language skills to hold informed conversations in Spanish-speaking countries, impressing others with your knowledge of leisure and cultural activities.

What topics will you cover?

Leisure and culture-related options in cities
Radio and television programmes in Spanish
The use of language in the media and in the portrayal of other cultures
Leisure activities you and others like doing in your own free time
Cuisine in Spain and Latin American countries, including food products and their use in popular recipes
Speciality produce from the Worlds of Spanish
New grammar structures and vocabulary related to the topics discussed

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Develop your ability to apply new written and spoken language skills in Spanish
Apply your understanding of areas of Spanish grammar 
Develop your receptive and productive Spanish vocabulary
Explore contemporary leisure activities and cultural life in Spain and Latin American countries
Develop your ability to engage and discuss the range of cultural and leisure activities in Spain and Latin American countries

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for those who are at Level A2, working towards Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Learners should feel confident to use the language in most situations likely to arise while travelling in the worlds of Spanish.

The OU’s language ExpertTracks are designed to help you progress with each one you study. It’s suggested you work through them in order to effectively develop your language skills.

Learners would benefit from having completed Intermediate Spanish: People and Places before taking this ExpertTrack.

Who will you learn with?

Esther Santos-Grimaldos

A lecturer in the School of Languages & Applied Linguistics at The Open University with extensive experience in designing and applying online teaching materials. Esther is also a freelance translator.

Who developed the course?

The Open University

As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.

Established
1969
Location
Milton Keynes, UK
World ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn