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SPAN10110

Academic Year 2026/2027

Reading Hispanic Texts (SPAN10110)

Subject:
Spanish
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Eva Bru-Dominguez
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This is a foundational module for Spanish Ia (SPAN10010) and Intensive Ab-Initio Spanish Ia (SPAN10140). Texts are read in Spanish with translations, synopses, and vocabulary lists made available for those studying Spanish as beginners. This will aid students in their reading, comprehension and literary appreciation of the original Spanish texts. The module will entail the study of various genres of literature.

The aim of this module is to empower students to become independent, critical readers of Spanish cultural texts. Using close reading skills, students learn to reflect upon their own readings, to use appropriate terminology drawn from the language of literary and film criticism and to express their analyses in carefully crafted commentaries, essays, as well as in a tutorial setting.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
- use close analysis to develop a persuasive argument about prescribed texts in relation to their context and form/medium
- reason, argue and clearly express in accurate written English (or Spanish if desired) their own readings of the prescribed texts
- reflect on, modify, and improve their command of Spanish

Indicative Module Content:

Indicative module schedule for 2024 which is subject to change:

Block 1: Peninsular Literature in Translation
Week 1 - Module Introduction & About Mercè Rodoreda
Week 2 - "La salamandra" / "The Salamander"
Week 3: "Mi Cristina" / "My Christina"

Block 2: Spanish Early Modern Poetry
Week 4: Garcilaso de la Vega, Sonnet XXIII & Luis de Góngora, Sonnet CLXVI
Week 5: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, "El pintar de Lisarda la belleza" / "The Painting of Lisarda's Beauty"
Week 6: Francisco de Quevedo, "Poderoso caballero es don Dinero" / "A mighty knight is Don Dinero"

Block 3: Latin American Literature
Week 9: About Gabriel García Márquez
Week: "Ojos de perro azul" / "Eyes of a blue dog"
Week 11: "Los funerales de mamá grande" / "Big mama's funerals"




UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Not addressed

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Novice

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Not addressed

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Not addressed

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Not addressed

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Not addressed

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Not addressed

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Not addressed

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Not addressed

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

12
Specified Learning Activities

50
Autonomous Student Learning

48
Total

122

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is delivered through one weekly 50-minute lecture and one weekly 50-minute tutorial, which are timetabled on different days. Lectures and tutorials will take place in person unless otherwise specified and are scheduled according to the university timetable, so students should make sure to check the timeslots, rooms, and the tutorial group in which they have been enrolled carefully. Attendance of both lectures and tutorial groups is crucial for successful engagement with this module, so students must inform their tutor if there is a reason why they are unable to attend class. Active participation in tutorials and full engagement with material and tasks made accessible in Brightspace is expected every week.

Students may use AI tools for limited support in this module (e.g. idea generation, practice questions, or as a study aid). However, students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

The resit assignment for this module will be a 1000-word essay.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

A basic level of Spanish language proficiency (Level A2 of the European Framework, or its equivalent) is required.

Learning Recommendations:

This module studies literary texts written in Spanish. It is not recommended that this module be taken without parallel study of the language modules SPAN 10050 or SPAN10150, except by students with adequate attainment in the language.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
SPAN10120 - Reading Hispanic Texts (Beg)

Equivalents:
Intro to Hispanic Studies II (SPAN10070), Intro to Hisp Stds II (Beg) (SPAN10080)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): 1,500 word comparative essay. Week 15 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
65
 No
Exam (In-person): In-class text commentary (poetry). Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
35
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Formative feedback will be given to students on reading and writing skills relating to the first two submitted tasks. Individual feedback will be provided to students online and collective feedback on common issues that emerge in these commentaries will be given in tutorials.

Name Role
Dr Katherine Brown Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Eva Bru-Dominguez Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Javier Carpes Salar Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Mary Farrelly Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Tara Plunkett Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
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