This module takes you to an intermediate level of linguistic competence in Spanish, equivalent to the B1 level of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). You'll develop your confidence in listening, reading, writing, speaking and interacting in Spanish, as well as your knowledge and understanding of Spanish-speaking societies and cultures. In addition, you'll expand your academic, digital and employability skills in Spanish contexts. Study materials include books and activities on the module website, which features authentic resources that support both independent and collaborative learning, offering a flexible way to progress in real-world Spanish.
What you will study
This module is based around six themes: Leisure and culture; Geography; Education and employment; History; Celebrations, customs and traditions; and Contemporary society. Through each theme, you will gradually develop your Spanish knowledge and skills by:
familiarising yourself with core vocabulary and grammar
learning about and reflecting on language, culture and intercultural communication skills
studying with audio recordings and videos featuring speakers of Spanish and their lives and environments
engaging in a wide variety of speaking and interactive activities
practising direct translation to support your language learning
working independently and in collaboration with others
reviewing and monitoring your progress using checklists, and reflective questions.
The study materials are carefully structured and graded, and provide ample opportunities to practise the language in realistic contexts.
Entry requirements
This is an OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning.
You require a working knowledge of Spanish to study this module, equivalent to A2 level of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for languages. It is ideal if you have successfully completed Introduction to Spanish studies (beginners) (L106) or if you have reached a similar linguistic standard. You do not need a formal qualification in the language, but may have acquired your knowledge in adult education classes, time spent in Spanish-speaking countries, regular contact with Spanish-speaking people or other sources. You should be able to understand basic written and spoken materials and to hold a basic conversation in Spanish in everyday situations such as talking about yourself; your family and where you are from; booking a hotel; or asking for directions.
To help decide if you have sufficient Spanish to take this module with confidence, use our self-assessment quiz.
Preparatory work
Before the module begins, we suggest that you continue to use your Spanish in any way you can. You could do this by reading a Spanish newspaper, using online resources, or watching some films in Spanish. Anything you can do to keep practising your Spanish will be helpful. Preparatory materials which help to revise the content of the previous module are available to students once they have registered with the University.
In addition, if you have studied the previous OU level 1 module, you can also revisit some of the activities and watch and listen to the audio materials from your materials. If you haven't studied this module, you can practise with these free online materials from OpenLearn by selecting Spanish, Level 1.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content
guiding you to additional learning resources
facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated forums.
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Assessment
Course work includes:
4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
The TMAs test your writing and speaking skills. The final TMA is an interactive speaking assignment, which will be conducted online by your tutor. In addition, the study planner includes 4 formative CMAs (Computer-Marked Assignments), designed to help you practise your reading and listening skills.
What's included
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
a module guide
a week-by-week study planner
interactive reading, writing, listening and speaking activities, including audio and video content
assessment details and submission section
access to forums where you can interact with your tutor and fellow students
online tutorial access.
You'll also be provided with three printed module books, each covering two blocks of study. The content of these books is also available online. The audio and video files needed can be downloaded from the website.
You will need
We recommend that you purchase a good bilingual dictionary. We will provide you with details of the latest editions of those that we consider will be most suitable, prior to you starting this module.
You’ll be asked to watch one Spanish-language film that you’ll need to source yourself. The titles of the films will be provided when you begin the module.
Computing requirements
Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer with at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor (2.4 GHz minimum speed). It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or the latest supported macOS.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended; Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Software – Any additional software will be provided or is generally available for free.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying L116 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Future availability
Spanish studies 1 (intermediate) (L116) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2030.