MFL: Varieties of Spanish with Manuel Lagares, University of Nottingham

This session depicts how Spanish has become a world-wide language, spoken by over 400 million native speakers.

We analyse how the medieval kingdom of Castile overpowered its neighbours and why it decided to expand overseas.

Then we compare different varieties of Spanish from a linguistic point of view. Students are encouraged to recognise the origin of different speakers through listening comprehension riddles.

The session provides students with a general vision of Spanish language and helps them understand that all varieties of a language are equally valid.

Lecturer Biography: Prior to being appointed to The University of Nottingham in 2012, Manuel Lagares taught Spanish language at the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Toulouse-le Mirail (France), the University of Paris-Est and at other institutions.

Manuel graduated in Humanities from the University of Cadiz after completing a year of study at the University of Paris Ouest. He holds the Spanish equivalent of the PGCE and further certificates in teacher training. At the University of Toulouse, Manuel took a Master’s Degree in Iberian Studies and he has a Master’s Degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from the University of Alcalá de Henares (Spain).

In the SPLAS Department at Nottingham, Manuel is module convenor for three modules: the first and second year of ab-initio level (Beginners’ Spanish and Lengua Española I-year 2) and the first year of post A-level.

Suitable for: Year 12s and Year 13s studying modern languages. It is ideal for students with a potential interest in the further study of languages and Spanish in particular.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: No preparation/pre-reading is required for this event.

The IT Setup: The setup is similar to Skype, using a pc and webcam, although students take part as a group with the image projected on a whiteboard rather than as individuals in front of lots of pcs. Dedicated videoconferencing equipment is also compatible if available to the school/college. We will work with your IT department to ensure everything is set up and working prior to the event. The sessions are generally limited to 3 or 4 schools to maintain the interactive nature of the experience.

Booking a Place: Invitations to this event will be sent to schools and colleges by the University of Nottingham. Following an invitation, if you have a group of students that you think would benefit from taking part in this event, please contact us via email or via the contact form at the top right of this webpage (or at the bottom if you are using a mobile device). Subject to availability we will then book your place.