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Language Learning Community

First-year students interested in experiencing a more robust and stimulating language learning environment are encouraged to participate in one of our Language Learning Communities, a partnership program with the Office of New Student & Family Engagement.

A Language Learning Community is a two-course pair where only students in a specific section of LSP 110 Discover Chicago (section related to the language) may register for a specific language course (section related to LSP 110).  This course pairing enables students to develop stronger connections with their classmates by taking two classes together and also helps them to better connect with the course material.  The LSP 110 Discover Chicago and language courses will always be related to one another.

Fall Quarter 2015

Students interested in the Spanish Language Learning Community must complete the online language placement exam as soon as possible in order to verify language proficiency for SPN 104.  Instructions on how to take the language placement exam can be found online here.  Please note that this Spanish Language Community is designed for non-native Spanish speakers.  Spanish heritage speakers will need to enroll in other Discover/Explore Chicago and Spanish classes.  Spanish heritage speakers are Spanish speakers who learned Spanish outside of the classroom environment. They typically learned Spanish through family, friends, and/or through the community. For more information about Spanish heritage speakers, please click here. 

Spanish heritage speakers are expected to enroll inSpanish heritage courses appropriate to their level of proficiency, based on their language placement exam results.  These courses are designed specifically to help Spanish heritage speakers improve their heritage language proficiency in the same way that English composition/writing courses help with their English writing and grammar.  SPN 205 and 206 are somewhat similar in nature to first year writing courses, WRD 103 and 104, but in Spanish.  Just as most native English speakers need help with their English writing skills, most Spanish heritage speakers need help with their Spanish writing skills.  Choosing to major/minor in Spanish, as a Spanish heritage speaker, could be very loosely compared to native English speakers choosing to major/minor in English.  The Spanish major/minors do not require all literature-based courses and the courses are taught in Spanish.  For a full list of the courses and course descriptions that students may complete for a Spanish major or minors (Spanish, Spanish Linguistics, Commercial Spanish, Spanish Translation), please review the course descriptions online here.

Spanish Heritage courses offered at DePaul:

  1. SPN 114 Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers 1 (offered fall quarter)
  2. SPN 115 Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers 2 (offered winter quarter)
  3. SPN 200 Transitional Spanish for Heritage Speakers (offered spring quarter)
  4. SPN 205 Advanced Grammar & Composition for Heritage Speakers 1 (typically offered fall quarter - SPN 205~207 need not be taken in sequence)
  5. SPN 206 Advanced Grammar & Composition for Heritage Speakers 2 (typically offered winter quarter - SPN 205-207 need not be take in sequence)
  6. SPN 207 Advanced Conversation for the Heritage Speaker (typically offered spring quarter - SPN 205-207 need not be taken in sequence)

Please note that students interested in study abroad should NOT take all three SPN 205-207 courses at DePaul, as they will most likely complete them through a study abroad program. Please talk with the Department of Modern Languages staff advisor, Corban Sanchez, if you are interested in learning more about how degree progress relates to study abroad.

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