Introduces Spanish language and culture to students with little or no background in Spanish. It emphasizes the development of listening and speaking skills including recognizing basic word and sentence sound patterns and communicative functions in Spanish. It also introduces basic reading and writing skills. Short writing assignments will reflect basic grammatical understanding of Spanish verbs. Activities will give students practice using the language in everyday situations. Classroom activities will also present students with information about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries as well as Latin-American traditions assimilated in the American culture.