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Abstract:
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An integrated Spanish-English curriculum may be the
means to solve some fundamental problems that frequently
arise in many bilingual schools. It would also serve
the purpose of having a greater number of students
achieve the so-claimed excellence in these institutions.
Though complicated and ambitious but feasible still,
one of these objectives is that students be able to
produce coherent texts in which they show a clear
notion of linguistic register and a sound awareness
in the choice of lexical items and grammatical structures.
It would be convenient to explain a number of problems
which may have hindered a possible Spanish-English
integration, causing therefore a failure in achieving
the objectives above mentioned. The fundamental problems
we are referring to may be listed as follows:
1. Negative interference of L1 (Spanish) in L2 (English).
Even texts produced by the most advanced students
evidence certain difficulties which prove to have
their origin in the transfer of Spanish grammatical
structures to English texts. Among these common errors
we can mention problems dealing with word order, agreement,
passive voice, conditional sentences, etc.
2. The existence of linguistic prejudices in language
teaching. Although we may say that scientific linguistics
has done away with the ideas of "correctness" of forms
and "superiority" of language varieties, it is still
frequent among language teachers to assume some prejudices
and stereotypes which they also transmit to their
students. 3. Divorce of Spanish and English Language
Departments. Teachers from both areas share objectives,
topics, teaching strategies. They also share the problems
mentioned in (1) and (2). Nevertheless, hardly ever
do they work together when writing syllabuses, often
considering there is little to work in common.
The purpose of this paper will be, then, to develop
an integrated curriculum which may help solve these
problems.
It will be based on three theoretical issues.
1. A comparison of the linguistic systems of both
languages.
2. The analysis of the complexity of grammatical,
communicative and literary themes. 3. A theoretical
decision about the bond between the linguistic system
and the use of language.
Finally, the contents of Spanish and English Language
from the first grade of elementary school to the last
one of the secondary will be organized around three
main areas: "Grammar", "Text Production" and "Literature".
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