What makes Así lo veo different from other intermediate programs?

The uniqueness of Así lo veo lies in the film-based and documentary approach it takes. Most other intermediate programs take a strict text-based approach in which either grammar/vocabulary or culture or even a mixture of the two drive the scope and sequence as well as the topics. Most intermediate programs do not have a film base to them. Así lo veo uses film as a powerful source of input and content for learning and teaching. Thus, students learn Spanish not just through the medium of their textbook and other traditional sources, but also through the richness and authenticity of language that only film can bring to a classroom. In Así lo veo, the film drives all learning: vocabulary, grammar, communicative interaction, culture, and so on.

What is the Así lo veo documentary?

The Así lo veo documentary is a six-themed documentary consisting of interviews with a half-dozen handpicked Mexican nationals who bring a variety of interesting perspectives to the themes treated in the film. These people are: Ruth, a retired upper-middle class school teacher; Padre Aguilar, a middle-aged Catholic priest; Gustavo, a mid-thirties professional dancer with the Mexican national ballet company; Leticia, a housecleaner and street vendor; Yolanda, a mid-thirties eco-biologist; and Ernesto, a nineteen year-old student of acting and communication. Mixed with footage of scenes around Mexico as well as scenes from these six peoples’ lives, the interviews touch upon topics such as family and its changing structure (including marriage), the concept of “a good person” and whether people can really change over time, religion and spirituality and the roles they play in life and society, among others. Together, these people bring liberal, conservative, and moderate viewpoints to the topics, sometimes surprising the viewer with their thoughts on a particular topic and challenging the viewer to think about what really makes someone’s perspective liberal, conservative, or in-between.

The film is beautifully produced and is unique in style and appearance from any other film-based product on the market. It is structured around six themes, divided into two questions each. For example, one theme is family and one episode is “What is family to you?”, while the following episode asks, “How is family changing?” Thus, there are six “units” with two episodes each for a total of twelve episodes. In addition, there is a prologue in which students meet the interviewees and who they are, as well as an epilogue in which each person talks about the future, including personal and societal aspirations.

How is the Así lo veo textbook organized?

The textbook provides students with many opportunities to work with vocabulary and grammatical structures to help them synthesize and evaluate the various perspectives they encounter in the film, as well as to interact with others and express their own views on these topics. In addition, cultural and literary readings from around the Spanish-speaking world expand on the topics presented in the documentary and provide students to develop further their reading and writing skills.

• Unit Opener
  The textbook is divided in to six units, with two lessons each, for a total of twelve main lessons. The unit openers present quotes from three people that students will hear in the documentary, and include Ideas to get students thinking about the general topic explored in the two corresponding lessons. In addition, the texbook contains a Lección preliminar to accompany the film’s Prólogo, as well as a Lección final to accompany the film’s Epílogo.


• Lesson Opener Lesson openers provide a list of topics that students will explore in the lesson. Each lesson opener includes a Spanish refrán that deals in some way with the lesson’s content. Learners are invited to comment on the content of the refrán.


• Lesson Organization
  Each lesson is organized into three parts (Así lo veo I, Así lo veo II, Así lo veo III), each of which focuses on a particular idea or point of view expressed in the documentary. Each part consists of the following sections: Vocabulario del vídeo focuses on words and expressions and contains activities that serve as a preview to the documentary segment. Comprensión y opiniones check students’ comprehension and help them synthesize what they viewed. Gramática presents a grammar structure used repeatedly in the documentary and provides students with a variety of activities in which they express their own views.


• Literatura
  At the end of each odd-numbered lesson is a literary selection, the theme of which is related to the topic of the unit. Each literary selection contains pre- and post-reading activities and ideas for written compositions and oral presentations.


• Cultura
  The end of each even-numbered lesson includes cultural readings and accompanying activities that deal with unit’s topic in other countries and regions in the Spanish-world.
• Additional Features
  Palabras engañosas boxes focus on problematic words and false cognates.
  El maravilloso verbo… highlights a particular verb (such as dar, poner, volver) and the variety of its uses and meanings.
  Expresión especial boxes present a useful phrase used by one of the speakers in the documentary.
  Así lo pienso boxes and corresponding video segments present a short clip of someone presenting another perspective on the lesson’s topic.

What else is part of the Así lo veo program?

In addition to the film, there is the student text, the instructor text with on-page annotations, a combined student workbook/laboratory manual, and online materials for both students and instructors.