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Spanish Classes (spanish + class)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Humanities and Social Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Anxiety and the True Beginner,False Beginner Dynamic in Beginning French and Spanish Classes

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 2 2005
Diana Frantzen
Abstract: This study considered true beginners and false beginners in first-semester university French and Spanish classes to: (a) determine whether true beginners and false beginners differ in anxiety, grades, and plans to continue language study; and (b) identify classroom factors that foster anxiety or comfort. Students completed a questionnaire that included the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986), MacIntyre and Gardner Anxiety Subscales (1989, 1994), demographic information, grade expectations, and open-ended questions. Randomly selected students were interviewed about their experiences in the courses. Statistical analyses revealed that (a) although neither group was terribly anxious, true beginners were significantly more anxious overall and during processing and output stages than false beginners; (b) true beginners expected and received lower grades than false beginners; and (c) significantly more true beginners than false beginners planned to continue studying the language. Comments on one written open-ended question and in the interviews pointed to the key role of the instructor in reducing anxiety. [source]

Diversity and Inclusion of Sociopolitical Issues in Foreign Language Classrooms: An Exploratory Survey

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 1 2003
Ryuko Kubota
ABSTRACT: One aim of foreign language teaching is to broaden learners' worldviews and promote intercultural communication. Less discussed, however, are domestic diversity and sociopolitical issues. Through a survey of university students of Japanese, Spanish, and Swahili, the authors of this study investigated diversity in the classroom, students' backgrounds and learning experiences, and their perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and issues of race, gender, class, and social justice. The study found more racial diversity in Japanese and Swahili than in Spanish classes and in beginning Spanish classes than in advanced Spanish classes. Beginning Spanish students related foreign language learning with social justice issues less frequently than did advanced students. A follow-up survey revealed stigmatized experiences and detachment from ethnic identity among some minority students. [source]

Promoting Openness toward Culture Learning: Ethnographic Interviews for Students of Spanish

MODERN LANGUAGE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2002
Blair E. Bateman
Although learning to understand another culture is often mentioned as a benefit of foreign language learning, merely studying a foreign language does not automatically produce cross,cultural understanding. Many students study a language only to fulfill requirements and see culture learning as a nonessential element of the curriculum. This article explains how conducting ethnographic interviews can promote openness toward culture learning. Following a brief review of the culture learning process and of attitudinal theory, the article reports on a study that replicated Robinson,Stuart and Nocon's (1996) San Diego State study in a Midwestern setting. Thirty,five college students from 2 second,year Spanish classes were introduced to ethnographic interviewing skills and assigned to interview a native speaker of Spanish. As in the previous study, the results showed that the interviews positively affected students' attitudes toward the target language and its speakers as well as their desire to learn Spanish. [source]