Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

Reflection

This has been a journey. I decided to learn a second language when I was accepted into Old Dominion University and was in need of a liberal arts class. It was the perfect opportunity for me to finally take the initiative to learn a second language and stay accountable. I have many opportunities to speak with native speakers right here in my community. The local orchard, restaurants and fluent speakers within my extended family. What I didn’t realize at the start of this, was that I would not only be learning a second language but that I would be embracing a different culture. A culture that is very different from my own that challenged certain beliefs and judgement. It has opened my eyes to the surrounding Hispanic world. My mother-in-law is new in the family. She is Hispanic and habitually late for everything and loves to hug. I used to give her a hard time about it (in good fun) as I am not a hugger and a punctual person. After one of the assignments about culture and life in the Hispanic speaking world, I learned about siestas and how a time to meet one another is not focused on being punctual but more about spending time together as the focus. It is also the reason she is a hugger, as this is common in the Hispanic culture and shows respect, compassion and warmth towards each other. It helped me appreciate her more and provide a look into her previous experiences.

Learning Spanish has presented more challenges than I anticipated. I took 2 years of French in high school and have traveled to France multiple times. The language has always come easy to me, so I was expecting the same for Spanish. I enjoy conversations and the opportunity to speak. However, I took this class online. That has presented challenges in everyday conversations to build upon and opportunity to converse more frequently with my professor and fellow students. Grammar has been the biggest of the obstacles. I understand it but have a hard time conjugating. The work I was putting into the class and the language I was acquiring was not being reflected on my quizzes and exams. I had a great professor who helped me and encouraged me to keep going. She would provide outside resources to help aid in the learning process and was always available to meet through zoom.

We had discussion boards and assignments about Spanish speaking culture with topics that ranged from traditions and holiday celebrations to everyday life. This was a great opportunity to engage with fellow students and immerse yourself in the topic that was conducive to learning a foreign language and culture. My favorite part about the entire class was the Flipgrid conversations with our instructor. She followed what we had previously learned and formulated a conversation with questions and answers that we could easily understand and engage in. It was super fun! I loved watching the other students’ videos and it helped solidify the language for me. This was something I finally felt I could excel at in regard to my struggle with grammar and tests.

I will be continuing on after Spanish 101 to pursue fluency one day. I find a deep value in learning this language and find it vital to my personal growth. I believe this will open my horizons to new opportunities, experiences and relationships. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have a knowledgeable and encouraging teacher while meeting new students who share similar interests in embracing new languages and cultures.