Spanish 101F Reflection Essay

Ashley White

Old Dominion University

SPAN101F: Introduction to Spanish

Professor Sefcik

April 9, 2023

Abstract

This essay reflects on the skills I have acquired through the duration of this course. I will discuss my experience through the assignments provided in gaining a better understanding of cultural perspectives, the importance of engaging in a global community, and how the assignments I completed have assisted me with interpersonal communication. I will also provide artifacts that highlight my coursework.

Exploring Culture

            The method of instruction I received this semester was through a platform called Lingrolearning. Lingrolearning provided students with snapshots of college students from Spanish speaking countries. It discussed their experiences in college and home which provided me with a better understanding that the rest of the world does not operate in the same way the United States does.

In some ways it made me wish I was enrolled in courses at one of their universities. For instance, in Unit 4 we learned that most universities do not have dormitories. As such, students must rent an apartment or live with their parents. Whereas, in the United States, many universities require students live on campus for at least the first year which can become quite costly. In others it made me grateful for the education opportunity I currently have. For instance, in Unit 4 I learned that in Bolivia it is difficult to get into a public university because there are many candidates but few spots available. Still, we do share some similar experiences. A lot of college students in both the United States and Spanish speaking countries must work to pay for their courses as scholarships are few in number.

Engaging in the Community

I signed up for this course because I work in a community where Spanish is one of the primary languages. English is the other. I want to be able to interact with everyone in my community, not solely those who speak my primary language. Being able to speak to and understand others in Spanish will provide a sense of inclusivity to others around me as well as provide me with better insight and perspective of other cultures.

As an example, I work with a couple of Spanish speaking people. A few of them speak solely Spanish. As such, we rely heavily on one employee who speaks both languages. However, as this course has progressed, I have slowly been able to understand a few words and phrases to help me interact with all our employees. They have even begun quizzing me in Spanish to help me learn.

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Interpersonal Communication & Presentational Speaking

            The Spanish speaking activities I have engaged in this semester have been difficult. When I can see the words in front of me, I have no trouble pronouncing them. However, having to recall complete sentences and phrases from memory has been a challenge. I often forget what verb tense to use or what complementary words to use in combination with the verbs. I also panic when trying to communicate and instead of taking my time to think about what I am saying, I start throwing out inaccurate masculine or feminine descriptors. I do this in an effort not to bore the listener. It has been very helpful to have our conversations in Spanish with our Professor. Still, I feel requesting that we communicate in Spanish with no notes or materials as assistors is too much to ask of an introductory course.

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Presentational Writing

            I found presentational writing to be much easier than speaking, except in the exams. When completing assignments, I had time to reflect on what I was trying to communicate as well as the ability to research the correct way to phrase and say words. I was much more confident in this as I was not expected to know or recite words and phrases from memory.

            However, my experience with writing during exams was much more difficult. The word count requirements and presentation of full paragraphs in Spanish were way too complicated for introductory students to complete. I often scored poorly and felt defeated due to my inability to understand what I was reading. I would recommend this type of examination be taken by a second or even third year student.

Interpretive Listening

            I found the interpretive listening sections to be much easier than other methods used for learning in this course. The speakers would speak slowly and accompany their speaking with gestures and facial expressions. I could also listen to the sections repeatedly until I grasped what was being said.

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Interpretive Reading

            Interpretive reading for me was extremely difficult in this course. As I have stated in above paragraphs, I do not personally see how it is helpful to expect 100 level students to read completely in Spanish. I relied heavily on translation apps to help me through readings. I was able to pick up on words here and there. However, I was completely lost as to what the sentences were saying apart from the few words I knew.

Conclusion

            This course proved to be much more difficult than I had anticipated. Truthfully, I found myself regretting taking this course due to the coursework. It was far too complicated for an introductory level course.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed my professor, Carla Sefcik. She was gracious and understanding. She was patient and very kind with all my hesitations and course frustrations. I would highly recommend that anyone who takes this course take it with her.

            I plan to continue learning Spanish through website or smart phone applications. However, I will not pay for, nor will I recommend others take a college foreign language if the courses continue to be taught like this one was. It could deter students from progressing further in foreign language study.

I am grateful for some aspects of the course. I am able to recognize bits and pieces of conversation from those who speak Spanish around me. I will not allow this course to deter me from becoming fluent in the language. Perhaps that is the most valuable lesson I have gained from the entire course.