Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication
This is my very first semester taking a new foreign language in which I am engaged in Spanish. In the beginning I only knew a small amount of Spanish, I was only aware of two basic words which are a greeting and a word to indicate you are leaving. Those words are hola and adios. To get into depth about my overall growth and skill, from the beginning of the semester to now I have grasped a solid understanding on how to conduct a short and general conversation with someone in Spanish, sharing and asking about basic information. There are still quite of few vocabulary words I still need to learn only because the learning is fast paced when it comes to college level work.
At this point I know how to share basic information about myself as well as asking about basic information. Also, I am aware and understand the differences between the following three verbs: ser, estar, haber, saber, and conocer. The verbs ser and estar both mean to be but more specifically ser refers to permanent states such as date, occupation, characteristics, time, origen, and relation. Estar refers to temporary states such as position, location, action, condition, and emotion. There are multiple ways to conjugate the verbs ser and estar which depends on the context they are used in. The verb haber only refers to the existence of person or thing which is very easy to conjugate in which you conjugate it using hay. The verbs saber and conocer both mean to know but specifically saber means to know how to do something, know a fact, or to know something thoroughly like information or a new skill learned. Conocer specifically means to be acquainted with someone.
Throughout the semester, I feel like my best work was demonstrated in the mini quizzes in Blackboard as well as the assignments in Lingro Learning. Blackboard and Lingro Learning were the two platforms where all work for the class was completed. The quizzes taken in Blackboard served as an effective way to practice and ensure your understanding of the content. Before taking all quizzes on the content throughout the semester in Blackboard, I was able to go over and understand the content as well as watch some vocab videos to learn new vocabulary. The quizzes allowed me to practice using the different kinds of verbs used in Spanish as previously mentioned above. Also, they enabled me to learn new vocabulary by matching the right word with the right picture shown in the videos. On he other hand, Lingro Learning provides several ways to learn the material by having me complete different activities learning the content.
The biggest weakness I feel that I had was understanding how to use the verbs ser and estar as far as how they work. I was told that you use them and conjugate them based on the contexts they were used in and I think that was the part I was not understanding at first. Also, because there is quite of few ways to conjugate them but the way I overcame this was I went to my professor and asked for clarity and he had me practice for a bit on how to use them along with explaining the difference between the two although they both mean to be. Another way I overcame this obstacle was attempting the quiz in blackboard to practice using the verbs ser and estar and the quiz was indeed helpful in my opinion because it provided examples of statements and you had o determine which form of ser and esar to use for each. To add on with how I overcame this obstacle was downloading an app on my phone called Duol Lingo which allows you to boost your knowledge and skills in Spanish but it did not necessarily help me with the verbs ser and estar. I feel that understanding how the verbs ser and estar work was probably one of the top challenges for me simply because of the muliple ways to conjugate based on the contexts provided.
Now that I have taken Spanish for the semester as we are starting to wine down, I feel it’s fair to say that I have gained a few strengths but not many as of yet. I do feel as though I am able to have a short conversation with another partner in Spanish asking and answering questions about basic information such as name, date of birth, origin, current location, specialization, as well as occupation. To me, these are easy pieces of information to share at this point now that I have taken Spanish for a semester. Also, I understand what context the verb haber is used in as previously mentioned above. I am aware that masculine and feminin forms are used based on gender which I think is quite easy to understand.
Artifacts
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1psXShDWYjO0V3MalvnHIwyLKc7IdbbHv/view?usp=sharing
https://odumedia.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/1_9x38yfy5
https://odumedia.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/1_6f103h0x
Instructions
Exploring Culture
In English, give a brief description of products and practices that helped you gain understanding of cultural perspectives. Remember not to make value judgments or comparisons of better/worse or right/wrong. Different is just different. You are talking about your growth of understanding.
Then, in a short paragraph write your reflection. Some questions that may help you process your reflections are: In what way did these products and practices help you better understand values and attitudes in the Hispanic culture as well as your own? How did these products and practices challenge your worldview? What challenges did these perspectives reveal to you? How did it cause you to work through a stereotype or misconception you had and cause you to view the world from a different perspective? Use specific examples.
Engaging in Communities
In English, give a brief description of the value of, and importance of, engaging in your immediate community and the global community.
Reflect on your experience and participation in these communities. Include artifacts such as photos, audio/video clips, etc.
Interpersonal Communication
(See Modes of Communication link for definition and examples).
Thus far this semester I have completed audio recordings in Lingo Learning with the purpose of enhancing my Spanish speaking skills. I have also completed discussion board posts where I had to share my personal thoughts about the different ways of life in other Spanish cultures and explain how it’s different from the way we live life here in the United States.
This semester I have completed audio recordings in Lingo Learning that were used to practice and enhance my Spanish speaking skills. Also, I completed discussion board posts that allow you to share your personal thoughts about the way of life in other Spanish cultures throughout the world. These discussion board posts also involved commenting on other classmates post just to become informed about each other’s viewpoints. Based everything that I completed these were the only types of interpersonal communication activities there were. As there were not many types of interpersonal communication activities completed this semester, this is a solid beginning for me I would say because now I feel more comfortable making recordings of myself into a camera.
After completing the audio recordings in Lingo Learning and the discussion board posts, I feel my level of knowledge and Spanish speaking skills have progressed a bit. The audio recordings allow the opportunity to speak the necessary information in Spanish firmly without too much word stumbling and pausing. As I completed the discussion board posts, there was really nothing difficult about those in which all it consisted of was sharing my personal thoughts and commenting on other’s post. One thing I would say is difficult is trying to learn what a lot of words mean because when I am working and completing assignment in Lingo Learning, filling in the blank with the correct form of the verb is difficult mainly because I do not know the meaning of all of the other words surrounding it mean. As far as the audio recordings, those were difficult as well but the way I overcame that was spending a bit more time with the assignments and vocabulary. I feel that I am excelling at pausing a bit less while doing the audio recordings in Lingo Learning, I am still not very good at it yet but my pausing I think is starting to slow down mainly because I know the meaning of the words I am saying. Something I learned from this interpersonal communication activity is that it can be used as a little practice tool to enhance your Spanish speaking skills without having to use any references as it would it all come from knowledge but something I would do differently is completing the assignments in Lingo Learning more so that it would help me better.
Presentational Speaking
(See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).
One of the presentational speaking activities I engaged in this semester was having a conversation in Spanish with another classmate. While conducting this conversation we were required to ask and answer questions about basic information to one another. It was not a very intense activity in which we were only required to ask two questions and answer two questions. Specifically, I asked my partner where is he from, his birthday, and he asked me what my specialization was, as well as where I am from.
This assignment actually went pretty solid for me in which there was not much that I had difficult with but what I did have difficulty with at first was trying to memorize the questions I was asking as well as how to answer the questions being asked to me. I say that because I feel like when learning a new language there are tons of words you have to get used to or used to using without using a translator which most would say would not help you. The way I overcame this obstacle was I took time to go back to a few of the lessons to gain a better understanding of how to communicate basic information about a person in Spanish, once I did that it did the trick. I believe this was one of my weaknesses that I turned into strength, in addition, I had a meeting with my professor and he was telling me that in order to communicate basic information with another in Spanish you have to ask certain questions first before you start to ask more detailed questions. As far as what I excelled at with communicating basic information from the first conversation assignment, I excelled with asking for a person’s name, where they are from, what is their occupation, as well as their origin but what I would do differently is I would ask these questions in a specific order. The order I would ask these questions are as follows; name, origin, occupation, and maybe their birthday.
Presentational Writing
(See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).
A presentational written activity I did this semester was write a 75-100 word paragraph of the things I do on a weekly basis. First I had to incorporate my weekly routine in a calendar first as far as the time I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, school work, as well as things I do in my spare time. Then, I put it all in a paragraph in Spanish which was not easy for me at first. In the beginning of the semester we did an activity where we share our basic information about ourselves using the verbs ser, estar, and haber. For this activity, he basic information we included was our name, origin, specialization, birthday, email address, and phone number all using the verbs previously mentioned.
Then, in a paragraph, write a reflection that includes each of the activities you described above in which you explain how you have grown with each assignment or activity. What became easier and what was difficult? How did you overcome the difficulties? What did you excel at and why? How could you do better next time?
Both of the assignments mentioned above were both Proyecto assignments. After completing the calendar assignment it gave me good practice with typing in Spanish because I was required to write a paragraph about the things I do on a weekly basis using a set of verbs. The calendar assignment involved using the verbs IR and Tener so I specifically used the forms Yo voy and Yo tengo since I was talking about myself. My ability to use these verbs has increased a bit now that I had some practice with them at the time, specifically I know that when you use these verbs you are referring to yourself as far as where you are going or what you have. The part I think became easier was going back and forth using the two verbs just to get used to them, meaning I would say where I am going on that day, then I’d say what I have, then I’d switch back to using the form that expresses where you are going. The part I thought was difficult was just being able to use the verbs at first because knowing this is my first semester taking Spanish, it takes a little bit for me to learn how to use certain verbs and the for of that verb based on the context so it seems confusing at first. The way I overcame this difficulty was I went to a tutor and them explain to me the difference between the two verbs and how to use the different forms with the right context and so it gave me a better understanding of how those verbs work. Not to mention those verbs IR and Tener mean to go and to have.
https://www.blackboard.odu.edu/ultra/courses/_390435_1/cl/outline
Interpretive Listening
(See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).
Some of the interpretive listening activities I completed this semester includes the mini quizzes on the recordings of the usage of the verbs learned throughout the semester. Also, there were some activities completed in Lingo Learning where I either had to select or type what I heard.
Throughout my first semester in Spanish 101F, I have completed multiple mini quizzes associated with the weekly lessons learned in Blackboard and in Lingo Learning. Some of these quizzes were different from others whereas you were required to select the correct recording based on what you hear, type the correct vocab word based on the vocab videos, or type the correct verb form. The homework activities done in Lingo Learning, some of those consisted of recordings which I had to either match the correct description with that recording or type what I heard. The quizzes that required selecting the correct recordings were meant as practice with the different kinds of verbs such as ser, estar, haber, conocer, IR, and Tener. These quizzes specifically had me select the correct recording that I heard but those recordings were using these different verbs in the right form. These recording exercises done this semester really did not pose any challenge to me but I did have a bit difficulty at times trying to understand the usage of these different verbs and using them in the correct form based on the contexts which again I just spent more time reviewing the material in Blackboard and went to my professor, as well as tutors for assistance. Something I found interesting was how many different kinds of verbs there are in Spanish, as well as the different ways to use them.
Interpretive Reading
(See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).
An interpretive reading activity that I found a bit unique this semester was the discussion board post during week four about the study abroad and how universities outside of the United States are different from the universities here as far as structure. In this activity we were required to explain how universities outside of the United States are different from ODU specifically as well as whether we would do a study abroad in the near future.
Something about this activity that I found interesting was when I watched the video about one of the universities outside of the United States, it looks completely different from not only ODU but any university that I would typically see. Although they conduct things similarly as other universities would like the names of the degrees and allowing students to receive the help they need on their school work. The school I seen in the video looks completely different from any university I would see here in the United States. My takeaway from the reading/video was that there is other ways of life out there in the world as far as how things are conducted and again it was unique what universities outside of the United States call their degrees. They do not call them Associates, Bachelor’s Master’s, Doctorates, or PH’D.
https://www.expatica.com/es/education/higher-education/study-in-spain-101452/
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