Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

Exploring Culture

Below is a video I watched in order to see popular sports in Spanish speaking countries. It allowed me to understand that the sports that are popular in America are not necessarily popular everywhere. I also learned the Basketball is more popular than I thought.

Throughout the semester we had many assignments that required me to explore the culture of different countries. I looked at popular holidays and celebrations from many different countries. I looked at popular dishes that are served in other countries. I also looked at popular sports and professions. It was excellent being able to see the differences between the United States and many other countries. There is a very rich and unique world out there and I have not even begun to scratch the surface on it.

Interpersonal Communication

TalkAbroad was a great way to get experience speaking to a native Spanish speaker. It was the only time I have had an all Spanish conversation with someone besides my Professor. I was very surprised by how much Spanish I was able to speak and how much I understood what was being said.

This semester I feel like I have really grown as a speaker. I have a much greater understanding of what is being said and it no longer is just one what I have learned. I have realized that I am not able to piece together what is being said while I am listening. I am also able to respond well enough to show that I have some understanding of the language. I am really proud of my progress and I was very happy to be able to hold a full fifteen minute conversation while using TalkAbroad.

Presentational Speaking

The main presentational videos I made were recordings on Flip Grid that answered questions that the Professor asked. These videos required me to listen carefully and fill in the blanks in my video.

This was very challenging because there are many different ways to answer the questions and to ask them. I needed to be very careful to use the correct words otherwise the conversation would not make sense. I fell like this helped me think more about what kind of questions I would ask and how they would elicit different responses.

Interpretive Listening

Two separate times I listened to a video of Profesora Mitchell asking questions and had to fill in the blanks left when she paused. This involved not only answering questions but listening to her answers and asking the right precursor.

There were many instances this semester where I had to listen carefully to understand what was being said. I learned many different tenses and conjugation rules. These have allowed me to understand the language better and be more specific while I am speaking. There were many assignments that were difficult because I had to not only decide what verb was appropriate, but also the correct way to conjugate it.