~ To better understand the Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication identified on this page, click the link below.
Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication
This page will provide assignments throughout my semester in Spanish 101 at Old Dominion University.
Exploring Culture
For one assignment in Spanish 101, we looked at different countries and how they greet people. The greeting type changes depending on the relationship with one another. In most Spanish-speaking countries, you would be met with a kiss on the cheek.
In another discussion board post in Spanish 101, we compared ODU to the University of Granada. It was interesting to see similarities but also large differences from colleges in America to colleges in Europe.
I feel that learning some cultural facts, helps draw a connection with the Spanish language. Culture is important and learning about the culture of the country will help develop the understanding of the language. I felt challenged the most when differences arose from my “normal” to the “normal” of Spanish-speaking citizens. It definitely opened my eyes up to different forms of stereotypes surrounding those Spanish-speaking countries.
Interpersonal Communication
Throughout the semester of Spanish 101, we were assigned partners to speak in Spanish with. Below you will find two videos of me with my partner, Devin, as we hold conversations talking about what we like, what activities we do on the weekends, basic back and forth conversations, and getting to know one another better.
I truly feel as if I have grown with every assignment. My knowledge has expanded and with every video, my vocabulary and pronunciation have developed. But with growth come difficulties. My vocab and pronunciation have been my biggest weaknesses. I struggle to memorize everything needed to hold a full conversation in Spanish. But with repetition and practice, every time is better. I really enjoyed the videos and Spanish conversations as they really made you learn the material.
Presentational Speaking
Our first video assignment of the semester was a recording of ourselves pronouncing the Spanish alphabet. I felt that this was a crucial step in the course. It was one of the less difficult assignments of the semester but was a great start.
Presentational Writing
For an assignment in Spanish 101, we composed a letter in Spanish, nominating a person of our choosing for the Best Person Award. I nominated my mother, Tricia. You can see my submission below.
spanish-letter-momThis nomination was a no-brainer on who to nominate. My mother is the best person in my life and has shown an enormous amount of support and love my entire life. While this assignment was difficult for me, following the Contrasña example helped me complete it. I have a better ability to write a letter in Spanish after this but will need more practice.
Interpretive Listening
One particular “conversation” was a recording with our professor. He asked basic questions about myself and questions regarding my education. This really challenged me to increase my vocabulary knowledge and get into a routine of speaking only in Spanish. I really enjoyed that the professor pre-recorded the video and allowed us to view it as many times as we felt necessary so we could truly prepare and understand before jumping right in. As assignments grew harder and harder, interpretive listening became more and more important in this course. And knowing the Spanish alphabet became an important tool to have in the back of your mind.
Interpretive Reading
Within the Spanish 101 course, we had many activities in Contraseña that had learning material about Spanish-speaking countries. One of the assignments was to research and read about different festivals in those countries. I enjoyed this activity and getting to learn more about the culture. By enhancing our understanding by learning about the culture as well, I felt we got a well-rounded education in the language of Spanish.
