Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

Artifacts

We used multiple different artifacts to assist in learning in Spanish 102. Lingro Learning was a very immersive source to learn Spanish through listening, reading, and speaking. Videos and PDF’s were provided to assist in visual aid.

Exploring Culture

The products and practices that helped me gain an understanding of cultural perspectives were Youtube videos, Lingro Learning activities, discussion boards, and utilizing TalkAbroad. Each practice assisted in really cementing different aspects of the Spanish speaking culture in different ways. The Youtube videos provided helped to see in a more commercial way how the Spanish language is used as well as different items more popular in different Spanish speaking cultures. Lingro Learning had activities that helped the learner to visualize themselves in the situation used as an example. Utilizing discussion boards in our class helped to encourage students to speak about their own experiences within their own heritages and to compare them to those provided in videos. TalkAbroad allowed students to speak to a person in another country, real time, and really get a glimpse into life outside of the United States.

I think that these practices really helped me to familiarize myself with the culture, as well as to give it an extra source to solidify the information. These products and practices really helped me to understand values and attitudes in Hispanic cultures because I really didn’t know all that much about them, as well as to show how similar and different certain aspects are. These practices challenged my worldview by showing me that while I’ve spent most of my life in the United States, and maybe media portrays other countries as completely different, but they’re not all that different than they seem. These practices and products really helped me to understand my friends with Hispanic heritages a lot more, and gave us another thing to discuss when hanging out.

Engaging in Communities

I think it’s important to engage in my immediate community, and I’m lucky that I’m stationed in an area that is very heavily Hispanic. There’s a lot of businesses and restaurants around me that use Spanish in their business titles or serve Hispanic food. SPAN102 has really helped me to understand more of the words I see in restaurant menus as well as use context clues to figure out what they are.

Interpersonal Communication

TalkAbroad is a really useful conversation tool. I found it incredibly beneficial to speak to someone in Spanish, that doesn’t necessarily understand or know English really well in order to not use English as a crutch. It really helped me become more confident in my ability to get by in a conversation based in Spanish. While I struggled a lot, both partners that I had were very helpful and utilized different styles including hand gestures or pictures to show me what they were referring to. I think that TalkAbroad was the most helpful tool we utilized in this course to understand more about conversation.

Each activity we did in this course helped in different ways to really solidify our knowledge of Spanish. I know with myself personally, just reading something doesn’t help me to fully understand it or remember it. Using TalkAbroad, discussion posts, and LingroLearning helped me to learn in different ways by writing, reading, listening, and speaking. The activities that were most difficult for me were the LingroLearning fill in the blank paragraphs and the fill in the blank paragraphs. They were difficult for me because I struggle a lot with conjugation as well as figuring out which word works best in each scenario. I had a difficult time deciding which word worked best because I felt like many of them could work in one scenario. Once reviewing them they made much more sense to me, but it’s still something that I definitely struggle with.

Presentational Speaking

In SPAN102 we completed many different presentational speaking activities over the semester. We utilized TalkAbroad, LingroLearning, FlipGrid, and Zoom conversation. In English, give a brief 2-3-line description of any presentational speaking activities you completed this semester inside or outside of class for or related to your Spanish learning. Include a recording of one of these speaking activities. (See Modes of Communication link for description and examples). 

Then, in a paragraph, write a reflection that includes each presentation you completed in which you explain what challenged you and how you grew and overcame those challenges.  What did you excel at? What/how would you do differently next time? 

Presentational Writing

In English, give a very brief 2-3-line description of the presentational communication of compositions, pamphlets, blogs, flyers, stories, articles, and any other written presentation activities you completed this semester inside or outside of class for or related to your Spanish learning. Include a copy of a written presentational activity you produced? (See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).

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?

Interpretive Listening

In English, give a very brief 2-3-line description of interpretive listening activities you completed this semester for or related to your Spanish learning. (See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).

Then, write a short reflection paragraph that includes the different things you listened to/heard this semester inside and outside of class or in the Language Learning Center or its website. Find a recording and add to this section; be sure to cite it. What was unclear or challenging for you? How did you overcome this difficulty? What did you find most interesting or compelling? What was your takeaway from the listening experience? How have you grown with each activity?

Interpretive Reading

In English, give a very brief 2-3 line description of interpretive communication activities you read in and out of class this semester, such as articles, stories, websites like the Language Learning Center, etc. that you completed for or related to your Spanish learning. Include a copy of one of these activities; remember to cite it. (See Modes of Communication link for description and examples).

Then, write a short reflection paragraph that includes the activities you described above. What was unclear or challenging for you? How did you overcome this difficulty? What did you find most interesting or compelling? What was your takeaway from the reading? How have you grown with each assignment?

When you have finished adding content to this page, delete all the instructions except the link to the Modes of Communication.

When you have finished adding content to this page, delete all the instructions except the link to the Modes of Communication.