Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

Exploring Culture

Through out my almost five years in the military I have gained a lot of cultural perspective. In the military we work with people from all different cultures and backgrounds which makes it very easy to learn about different cultural practices.

My military service has helped me to understand Spanish culture better simply by working and talking to people who are of Hispanic descent. Being able to ask questions, hear discussions, etc. involving Hispanic culture has helped me get a grip on differences between American and Hispanic culture. One example would be native Hispanic foods. Food from different culture has always interested me, so when I see someone eating a food I am unfamiliar with I do not hesitate to ask questions. I have learned a lot about common Hispanic cuisine from asking questions to co-workers about what they are eating, how it is made, etc.

Engaging in Communities

It is hard to put a value on the importance of engaging in community, both locally and globally. Engaging in community can help you to learn about the roots of your community, while also getting a chance to explore the different cultures and upbringings of individuals in the community.

Interpersonal Communication

In class this semester we have done a few different activities that involve interpersonal communication skills. We have done discussion board posts that involve making an initial post, and responding to our classmates posts. This semester we also used “Flip Grid” as a method of recording ourselves speaking in Spanish. Flip Grid allowed us to practice pronunciation and correct use of words and phrases in the Spanish language.

I have grown from each discussion board and Flip Grid because it forced me to do something I am not comfortable with, which is speaking a language I do not know all that well. It was difficult for me because when speaking in a foreign language I have to think quickly and on the fly in order to translate words from English to Spanish in my head. That helps me to make sure what I am saying makes sense and can be understood.

Presentational Speaking

A presentational speaking communication used this semester is Flip Grid. As stated above, Flip Grid involved having to record myself speaking Spanish in response to either a conversation type setting or answering written questions. Speaking Spanish in this real-world exercise helps to learn how to use the language in daily life.

 

Presentational Writing

A written presentational activity we have done this semester is the quizzes we have done in class. In the quizzes we have had to type out words, phrases, and full sentences in Spanish in order to learn new uses of the language. This allowed us an easy way to apply newly learned verbiage in written scenarios, while being graded on our ability to retain what we have learned.

The quizzes were very helpful in seeing how well I was able to retain what I learned that unit. It became a little easier as the semester went on due to the constant use of the Spanish language and becoming more comfortable using Spanish. I felt as though I could have done a little better on some of the quizzes if I took my time a little more and thought more about what I learned prior to submitting my quizzes.

Interpretive Listening

Throughout the semester we have done multiple forms of listening activities. Some of these activities include listening to a recording and selecting the correct statement in a multiple choice format, or listening to a recording and having to respond.

This semester I have listened to recordings and had to respond via typing or video, and also heard recordings of things such as the time of day and had to select the correct time. One thing that was challenging for me is how fast some people speak in Spanish. I found myself needing to listen to recordings multiple times in order to pick different parts of the recording out each time and putting it together. I have grown from each activity because I had to learn to listen quickly and be able to respond quickly.

Interpretive Reading

An interpretive reading activity we have done in class this semester is on the activities that involved reading about different Spanish speaking cultures and writing descriptions about them.

It was difficult for me to make the connection between the Spanish speaking culture and American culture. Things such as social behaviors are completely different throughout the world and it’s interesting to see the differences in those behaviors. An example would be how we discussed kissing on the cheek. That is an acceptable social greeting in most countries, however in the U.S. that is not used very often. Learning about those types of differences helped me to understand the different culturally and socially acceptable behaviors in Spanish speaking countries.