Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication

EXPLORING CULTURE

Oftentimes when starting a new unit in class, we would take the time to look up and learn different aspects of different Spanish-speaking cultures. Oftentimes, this involves watching various videos covering culinary practices, festivals and celebrations, and even environmental aspects of a country. This helped to expand my worldview because I was learning about parts of various cultures that I had no idea existed, or even to further understand aspects that I had previous conceptions of. 

When it came to learning about various Spanish-speaking cultures, food was a huge aspect. Many of our units involved food, and oftentimes when they didn’t food became a part of conversations because we all found it to be something we could all relate to. Specifically, we reviewed various ways to make yerba mate, ceviche, and even chicharron. Learning about how to make each of these dishes was not only a practice in learning about different methods of cooking in various cultures, but also how important food is to culture. Through discussions with our professor, my classmates and I learned about the culture surrounding food at family gatherings, events, and festivals. Hispanic culture values family and connection, and food is a huge part of that. 

ENGAGING IN COMMUNITIES

Engaging in the communities of the language you are learning is extremely important. Engaging in communities allows you to experience the culture first hand, and to learn from people in the community. Immediate community allows you to see how there are so many people you may see everyday that live differently than you, which can be extremely eye opening. On the other hand, engaging with a global community can allow you to experience cultures you may have never learned about or interacted with otherwise. 

One way I engage in a global community is by participating in our TalkAbroad assignments. Even though we have set topics for each appointment, I find that my partner and I always end up going more in-depth into topics. Through this, we discover and learn more about each other’s cultures and communities. For example, when my partner and I discussed how influencers affected our cultures differently. Social media and the influencers on them are a huge part of culture in the US, however in Costa Rica influencers on social media aren’t as popular.

(TalkAbroad audio linked below “Interpersonal Communication”)

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

TalkAbroad is essentially an online service where you choose a partner, set up a meeting time, and have a full conversation with. The catch is the whole thing is done in Spanish. The vast majority of the time, neither person fluently speaks the language of the other, so it is truly an exercise in problem solving and critical thinking. In terms of interpersonal communication in class, a lot of the time the class communicates in Spanish, not only with the professor, but with one another. 

In this class our two main forms of interpersonal communication were the TalkAbroad conversations, and our in-class interactions. With TalkAbroad, there is always a previously disclosed topic for the conversation, and I was able to prepare to some extent for the conversation. Especially now that I am in a more advanced level of Spanish, sometimes I find myself having to get more creative with expressing exactly what I am thinking to my partner. Sometimes I struggle to find the right words, or to phrase what I am saying in a way that makes sense to my partner. However, ultimately I am able to make it to the idea I am trying to convey, and it is extremely rewarding when I do so. I feel like I excel at making connections with my partner, especially when it comes to things we have in common. If I were to do TalkAbroad again, I do not think I would prepare any differently. Stumbling along and thinking on the go is a huge part of why TalkAbroad is so helpful to me. In terms of in-class communication, this is done without preparation, and also relies on critical thinking. Overtime, I have grown more and more confident in speaking Spanish to my professor and peers, and this in turn has made me a better communicator. When I’m not nervous, I can think more clearly and remember conjugations, vocabulary, etc. much easier. I still think I have room to improve when it comes to the range of vocabulary I use when speaking to others in Spanish.

TalkAbroad: Los influenciadores y las costumbres

PRESENTATIONAL SPEAKING

We also have done a few presentational speaking activities in class. For each unit, we have a final project that includes a recorded presentation, and a writing portion. A few of our recorded videos are done in a presentation format, for example our unit twenty project covering influencers. 

Our unit twenty project required us to go in depth about an influencer, or influencers. These could be anyone with some sort of pull on society, whether that be political, social, etc. I chose two youtubers named Eamon and Bec. As I explain in my presentation, they are travel influencers, who often speak about “Van life” and all of its aspects. For this assignment, I mainly excelled at relaying more information than I was able to in previous semesters. In the past, I lacked the confidence and vocabulary to complete an in-depth assignment like this. There also was a time limit on the presentation, so I had to speak quickly, but clearly at the same time. One thing I struggled with was fitting in an adequate amount of information into the presentation in the given time. I cut a lot of additional information from the presentation to make it fit. However, overall I am very pleased with the product. Next time, I think I would rehearse my presentation much more beforehand, so I can add more information while staying clear. 

Proyecto 20 Presentation

PRESENTATIONAL WRITING

Along with the recorded parts of our projects, there was an in class writing portion. We were given the prompt ahead of time to prepare, but completed the assignment in one class period. Each writing part coincided with the recorded portion.

For unit twenty, the writing portion required us to discuss how an influencer, or influencers have an affect on people and media. I chose the youtubers I did my presentation on, and a second youtuber named Jenna Marbles. As the semester went on, these writing portions became much easier. I found that reviewing and making sure I understood the prompt beforehand was as much preparation as I needed. I feel that I excel in writing in Spanish more than speaking, because writing gives me time to think out what I am going to say, and also go back and make corrections. One thing I struggled with was spelling. I often find myself forgetting accents and vowel changes. To overcome this, I have begun reviewing important words with vowel changes, and rules surrounding accents when conjugating words. When I make these errors, it is most likely because I am working to get all of my thoughts onto the page, rather than focusing on small (but important!) details. 

Proyecto20

INTERPRETIVE LISTENING

There were many interpretive listening opportunities this semester. In-class we watched cooking videos, news reports, and TedTalks. However, we also received the vast majority of instruction in Spanish, so that was an exercise in interpretive listening as well. Each resource we listened to was a large part of each unit, and was an opportunity to hear vocabulary and grammar used in real life situations.

One of the most challenging resources we listened to in class was a TedTalk covering the globalization of food and culture. This video contains lots of vocabulary that we had never heard before, and the speaker spoke at a rapid speed. However, with the guidance of our instructor, we were able to follow along decently, and gain the main points of the video. Something I found interesting was that at first, it can be really overwhelming to tackle a listening activity. But, when taking a moment to pause and breakdown sections of a video or activity, it is much more manageable. Listening for ‘landmark’ words and phrases can also help to gain understanding of what is being said, and is a strategy I oftentimes used this semester. This strategy was the biggest, and most useful take away I received from these activities. As the semester progressed, I found myself much less stressed about listening activities, and was able to gain more and more understanding with less help. 

Can home cooking change the world?

INTERPRETIVE READING

We were also required to read a few different resources in class. Our main text that we read was a fragment of an autobiography about a young boy’s first time at college. We also would skim articles or news stories as a class when researching or looking for information about certain topics and discussions. 

When it comes to reading a large text in Spanish, like listening, it can be very difficult. I found it challenging to interpret tone or meaning with unknown vocabulary, when I could not hear inflection or tone of voice from a speaker. I am still working to overcome this difficulty by slowing myself down, and again breaking down the text. Referring to vocabulary sheets and using context clues from words I did know was also extremely helpful. Taking large texts paragraph by paragraph took more time, but ultimately led me to a better understanding of the material. One thing I found compelling is the difference between storytelling in English and Spanish. The autobiography we read in class focused a lot on emotions and dove deep into why the author felt the way he did when he went to college for the first time. While in a lot of texts in English, I find that there is less of an emphasis on emotion and more on action. My takeaway from this reading in particular is that college can be extremely nerve wracking no matter who you are or where you came from. As we read different texts throughout the semester, I again found myself being able to break down stories and articles more easily. While I still do struggle, I have seen an improvement with my critical thinking and reading skills in Spanish. 

The following is an excerpt from Viaje a la universidad (fragmento de Más allá de mí) de Francisco Jiménez,

“[1] El día que yo había esperado tanto llegó por fin. Era el domingo 9 de septiembre de 1962. Me sentía emocionado y nervioso mientras me alistaba para salir con rumbo norte en dirección a Santa Clara. Había trabajado duro para lograr este viaje a la universidad, aunque durante muchos años había parecido una cosa muy improbable.

[2] Lo que no anticipé, sin embargo, fue lo difícil que resultaría abandonar a mi familia, y especialmente a mi hermano mayor, Roberto.

[3] Roberto y yo habíamos sido inseparables desde que éramos niños viviendo en El Rancho Blanco, un ranchito incrustado en los secos y estériles cerros al norte del estado de Jalisco, México. Lo llamaba “Toto” porque cuando yo estaba aprendiendo a hablar no podía pronunciar su nombre, Roberto.
[…]

[4] Llegamos a la universidad y entramos por el portón principal, el cual estaba flanqueado por altas palmeras. Frente a nosotros se encontraba una cruz grande de madera, de aproximadamente veinte pies de alto, en el centro de una glorieta y unas cuantas yardas más atrás estaba la Iglesia de la Misión.
     ―Se parece a una de las iglesias de México ―dijo mi mamá―. ¡Qué hermosa!”

Works Cited

Acurio, Gastón. “Can Home Cooking Change the World?” Ted.com, TED Talks, 2018, www.ted.com/talks/gaston_acurio_can_home_cooking_change_the_world/transcript.

Jiménez, Francisco. “Más allá de mí”

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