Here in my portfolio for Spanish 202, we will be examining the concepts and ideas introduced throughout the semester to help gain a different perspective of the Spanish language and culture.

Exploring Culture

Exploring culture helps to get an understanding of how others see my culture and vice versa. With our deep examination of culture and its perspective, it helped to learn the true meaning of how our interpretation matters. With stereotypes, tropes, social constructs being present, it is easy to get mixed in with a general idea without getting the truth.

In addition to exploring the different facets of culture this semester, I grew an awareness of the barriers of culture, language and understanding that comes with a lack of a world view. Understanding the customs and origin provided a deeper meaning for me and cleared a lot of misconceptions that I had. For example, there is an existing belief that everyone from Spain can dance Flamenco. With careful research along with the stereotypes I face day to day, I realized that these stereotypes, or unfinished truths, can distort someone’s living truth. Although we may not think its hurtful, this judgement present in the society destroys someone’s reputation or prove to be false.

In a video assignment, we watched individuals talk about how they feel like they have to “hide ” their identity so people wouldn’t think of them or treat them differently. While these stereotypes are present, this has taught me to learn the full story before going into a new culture with those preconceived notions. To see how I judge a culture how my culture is judged showed me that there is more than meets the eye.

Engaging in Communities

Engaging in your community builds on the healthy environment and builds a better appreciation for the people and resources provided in the community. Community can be defined as many things as possible, but it emphasizes the progress of physical and mental wellbeing through the environment.

When engaging in my community, it allows me to serve a bigger purpose. As I personally enjoy helping other individuals, I can see how it affects the foundation of a healthy environment. As I am a Human Service Minor, we always stress the importance in being a part of change. If we don’t incorporate ourselves in our own likelihood, how do we expect a good outcome. In the service opportunity I participated in, I got to see firsthand how engagement is a necessity. With many different impacting factors, it is important we engage ourselves.

CertificateofParticipation_Shining-Up-Saturdays_MAR2022-1

Interpersonal Communication

Communication has a key importance when relating to language. During this semester we communicated with native Spanish speakers, group partners and had interviews with the professor to ensure the strengthening of our foundational Spanish speaking. Activities such as Talk Abroad gave us guided questions to formulate a conversation relating to the topics surrounding the current area of study. These interpersonal communication activities have aided me in the progression of my fluidity of the Spanish language allowing me to not sound so broken up. In the Audio above you can hear me conversating with My partner as I apply all of the information, I have grasped this semester.

Along with talking with my parner in class, the oral interviews with the professor shined a light of focus when speaking in Spanish. I aspire to sound like a native speaker in the following semester and be able to recognize different jargon and expressions of the Spanish language. With each conversation I identified additional language markers and expressions that comes with meaning or relevance to the subject of which we were talking. Although I am not perfect at speaking Spanish, I am able to get what I am trying to convey across, whether it is directly or using words to circulate what I am describing. Next semester, I strive to only speak Spanish and incorporate this into how I approach the Spanish language and culture. With there being different idiolects, it has proven to be a little more challenging when speaking. For example, some tenses in Spanish aren’t used anywhere but in Spain. I had the luxury of Speaking with one of my old professors from high school and was able to communicate solely in Spanish. My hope in the future is to speak without thought as if Spanish was my first language.

Presentational Speaking

While presenting information this semester solely in Spanish, I found it most important to Speak with expression, clarity, and precision. In project # 20 I discussed social media and how influencers create trends that are marketed all across social media platforms. Listen as I explain some social acceptances of using “followers” to spread a lifestyle on the mass population.

The biggest challenged I have faced is “remembering ” what to say. My ultimate goal is to be able to talk about something without drill or repetitive attitudes. Although I may sound a bit broken up, I want to work on creating my own unique Spanish sound. Although no one sounds the same when speaking Spanish, I ensure that it is clear about what I am trying to convey. With speaking the language more and more, it has become easier to apply what I have learned grammatically and structurally about Spanish. Next Semester I plan on speaking solely in Spanish in and out of class to get a better grasp on the language. I would like for my professor to understand without hesitation.

Presentational Writing

In each chapter for our projects, we surmise the main events of an article dissecting it for a deeper meaning. Along with discussion boards and planning during the semester using Lingro hub, we jot down ideas to help address the topic and share information for which we were dissecting and getting a better understanding for. Outside of the class I have been practicing with old books to refresh my foundational Spanish.

Proyecto-19

With each activity, the structure for my writing has grown. Using the information provided, like in Viaje a la Universidad, I was successfully able to chronologically explain the events from a reading and tell what happened without using the exact words. One thing I would practice more is writing my own literature more in Spanish to allow a more defined structure enter my work. I believe that the written work is just as if not more important than speaking Spanish. As I continue to respond to additional discussion boards in the future, I plan to have a more formulated response and ensure that what I am trying to convey gets across easier.

Interpretive Listening

Listening to Spanish, trains the ears to distinguish between tenses, expressions and emphasis on specific words. During the semester we listened to songs, poems, and reaction videos to topics that helped explain the culture and identities of Spanish natives. J.f. Seary wrote a poem called Nuyorican Tale and makes a remarkable sound as the artist shouts, ” WEEEEPA”. For me individually this has no meaning but as a cultural aspect, the Croud might find comfort in her expressions. It is important to listen to the difference in each individual’s voice when speaking Spanish.

While each listening, I have been able discern what they were trying to say. I occasionally incorporate music in Spanish for me to recognize other markers of the language. Listening one time seemed like it wasn’t enough for the poem, I kept in on repeat for an hour. I listened until I could understand each word, especially with accents present. Although sometimes may be harder than others, I always take away an experience deeper than common knowledge and an invitation to the origin of the spoken language. The most compelling thing about how Spanish to me would be how easy and soft it comes off of the tongue. I often enjoy words that have rolled R’s.

Lord, Gillian. Junction, 2001, hub.lingrolearning.com/#/61a4b24c2e19aed8f6287e42/6053b1309a99c1c88b357259/6053b1279a99c1c88b356e6c/.

Interpretive Reading

Viaje a la Universidad is one of the many reading articles I examined during the semester. After reading this article, news articles and subtitles on Spanish, the goal was to get a basic understanding of the events eventually leading to an analysis of what we read. After reading articles like the Nuyorican Tale Poem and others, it allowed me to appreciate the structures and grammar applied in the literature.

While reading the literature, I noticed a bit of language barrier. While being unfamiliar with some of the vocabulary present in the readings, I used context evidence to get the meaning behind the article. I can see how a literal translation would have different meaning in the context due to grammatical structures that differ from English ones. While gaining new information through reading these articles provided by LingroHub, I see the importance of familiarizing myself with the written language as it will help me to attain more knowledge and vocabulary. Next semester, I plan on reading more Spanish literature to gain the ability of deciphering the information in the article more easily. The most interesting thing about Spanish literature to me is that it feels like someone is there with you story telling because it is so flavorful with expression in the writings.

Rossomodo, Amy. Junction, 2001, hub.lingrolearning.com/#/61a4b24c2e19aed8f6287e42/6053b1309a99c1c88b35725b/6053b12b9a99c1c88b357005.

Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational Modes of Communication