Cultura y (ataque de) Corazón: A Training for Health Professionals needing Medical Interpretation Services

Limited English proficiency is a known barrier to quality health care outcomes (Green 2017, Helmi 2021). Inclusion of a certified language interpreter during health care encounters improves outcomes among ESL (English as a Second Language) patients (Karliner, Jacobs, Chen, and Mutha 2007). Interpretation with a certified interpreter promotes understanding between patients and their medical providers, and advances both health and race equity (Foiles Sifuentes, Robledo Cornejo, Castaneda-Avila, Tija, and Lapane 2020). Most health care workers receive no formal training in how to use an interpreter with limited English-proficiency patients. Located in the Hispanic Heritage District of an increasingly Latine mid-sized city in New York State, our training focuses on Spanish speaking patients. Methods This innovative program uses simulation to teach learners how to use an Interpreter. Learners watch vignettes, and then debrief with faculty. Vignettes point out pitfalls of not using a certified interpreter, such as using a Spanish-speaking janitor, or family member. Vignettes were built in collaboration between the Spanish, MFA, and Physician Assistant programs at the University. During the session, learners also play a game of our invention. This game imitates the feeling many non-English-speaking patients have of being misunderstood and misunderstanding; building empathy for the fear of leaving a medical appointment without full comprehension. Results Results of pilot pre- and post- test data show statistically significant improvement in students’ understanding of how to use a medical interpreter, why to use one, and their likelihood of requesting formal interpretation services in future encounters. The students also enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to peers. The implications of the training may increase access to high quality health care for non-English-speaking community members, better health equity, and decrease pay inequity for multilingual health professionals. A more engaged community is a healthier one, and this training helps achieve that goal

Spanish as a Heritage Language Across Disciplines: Assessing Spanish and Bilingual Courses at an HSI in South Texas

Long-standing research has confirmed the many benefits of Spanish as a heritage language in dual language in K-12 classrooms (Collier & Thomas, 2017, 2019). However, in higher education, there are very few exceptions to the English-only monolingual norm (García & Li, 2014). This study explores one exception, a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in South Texas where certain classes are taught bilingually (Spanish/English) and in Spanish across various disciplines. In this study, we examine 1) how these courses impact success through a quantitative analysis of cumulative grade point averages (GPAs) and 2) how students perceive these courses through a qualitative analysis of open-ended surveys. For the quantitative analysis of student success, we analyze cumulative GPAs from all students who entered the university in 2016 (n=4181). A Man-Whitney U Test reveals a small significant difference (r= 0.10) between students who took one or more DLBE courses (M = 3.12, STD = .60) when compared with students who did not take a Spanish/bilingual course (M = 2.70, STD = .97) on cumulative GPAs, (Z = -7.06, p \u3c .001). That is, students who took at least one Spanish/bilingual course earned a slightly higher GPA on average. For the qualitative analysis of student perceptions, we distributed an open-ended survey to all students taking Spanish/bilingual courses during AY 2022-2023 as well as former students who took DLBE courses between 2018-2022. Survey responses from current students (n=248) and former students (n=49) reveal student perceptions of higher confidence, greater motivation, greater sense of belonging, and more positive experiences in Spanish/bilingual courses. In sum, the results of this study show that Spanish and bilingual classes in higher education can positively impact student success and student experiences. These findings have important implications for language policy in higher education especially at HSIs

Fostering Latinx/e students’ familial capital in the Spanish Heritage Language Program at the University of XXXX

In this presentation, I show how we (director and instructors) have fostered Latinx/e students’ familial capital in the Spanish Heritage Language Program at the University of XXX. Familial capital recognizes the nurtured relationship students have with their immediate and extended family members and communities. This capital also includes the lessons students learned on caring, coping, emotional, moral, and educational consciousness from their family members. Additionally, this capital pulls from the research of Vélez-Ibáñez and Greenberg (1992) on Funds of Knowledge that points out that Mexican-Americans learn valuable lessons from their family and community that have been passed down across generations. In the SHL classroom context, familial capital focuses on creating relationships of care among students and educators. This includes building a sense of community in and outside the classroom and developing a mentorship relationship between the students and educator. This is possible by explicitly implementing Latinx/e community cultural wealth in the SHL curricula

“I want to help end linguistic discrimination”: Community-based global learning in an upper-level Spanish class

Community-based global learning (CBGL) can be a high-impact practice for heritage learners by promoting students’ awareness of linguistic ideologies in local and global communities. This presentation will share the aims and structure of a CBGL program and assessment of that program, with a focus on learners’ critical language awareness

Los hablantes de lengua heredada en tiempos de la cultura snack

Los hablantes de lengua heredada en tiempos de la cultura snack Los formatos breves multimodales presentes en el ecosistema mediático brindan muestras de lengua auténticas, en un rico abanico de registros, que favorecen el desarrollo lingüístico de los hablantes de lengua de herencia. De allí que, su inclusión como recursos didácticos genera la posibilidad de crear actividades motivadoras y significativas para este colectivo de estudiantes. Resumen Diseñar un programa para hablantes de lengua de herencia requiere tener presente, ante todo, que constituyen un grupo heterogéneo que abarca desde hablantes nativos hasta hablantes de tercera generación y más, si fuera el caso que se sienten vinculados con el español por tradición familiar. Por este motivo, es importante realizar a priori un diagnóstico que incluya no solo un análisis de sus competencias lingüísticas, de sus necesidades e intereses y su bagaje cultural, sino considerar cuándo, cómo y dónde se apropian del conocimiento nuestros estudiantes. El panorama descrito implica un enfoque pedagógico inclusivo y holístico, que favorezca el dentro y fuera del aula, la utilización de recursos auténticos y la gestión adecuada de los grupos para que logren comunicarse en contextos diversos. Desde el punto de metodológico, los formatos audiovisuales breves, los memes, los microrrelatos, los servicios de las mensajerías, los dioramas como el uso de los mecanismos de la inteligencia artificial constituyen muestras concretas para desarrollar el léxico y el discurso en sus diferentes registros y por ende, la competencia lingüística y sociopragmática. Este taller propone explorar los escenarios multimediales citados ante el aprendizaje de una lengua heredada, para analizar su potencial como generadores de propuestas significativas y relevantes y como vías de participación activa de los estudiantes en el desarrollo de su identidad etnolingüística. Presentaremos los fundamentos teóricos de los conceptos expuestos mediante actividades multimodales llevadas a clase desde el ecosistema mediático. Posteriormente, invitaremos a crear materiales didácticos empleando ejemplos de formatos textuales breves y aplicaciones digitales y daremos un tiempo para la puesta en común reflexiva. Palabras clave: lengua de herencia, multiliteracidad, ecosistema mediático, enfoque pedagógico, hablantes de lengua heredada, bagaje cultural, identidad etnolingüística

Exploring Future-Time Expression and Generational Status in Spanish-English Heritage Bilingual Speakers: An Online Study

The study investigates if Spanish-English heritage bilinguals overextend the English progressive aspect\u27s futurity in Spanish interpretation, examining generational influence. Preliminary findings suggest generational status affects acceptability of progressive and present indicative forms. The study sheds light on convergent simplification and generational impact on Spanish-English bilingual heritage language performance. Keywords: future-time expressions, heritage bilingual speakers, periphrastic future, English progressive aspect, generational influence

Translation in the linguistic landscape along the US border with Mexico

Cities are the hubs of the modern world, and in border towns between states with different languages, these hubs are bilingual. Such bilingual towns offer opportunities to examine the extent to which translation, including the decision to not translate, plays a role in shaping the public spaces of cities (see González Núñez & Meylaerts). This presentation seeks to do that by relying on the methods developed for the study of the linguistic landscape (e.g., Landry & Bourhis). It will report on such a study as carried out in Brownsville, a city that sits on the Texas border with Mexico. The study surveyed two streets in Brownsville with a special concern for both untranslated and translated signs as a way of thinking about what the presence of each type of sign indicates. Special attention was paid to the presence of English and Spanish in public signs. The presentation of the study’s findings will serve to discuss the role of both non-translation and translation in creating a public space that may (or may not) be inclusive of the local population in terms of language. This will help draw conclusions about what the use of translation in the linguistic landscape can tell us regarding public policy, particularly among bilingual Spanish/English populations in the United States. These conclusions include the observation that the linguistic landscape is not the result of organic developments taking place in a laissez-faire language system but rather a reflection of public policy choices in favor of the hegemonic language