Evaluating intermediate Spanish students\u27 speaking skills through a taped test: A pilot study

A pilot study used the Spanish Oral Proficiency Test (SOPT)-a taped oral test to evaluate oral proficiency level of students of Intermediate Spanish. Based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (1986), the Intermediate-Mid was the appropriate level of oral proficiency for students at the end of two years of college- level language study. The study also examined what variables might affect the development of students\u27 oral skills. The results showed that foreign language learning experience in academic settings or outside of class, such as study abroad and travel abroad, might affect students\u27 overall speaking proficiency. In addition, lin- guistic inaccuracy from informal training may keep speakers to lower levels of proficiency. Learners should be more aware of the need to speak correctly to maintain a balance between function, content, and accuracy

Book Review: Mejor Dicho

Review of Garcia, Carmen and Emily Spinelli. Mejor Dicho. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1995, ISBN 066928906X (pbk). 307 pp

Using Portfolios to Develop L2 Cultural Knowledge and Awareness of Students in Intermediate Spanish

In spite of many efforts and contributions from previous researchers, the need for a systematic and consistent approach to teaching culture is still unmet. This pilot study shows that the portfolio is a meaningful way to integrate language and culture in a structure that provides opportunities for students to learn about foreign culture while using other skills-reading, listening, writing and speaking. In addition, resources from the Internet, such as Gopher, World Wide Web, and Listservs have great potential for cultural learning out-side the classroom. Foreign language teachers should be encouraged to explore and experiment with portfolios in other content areas of language learning, since producing a portfolio involves higher-order cognition as well as all four communicative language skills

Blogging: Promoting Learner Autonomy and Intercultural Competence through Study Abroad

The current study explores closely how using a combined modalities of asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) via blogs and face-to-face (FTF) interaction through ethnographic interviews with native speakers (L1s) supports autonomous learning as the result of reflective and social processes. The study involves 16 American undergraduate students who participated in blogs to develop their intercultural competence over the course of one-semester study abroad. The results show that blogs afforded students the opportunity to work independently (e.g., content creation) and reflect upon cross-cultural issues. Critical reflection, however, relied on the teacher’s guidance and feedback, as most of the students were cognitively challenged by not being able to clearly articulate different points of view. It is likely that students were not accustomed to reflecting. The findings also indicate that task type fostered autonomy in different ways. While free topics gave students more control of their own learning, teacher-assigned topics required them to critically think about the readings. Lack of access to Internet at the host institution and family also contributed to a limited level of social interaction. The study concludes that well-designed tasks, effective metacognitive and cognitive skills, and the accessibility to Internet are essential to maximize the potentials of blogs for learner autonomy and intercultural communication

Ideas: Let\u27s Play Bingo: A New Way to Learn Numbers, Vocabulary, and Verbs

The objective of this activity is to help beginning students learn numbers, and practice vocabulary and verbs in an interesting and meaningful way. In addition, this activity attempts to improve their listening comprehension and speaking ability

Book Review: De Perlas

Review of Labarca, Angela, Olgalucia G. Gonzales and Elmer A. Rodriguez. De Perlas. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998. ISBN 0471109975. 293 pp

Lina Lee Professor Spanish; Languages, Literature, & Culture, College of Liberal Arts (COLA) travels to Italy

In August 2015, I traveled to Padova, Italy to attend the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) annual conference. The conference took place at the University of Padova, 45 minutes outside of Venice. The University of Padova was founded in 1222 as a school of law and is one of Italy’s leading universities. I delivered a research paper entitled “Developing Learners’ Content Knowledge and Oral Proficiency Through Digital News Stories” and participated in a workshop at the conference. I also had the honor to chair a panel session on the evaluation of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) research with a focus on how the use of digital media for virtual intercultural interaction and collaboration can help develop learners’ cross-cultural knowledge and awareness. It was very well attended

Book Review: Vistas comerciales y culturales

Rview of Cahill, Danielle and Sandra de los Rios. Vistas Comerciales Y Culturales. Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle, 2002. ISBN 0-03-031606-5. 347 pp