Meaningful Engagement of Language Students in Communities Local and Abroad : Meaningful Engagement of Language Students in Communities Local and Abroad David C. Julseth
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee
Presentation Description: Presentation Description Although examples are from Spanish classes, this session will detail projects that can be adapted by teachers in a variety of languages/levels who are looking for interesting and meaningful ways to connect their students with people from many countries - either living in the U.S. or abroad. These projects also help students become more responsible for their educational experience - both in the classroom and in the community - because they must use their developing language skills and cultural knowledge to meet real needs in the community in mutually beneficial ways that connect with course objectives and enhance learning goals. Furthermore, students immediately see the value of learning another language because they get to use their language skills in context with native speakers. Examples will be given from "done-in-a-day" projects to semester-long, on-campus and off-campus, as well as some ideas for engagement through the use of technology.
Presentation Overview: Presentation Overview Projects Linked to Course GOALS & CONTENT
Connection between Campus and the Community
“Nuestros Proyectos”- Creative Service-Learning Projects Here and Abroad
Connections via Technology
Benefits and Challenges
The “Nuestros” Proyectos: The “Nuestros” Proyectos Four creative projects to engage your students in the community:
“Nuestro Arte”
“Nuestra Historia”
“Nuestro Libro”
“Nuestra Publicidad”
Where is the Learning?: Where is the Learning? The community provides limitless opportunities for the engaged campus to put:
theory to practice,
hypothesis to test, and
acquired skills to use.
Where is the Service?: Where is the Service? Students are engaged in volunteer work in their community at:
Schools, Community Centers
Clinics or hospitals
ESL programs
Museums
Homes, Churches, Businesses, or Non-Profits
AND on their own campus
Why Service-Learning?: Why Service-Learning? Service-learning fosters a mutually beneficial partnership between the campus and the community
Mutually Beneficial: Mutually Beneficial Student Benefits:
-Opportunity to use and develop language skills
-Practical application of course content and goals
-Learn civic responsibilities
-Enhanced awareness and understanding of their community
-Increased interest in studies Community Benefits:
-Real needs are met by the students’ talent, energy, volunteer time
-Community is seen as a valuable academic resource
Service-Learning Component: Service-Learning Component Select Service Sites in the Community
Orientation/Training/Liability
Pre-reflection Activities
Reflection Activities
GOAL: Connection between Course Content, Language Skills, and the Service Experience in the Community
Selecting Sites & Establishing Community Partnerships: Selecting Sites & Establishing Community Partnerships Location
Logistics
-Transportation
-Safety Issues
-Hours/Days: When? How many?
Contacts
Expectations and Qualifications
Pre-Reflection Activities: Pre-Reflection Activities Guest Visitors
Community Partners
Visitors from the Community
Students write about their goals
Assess what students know and think before they engage in service-learning
“Done-In-A-Day” Projects: “Done-In-A-Day” Projects Belmont Neighborhood Literacy Day
Language students read bilingual storybooks and taught vocabulary in French, German, Italian, and Spanish
Course Component – CUBA Class: Course Component – CUBA Class Spanish 360 “Cuban Culture and Literature”
Spanish students visited Cuban families and tutored English on a weekly basis
Nuestro Arte: A Service-Learning Project: Nuestro Arte: A Service-Learning Project SPA 330 "Civ. of Hispanic America"
-Students required to work 24 hours in the Hispanic Community
-Students needed to get to know an Hispanic "artist" and interview them for biographical and artistic info sheet
-Students had to borrow something from their artist for the art exhibit
-Students presented their artists at the reception
Biographical and Artistic Information Sheet: Biographical and Artistic Information Sheet Written and re-written in Spanish by the students as composition topics
Later, translated by students from Spanish into English
Posted next to each work of art
Nuestra Historia: A Service-Learning Project: Nuestra Historia: A Service-Learning Project SPA 311 "Advanced Spanish II"
-Grammar, Composition, Conversation Course
-Students required to work 24 hours with an organization that is involved in the Nashville Hispanic community
-Students needed to get to know a member of the Hispanic community through service-learning
-Students wrote compositions based on interviews
Nuestra Historia: The Interview Process: Nuestra Historia: The Interview Process Comp. I = Write your own autobiography (en español) and the questions that would have elicited this information.
Comp. II = Write a short summary of the person you will interview and write 10 questions to ask them.
Comp. III = Interview the person and write down their answers w/ your questions.
Comp. IV = Rewrite their answers into a biography in Spanish.
Nuestra Historia: the Final Product: Nuestra Historia: the Final Product Students re-wrote their final two compositions (the biography in Spanish and the translation into English)
I made a table of contents and cover
I had the book printed and bound with a heat tape binding.
Each student got two copies - one for them and one to present to the person they interviewed.
Nuestro Libro: A Service-Learning Project: Nuestro Libro: A Service-Learning Project SPA 350 "Libros para niños"
-Study of Children's literatura in Spanish and English
-Students required to work 24 hours with an organization that is involved in the Nashville Hispanic community
-Most students worked with the Hispanic Achievers Literacy Program
Libros para niños: Libros para niños
Hispanic Achievers Program
SPA 350 “Children’s Literature in Spanish”
Hispanic Achievers Program: Hispanic Achievers Program
To Promote Professionalism and Higher Education among the Hispanic Youth of Middle Tennessee
SPA 350 Children’s Literature in Spanish: SPA 350 Children’s Literature in Spanish Started with well-known books that have been translated into Spanish
Bilingual Books
Materials created for Spanish teachers
Authentic children’s literature from Spanish-speaking countries
On-line children’s literature (available in many languages)
SPA 350 Course Requirements: SPA 350 Course Requirements Readings (on reserve) – over 90!
Reading journal
Lesson Plan with book-related activities
Exams
Course Project & Compositions
SERVICE-LEARNING – work with children in Hispanic Achievers Literacy Program
SPA 350 Course Project – “Nuestro libro”: SPA 350 Course Project – “Nuestro libro” Create their own Children’s Book in Spanish
Required collaboration with the Hispanic children
Children helped with art work and story
Course compositions became the “About the Authors” section of the book
Art Professor did a bookbinding workshop
Books were presented formally to the HAP
Slide25: Nuestra Publicidad 1. Worked 20 hours with an Organization in the Hispanic Community
2. Conducted a series of interviews (IN SPANISH)
3. Did research both in Spanish and in English to become knowledgeable about the organization
4. Wrote up the interviews into four compositions- the specific topics of the interviews / compositions were guided and announced by the professor
5. Based on ALL of the above, they designed a publicity item for the organization written in SPANISH
Slide26: Nuestra Publicidad IDEAS: Web site for the organization
Publicity brochure for recruiting participants, volunteers, and/or donors
Video
Newspaper article for publication in a Spanish-language newspaper
Slide27: Nuestra Publicidad- Reflection & Presentation Final Presentation of their Publicity to the Class
Sharing of their Publicity with the Organization and the Community
Hispanic Achievers WEBSITE in English
http://www.ymcamidtn.org/harding/ha.shtml
And in Spanish-
http://www.ymcamidtn.org/harding/ha-espanol.shtml
Hermanitas ARTICLE published in Spanish newspaper La Campana
Glendale Bilingual Immersion Elementary BROCHURE in Spanish
Connections via Technology Brainstorming : Connections via Technology Brainstorming Skype – free international calls via internet www.skype.com
Cell phone – For some companies “local” calls include Puerto Rico
Email and Word Attachments – “11 de marzo: Cartas a Madrid”
El 11 de marzo Letters to Madrid: El 11 de marzo Letters to Madrid Connecting Course Goals and Current
– during times of crisis
Pre-assignment Preparation
We read articles about 11-3 (en español)
Read an email from a friend and teacher in Madrid (also in Spanish)
El 11 de marzo Letter Requirements: El 11 de marzo Letter Requirements Reflect on how you felt on 9/11, where were you, how did you react, etc... (imperfect and preterite)
Share your concern for the people of Spain (subjunctive)
Express hope for the future (subjunctive)
El 11 de marzo Meaningful Connection: El 11 de marzo Meaningful Connection I read the letters and students made corrections
They emailed me the letters as WORD attachments
I collated the attachments and then forwarded to my friend and teacher in Madrid
She printed them out for her students
She wrote a response to my students which I fotocopied and we read together
Benefits of Service-Learning: Benefits of Service-Learning Students become involved in the community
Students learn to share the enjoyment of art and of reading with others
Relevancy of studies is very apparent
Students may become inspired to become teachers
Benefits of Creative Projects as part of service-learning: Benefits of Creative Projects as part of service-learning Service-Learning can become a more meaningful experience
Spanish conversations can be deeper as participants work toward a goal
Spanish compositions are taken more seriously because they will have an interested public
Feeling of completion and closure
Commonality in the Creative Projects: Commonality in the Creative Projects All of them involved the students in meaningful conversation with native Spanish speakers
All of them emphasized writing, reading, speaking, listening skills, and culture
They allowed for artistic and creative expression
Built self-esteem for both my students as well as those with whom they worked.
Posible Challenges: Posible Challenges
Need for a heritage community
Realistic expectations
Resources
Questions? / Comments?: Questions? / Comments?
David C. Julseth
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee
julsethd@mail.belmont.edu