The Cardinal

By Carol Eiber, OFLA past president

Stow-Munroe Falls High School, retired

Several articles with good news have come through my home and languished in a file on my desk for some time now. They are too good not to share with the Cardinal readers; they are reassurance that others besides us are seeing the need for foreign language education in the workplace and home.

In a trade publication, Kitchen & Bath Design News (June, 2014), Steve Nicholls writes, “craftsmanship in the U.S. is produced by workers whose native language is not English
(his workforce speaks Spanish) and that if they are constantly struggling to understand, the projects will run much more slowly. He suggests that the business owner and manager should learn some of the language of the workers. Making that one effort, he writes, will establish a better connection wit the workers. He also suggests loading a [Spanish] app on a phone to improve listening comprehension, posting signage in the workers
cultural celebrations. He reminds the readers that recognition of a workers is a key to improving relations with them. He also states that for the workers, learning English is key to success and increased responsibility in the work place since the clients and designers learn another language: take classes, watch television, listen to podcasts, etc. To test for comprehension he suggests that the craftsman sketch back to the manager what is to be
built. Does this sound familiar? This business owner is getting it right! Rick Armon, a writer for the Akron Beacon Journal, wrote an article (December 29, 2014), He reported that the university noticed an increase in medical students taking Spanish and a professor, Parizad Dejbord health professionals to better communicate with their patients and families. The situation central to the article was how a speech therapist was able to establish a better relationship with her young patients. Although an interpreter is always there for therapy sessions, the classes have helped build better rapport and cultural proficiency as well as basic communication. The University of Akron and Children’s Hospital are getting it right!

And finally, a column from Dear Abby dealt with bilingualism. A grandmother had written to Abby criticizing her daughter with her children while the grandparents were there. Abby had advised that the mother should speak English when the grandparents were there. “Bilingual Mom in Oregon” responded to Abby’s advice and defended the mother’s efforts at raising her kids to be bilingual, saying that it is difficult to pass on another language here in America, and that translation for the grandparents should also take place. “Bilingualism is an incredible gift to give a child. It broadens mental development, thought patterns and world perspective.

Bilingual Mom in Oregon has it right!

Beth Hanlon, Spanish Teacher, Oberlin High School, OFLA Vice President Elect

This past April, an email arrived from the OFLA listserv advertising a scholarship to study in Salamanca, Spain. I clicked on the link and found a very easy application. As I filled it out, I told my husband that I never win anything like this, so no worries, I won’t be going to Spain.

About a month later, an email arrived congratulating me on winning – in true Spanish style – the lottery for one of the scholarships! My only responsibility was my plane ticket. Meals and board at the Aula Magna residence hall, classes at Tía Tula Colegio de Español, travel medical insurance and transportation to and from the airport to Salamanca were all included.

Tía Tula was able to offer ten scholarships to teachers from the United States through working with the region’s (Castilla y León) government in order to educate US and Canadian teachers about Salamanca as well as to promote the programs at Tía Tula for both teachers and learners of Spanish.

I left Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on the July 4th and arrived at Madrid’s Barajas airport the next morning. At the Avanza bus stop, I was delighted to find the first two teachers from the group of fellow lottery winners. We made the trip from Madrid to Salamanca in about three hours.

I first traveled to Spain in 2001. Since then, I have remained in the Americas by studying, traveling or taking students to Mexico, Costa Rica and Argentina. Being back in Europe was almost a cultural shock with its paved roads, clean restrooms, drinkable water and consistent hot showers (not that I don’t love the challenges and beauty of developing nations!). Salamanca itself was an amazing city. It was very clean with beautiful cathedrals, an amazing Plaza Mayor that rivaled Madrid’s and the beautiful and historic University of Salamanca. It is an extremely safe city with low crime, and is very accessible by walking. The only taxis we took in Salamanca were the ones to get to and from the bus station at the beginning and the end of the trip.

Not only is Salamanca a fabulous city but also a place in Spain where the Spanish is said to be “the purest.” The salmantinos have a very pure accent, as they live in a region where Spanish originated. Another teacher in my group frequently stopped people in the street to interview them about different topics for her classes, and we were always astonished at how clearly they spoke.

We had classes for a week at the Tía Tula Colegio de Español. Tía Tula is named after Miguel de Unamuno’s novel of the same name and is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes. Tía Tula is a school that not only has programs for international students to learn Spanish but also one specifically designed for teachers who teach Spanish as a foreign language. During the week, we had classes on grammar for students, technology in the classroom and the Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE).

The courses we took were an abbreviated version of the longer course normally taken by teachers at Tía Tula. We did not have enough time to dive deep into the topics, but the ideas presented by our Tía Tula instructors, the collaboration with the teachers in our group from all over the United States as well as the immersion experience provided an awesome experience.

The learning did not stop when we were finished with our classes. Tía Tula coordinated excursions for us, including guided tours around the city, a night at a “microteatro,” a paddle boat ride on the Tormes River, tapas and wine tasting, a delicious stop at churrería and a farewell dinner on our last evening in Salamanca. There was also our free time in which we explored the streets of Salamanca for shops, local cuisine and much more!

The staff at Tía Tula was amazing! My primary contact person was Aline who coordinated everything from my bus ticket to my million questions. Once we were at Tía Tula, we met Cristina and Rosa who made sure everything from excursions to our accommodations went smoothly.

Despite the suffocating heat wave that had descended on Europe during our visit, I found this week in Salamanca to be not enough time in Spain. I changed my plane ticket to extend the visit for a weekend in Madrid with a couple of the teachers I had met at Tía Tula. We were able to visit El Rastro, la Plaza Mayor, the Reina Sofía and El Prado. We also had the opportunity to see the 11-M Monument at the Atocha Station.

This was truly a fabulous opportunity as everything from the experience with Tía Tula to the city of Salamanca was fantastic! I would highly recommend Tía Tula not just for teachers but also as a possibility for taking students to experience Spain and to take classes!

Additional resources for Spanish teachers:

http://todoele.net

Inicio

By Angela Gardner, Spanish Teacher, Ross High School

I am not sure, exactly, where it originated, but this idea of
90% in the TL has saturated nearly every professional publication, many professional development activities, and
conversation amongst language professionals. I do know that ACTFL advocates for 90%+ use of the target language. Considering the impact, this goal is clearly regarded as a rigorous and attainable necessity of any classroom that adheres to best practices.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I comprehend the premise. The idea is the vast majority of the communication in the classroom would be in the target language, but to allow a little forgiveness, a little wiggle room as we mere mortals aim to get our language learners to acquire some language. Surely, a few exceptions to using the target language should be allowed. Right?

Meanwhile , language instructors use all manner of methods , to ensure the use of 90% target language. If their class lasts, say, 100 minutes, then the best way is to allow 10 minutes of non-use of the target language every day, right? That way, you use exactly 90% of the target language and you cover yourself from accusations of students that they may provide 100% reading input and expect 100% output from students, while they use some lower amount of the target language themselves to communicate. But, 90% took place, right?

What, exactly, is the right formula for this elusive yet highly regarded 90% anyway. Who precisely is responsible for the 90%? The teacher? The students? Both? How is it assessed? Does someone keep a timer or word count for the teacher and students? Undoubtedly, teachers are reporting
best practices by using 90% target language in their classrooms. That 10% margin of error leaves an awful lot of room for interpretation, ambiguity, and failure.

This allowance for 10% of non-target language use makes the other 90% harder. As with the old adage about give them an inch and they will a mile, so it is with students. If we let our students, parents, and administrators know there is an allowance of 10% non-target language use, students may see that as an opportunity to interpret the rules as they please. Which 10% are we allowed to use? The first 10% of everything we say? They will always push for more of an allowance.

Swapping between languages also sends the message to language learners that we are not committed fully to the target language use. The message is conveyed as well that we ourselves do not believe that they or we are capable of communicating 100% in the target language, that we think they and we will fail at least 10% of the time. In what other life-task goal do we aim for 90%? Do we aim to get 90% of a meal prepared? Do we aim to get 90% of the laundry done?
Are we really going to count out 90% of the grains of rice and measure out 90% of the water?

No, of course not. It would be illogical and a waste of time. So is 90% of use of the target language.

Colleagues, we need to aim higher and clearer. We need to aim for 100% target language use for both language instructors AND language learners. I do say we will have moments of failure, but, we should not leave so much room for error as professionals.

Teacher Challenges and Fixes

Of course, there are challenges in aiming for 100% use of target language in a World Language classroom. One of them is the instructor’s skills and knowledge. Our standards for language educators in Ohio are too low. Having an Intermediate-High proficiency in the language we teach is hardly adequate when we are expected to be a primary source of input for our students. Teachers need to be able to communicate confidently and with ease on a variety of topics and for a variety of purposes. When students see a teacher unable to communicate in the language they teach, they lose trust and respect for the teacher, and are less likely to engage.

Some language teachers would even venture so far as to suggest that if a teacher is not proficient enough to communicate confidently and with ease on a variety of topics and for a variety of purposes, they should leave the profession-or never consider joining. I disagree. Proficiency can be developed and must be maintained. Teachers with a high level of proficiency early in their career that do not take measures to maintain their proficiency allow it to diminish, making them less effective in the classroom. Teachers with a low level of proficiency can build it.

If a teacher is motivated, their language inadequacies can be fixed. Teachers can practice, practice, practice in their classrooms, online, and through opportunities like OFLA’s immersion opportunities, building their own proficiency until they do, indeed, communicate with confidence and ease on a variety of topics and for a variety of purposes, and are able to earn the trust and respect of their language learners-even if they have things to learn. Many learners
appreciate and respond well when their leadership will also demonstrate vulnerability but a willingness to pursue better communication.

Another challenge for teachers in this is their own motivation and commitment to use of the target language. Certainly, it becomes discouraging sometimes. Students fail to adhere, teachers and students become weary, it gets easier to mess up and slip into a different common language.

Finding the perfect balance of motivation is difficult. This is one of those intangible, immeasurable attributes that we cannot necessarily determine for one another.

That said, if an instructor is failing to use the target language, has lost that zest for teaching and learning, or is just not willing to aim for 100% in the target language, they may need to consider taking a sabbatical or pursuing a different profession. As with so many other aspects of our
profession, keeping a program aiming for use of 100% in the target language is not for the faint of heart.

Challenges with administrators, parents, and counselors

Another challenge to staying 100% in the target language is that, even if a teacher is motivated and really, really tries to go for it, they will meet student, and even parent resistance. Students will balk at the idea that they are not permitted to use their native tongue and are expected to use only the TL. They will whine and beg and complain to administrators and counselors. Without a supportive administration, teachers may be threatened in terms of their job security due to low
enrollment. Additionally, teachers have to find a way to motivate and evaluate students so that they stay on target. This can overwhelm and overtake even a highly motivated teacher-unless he/she plans and acts ahead.

To prepare, instructors can communicate with administrators and counselors at your school prior to implementing the full use of the target language. Teachers can use articles from other publications like The Language Educator to support their argument. Most administrators and counselors that are well should prepare administrators and counselors that students may be emotionally overwhelmed for the first couple of weeks and may call, they just need some reassurance that they are able to do it.

Then, teachers should communicate with parents. Teachers should inform parents that the class goal will be using the TL to communicate. Teachers can emphasize that they know the students are not suddenly going to turn into native speakers overnight and know everything. Instructors can explain to parents that they will provide students with supports and tools (like posters with high-frequency words and phrases).

Teachers should let parents know that mistakes are encouraged and allowed, and will not count off on student grades. This means that the teacher will need to have a grading system in place that relies on rubrics that allow some errors in communication, like the ACTFL rubrics for the skill areas, or Linguafolio checklists and “I Can” statements.

Instructors should communicate that they believe in these students and that they are capable. Again, teachers should emphasize that students may be emotional initially but that they are able to do it.

Challenges with students

As previously mentioned, students are masters at complaining, manipulating, and otherwise finding ways to weasel their way out of learning tasks. Even the most motivated language learner will have some trepidation at the idea of using only that language all the time. What if I mess up?

What if I say something wrong or embarrassing? What if I can’t express what I want to? Instructors should talk to their students. Teachers can rationalize with the argument that students didn’t their native language by speaking another language. Teachers should prepare students that it can feel
overwhelming. Instructors should emphasize that they believe in the students, and they need to believe in themselves. If students approach a teacher to complain, the teacher should listen patiently, and try to reassure them that they can do it. Many other people in their same age range have faced these same challenges and come out that much stronger for it.

Maintaining motivation in students to stay in the target language is something of an art form.

First, language instructors are the primary example, so it is essential that the instructors stay in character and do not swap languages. Second, it is also important to reassure students that mistakes are tolerated, expected, and desired in language learning.

Instructors should avoid scolding students publicly for errors, and instead try to be a patient listener and interpret as much meaning as possible from them.

Teachers need to monitor students by circulating the room. If the teacher hears someone speak outside of the target language, he/she needs to address it, not necessarily publicly, but privately so a student knows that he/she was caught. It is important to students that language instructors pay attention to them and guide them when they go away from the target language. It also helps to
celebrate successes-I go nuts (shouting, dancing, jumping) when students complete a challenging task and we stay in the TL. Many students have shared with me that they have appreciated how I expressed how excited I got when they were showing that they had learned.

Implications for the profession

If our profession is to aim for use of the Target Language as exclusively as possible from both teachers and students, this means some changes within the profession. It will be important to consider the language we use when we discuss this topic within best practices. Perhaps new nomenclature, such as “Exclusive TL Use” would be preferable. Such wording would guide new professionals towards a standard that encourages professionals to reach for maximum use of the TL.

Preparatory programs may also wish to emphasize that the responsibility is not only on the teachers, but also on the students to produce utterances in the Target Language. Additionally, licensure and preparatory programs may wish to aim for a higher skill level for professionals for initial or continuing licensure. Licensure programs that support future teachers with language immersion and practical experience are also of value. For seasoned teachers, opportunities to collaborate and share methods and practices are a huge support in the “Exclusive TL Use” classroom.

Ultimately, as professionals, we must consider best practices for our classrooms and programs.

We must continue to challenge ourselves and our students to put forth our best efforts in language learning. Hopefully, we will consider Exclusive TL Use as an invaluable component in these practices.

Paulina Montaldo

Ursuline High School

Youngstown, Ohio

During the eight years I’ve been teaching Spanish in my area, I noticed a lack of events promoting and educating students on Latin American culture.

With the help of my students , I was able to organize in my first year as a teacher of Ursuline High School in Youngtown, a free arts and culture community festival. It was open to students of Spanish in area schools.

I started to teach my students some dances. They also found dance-based videos on Youtube, and they used those videos to create their own choreography with steps learned online.

Resorted to Latin dance groups in the area and also in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and groups of Andean music and Latin pop. I was fortunate to have volunteer help of all
these groups as I want to spread Latin culture.

I had some clothing for dancing, and presto Mexican Mutual Society beautiful dresses for dancing Mexican Hat Dance and other dances.

To make it even more interesting, I invite you to Cor and Joyce Kester, her former Ursuline student, who lived in Peru and now have an alpaca farm in Pennsylvania.

They traveled with their trailer and installed a corral with two of his winning alpacas, so guests could know them and pet them.

They presented a sample of fabric and wool made from the wool of these alpacas.

The food could not miss. The Mexican restaurant we donated food, and students also helped with food and pop.

Another group of students worked on the decorations making paper flowers and flags decorating with traditional Mexican papel picado. Trifolds sophomores performed with

the information of each of the Spanish

To get an idea of ​​the number of visitors, we ask people to register at the entrance. Not all did but we had an account of 287 people. We had a very good response from the community, but the results and success of our event I confirm the need for an event like this for anyone interested in learning about Latino culture.

The event was a success. Parents and students ended up dancing on stage. It was a family event which made it even more special. Parents teach their children dances with which they grew up in Mexico , Colombia , Chile, Ecuador , Puerto Rico .

The Vindicator , the largest newspaper in Youngstown, titled Spanish Club draws crowd for fiesta and not many days until we received the invitation to dance at events like Cinco de Mayo at Youngstown State University , Festival of the Arts at YSU , cultural performances in churches and other organizations.

And we plan to have our second Festival of the Americas in the spring of next year , which are all Spanish students from various schools in the area invited to participate on
dance or music, or have a good time.