Meeting the Needs of Non-Meeting the Needs of Non-Native Advanced Native Advanced

Beginners Beginners

John M. Zyck, Jr.John M. Zyck, Jr.

Montgomery CollegeMontgomery College

Rockville, MDRockville, MD

Opening QuestionsOpening Questions

• What is your definition of an What is your definition of an advanced beginner in Spanish?advanced beginner in Spanish?

• How has your college placed these How has your college placed these students in the appropriate course?students in the appropriate course?

• Do you believe this to be effective?Do you believe this to be effective?

Possible Definition of a Non-Possible Definition of a Non-Native Advanced BeginnerNative Advanced Beginner

• ““This student has studied Spanish for This student has studied Spanish for up to three years in some cases but up to three years in some cases but nevertheless finds that she or he has nevertheless finds that she or he has been placed as a ‘beginner’ – a failure been placed as a ‘beginner’ – a failure right off the bat! Even though we know right off the bat! Even though we know that student motivation is linked to that student motivation is linked to success in language learning, this is a success in language learning, this is a common scenario.” (Fechter and López, common scenario.” (Fechter and López, 2007) 2007)

Spanish Courses in Maryland Spanish Courses in Maryland Community CollegesCommunity Colleges

• Most community colleges in Maryland currently Most community colleges in Maryland currently offer two years of college-level Spanishoffer two years of college-level Spanish

• Many community colleges offer courses past Many community colleges offer courses past the intermediate level, including Anne Arundel the intermediate level, including Anne Arundel Community College (Spanish 221—Community College (Spanish 221—Intermediate Spanish Conversation), College of Intermediate Spanish Conversation), College of Southern Maryland (Spanish 2050—Advanced Southern Maryland (Spanish 2050—Advanced Composition and Conversation), and Harford Composition and Conversation), and Harford Community College (Spanish 203 and 204—Community College (Spanish 203 and 204—Survey of Spanish Literature I and II)Survey of Spanish Literature I and II)

Spanish Courses in Maryland Spanish Courses in Maryland Community Colleges Community Colleges (Continued)(Continued)• Yet, only 2 community colleges offer Yet, only 2 community colleges offer

at least one course for non-native at least one course for non-native advanced beginners (Montgomery advanced beginners (Montgomery College, Prince George’s Community College, Prince George’s Community College)College)

What to do?What to do?

•Create a course for the Create a course for the advanced beginner!advanced beginner!

3 Issues3 Issues

•TransferabilityTransferability

•Quicker Preparation for Quicker Preparation for Potential Majors and Potential Majors and MinorsMinors

•Course DesignCourse Design

I. Issues of TransferabilityI. Issues of Transferability

• Many four-year colleges and Many four-year colleges and universities currently offer at least universities currently offer at least one course designed for advanced one course designed for advanced beginnersbeginners

• Beware the title of the course, lest it Beware the title of the course, lest it be designed for native or heritage be designed for native or heritage speakersspeakers

Examples of Advanced Beginner coursesExamples of Advanced Beginner courses1. California State University—Fullerton1. California State University—FullertonSpanish 105—Intensive Review of Fundamental Spanish 105—Intensive Review of Fundamental SpanishSpanish2. Sacramento State University2. Sacramento State UniversitySpanish 1C—Intensive Beginning SpanishSpanish 1C—Intensive Beginning Spanish3. Baylor University3. Baylor UniversitySpanish 1403—Pre-Intermediate SpanishSpanish 1403—Pre-Intermediate Spanish4. Texas Tech University4. Texas Tech UniversitySpanish 1507—Comprehensive Spanish Review-Spanish 1507—Comprehensive Spanish Review-First YearFirst Year5. University of Florida5. University of FloridaSpanish 1115—Elementary Spanish-Review and Spanish 1115—Elementary Spanish-Review and ProgressProgress6. University of South Florida6. University of South FloridaSpanish 1130—Accelerated Spanish for Near-Spanish 1130—Accelerated Spanish for Near-Native Speakers and Others Native Speakers and Others

Examples of Advanced Beginner Examples of Advanced Beginner Courses in the RegionCourses in the Region

1.1. University of Maryland—College ParkUniversity of Maryland—College ParkSpanish 103—Intensive ElementarySpanish 103—Intensive ElementarySpanishSpanish

2.2. University of Maryland—Baltimore CountyUniversity of Maryland—Baltimore CountySpanish 103—Intensive Review of Spanish 103—Intensive Review of Elementary SpanishElementary Spanish

3.3. Morgan State UniversityMorgan State UniversitySpanish 105—Intensive Elementary SpanishSpanish 105—Intensive Elementary Spanish

4.4. St. Mary’s College of MarylandSt. Mary’s College of MarylandSpanish 110—Accelerated Elementary Spanish 110—Accelerated Elementary SpanishSpanish

Examples of Advanced Beginner Courses in Examples of Advanced Beginner Courses in the Region (Continued)the Region (Continued)

5.5. Loyola College in MarylandLoyola College in MarylandSpanish 161—Comprehensive Spanish 161—Comprehensive Beginning SpanishBeginning Spanish

6.6. McDaniel CollegeMcDaniel CollegeSpanish 1103—Elementary Spanish Spanish 1103—Elementary Spanish for Advanced Beginnersfor Advanced Beginners

7.7. Catholic University of AmericaCatholic University of AmericaSpanish 112—Review of Elementary Spanish 112—Review of Elementary SpanishSpanish

II. Quicker Preparation for II. Quicker Preparation for Potential Majors and MinorsPotential Majors and Minors

• Encourages students to continue Encourages students to continue their study of the languagetheir study of the language

• Helps reinforce self-esteem in Helps reinforce self-esteem in successfully using Spanishsuccessfully using Spanish

• Encourages students to seek Study Encourages students to seek Study Abroad programs before making the Abroad programs before making the transfertransfer

Examples of Community College Examples of Community College Study Abroad ProgramsStudy Abroad Programs

• http://http://www.mc.maricopa.eduwww.mc.maricopa.edu/services/ international//services/ international/study_abroad/index.htmlstudy_abroad/index.html (Mesa (Mesa Community College)Community College)

• http://studyabroad.fullcoll.edu/http://studyabroad.fullcoll.edu/ (Fullerton College)(Fullerton College)

• http://www.cccd.edu/studyabroad/http://www.cccd.edu/studyabroad/ (Coast Community College District)(Coast Community College District)

Examples of Community Examples of Community College Study Abroad College Study Abroad Programs in the RegionPrograms in the Region• http://www.howardcc.edu/academics/http://www.howardcc.edu/academics/

international/office_international_eduinternational/office_international_education/study_abroad.htmlcation/study_abroad.html(Howard Community College)(Howard Community College)

• http://www.ccbcmd.edu/studyabroad/http://www.ccbcmd.edu/studyabroad/short_term_intprog.htmlshort_term_intprog.html(The Community College of Baltimore (The Community College of Baltimore County)County)

III. Course DesignIII. Course Design

• Separate course rather than using the Separate course rather than using the traditional two-course system in one traditional two-course system in one term (i.e. textbooks, lab program)term (i.e. textbooks, lab program)

• Credit hours—same as the other Credit hours—same as the other courses? More hours?courses? More hours?

• Use a writing sample and an oral Use a writing sample and an oral activity as first or second-day activity as first or second-day activities to verify appropriate level activities to verify appropriate level (refer to handouts)(refer to handouts)

Questions?Questions?