Erin Leverence Connor Vredeveld

Contents
Minor Revision
Pages 3-4

Spanish Minor Checklist

Page 5

Wisconsin Lutheran College Curriculum Proposal Approval Form

Pages 6-7

Presentation Outline
Pages 8-15

Spanish Program Comparison

Pages 16-19

Visual Aids
Pages 20-22

References
Pages 23-25

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Minor Revision, Spanish Department

I. Rationale In general, students minoring in Spanish do so for a practical reason. For example, many students hope to travel abroad after graduation and to be able to effectively communicate with the worlds Spanish-speaking population, while others hope to become fluent in a language other than English in order to better themselves as a person. Therefore, we feel that the current structure of Wisconsin Lutheran Colleges Spanish Minor, though effective, could benefit greatly from a modification. We propose that all WLC students minoring in Spanish should be required to study abroad. In its current state, the majority of the minor is composed of literature and civilization classes. Although students are able to improve their Spanish and their cultural awareness through these types of courses, this improvement and growth would multiply if students participated in an immersion experience. The benefits of studying abroad for Spanish students are seemingly endless. First, a student who uses Spanish for only an hour or two per day in class will reach a plateau in their Spanish speaking ability. This plateau will be overcome exponentially faster if the student studies abroad, as opposed to laboring years and years in a classroom setting. Next, at Wisconsin Lutheran, almost all upper level courses are taught by Doctora Mary Jo Brown. Through a study abroad experience, Spanish minors would gain the experience of being taught by native speakers, as well as hearing different accents. They would also be immersed in the language and not be permitted to speak English for the duration of the trip, which simply isnt possible at WLC. Lastly, the cultural understanding gained by students who study abroad cannot be attained in a classroom setting. Spanish students and professors who have gone abroad can share endless anecdotes about details that arent teachable in a classroom, and rather must be learned through experience only. A large criticism of this proposal will stem from the fact that the overwhelming majority of schools similar to WLC do not require an immersion experience of their Spanish minors. However, through a comparison of WLCs Spanish program with similar schools, it was found that we are ahead of the curve, and therefore must continue to push forward progressive concepts such as this. As an aside, we believe that this implementation would stimulate interest in WLCs Spanish program, and assist in the attainment of the Vision 20/20 goals. In summary, students minoring in Spanish want to use the language for practical purposes. Very few practical uses of the language can be utilized without being fluent, and being fluent is accomplished most swiftly and efficiently through studying abroad. II. Revisions to the minor A minor in Spanish will consist of 24 credits. Core Courses: 202, 250, 320, 330, 375 One elective course of the following: 312, 313, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 220-21. Six credits attained through the study abroad requirement. (Six weeks is the current standard for the major requirement and this would be applied to minors as well.) ! #!

Collateral History course: 341 or 342 (Latin American History or Latin American Colonial History) III. Enrollment and Staffing Implications These proposals have no staffing implications. The study abroad requirement may, in fact, encourage more students to minor in Spanish because there will be more emphasis on language acquisition. IV. Assessment Plan This proposal has no impact on the Spanish department's program of assessment. V. Financial Impact Until recently, WLCs Global Committee had an active fund with which it supplied money to assist students who were studying abroad. Our hope is that with this progressive requirement being implemented, the inflow of donations to this fund will be reinvigorated. However, the implementation by no means hinges on this possibility. The current scholarships for study abroad programs will remain in place, and the Spanish minors will take on the remainder of the cost. VI. Resolution Whereas we have proposed revisions that require Spanish minors to study abroad for a duration of six weeks, be it resolved that the curriculum committee and faculty adopt and approve these changes for publication in the WLC catalogue. SEE INCLUDED DEGREE AUDIT FORMS FOR THE MINOR

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Spa nish Mino r C hec kl ist

Minor credit requirements: 1. At least 24 total credits in minor 2. Students who have been waived from SPA-202 due to placement test scores will receive for it towards the minor. 3. Must have a minimum grade of C in all courses 4. Exit cumulative GPA of 2.50 in required and elective courses
Required Courses Credits Grade SPA 202-Intermediate Spanish 2 3 SPA 250-Inter. Spanish Grammar 3 SPA 320-Adv. Spanish Comp. 3 SPA 330-Intro. to Literary Studies 3 SPA 375 Conversation, Phonology, and Phonetics 3 One of the following: SPA 312-Spanish Civilization 1 SPA 313-Spanish Civilization 2 SPA 340-Survey of Spanish Lit. 1 SPA 341-Survey of Spanish Lit. 2 SPA 342-Survey of Spanish Lit. 3 SPA 350-Survey of Latin Am. Lit. 1 SPA 351-Survey of Latin Am. Lit. 2 Collateral Requirement HIS 341-History of Latin America Points _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

______ ______ ______ ______ ______

3 3 3 3 3 3 3

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

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Optional Courses Credits (*) unless taken as a required course SPA 220-Beg. Span. Conversatoin 1 SPA 221-Beg. Span. Composition 1 *SPA 312-Spanish Civilization 1 *SPA 313-Spanish Civilization 2 *SPA 340-Survey of Spanish Lit. 1 *SPA 341-Survey of Spanish Lit. 2 *SPA 342-Survey of Spanish Lit. 3 *SPA 350-Survey of Latin Am. Lit. 1 *SPA 351-Survey of Latin Am. Lit. 2 SPA 361-Adv. Spanish for Bus. SPA 402-Special Topics: - (__________________) - (__________________) - (__________________) SPA 490-Internship SPA 499-Independent Study Upper level course, approved by Department head Spanish Immersion 6

Grade 1 2

Points ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ _____

3 3 3 3 3

_____ _____ 3 _____ 3 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ 3 _____

3 _____ ______ 3 _____ ______ 3 _____ ______ 1 3 _____ ______ 1 3 _____ ______ _____ ______

______ _______

It is required that students participate in an approved program of residence in a Spanish speaking country.

This checklist is to be used as a guide in academic advising and planning. Upon official declaration and acceptance in the minor, a student and their advisor will be able to track GENED and Minor requirements through the Degree Audit portlet in their myWLC accounts.

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Wisc o nsin Lu thera n C o l l ege C u rric u l u m Pro po sa l Appro va l F o rm

School/Department_________Modern Languages, Spanish_________Date____4-152013___ Please check the proposal type and note the required approval level. Attach this form to the appropriately formatted proposal. Please see the next page for proposal submission deadlines. Proposal Type _____New major _____New minor _____New course(s) _____Course deletion(s) ___x__Revision to major or minor _____Revision to current course Approval Level Board of Regents Board of Regents Faculty Faculty Faculty Curriculum Committee

Action Taken (check appropriate space) Department (when applicable): ___x___approve Date_________________ ______return to department for Date_________________ revision ______reject and return to department Date_________________ School: ___x___approve ______return to department for revision ______reject and return to department Curriculum Committee: ______approve ______return to department for revision ______reject and return to department Faculty: ______approve ______return to department for revision ______reject and return to department Board Committee on Academic Affairs: Date_________________ Date_________________ Date_________________ Date_________________ Date_________________ Date_________________

Date_________________ Date_________________ Date_________________

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______approve ______reject Board of Regents: ______approve ______reject

Date_________________ Date_________________

Date_________________ Date_________________

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Outline
Proposing to: the Wisconsin Lutheran College Curriculum Committee Dr. Kristi Meyer Dr. Angela Ebeling Dr. Stacy Hoehl Dr. Ned Farley Prof. Jay Sierszyn I. A Spanish minor is different from a Spanish major in that it is not a students first area of study. A. First, including a Spanish minor on your resume is a valuable asset. 1. According to Nancy Monti, a human resources professional with the Milwaukee Office of Extendicare Health Services, Minors do matter and could well help to shape the future path a career will take or even open some possibilities for careers one might hope for. 2. She continues, referring specifically to a Spanish minor, The clinicians we hire with, maybe, a minor in Spanish can be extremely attractive, the same is true for more generalist hires in accounting or finance. A minor in computer science, or a foreign language, like Spanish, for that matter, might enable the student to work on special projects and hybrid teams, and in some cases gain access to opportunities that might not have developed had it not been for an added depth of specialization. B. Second, many college graduates in todays day and age would like to travel the world as a part of their job after graduation. 1. For those students who dont study abroad during college, the time immediately after graduation is often when graduates are feeling energized and have a conquer the world attitude. 2. For those students whose first option is not to travel after graduation, it sometimes is necessitated by the job environment and unemployment of todays economy. a. An article from February of 2012 in the Chicago Tribune details the story of multiple recent graduates who had to set their sights on jobs overseas due to the bleak job market in the United States. b. Laura Hamm, one of those graduates says, "You have to be able to adapt . You have to be able to think on your feet. Some jobs provide (native) co-teachers, but not all. You may be on your own." C. Some elect a Spanish minor not because it applies to a major or future career, but for another set of reasons. 1. They may be interested in Spanish, so they continue to study it. a. Gary Miller, from university career services at UNC - Chapel Hill, said he believes that enjoyment of the subject is the #1 reason to choose a specific minor, and many students feel the same way when electing their minor. ! (!

b. Many take a Spanish minor in the hopes of becoming fluent in another language to grow as a person. c. Others may take a Spanish minor because they find the ways of life of other people fascinating. d. Its interesting to see the world from someone elses shoes, and knowing another language allows that to happen more easily and naturally. 2. Some Spanish minor students hope to volunteer abroad, teaching English or another subject. a. Being in tune with the Spanish language and culture allows for an easier transition for a long-term stay in another country. b. It also opens the door for opportunity. c. To teach someone, whose first language is not your own, its vital to have a firm grasp of their language as well. d. Oxford Seminars, in an article entitled Preparing to Teach English Abroad: Dealing with Culture Shock, states that one key way of avoiding culture shock is to learn the local language, the rules of social conduct, and the history of your host country. II. Wisconsin Lutheran College does not currently require Spanish minors to study abroad. A. In general, studying abroad for any amount of time is more expensive than studying at your home university. B. With our proposed six-week requirement of time abroad, a student essentially must choose between taking a semester off from their home school and taking a shorter summer course, which detriments WLCs goal of having its students graduate in 4 years. 1. For those students who would choose a semester program, they would be throwing off their timeline for graduating in four years, and end up paying an extra semesters worth of school. 2. For those who select a summer program, they will most likely be able to graduate in four years as scheduled, but many students are unable to do this because they must work during the summer vacation. C. Finally, as is noted above, this is not the students main area of study. 1. A minor is seen as a complement to a students major, and therefore it may be asking a lot for students to commit six weeks of their time and to spend thousands of dollars on an academic program that is not their main focus at the university. 2. In meeting with Doctora Brown, she said, Most of WLCs majors are quite difficult, so a main drawback of studying abroad for a minor would be the time, money, and effort necessary for this study abroad period, which takes away time, money, and effort that could otherwise be dedicated to their major. III. Before WLC can consider making a change to its minor requirements, it is important to analyze the programs of similar schools. (The information in this section was recently

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collected and organized by Doctora Brown, during a separate proposed recommendation for a change within the Spanish department.) A. First, WLCs own major and minor requirements must be inspected. 1. WLC requires 9 classes above the 201 level for a major and a six-week study abroad, or 8 classes above 201 for a minor including grammar, literature (Latin American and Peninsular), civilization (Latin American or Peninsular), and phonetics. 2. We also require a collateral class in Latin American History. 3. Doctora Brown incorporates art into all of her classes but does not teach it as a separate course. 4. The Spanish major requires both a portfolio and a Senior Project (2530 page thesis). 5. WLC does not offer any courses in Spanish film. B. In meeting with Doctora Brown, she commented, Steve, Sandra. and I have researched five colleges that, though they are larger than ours, can inspire us as we grow in size and breadth. Frankly, we had a difficult time finding colleges our size that had Spanish departments that offered majors in Spanish. I chose the above schools because they are small and located close to us and thus compete with us for students. 1. The five colleges that she refers to are: Alverno, Edgewood, Carleton College (Northfield, MN), St. Norbert College, and Lawrence University. 2. I will not go into full detail of all five of these programs, but instead will make some general points as to how they compare to our Spanish program here at WLC. a. All programs consist of similar course offerings, made up of grammar, literature, civilization, and phonetics. b. Lawrence and Edgewood strongly advise studying abroad for their majors but do not require it. Carleton and St. Norberts both require one full semester abroad of their majors. c. Lawrence and Edgewood require a phonetics class, while Carleton and St. Norberts do not. d. Lawrence, Edgewood, and Carleton offer visual art, film, or other media classes, while WLC and St. Norberts do not. e. Alverno does not have an actual Spanish major, but rather a Liberal Arts major with a concentration in Spanish. For this major, students take an assortment of literature and civilization courses. Much of this program is in collaboration with their nursing program. 3. Doctora Brown had a few general comments regarding some key takeaways from her comparison. a. She says, I am very surprised that some schools do not require study abroad even of their majors. When I was a student, it was extremely important in my language acquisition and fluency. In addition, it was an amazing cultural experience.

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b. She adds, I am also surprised that some schools do not require phonetics. My students consistently tell me it is their favorite course, in large part because I teach them exactly what they are doing wrong when they pronounce Spanish and how they can correct themselves. c. In summary, regarding the overall strength of WLCs current Spanish program, Doctora Brown says, We are the only school whose capstone class is a 25-30 page thesis. Though we are smaller, we offer a major comparable to those of well-respected larger schools. We offer a strong major that exposes students to several areas of learning. Our requirements coincide with our mission as a liberal arts college. Our students are well prepared to enter graduate schools like those of Marquette and UW-Madison. d. The Department for Public Instruction (DPI), Wisconsins educational governing body, requires that all Spanish Education majors and minors study abroad as a part of their degree fulfillment. e. According to the DPI, Education majors who also major in a foreign language are required to study abroad for a full semester, while Education majors who minor in a foreign language are required at least a ten-week study abroad immersion experience. f. The fact that Wisconsins education governing body requires the states future educators to study abroad goes to show the level of importance and usefulness they believe that an immersion experience carries. IV. There are many benefits to studying abroad. A. Learning the Language is one benefit to studying abroad. 1. Being fluent in Spanish is important. a. The US Department of Labor reports that there are currently about 23 million people of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity. b. According to the U.S Census Bureau, about 12 percent of U.S. residents speak Spanish at home. c. As a result, rising number of jobs requires Spanish or at least prefers individuals who can speak Spanish. d. Ethnologue.com shows that Spanish is the second most common first-language in the world as well as the second most commonly spoken language in the U.S. 2. The way language is learned and how students progress is important to consider. a. The ACTFL, or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, has developed an inverted pyramid diagram to explain their theory on how people progress as they learn a b. At the bottom of the pyramid is a beginner level to learning the language. language, and the top is a superior level of performance.

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c. At the more advanced levels, it becomes increasingly more difficult to get to a higher level since there are harder and more concepts to grasp and master before arriving at the next level. d. Many linguistics experts and professors use this. e. At a certain point of the pyramid, as Spanish student, you reach a plateau. f. Its difficult to advance skills and frustration sets in; theres so much to learn, and progress is very slow. 3. The current minor program gives some benefits. a. There are current requirements and classes that are valid. b. However, the current program only scratches the surface on tasks of writing, listening speaking, reading, and culture. c. Spanish is only used for one or two hours a day. d. Students learn from one professor for upper level courses, with one accent and one voice, and become accustomed to the way she speaks Spanish. e. The beginning levels of Spanish can be easily mastered in a classroom a couple hours a day and much progress is made, but at the high levels, years of classroom instruction have to take place before Spanish is improved. f. Doctora Brown said, no matter how much is packed into every class, no matter how much we speak, or write, or listen in Spanish, students leave after the hour of class and Spanish leaves their minds. The rest of their day is in English. g. Taking only a Spanish minor, you will not be fluent or competent enough to do any of the things formerly listed 4. Studying abroad gives each individual student many benefits. a. As Professor Paul Bases, from Martin Lutheran College believes, and I can personally attest to, to the best way to overcome the plateau that occurs around the middle levels of proficiency is to immerse yourself in the language. b. A complete Spanish immersion trip requires students to speak, write, read, and listen to only Spanish for the entire duration of the trip. c. Instead of one hour a day of Spanish, its 24 hours a day for 6 weeks straight. d. Students begin to communicate naturally in Spanish, to think in Spanish, even to dream in Spanish. e. Students learn from native speakers as their professors in classes. f. They also hear different Spanish accents and voices from their host families, encounters in stores, people on the subway, in the streets, etc. Which is impossible at WLC. 5. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to become fluent without traveling abroad. a. In an online article on the website Fluent in 3 Months, the author, Brendan Lewis talks about his experience learning languages. ! *"!

i. He experienced the same plateau learning Spanish I explained earlier and was having a very hard time learning the language. ii. He overcame it by going to Spain and stopping his English all together. b. In my own experience, on the first immersion trip I took, sitting on the airplane on the way to South America trying to understand the instructions over the intercom in Spanish. c. Matadornetwork.com, a travel journalism site, says the fastest, easiest, and most effective way to learn a language is by Spanish immersion. d. Countless other sources agree, including my professor at MLC, Doctora Brown, and my own personal experience. B. Learning the culture of another country is just as important as the language aspect. 1. Learning about culture is important. a. Failing to understand cultural differences can cause avoidable misunderstandings. b. Mindwareblog.com says another reason learning about other cultures is important, It helps them (students) see the beauty of different cultures and appreciate the differences and similarities in how we and others live. c. A greater understanding of different cultures eliminates stereotyping misconceptions. It puts a reason and explanation behind observed behaviors. d. From a future career perspective, it facilitates smoother interactions and inoffensive communication. e. A Minnesota University psychology professor, Puncky Heppner, theorized that: In todays global economy, the market is much bigger than the United States, in the future, whites will no longer be the majority, and learning to be sensitive to cultural differences will be critically important. When people cooperate, there is more productivity and benefits. 2. Some benefits are gained from only study in the classroom. a. Stories and poems from Spanish speaking countries where lessons on culture can be learned are studied. b. Doctora Brown incorporates art into some classes. c. There used to be a film class offered at WLC, but no longer is available since Professor Tonnacliff left. d. There is no culture class; only bits and pieces of culture can be picked up from other classes. e. If there were a culture class, it could only teach so much without students actually experiencing it themselves. f. In a culture class I took at another college, I learned that South Americans are very passionate about futbol, or soccer, and that it is a big part of their lives. ! *#!

3. You learn much more about culture by immersion studies. a. Almeda University, discussed in their online article the difference between experiential learning vs. traditional classroom learning: Experiential learning, at its core, is the philosophy that individuals learn material, techniques and core skills while doing a task Experiential learning focuses the actual learning abilities and the natural learning processes in the student Book learning and lectures only take us so farwe naturally learn by doing. b. It wasnt until I was walking the streets in Argentina that I realized how much futbol is a part of their culture. c. Relevant Magazine, among other sources, says that nothing can replace first-hand experience when trying to learn about culture. d. Culture incorporates much into its definition: understanding the social organization, customs and traditions, arts and literature, religion, forms of government, economic systems, interaction and communication, written laws as well as unwritten and informal ones, morals, behavioral rules, manners, and more. e. Culture is always changing and evolving. It cannot be easily taught in a classroom. It can only be experienced. C. There are other general reasons why studying abroad is very beneficial that dont pertain directly to learning the Spanish language or culture but are still valid to explore. 1. Gaining perspective and a global education is essential for Spanish Minors. a. Interdependence and globalization an understanding of the complex social, economic and political links between people and the impact that changes have on each other. b. Identity and cultural diversity an understanding of self and ones own culture, and being open to the culture of others. c. Social justice and human rights an understanding of the impact of inequality and discrimination, the importance of standing up for our own rights and our responsibility to respect the d. Peace rights of building others. and conflict resolution an understanding of the importance of building and maintaining positive and trusting relationships and ways conflict can be prevented or peacefully resolved. e. Sustainable futures an understanding of the ways in which we can meet our current needs without diminishing the quality of the environment or reducing the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs. 2. Finding yourself and learning about yourself a. An immersion program, and traveling in general allows for personal growth and development. b. It teaches you things about yourself and builds character. c. Matador network, an online magazine says you learn about responsibility, Self-reliance, independence, tastes, emotions, ! *$!

patterns and reactions, past analyzation, and future dreams and develop life skills. 3. Studying abroad makes connections and gives students lasting 4. Traveling abroad also builds relationships and develops a global network memories. for the future. V. Spanish minors will study abroad in whatever way and in whatever place they feel fits them best. A. The student will have much flexibility in his or her options for studying abroad.1. There are many independent organizations that organize study abroad trips for students. 2. In addition, students have the option to utilize other universities immersion programs. B. In order to offset the cost, students will benefit from scholarships and outside donors to assist them with payment. 1. Up until recently, WLCs Global Committee had an active fund with which it supplied money to students who were studying abroad. 2. The Global Committee is a group of faculty who are interested in giving students opportunities to study abroad; this has included collecting funds from donors up until a few years ago. C. Because WLC will be progressive in this program this fund will be reinvigorated. 1. WLC currently has limited scholarship funds available for students who study abroad. 2. The introduction of this program may increase funding of these scholarships.

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Spa nish Pro gra m C o mpa riso n

Source: Wisconsin Lutheran College Spanish Department Head: Doctora Mary Jo Brown. A PPE NDIX I A comparison of the Spanish Department at WLC with Spanish departments at other small, liberal arts colleges in the area. The following five institutions are considered in our comparative review:
Name Lawrence University Edgewood College Carleton College St. Norbert College Alverno College Location Appleton, WI Madison, WI Northfield, MN De Pere, WI Milwaukee, WI Undergraduate Enrollment 1,500 2,600 2,000 2,200 2,700

For comparison, note that our enrollment is 987. Steve, Sandra. and I have researched five colleges that, though they are larger than ours, can inspire us as we grow in size and breadth. Frankly, we had a difficult time finding colleges our size that had Spanish departments that offered majors in Spanish. I chose the above schools because they are small and located close to us and thus compete with us for students. This is what I discovered:

Spanish Programs: I discovered that the requirements for the major are roughly comparable to ours (except in the case of Alverno). a) WLC requires 9 classes above the 201 level (third semester) including grammar, literature (Latin American and Peninsular), civilization (Latin American or Peninsular), and phonetics. 1) We also require a collateral class in Latin American History. 2) We require at least 6 weeks study abroad, and strongly advise one semester. 3) I incorporate art into all of my classes but do not teach it as a separate course. 4) We offer practical courses like Spanish for Medical Personnel and Spanish to English Translation. 5) We require a portfolio. 6) We require a Senior Project (a 25-30 page thesis in Spanish). 7) We have not offered film since Professor Tonnacliff left. b) Lawrence requires 10 classes above 202 (fourth semester) including one class outside of Spanish.

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1) Their classes include grammar, literature (Latin American and Peninsular, surveys and topics classes including a class in Don Quijote), civilization (Latin American and Peninsular), and phonetics. 2) In addition, they offer courses in Film, Current Events (Latin America and Peninsular) and Visual Arts (Latin American and Peninsular). 3) They require a portfolio. 4) They strongly advise students to study abroad. c) Edgewood requires 9 classes above 102 (second semester) 1) Their classes include grammar, literature (Latin American and Peninsular), civilization (Latin American and Peninsular) and phonetics. 2) In addition, they offer courses in contemporary culture, film, and language through media. 3) It appears as though study abroad above is advised but not required. d) Carleton requires 11 classes above 202 (fourth semester) including grammar, three courses in Latin American Literature, three courses in Peninsular literature, and Civilization. 1) They require one full semester abroad. 2) They also require one literature class outside of Spanish. 3) In addition, they offer courses in contemporary culture, film, and art. 4) They do not require Phonetics. e) St. Norbert requires 8 classes above 202 (fourth semester) including grammar, Literature (Latin American and Peninsular), Civilization (Latin American and Peninsular), and a Capstone seminar. 1) They require one full semester abroad. 2) They do not require phonetics. 3) They offer classes in film. f) Alverno does not have a Spanish major as such. They offer a major in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Spanish that is connected to their nursing 1) They require six semesters of grammar beginning with Spanish 101. Their program. advanced grammar class is considered a capstone class. 2) They require two culture/civilization courses, both of which are considered capstone classes. 3) They do not require phonetics or literature. 4) Their Spanish program tailored to their nursing program is made up of the following courses: a. SPI 100: Bilingual Proficiency Assessment (pre-requisite) b. SPI 210: Bilingual Medical Terminology (3 cr.) c. SPI 310: Cultural Competence in Healthcare: The Latino Perspective (2 cr.) d. SPI 320: Advanced Interpretive Practice (3 cr.) e. SPI 350: Ethics for Healthcare Interpreters (3cr.) f. SPI 360: Translation Skills for Healthcare Interpreters (3 cr.) ! *'!

g. SPI 483: Healthcare Interpreter Internship (2 cr.)

C O NC L U SIO NS 1) I am very surprised that some schools do not require study abroad. As I was a student, it was extremely important in my language acquisition and fluency. In addition, it was an amazing cultural experience. My own students echo my 2) I am also surprised that some schools do not require phonetics. My students feelings. consistently tell me it is their favorite course, in large part because I teach them exactly what they are doing wrong when they pronounce Spanish and how they can correct themselves. 3) I am disappointed that we have not offered the film class in so many years. Many fine films are produced in Spain and in Latin America. Both Marquette and UW-Milwaukee offer an Hispanic film festival every year and both schools are close enough that our students could take advantage of their festivals. 4) We appear to be the only school that requires both a portfolio and a capstone 5) We are the only school whose capstone class is a 25-30 page thesis. class. 6) Though we are smaller, we offer a major comparable to those of well-respected larger schools. 7) We offer a strong major that exposes students to several areas of learning. Our requirements coincide with our mission as a liberal arts college. Our students are well prepared to enter graduate schools like those of Marquette and UWMadison, and modifying our requirements would diminish our program. Instead of changing what we offer, we should hire a second full-time professor so our major gets stronger and attracts more students. FA C U L TY All of these colleges had more members in their Spanish Department faculty than we do, most of whom held advanced degrees. For easy reference to comparative size, each schools enrollment is included in parentheses. a) Lawrence (1,500) has one assistant professor with a Ph.D., two associate professors with a Ph.D., one full professor with a Ph.D., one postdoctoral fellow, and two instructors (one with an M.A. and one with a B.A.). b) Edgewood (2,600) has three full-time professors and they all hold their Ph.D. c) Carleton (2,000) has three full professors with a Ph.D., two associate professors with a Ph.D., one assistant professor with a Ph.D., one junior professor with a Ph.D., and four lecturers, two of whom have a Ph.D. d) St. Norbert (2,200) has three assistant professors with a Ph.D., one full professor with a Ph.D., and two visiting professors. e) Alverno (2,700) has one assistant professor with a Ph.D., two assistant professors with an M.A., and one instructor with a B.A.

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WLC has one assistant professor with a Ph.D., one professor with an M.A. in Spanish and Comparative Literature, a certification in Spanish to English translation, and is ABD in his Ph.D. in English, and one adjunct with a B.A. in Italian (who is currently taking advanced Spanish classes as a prerequisite for the M.A. program at Marquette).

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Visual Aid PowerPoint

Erin Leverence Connor Vredeveld

Spanish Minors should be required to travel abroad

Why Students May Take a Spanish Minor

Rsum booster Post-graduation travel Personal Interest Volunteer opportunities

The Drawbacks
$$$$$ WLCs Goal Summer Program Semester Program Minor vs. Major

The Current Program

Major: 9 classes above 201, plus six-week study abroad Minor: 8 classes above 201 Major requires both a portfolio and a Senior Project

Program Comparison

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Program Comparison
Similar course offerings Strongly advise vs. required Alvernos unique program

Comparison Observations
Major study abroad requirements Lack of phonetics requirement Comparative strength of WLCs program

Wisconsin DPI
Spanish Education requirements
Majors: full semester immersion Minors: six-week immersion

Implications

Benets to Studying Abroad

Language Culture Global Perspective Learn about yourself Building Opportunities Experience and Adventure

Language
Superior Advanced Intermediate Novice

Current Program vs. Studying Abroad

Culture Achieving Fluency

Misunderstandings Appreciation Communication

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Gain Perspective Current Program vs. Studying Abroad

Interdependence and globalization Identity and cultural diversity Social justice and human rights Peace building and con ict resolution Sustainable futures

Learn about Yourself

Personal growth Development Character building

Connections

Experiences
Implementation
Flexibility & Funding

Implementation
Spanish Minors should be required to travel abroad

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References
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