The different dialects of Colombia

TEACHER: Nicole Ramirez

SCHOOL: USM

SUBJECT: Spanish

LEVEL: 201

UNIT: La salud in Dicho y Hecho

LESSON: #2

DATE: April 23rd, 2014

Duration of Activity: 15 minutes

PROFICIENCY LEVEL OF STUDENTS: Novice High

PRE-ACTIVITY: The teacher will show a map of Colombia with its regions divided according
to the dialect spoken in each region. She will explain to the students that Colombia has eleven
different dialects and she will emphasize that for this activity. Colombia is the country studied in
the culture section in Chapter 9- La salud of Dicho y Hecho.
II. PURPOSE
IMPORTANCE/RELEVANCE OF ACTIVITY: The purpose of this activity is to make students
aware of the different dialects that can be found within one country, specifically Colombia and to
let them know that each country will have a variety of dialects.
III. THE ACTIVITY
3.1 OBJECTIVE: The student will be able to notice the different dialects spoken in Colombia.
3.1 STANDARD: Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language
on a variety of topics
Standard 2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices
and perspectives of the culture studied
3.1 PROCEDURE: After showing the map of the different dialects, the teacher will handout a
script of a paragraph that they will hear in a video, Acentos de Colombia, that the teacher is
going to show them. The teacher will go over the paragraph for comprehension with the class
before showing them the video. In the video, the paragraph will be read nine times in nine
different Colombian dialects. The video is three minutes and twenty-four seconds long.

3.1 MATERIALS: computer to show video and map of Colombia, questionnaire

3.1 ASSESSMENT: Once the activity has been done, the teacher will give the students a handout
with questions about their reaction to the video. Questions included will be: Did you notice any
differences between the dialects? If so, which ones? Did you notice if they spoke faster in some
dialects? Which ones? Did they speaker slower in some dialects? Which ones? Did they
switch out personal pronouns Usted, t or vos? What else, if anything did you notice?

TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
This activity includes sociolinguistics by introducing the concept that even within the same
country, you will find many different dialects. It also explains to these Spanish 201 students that
just like we speak English differently in different regions in the USA, in Spanish speaking
countries, different regions of the country speak Spanish very differently from the other regions.
It has been my experience that until you make the above comparison, students assume that
because Spanish is spoken in Colombia, for example, that all Colombians speak alike. In
Language the Social Mirror, Chaika talks about phonological variations of the English language
across the USA. I think it is safe to say that the video, Acentos de Colombia shows many
phonological differences of Colombian Spanish.
In order to do this activity, you will need to do the following:
1) Access the video, Acentos de Colombia at http://lteacherstoolbox.blogspot.com
2) Show the map of Colombia with the different dialectal regions and go over it with the
students.
3) Then hand out the paragraph that will be read in nine dialects in the video and review it
for comprehension to make sure the students understand what it is about.
4) Once you have covered the paragraph, play the video.
5) If need be, let the students watch the video a second time.
6) Hand out a questionnaire with questions pertaining to the students reaction to the video.

7) While they are working on the questionnaire, go to you tube and put soft Spanish
background music on, like Silvio Rodriguezs La gota de rocio or Laura Pauisinas La
soledad. It provides a nice working atmosphere and keeps the room from being too quiet.
8) After a few minutes, discuss your students reaction to the video.

STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS
The activity for today concerns the different Spanish dialects found in Colombia. Your
teacher has a map that shows the regions where each dialect is spoken and a video that will allow
you to hear the different dialects for yourselves. You will need to do the following for this
activity:
1) Pay close attention to the teacher as she teaches you about the different Spanish
dialects in Colombia.
2.) Read over the excerpt of the paragraph that your teacher gives you. This is the
same paragraph that will be read in the video nine different times in nine different
dialects of Colombian Spanish. If there is a word you do not know, ask for a definition
from your teacher.
3) Pay close attention to the video when your teacher plays it.
4) Try to notate any differences you hear among the dialects.
5) Answer the questions on the questionnaire.
6) Be sure to write your name on it and turn it in for a participation grade.

References
Castillo, C. (2010, April 18). Spanish: Colombian dialects (literally) [Blog post]. Retrieved from
http://lteacherstoolbox.blogspot.com.
Chaika, E. (2008). Language: The social mirror. Boston, MA: HEINLE Cengage Learning.
Dawson, L., Potowoski, K., & Sobral, S. (2012). Dicho y Hecho. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.