1. Spanish for the Professions
What? Why? Who? How?
Gillian Lord
University of Florida
2. Resources for LPDs
Language Program Direction: Theory and Practice
http://www.pearsonhighered.com/product?ISBN=978020583784
7
American Association of
University Supervisors
and Coordinators (AAUSC)
www.aausc.org
3. University of Florida
Student demographics
40,000-50,000 undergraduate
Minimum of 2 years high school language
Large bilingual population
Language requirement
Two semesters or “equivalent proficiency”
Only CLAS majors
SPS Department
Faculty
Students (graduate, undergraduate)
Administrative support (?)
4. The topic I proposed…
How do Spanish for the Professions courses fit within
the more traditional models of language study
(i.e., literature, linguistics)?
Can we maintain the integrity and rigor of our courses
and at the same time offer something to those who
want to study Spanish for more professional/pragmatic
reasons (e.g., medical, legal, business, other preprofessional)?
If so, how?
6. What is “language for specific purposes”?
Language for practical purposes…
Spanish for
… business … health professions … law … education … translation …
first responders … etc. etc. etc.
Promotes the value of language and cross-cultural proficiency in
today’s workforce
Makes real-world connections for language
Connects humanities and literature to other subject areas
Recognizes that language study does not, and should not, exist
in a vacuum.
8. 1. Preparing the future workforce
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwCEkleilNQ
9. 1. Preparing the future workforce
Connects students to the ‘real world’
Prepares students for a global workplace in any field
Increased cultural awareness and sensitivity, higher
language proficiency and exposure to discipline-specific
terminology and practices equips these students for
successful and fruitful careers.
http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/images/documents/what_business_wants_report_final_7_09.pdf
10. 2. Need for curricular reform
2007 MLA Report “Foreign Language and
Higher Education: New Structures for a
Changed World”
Goal: “educated speakers who have deep translingual
and transcultural competence”
Integration of language and culture at all levels
Advanced courses that address more subject areas
11. 2. Need for curricular reform
A “new mission”?
http://profession.commons.mla.org/2013/12/09/the-new-
mission-and-location-of-united-states-spanish-departments/
12. 2. Need for curricular reform
Across the country, enrollments in language classes are
declining.
Most students are under pressure to pursue majors that
will help them in their future professions
(doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, teachers, etc.).
Many students choose those other majors because they
don't see the relevance of studying language...
For example, in the last 6 years UF’s Spanish
majors have declined by 25%!
13. 3. Respond to institutional missions
Can fit broadly in to university and college missions.
For example, UF has adopted “internationalization” for its SACS
Quality Enhancement Plan, indicating their belief that
internationalization is essential and is strategically important to the
university's future success.
Likewise, the College of Liberal Arts and Science's strategic plan
(“Discover, Teach, Engage”) includes the mission to “embrace
international opportunities,” “leverage CLAS's vast strengths in
international affairs,” and “help improve Floridians' engagement
with the world.”
These courses prepare future professionals in a variety
of fields to engage with an increasingly multinational
world, both at home and abroad.
15. Who does this already?
Most AAU institutions offer degrees (majors, minors) or
certificates in Spanish for the Professions!
Majors and minors: http://nble.org/program-development/lsp-
minorsmajors/
Certificates: http://nble.org/certificatescontinuing-ed/
At least two dozen other institutions offer two or more
professional Spanish courses in their undergraduate
curricula.
16. Who does this already?
However, the major/minor
curricula are in general slow to
respond, nationwide
Required literature courses for
major
According to a 2012 survey of
104 faculty, 170 alumni and 147
current students at a wide
range of institutions across the
country:
>4
34%
none
8%
1 to 2
20%
Still very strong emphasis on
literature
Increasing presence of linguistics
options
But little emphasis on Spanish
for Specific Purposes or other
professionally-geared courses
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013). “The Undergraduate Spanish Major Curriculum:
Faculty, Alumni and Student Perceptions.” Presentation at ACTFL convention.
3 to 4
38%
17. Opinions and reactions – faculty
Many faculty are resistant
Belief that offering these courses undermines what we do as
scholars and continue to find value in our traditional courses:
Faculty think the most “important” course for major is:
Capstone / Thesis (19%)
Intro to Literature / Survey Courses (14%)
Advanced Literature (13%)
Faculty think other more practical courses are “least” valuable:
Spanish for the Professions (15%)
Phonetics / Phonology (11%)
Translation (10%)
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013).
18. Opinions and reactions – students
Students seem to be less interested in ‘traditional’ courses
and more interested in those that work with their
professional plans
Students think the most “important” courses for major are:
Advanced conversation (47%, 52%)
Advanced grammar (9%, 8%)
Students’ “least” valuable courses for major are:
Cinema, film (30%, 26%)
Literary theory (22%, 25%)
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013).
19. Opinions and reactions – students
Data from UF, 2010
“The following are some
additions we're
contemplating for our
undergraduate course
offerings. Of these, which
courses would you be likely to
take (or would have taken) if
they were offered? ”
20. Opinions and reactions – alumni
Graduated students have a different perspective
“Studying abroad is THE MOST important part of this degree. . .
. It is invaluable to any student, because students learn real
world application day-in and day-out of what their classroom
coursework points them towards.”
“…what most students want is to be able to communicate in
Spanish, i.e. speak the language… Advanced conversation is key
in any field.”
“Although Spanish was a literature-based major when I did it, it
seems to me that practical courses - such as translation and
conversation - would be more useful to graduates as they enter
the work force. I know that I graduated with a Spanish major
and a serious lack of confidence in actually SPEAKING Spanish.”
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013).
21. Opinions and reactions – alumni (cont’d.)
“in hindsight I believe I could have benefitted more as a business
professional working in South Florida had more of my education
focused on practical/ conversations topics and less on literary
history and art... Let's get serious about Spanish as it applies to
today.”
“I personally think that the Spanish degree should focus on tools
to be used in the workplace... Foreign study should be
mandatory.”
“I believe that literature, linguistics, all those content courses
continue to be important, but offering students courses that are
relevant to their lives, that will be useful beyond the
university, is essential. So the advanced communication
courses, along with the service learning or internship, seem the
most practical and useful.
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013).
22. Opinions and reactions – alumni (cont’d.)
“My concern with the Spanish Major is that it often lacks the
practical component necessary to use Spanish post graduation.”
“I think that Spanish for the professions is of great importance
to the Spanish major curriculum. With that course, students are
able to develop a different vocabulary and learn things that
differ from the standard textbook and classroom Spanish that is
taught at the collegiate level. I'm not saying that what we learn
isn't of any importance; I just think … it is beneficial to have a
better understanding of more common Spanish in a particular
profession.”
Hertel, T. J. & Dings, A. (2013).
24. Different approaches, considerations
Level
Foundational courses with professional focus
Upper level courses with more sophisticated professional
content
Both?
Developing online modules to add to first-year
curriculum introducing department, areas of
study, and alumni who have used Spanish…
Offerings
One course in professions
Series of courses, each with different focus
Program (certificate, major, minor, track)
25. UF’s new Certificate (Fall 2014)
12 credit hours at the 3000 level
Advanced conversation + Culture + Service learning + Profession
specific course:
Business
Advertising
Medical
Legal
Translation
Education
¿?
26. Suggestions for moving forward
Attract students to our LSP courses, perhaps they’ll stay for more!
Design our curriculum around strategies rather than specific
grammar or vocabulary (e.g., www.darcylear.com).
Don’t forget about critical thinking and analytical skills, which can
just as easily be taught in LSP courses. Likewise, cultural artifacts
(literature, etc.) can easily be incorporated, and aspects of linguistic
understanding are crucial as well.
Include aspects of LSP into ‘traditional’ courses; connect what
we’re already doing in language, literature, etc. courses to the
professional realm.
Think less in terms of specific profession and more in terms of
language study as training in the ‘soft’ skills employers want.
Work together! (CIBER, NBLE, AAUSC, etc.)
Editor's Notes
Foundational/Intro to topic Because as lpd and chair it’s one that interests me but not necessarily one I have any expertise(tech -??????)BUT first two resources to share
WHY?Need to save enrollmentsCombined role as lpd and chair gives unique vision of deptOther areas perhaps interest me more or are more along the lines of my own research but this is a hot topic…
85% of UF students come in pre health!
These institutions include : Arizona State University, California State University, City University of New York, Indiana University, Johns Hopkins University, Pennsylvania State University, Rutgers University, Temple, U Colorado (Boulder), University of Alabama (Birmingham), University of Colorado (Denver), University of Maryland, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, Wilmington), University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin and Wake Forest University.
The Undergraduate Spanish Major Curriculum: Faculty, Alumni and Student PerceptionsTammy JandreyHertel; Abby DingsACTFL 2013
Students – most = conversation, grammarStuidents – least = lit theory, film
