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The term Spanish as a second or foreign language is the learning or teaching of the Spanish language for those whose first language is not Spanish.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2017) |
The term Spanish as a second or foreign language is the learning or teaching of the Spanish language for those whose first language is not Spanish.
In October 2001, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Relations, International Commerce and Culture of the Argentine Republic approved the guidelines in order to evaluate the knowledge and use of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language in Argentina. Known as the 'Resoluciones 919 del MECyT and 3164 MRREECIyC)', it recognised the role of universities in the development of the evaluation.
Meanwhile in 2004, a group of national universities created an inter-university consortium oriented towards the teaching, evaluation and certification of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language (o ELSE from the Spanish, Español como Lengua Segunda y Extranjera), aiming to contribute to political and educational linguistics.
By June of the same year, three national universities (University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Universidad Litoral (UNL) and the University of Córdoba (UNC)) were working together to design and implement the first official examination to measure competence of Spanish as a foreign language. The exam is called CELU (Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish) and was approved by Resolution 28 in January 2005.
The CELU (Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish) is a certificate of competence in the Spanish language from Argentina. Like the DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera), it also has international validity. The Certificate can be taken by speakers of any language other than Spanish in order to validate their knowledge of Spanish as a second language in their work or study.
In Argentina it is the only examination officially recognised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture. Any speaker who can use Spanish in an effective manner, whose goal is to interact efficiently with the other members of the community can take the CELU, independently of the course or method that was used to learn the language.
Español como lengua extranjera (ELE) is the term used to refer to various systems used by different learning institutions that teach the Spanish language to speakers of other languages, like the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas and the Instituto Cervantes.
Following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or the CEFR, these institutions offer examinations that will measure the competence of a learner. There are six exams (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2) which can be taken independently (i.e. it is not necessary to pass A1 to get B2) no matter the method of instruction used by the learners.
Español en Toledo, a Spanish course started by the University of Castile-La Mancha General Foundation, brings students to monuments and historical sites in the city of Toledo, Spain for more experiential learning.
The "Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera" (Certificates of Spanish as a Foreign Language) is an official diploma granted by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education to evaluate a person's knowledge of Spanish.
There are six levels of qualification, each corresponding to a certain level described by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
Spanish is taught in schools all over the United States as a second or foreign language. The global number of Spanish-speakers consists of approximately 559 million persons. [1] Objectives for Spanish-language education include preparing students to use the language for speaking, listening, reading and writing and to learn about the varied Spanish-speaking cultures as a context in which the language is used.
Spanish-language education in the United States aims to create global citizens competently able to communicate and collaborate with peoples from other cultures, who may be different from themselves, and thereby able to empathize with others' perspectives and experiences. [2] In order to achieve this type of competency, teachers must obtain proficiency and receive training in language acquisition theory and methodology.
Some requirements of language teachers are the following: demonstrate a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing; obtain a bachelor's degree in the Spanish language, perform a successful practicum in teaching the language with an experienced supervising teacher, and obtain a teaching license in the state in which the teacher will be employed. [3]
To teach at a university, you will be required to have a degree in Philology or Translation, a master's degree and a doctorate. On the other hand, to give private Spanish classes there are no mandatory requirements, although it is advisable to have specific training in Spanish as a foreign language. [4]
Practices in teaching methods were designed with theories of language and language acquisition, [5] as well as educational trends of the time. Language teachers learn of the varying methodologies and their role in the history of language education and implement them according to instructional need. The following are methodologies that reflect how theories of language acquisition have adapted over time:
The standards taught in world language classes are those set by The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which combine "the 5 C's": Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Community. [8] In addition to the standards, ACTFL also provides proficiency guidelines and performance descriptors to aid teachers and administrators determine students' individual performance and level of language in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. [9] Established in 1967, ACTFL has provided language educators with tools for instruction and opportunities for professional growth. [10] ACTFL "has set industry standards, established proficiency guidelines, advocated for language education funding, and connected colleagues at the ACTFL Annual Convention". [10]
There are a vast number of resources online, including both resources dedicated specifically to the study of Spanish as a second language, as well as more general resources, such as Infoling. [11]
Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language education: communicative competencies, proficiencies, cross-cultural experiences, and multiple literacies.
English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as an additional language (EAL), or English as a new language (ENL), these terms denote the study of English in environments where it is not the dominant language. Programs such as ESL are designed as academic courses to instruct non-native speakers in English proficiency, encompassing both learning in English-speaking nations and abroad.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR, CEF, or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries. The CEFR is also intended to make it easier for educational institutions and employers to evaluate the language qualifications of candidates for education admission or employment. Its main aim is to provide a method of learning, teaching, and assessing that applies to all languages in Europe.
Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language skills, and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels.
Instituto Cervantes is a worldwide nonprofit organization created by the Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), the author of Don Quixote and perhaps the most important figure in the history of Spanish literature. The Cervantes Institute is the largest organization in the world responsible for promoting the study and the teaching of Spanish language and culture.
Language proficiency is the ability of an individual to use language with a level of accuracy which transfers meaning in production and comprehension.
The Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera, or DELE, are official diplomas issued by the Spanish Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science to participants who have passed a standardised test indicating their European Spanish language proficiency. The diplomas do not expire. Every year, more than 60,000 examinations are taken by candidates in more than 800 examination centres from more than 100 countries. In many countries, the DELE Diplomas have been adopted by schools and universities as a complement to their own evaluation systems, such that it is used as an entry requirement for non-native Spanish speakers.
The Graz International Bilingual School (GIBS) is an Austrian bilingual (English/German) university preparatory semi-independent charter school Gymnasium in Graz, Austria. The school mainly focuses on languages, offering German, English, Russian, Latin, French and Spanish. Students graduate with the Austrian Matura, the IB Diploma or with both, assuming that they meet the criteria necessary.
The Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish, or CELU, is an exam designed to determine the level of proficiency in the Argentinian Spanish language. The exam can be taken by anyone whose mother language is not Spanish and needs to demonstrate he has a certain level of proficiency of the language, whether it is for working or studying, in Spanish-speaking countries. The exam is required by universities in Argentina for foreigners and it is also accepted as a valid exam in Brazil and China.
The Interagency Language Roundtable scale is a set of descriptions of abilities to communicate in a language. It is the standard grading scale for language proficiency in the United States's federal-level service. It was originally developed by the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR), which included representatives of the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, based at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC).
Heritage language learning, or heritage language acquisition, is the act of learning a heritage language from an ethnolinguistic group that traditionally speaks the language, or from those whose family historically spoke the language. According to a commonly accepted definition by Valdés, heritage languages are generally minority languages in society and are typically learned at home during childhood. When a heritage language learner grows up in an environment with a dominant language that is different from their heritage language, the learner appears to be more competent in the dominant language and often feels more comfortable speaking in that language. "Heritage language" may also be referred to as "community language", "home language", and "ancestral language".
Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is an approach for learning content through an additional language, thus teaching both the subject and the language.
An Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is a standardized, global assessment of functional speaking ability. Taking the form of a conversation between the tester and test-taker, the test measures how well a person speaks a language by assessing their performance of a range of language tasks against specified criteria. In the United States, the criteria for each of ten proficiency levels are described in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, devised by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
John Arthur Rassias was an American professor who developed a method for the teaching of foreign languages, the Rassias Method, also known as the Dartmouth Intensive Language Model. John Rassias founded the Rassias Center for World Languages and Cultures, a department of Dartmouth College situated in the Office of the Provost that works with language learners and professionals from around the world.
The European Language Certificates are international standardised tests of ten languages.
Wilga Marie Rivers was an Australian linguist and Professor of Romance Languages. While she taught at both the secondary-education and college level throughout her life, she spent the majority of her career on the faculty of Harvard University. There, she served as a Professor of Romance Languages and Coordinator of Language Instruction in Romance Languages, fulfilling these roles until her eventual retirement in 1989.
PLIDA, or Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri, are language diplomas issued by Dante Alighieri Society certifying the holder's proficiency in Italian language as a foreign language. The diplomas could only be obtained after passing a standardised language test. The Rome Branch of the Dante Alighieri Society is the official centre of examination for the issuing of PLIDA Certification.
Language power (LP) is a measure of the ability to communicate effectively in a given language, specifically one that is not native to the speaker.
The School of Languages (FADEL) is one of the 17 schools that constitute the National University of Comahue in Argentina. It is located in General Roca, province of Río Negro (Mendoza and Perú). It has 800 students, but with the Department of Foreign Languages for Specific Purposes (DIEPE), located in the city of Neuquén, it provides services to the over 35,000 active students attending its courses in any of the 76 undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered in the different academic units in the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén.
