Ya Era Tiempo (It’s About Time): Latinas/os Training to be Counselors Share the Meaning of Obtaining Recognition for their Spanish Proficiency

2021 ◽  
pp. 153819272110050
Author(s):  
Fernando Estrada ◽  
Brianna Angèle ◽  
Fannie Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Counseling Students ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Baccalaureate Education ◽  
Post Baccalaureate ◽  
Bilingual Proficiency

In the current study, an initiative that focuses on bilingual proficiency among masters-level counseling students provided the opportunity to qualitatively answer the question: For Latina/o bilingual graduate students who are training to be licensed counselors, what is the meaning behind pursuing and obtaining recognition of their Spanish language proficiency? The thematic findings from ten interviews illuminate topics related to bilingualism in post-baccalaureate education with respect to programing and scholarship.

scholarly journals Auditory Processing of Gender Agreement across Relative Clauses by Spanish Heritage Speakers

Languages ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Daniel Vergara ◽  
Gilda Socarrás
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Auditory Task ◽  
Auditory Modality ◽  
Gender Agreement ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Spanish Heritage Speakers

Processing research on Spanish gender agreement has focused on L2 learners’ and—to a lesser extent—heritage speakers’ sensitivity to gender agreement violations. This research has been mostly carried out in the written modality, which places heritage speakers at a disadvantage as they are more frequently exposed to Spanish auditorily. This study contributes to the understanding of the differences between heritage and L2 grammars by examining the processing of gender agreement in the auditory modality and its impact on comprehension. Twenty Spanish heritage speakers and 20 intermediate L2 learners listened to stimuli containing two nouns with gender mismatches in the main clause, and an adjective in the relative clause that only agreed in gender with one of the nouns. We measured noun-adjective agreement accuracy through participants’ responses to an auditory task. Our results show that heritage speakers are more accurate than L2 learners in the auditory processing of gender agreement information for comprehension. Additionally, heritage speakers’ accuracy is modulated by their Spanish language proficiency and age of onset. Participants also exhibit higher accuracies in cases in which the adjective agrees with the first noun. We argue that this is an ambiguity resolution strategy influenced by the experimental task.

scholarly journals Improving English Language Proficiency of Graduate Students by Online Learning Apps available on Smartphone

2019 ◽  
Vol IV (III) ◽  
pp. 535-543
Author(s):  
Shahida Naz ◽  
Mamuna Ghani ◽  
Shahid Nawaz
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language Skills

The field of digital literacy is developing rapidly; consequently, the interest of researchers has also shifted now. The current research study was to explore the role of online learning Apps available on smartphones in improving graduate students' English language proficiency. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in this study. Data were collected through a questionnaire that had close-ended and open-ended questions. Questionnaires were distributed among 480 graduate-level students studying in 6 universities of Punjab, Pakistan. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0) to find out results in the form of Percentage, Mean Score, Standard Deviation by applying the Independent Sample T-Test. The results of the study demonstrated the potential of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) as an anticipatory approach to improving English language skills. Results showed that students were pleased to use smartphones to improve their English language proficiency. They responded positively about the role of smartphones in improving English language skills. On the basis of findings, the researcher concluded that smartphone plays an important role in improving students' English language proficiency.

Non-Native English-Speaking Students' Perspectives of Culture, Language, and Academic Success

2020 ◽  
pp. 181-201
Author(s):  
Maja Stojanovic ◽  
Petra A. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Graduate Schools ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Cultural Challenges ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking

The chapter examines how non-native English-speaking graduate students perceive academic success and possible linguistic and cultural challenges in graduate schools in the United States. Data were collected from six in-depth individual face-to-face interviews specifically to understand the complexities and nuances in the perceptions of non-native English-speaking graduate students related to their academic success and possible challenges they face that may be caused by the lack of native-like language proficiency. Students' perceptions revealed the importance of cultural and language training for key stakeholders. Graduate schools as well as those teaching multicultural classes, among other stakeholders, should utilize this information to help modify English language programs and curricula for current and new students.

scholarly journals Politics of Immigration and Language: The Case of Pakistani Residents in Spain

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
María Isabel Maldonado García
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Jewish People ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Council Of Europe ◽  
Specific Group ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Nationality Law

The new Spanish nationality law requires a certain level of Spanish language proficiency for the application of Spanish nationality. The law, which is on the Official State Bulletin (BOE-Boletin Oficial del Estado) N. 167, Section I, Page 58, 149 and which was drafted on the 14th of July, 2015, came in effect on the 15th of October, 2015. The new regulation outlined the new requirements for the immigrants to be able to become Spanish citizens. The law was mainly targeted towards the descendants of those Jewish people who were thrown out of Spain in 1492 in an effort of the Spanish government to normalize relations. Nevertheless, all new applicants are somehow affected by it since a minimum knowledge of Spanish language is required, (level DELE A2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEF; Council of Europe, 2001 & Little (2005)) and a certain cultural and constitutional knowledge as well, to be measured by additionally passing the CCSE exam. These exams, according to the law, are to be administered by Instituto Cervantes, the official Institute of Spanish language of the Government of Spain. This paper aims to study the repercussions and new effects the law is having on the Pakistan Instituto Cervantes Examination Center in terms of enrollments as well as the effects on a specific group of immigrants themselves; the immigrants from Pakistan.

scholarly journals Accuracy of Physician Self-Report of Spanish Language Proficiency

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Rosenthal ◽  
Frances Wang ◽  
Dean Schillinger ◽  
Eliseo J. Pérez Stable ◽  
Alicia Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Self Report

scholarly journals THE ENGLISH READING HABITS OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AT DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, CHINA

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 269-280
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farshad Panhwar ◽  
Uzma Murad Panhwar ◽  
Abida Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
English Reading ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Attitudes Towards Reading

The study is set to know, analyze, and finally realize the reading habits of the students at Dalian University of Technology (DUT), specifically the English language (L2). The study aims to find out the reading habits of the students. Five-point Likert scale questionnaire was made to investigate the participants’ general attitudes towards reading and their reading preferences. 12000 questionnaires were distributed out of which 641 were returned after being filled in. The data collected through the questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 20 program. It is made out of the conducted survey that the students at DUT have healthy reading habits and their attitude towards reading is positive. Moreover, it is made out that the reading habits of the students have a remarkable impact on their academic performances. The research in the end has made some suggestions and recommendations to foster reading habits and attitudes among university students for better language proficiency.

scholarly journals Quality Assurance and Foreign Languages - Reflecting on oral assessment practices in two University Spanish Language Programs in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-19
Author(s):  
Adriana R. Díaz ◽  
◽  
Hugo Hortiguera ◽  
Marcia Espinoza Vera ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Oral Assessment ◽  
The One ◽  
Programs Of Study ◽  
Achievement Standards

In the era of quality assurance (QA), close scrutiny of assessment practices has been intensified worldwide across the board. However, in the Australian context, trends in QA efforts have not reached the field of modern/foreign languages. This has largely resulted in leaving the establishment of language proficiency benchmarking up to individual institutions and programs of study. This paper discusses the findings of a cross-institutional collaborative research project focused on the comparative analysis and review of assessment practices in the Spanish language majors at the University of Queensland (UQ) and Griffith University (GU), both members of the Brisbane Universities Languages Alliance (BULA). The project had a two-pronged focus; on the one hand, establishing comparable student academic achievement standards, specifically for oral assessment in intermediate level courses; and, on the other hand, providing tools and resources to train teachers (continuing and sessional staff) in consensus moderation (CM) practices through an online platform. The results presented here offer practical pedagogical suggestions to support planning and review of oral assessment, thus contributing to QA management in languages other than English.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document