Tipo: artículo

Metodología: trabajo teórico

Temas: cognición y procesamiento

Resumen:

Artículo en inglés
Artículo en español

Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field of researchers from psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, computer science, and anthropology who seek to understand the mind. In this regular American Educator column, we consider findings from this field that are strong and clear enough to merit classroom application.

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Very often, students will think they understand a body of material. Believing that they know it, they stop trying to learn more. But, come test time, it turns out they really don't know the material. Can cognitive science tell us anything about why students are commonly...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: motivación

Resumen:

As language departments increasingly face enrollment concerns, empirical research can provide insights regarding students? reasons to study Spanish. Motivation has a key influence in learners? success and can be internal (e.g., an intrinsic desire or passion for learning) or external (e.g., imposed by others). This study examined motivational factors (motives) for students (N = 149) enrolled in the first required, last required, and first elective Spanish undergraduate courses. Seven motivational categories were examined: Integrative, Instrumental, Intrinsic, Ideal self, Ought-to self, Wish for language proficiency, and Political context. Results at all levels showed that Wish for language fluency was the principal motivator while factors stemming from external motivations were less important. Students in the elective course displayed...

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Tipo: capítulo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: creencias y actitudes de los estudiantes

Resumen:

This study contributes to research on second language pedagogy by exploring the experience of advanced second language and heritage language university students of Spanish who, as part of their class, participated in a community-based learning experience in local health and social service clinics serving vulnerable populations. By focusing on students? memories and perceptions of the experience as well as their acquisition of vocabulary, the study elucidates not only the concrete gains in linguistic ability but also the affective aspect of a community-based learning experience.

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Este estudio contribuye a las investigaciones de la pedagogía de segundas lenguas de servicio a la comunidad al explorar las experiencias de estudiantes universitarios de español de segundas lenguas y de herencia en una clase con un...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: español como lengua de herencia

Resumen:

This article examines the issue of teaching Spanish as a heritage language (SHL) focusing primarily on the issues of linguistic diversity and the socio-affective issues related to heritage language learners. First, we consider linguistic diversity in speech communities where students use SHL. Second, we discuss students? perceptions of the teaching of Spanish in a linguistically diverse setting and draw upon a corpus of interviews with 35 students attending an SHL program at a large southwestern university in the United States. We examine stated perspectives regarding the (mis)match between students? heritage varieties and what is promoted in the classroom. The data reveals the importance of considering the student perspective in validating heritage language varieties and indicate both challenges and insights in achieving this...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: creencias y actitudes de los estudiantes

Resumen:

This mixed-methods study investigates the use of synchronous video computer-mediated communication (SVCMC) in a U.S. university?s Spanish-as-a-foreign-language curriculum. Using the SVCMC platform TalkAbroad, the university?s Spanish program required second-year students to participate in five, 30-minute, SVCMC conversations with Spanish first language (L1) speakers. Students then reflected on their SVCMC conversations by replaying the recorded audio from those sessions and transcribing passages of their conversations. Using an interactionist perspective, this research explores the utility of: (1) the SVCMC conversations, and (2) the subsequent listening/transcription activity by examining students? reported noticing of linguistic items (e.g. L1 speaker vocabulary, grammar, etc.). Additionally, we report students? general perceptions...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: study abroad/estudios en el extranjero

Resumen:

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Este artículo analiza el grado y el tipo de motivación en 97 estudiantes de español L2 universitarios en un programa de estudios en el extranjero (PREE). También indaga sobre el efecto del contacto con hispanohablantes previo a la movilidad, el uso de la lengua durante la estancia y las actitudes sobre el español y sus comunidades de habla. La investigación, de tipo estadístico descriptivo y correlacional, empleó como instrumento una versión adaptada del cuestionario MAALE. Se encontraron un moderado grado de motivación y un ligero predominio de motivaciones de tipo intrínseco sobre las de tipo extrínseco. Asimismo, se hallaron asociaciones estadísticamente significativas del uso de la lengua meta...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: enfoque por tareas

Resumen:

Texto completo

Most research on task-based language teaching (TBLT) has focused on specific factors that play a role in task-based performance and learning, whereas considerably fewer studies have paid attention to how TBLT curricula have been developed and delivered in second language (L2) teaching contexts. However, it has been argued that the latter type of evaluative inquiry is crucial in order to advance the educational significance of the approach. While more evaluation studies have been published in recent years, few of them adopt a multi-methodological, longitudinal and...

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