‘e mer == ee ew VOLUME XIII, NUMBER 14 = INNOVATION ABSTRACTS PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD), COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN + WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID.W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION A Cultural and Linguistic Exchange Although a Spanish language class for adults and a community college class of general studies (reading assistance and English) may seem to have little in _common, I put the two together for a unique learning experience. I approached my Spanish-speaking general studies students with the idea of being “guest speakers” one evening in my Spanish class in a nearby commu- nity. The idea was enthusiastically received although I offered no pay, no extra credit, and no fringe benefits of any sort. Once the idea was approved by my Spanish- speaking students, I developed a basic outline so they would have some guidelines for their talk, although I made it clear that the outline was only a guide. In the outline, I suggested they touch on the following topics: a description of their place of birth and surrounding area; a description of their family, along with their interests and hobbies; reasons for immigrating to the United States; their first impression of this country; and comparisons between their hometown and Woodland. Finally, I asked them to comment on their efforts to learn English and to offer suggestions to the students learning Spanish. We then met several times after our regularly-scheduled class time to discuss the procedure we would follow in the Spanish class. The students who were enrolled in my Spanish class were also prepared for the encounter. They were given a copy of the same outline one week before the presen- tations so they would be familiar with the type of material to be presented in class. We had a lesson on interrogatives in Spanish, as well as a review of the verbs most likely to be used in the presentations. We also practiced preparing questions; and the students were asked to prepare several questions, of a general or personal nature, for each speaker. SESE On the night of the exchange, I divided the class into five groups of four to five students each. Each guest speaker was assigned to a group. As the purpose of the session was to promote an exchange of ideas, I encour- aged students to ask questions at any time, to change the subject if they so desired, or to let the conversation take its natural course. While the groups talked, I circulated among them, spending a few minutes at a time with each, answering questions if they were directed at me, but basically trying to remain as unobtrusive as possible. I had anticipated “being needed” to furnish vocabulary in Spanish, but found that the guest speakers easily assumed the role of teacher, and I became superfluous. After approxi- mately 15 minutes, I had the guest speakers switch to another group and repeat the process. This was no easy feat since the groups were invariably involved in enthusiastic discussions. Each group spoke with three students in a one-and-one-half-hour class. At the end of the class, we reconvened as one large group and spent 10 minutes “reviewing” what was learned about each speaker and highlighting what information the students found most interesting. Besides being a fun activity, the strategy produced several beneficial outcomes—some expected, others a surprise. For the students enrolled in the Spanish class, it was an opportunity to have firsthand contact with native Spanish-speakers. They were not only able to practice their auditory and oral skills, but they were also exposed to various accents and diverse vocabulary in the form of regionalisms. They learned about various Spanish-speaking countries—Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. They learned firsthand from these stu- dents what it is like to live in a foreign country (the United States) and the difficulties they encounter in attempting to assimilate into a fast-paced technological society, while possessing limited English skills. The general studies students also benefited from the experience. As many of these students, due to their limited English, tend to be somewhat shy in class and at times self-deprecating concerning their abilities and progress, I was concerned that they might not feel competent enough to lead small groups of students, even in their native language. However, they were so well received that they immediately showed self- assurance in taking on a professorial role with the small groups. This newly-found confidence seemed to carry over into their work in our general studies class. They THE NATION.4t INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD) Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712 ee