1st Edition
Identity and Communicative Competence in Spanish for Specific Purposes Critically Engaging the Community
Identity and Communicative Competence in Spanish for Specific Purposes analyzes the experiences of three Spanish for specific purposes (SSP) students, offering insight into the intersectionality of society, politics, identity, and linguistics in community-based settings.
Analyses provide empirical evidence to a growing body of work about how experiential language learning (EX-LL) enhances student preparation to utilize target languages in professional services. Ethnographic portraits and discourse analysis also illustrate how EX-LL, such as internships, provides students with opportunities to position and protect their identities using linguistic and extralinguistic resources. Discussions are presented throughout the volume on how to implement EX-LL from a critical perspective that supports students while mutually benefiting community members. Harnessing community members’ stories to contextualise and illustrate the disparities U.S. Hispanic/Latinx communities face in accessing high-quality care and services, the volume proposes SSP as a form of advocacy to narrow this gap while simultaneously enhancing students’ skills in Spanish.
Designed for graduate students, educators, researchers, and program developers in SSP, second language acquisition, heritage language pedagogy, and sociolinguistics, this volume will prompt the reader to (re)imagine how language learning traverses society, politics, and identity in community-based settings.
Foreword
Glenn A. Martínez
Preface
A Snapshot of My Journey
Purpose and Audience of the Book
Organization of the Book
!Feliz viaje!
Reference List
1 Spanish for Specific Purposes as an Opportunity for Advocacy: Introducing the Cases of Maria, Petra, and Penelope
Introduction
The Why of the Book
The Purpose of the Book: SSP to Bridge the Gap
The Pedagogical Background of the Book
The Pertinent Theories and Frameworks of the Book
The Research Contexts, Participants, and Sites of the Book
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
2 Soy Puertorriqueña, Punto: Maria’s Journey of Constructing Her Identity as a Female Puerto Rican Producer and Journalist in the Southwestern United States
Introduction
Narration of María’s Positionality as a Nonlocal Native Speaker: Colonization, Translanguaging, and Language Ideologies
Claiming Her
Puertorriquenidad in Broadcast
Linguistic Proficiency and Commitment to an Academic Standard Variety
Maintaining Her Authentic Self Within a Gender-biased Professional Environment
Implications for EX-LL/LSP Pedagogy and Internship Design
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
3 Don’t Worry, Be Nappy: Petra’s Journey of Positioning Her Identity as a Legitimate and Authentically Multilingual/Multidialectal Speaker Across Racial Boundaries
Introduction
Narration of Petra’s Authentically Multilingual/Multidialectal Self
Self-protection in Situations of Linguistic Discomfort
Language as a Vehicle for Interpersonal Communication
Hair as a Site of Resistance in (White) European-dominated Societies
Implications for EX-LL/LSP Pedagogy and Internship Design
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
4 Penelope or Penelope?: Penelope’s Journey
Introduction
Narration of Penélope’s Language Acquisition Background
Journalism as a Bridge to Family and Community
Development of (Linguistic) Empathy for Generational Journeys
(Re)Claiming a Mexican-American Identity
Implications for EX-LL/LSP Pedagogy and Internship Design
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
5 Strategic Knowledge in Professional Discourse: Innovative Communicative Strategies and Their Social Functions
Introduction
Strategic Knowledge: A Brief Review
Communicative Strategies During in situ Encounters
Communicative Strategies During Premeditative Conversations
Implications for EX-LL/LSP Pedagogy and Internship Design: Expanding and Providing Instruction on Communicative Strategies and Communicative Competence
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
6 Raising Our Thinking About Critical Engagement With the Community
Introduction
Frameworks for Collaborating Critically With (Minoritized) Communities
Frameworks for Engaging in Critical EX-LL Research and Evaluation in the Community
Takeaways and Points for Continued Reflection
Reference List
Index
Biography
Alexis A. Vollmer Rivera holds a B.S. in Spanish education from Minnesota State University Moorhead, U.S.A, and a master’s in Spanish (linguistics), a Ph.D. in Spanish (linguistics) with a focus on second language acquisition, and a graduate certificate in computer assisted language learning from Arizona State University, U.S.A. She is a monitoring, research, and evaluation specialist with expertise in conducting research and evaluation in multilingual community contexts, including leading work spanning over ten countries with members of the community, government, civil society organizations, international agencies, academia, and media, among others. She is committed to collaborating with community members and stakeholders to amplify their experiences and build their capacity to make data-driven decisions to impact their communities positively.
