A Sociolinguistic Approach to Teaching Spanish Grammatical Structures
Naomi L. Shin (PhD, City University of New York Graduate Center) is Associate Professor of Linguistics and Hispanic Linguistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Mary Hudgens Henderson (PhD, University of New Mexico) is Assistant Professor of Spanish and Bilingual Education, Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota.
Abstract
Advanced grammar courses often present standardized grammar rules to students without considering sociolinguistic variation. As a result, many native/heritage students feel that they speak “incorrectly,” and many second language learners do not get an accurate picture of the target language's real‐world grammar. This article describes and evaluates a unique approach to teaching advanced Spanish grammar to university students. The curriculum focuses on core grammatical content by studying structures that are subject to sociolinguistic variation, as in había ∼ habían dos ranas [there was ∼ were two frogs], and it highlights the sociopolitical factors that explain why some forms are deemed prestigious. To test the efficacy of this curriculum, students enrolled in an advanced Spanish grammar course at a large university in the southwestern United States completed a pre‐ and posttest that measured Spanish grammar knowledge, awareness of sociolinguistic concepts, and positive language attitudes. Results showed statistically significant gains with respect to knowledge of grammar and sociolinguistics. Students also demonstrated a heightened awareness of how prejudice can manifest in judgments of spoken language.
Number of times cited: 1
- Diego Pascual y Cabo and Josh Prada, Redefining Spanish teaching and learning in the United States, Foreign Language Annals, 51, 3, (533-547), (2018).
