BodyText2
In terms of learning outcomes, students can expect a big increase in
vocabulary in the second-level introductory course. But perhaps more
importantly, they’ll become more confident in their Spanish-speaking
abilities. In class, Moltchanov rarely speaks English. She directs the
students in Spanish — rewording phrases and repeating herself when
necessary — and as the semester progresses, the students understand more
and more.
“Giving them a little more confidence in their ability to understand
and use the language is a big part of the class,” she said. “I
wholeheartedly believe anybody can learn a language. It has to do with
listening, paying attention, being focused. I'm a very firm believer
that we all are programmed genetically, as humans, to learn a language.
We all speak one language already, so you can learn another one.”
A quiz at the beginning of each class reinforces the vocabulary and
grammar rules that they learn during the asynchronous portion of the
hybrid course, followed by a group activity, conversation or writing
assignment — putting into practice what they learned online. In one
particular class, student groups were tasked with writing the morning
routines of various celebrities, including Harry Styles, Kate Middleton
and Zendaya, to name a few.
The point of the activities isn’t to get perfect scores on the
quizzes or write grammatically flawless scenes in Spanish. Indeed,
making mistakes is part of the process, and it’s something Moltchanov
wants her students to embrace.
“It’s important to let the students know that it's okay to make
mistakes,” Moltchanov said. “We all make mistakes in English when we
speak, and it's going to be even more common for you to make mistakes in
Spanish or in any language that you're learning. It’s important to not
be afraid to make mistakes, not be afraid to try, not be afraid to ask
for help.”