October 2004
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Taking Spanish-Speaking Countries to the County Through School Enrichment ProgramsScott D. Scheer Gwen Wolford Deborah Wilburn Robinson Judy Conrad IntroductionResearch indicates that children who have studied a foreign language perform better on standardized tests and excel in basic skills of English, math, and social studies compared to other children who have not participated in such programs (Armstrong & Rodgers, 1997; Rafferty, 1986). Also, Spanish immersion for elementary-school children has English-language benefits (Cunningham & Graham, 2000). Many youth today do not have an opportunity to explore a foreign language and culture (Spanish) due to a lack of programming or funding. This article shares and explains how a new 4-H school enrichment program is bringing the Spanish culture and language to children in an elementary school. Program DescriptionThe program was designed as a Spanish language and culture experience for grades 1 through 4. A stipended volunteer provided support and implementation of the 4-H curriculum with the regular classroom teacher. The more background the volunteer has in Spanish language and culture, the more successful the program will be. The benefits for incorporating Spanish language and culture activities with 4-H Youth Development were four fold:
The Spanish language and cultural program complements existing 4-H programs for 5 to 8 year-olds, often called "4-H Cloverbuds," "4-H Cloverkids," or "4-H Prep," depending on the state. The program includes an integrated curriculum, classroom activities and lesson plans, audio/visual aids, and a resource list. The curriculum is flexible in utilization, whether in a formal classroom setting; after-school program; home schooling; business and industry where there are immigrant populations; day-care settings; 4-H clubs; and other community youth groups. The objectives of the program were to:
Program OverviewThe 58 activity pieces included in the curriculum are organized to help children progress from exchanging simple greetings to describing themselves and their families. Ideally, the program is designed for an elementary-level foreign language program that meets two - three times per week for about 30 minutes each gathering. Some of the activities focus on specific cultural aspects of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. These may be used at appropriate times to coincide with holidays such as Cinco de Mayo or Carnaval. The ultimate goal is to provide children from all areas of the state with a basis for understanding some of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world and for communicating with people in Spanish-speaking communities. Sample Curriculum ActivityFollowing is an example of one of the 58 curriculum activities. English translation is given in parentheses after Spanish notations. Theme: Greetings, Introductions, and Good-byes. Objectives:
Talking About the Topic:
Begin with This Activity:
Follow with This Activity:
Close with This Activity:
Evaluating Performance:
Program DeliveryThe program has primarily been conducted in a rural Ohio elementary school with kindergarten, first, second, and third grade children. The program was offered to all children and had a total of 118 participants. A stipended volunteer visited each classroom three times a week for 30 minutes. The curriculum was designed to reinforce age-appropriate competencies being taught by regular classroom teachers to prepare students for the Ohio proficiency test. EvaluationsTo determine how the children responded to the program, an age-appropriate survey was conducted. The children were asked to put an "X" on a smiley face (YES), sad face (NO), or neutral face (SO SO) in response to three questions that were read aloud to them and repeated at least twice. Question 1 - Do you like your Spanish class. Question 2 - Is Spanish class fun? Question 3 - Do you want to learn more Spanish? The findings according to the total sample and by grade level are given in Table 1 (evaluation conducted by co-author, Debbie Wilburn Robinson).
The evaluation data revealed that overall the children perceived their experiences to be positive for learning about and experiencing the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking cultures. According to grade level, children in higher grades (2nd and 3rd), for all three questions, responded more positively toward the program as compared to children in K, 1st, or 1st/2nd combined. Implications and ConclusionsThe findings support the implementation of this Spanish language and culture program. It provides Extension systems the opportunity to bring foreign language and culture to youth who would otherwise not have an opportunity for this type of experience. Additional benefits would involve service learning activities in which program participants may sing foreign language songs to elderly residents in nursing homes, collect food for food pantries, and display projects about the Spanish language and culture in their communities and schools. In conclusion, beginning language and culture study in the elementary years capitalizes on children's developmental readiness for language learning and allows for the extended time necessary for developing language proficiency and cultural understanding. Acknowledgements Special thanks are extended to Hilary Raymond and Carmen Chacon as the lead curriculum writers and for grant support of this program through OSU CARES (Community Access to Resources and Educational Services), a jointly funded effort of University Outreach & Engagement and Ohio State University Extension. In addition, support was received from the school parent-teacher organization. ReferencesArmstrong, P., & Rodgers, J. (1997). Basic skills revisited: The effects of foreign language instruction on reading, math, and language arts. Learning Language, 2(3), 20-31. Cunningham, T. H., & Graham, C. R. (2000). Increasing native English vocabulary recognition through Spanish immersion: Cognate transfer from foreign to first language. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 37-49. National 5-8 Curriculum Task Force. (1991). K-3 youth in 4- H: Guidelines for programming. Families, 4-H and Nutrition, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Washington, DC: US Department of Agriculture. Rafferty, E. (1986). Second language study and basic skills in Louisiana. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Education. This article is online at http://www.joe.org/joe/2004august/iw2.shtml. Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become the property of the Journal. Single copies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use in educational or training activities. Inclusion of articles in other publications, electronic sources, or systematic large-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or written permission of the Journal Editorial Office, joe-ed@joe.org. If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support. |