SPAN 301S
Course description: Students will become involved in community projects of importance and relevance that engage them in matters relative to justice, compassion, diversity and social responsibility, and help them become effective multicultural community builders. The course is designed to help you enhance your skills in personal and professional communication as well as classroom discussions and oral presentations in Spanish.
Meets MLO 1 & 5
Meets MLO 1 & 5
Reflective Narrative
In SPAN 301S, I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge and skills in activities that improve my community in many aspects. As a Spanish major student, one of the things we learn during our academic journey is the importance of recognizing bilingualism in the United States, especially areas like California where Spanish was historically the majority language at some point because the lands belonged to Mexico, and since then Spanish continues to be part of the state and the nation. From my other courses I have learned about the need to maintain heritage languages as others develop, Spanish with English or with indigenous languages for example, and one of the ways to do this is by making use of my own bilingual skills, therefore, to complete my service learning, I decided to assist the Cesar Chavez Library in Salinas as a Literacy Service Tutor. During my service, I helped people who were learning to use a computer and those studying to pass their citizenship test, mainly making use of my Spanish to liven up the learning process for Spanish speakers although some of the courses had a bilingual focus. This situation helped me understand the need to offer bilingual services in my community, as well as the limitations that this type of programs could have. In addition to reporting my progress with weekly reflections, Dr. Carolyn González allowed us to discuss our achievements and complications, so we could receive and give suggestions to improve our communication with the community. As the weeks went by, I was able to see the impact of my interactions with the people I helped. I watched the computer students finish the course eager to continue learning and with the citizenship students I witnessed them pass their exam and become American citizens after I encouraged them to take it, especially those who had been living in this country for years. All my effort was reflected in the presentation of my service report, since I was able to recognize some of the problems that exist in my community and find solutions that fit my skills and knowledge. Thanks to this course I have in mind why it is important to maintain mother tongues in our society and with this experience I feel better able to think of solutions that help improve my community.