![Spanish class](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Spanish_class.jpg)
The term Spanish as a second or foreign language is the learning or teaching of the
Spanish language
Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...
for those whose
first language
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
is not Spanish.
Regional programmes
Argentina
In October 2001, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Relations, International Commerce and Culture of the Argentine Republic approved the guidelines in order to evaluate the knowledge and use of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. Known as the Resoluciones 919 del MECyT and 3164 MRREECIyC), it recognised the role of universities in the development of the evaluation.
Meanwhile in 2004, a group of national universities created an inter-university consortium oriented towards the teaching, evaluation and certification of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language (o ELSE from the Spanish, Español como Lengua Segunda y Extranjera), aiming to contribute to political and educational linguistics.
By June of the same year, three national universities (University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Universidad Litoral (UNL) and the University of Córdoba (UNC)) were working together to design and implement the first official examination to measure competence of Spanish as a foreign language. The exam is called CELU (
Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish The Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish, or CELU (Spanish: ''Certificado de Español: Lengua y Uso''), is an exam designed to determine the level of proficiency in the Argentinian Spanish language. The exam can be taken by anyone whose mother ...
)) and was approved by Resolution 28 in January 2005.
The Certification of Spanish Language and Use
The CELU (Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish) is a certificate of competence in the Spanish language from
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. Like the
DELE
The ''Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera'' ( en, Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language), or DELE, are official diplomas issued by the Spanish Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science to participa ...
(Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera), it also has international validity. The Certificate can be taken by speakers of any language other than Spanish in order to validate their knowledge of Spanish as a second language in their work or study.
In
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
it is the only examination officially recognised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture. Any speaker who can use Spanish in an effective manner, whose goal is to interact efficiently with the other members of the community can take the CELU, independently of the course or method that was used to learn the language.
Spain
Español como lengua extranjera (ELE) is the term used to refer to various systems used by different learning institutions that teach the
Spanish language
Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...
to speakers of other languages, like the
Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas and the
Instituto Cervantes
Instituto Cervantes (the Cervantes Institute) is a worldwide nonprofit organization created by the government of Spain, Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), the author of ''Don Quixote'' and perhaps the ...
.
Following the
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasing ...
or the ''CEFR'', these institutions offer examinations that will measure the competence of a learner. There are six exams (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2) which can be taken independently (i.e. it is not necessary to pass A1 to get B2) no matter the method of instruction used by the learners.
Español en Toledo, a Spanish course started by the University of Castile-La Mancha General Foundation, brings students to monuments and historical sites in the city of
Toledo, Spain
Toledo ( , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. Toledo was declare ...
for more experiential learning.
Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera
The "
Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera" (Certificates of Spanish as a Foreign Language) is an official diploma granted by the
Instituto Cervantes
Instituto Cervantes (the Cervantes Institute) is a worldwide nonprofit organization created by the government of Spain, Spanish government in 1991. It is named after Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), the author of ''Don Quixote'' and perhaps the ...
on behalf of the
Spanish Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MEFP) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for proposing and carrying out the government policy on education and vocational training, including all the teachings of the educa ...
to evaluate a person's knowledge of
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
.
There are six levels of qualification, each corresponding to a certain level described by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
#Diploma de Español (Nivel A1) (level A1): This qualification attests to sufficient linguistic ability for a very basic range of the most commonly simple expressions used in the Spanish-speaking world and in order to satisfy immediate needs of a concrete type.
#Diploma de Español (Nivel A2) (level A2): This qualification attests to sufficient linguistic ability for understanding a basic range of the commonly simple and immediate relevance of expressions used in the Spanish-speaking world (basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
#Diploma de Español (Nivel B1) (level B1): This qualification attests to sufficient linguistic ability for understanding and responding appropriately in most normal day-to-day situations and for expressing desires and needs in a basic way.
#Diploma de Español (Nivel B2) (level B2:This qualification validates sufficient linguistic ability to get by in average day-to-day situations in normal communication circumstances, which do not require specialized use of the language.
#Diploma de Español (Nivel C1) (level C1): At this level, users are expected to be able to use the structures of a language with ease and fluency. Users are able to adapt their language use to a variety of social situations, and express opinions and take part in discussions
#Diploma de Español (Nivel C2) (level C2): This qualification accredits the necessary linguistic competence to integrate in situations requiring an advanced use of the language and knowledge of the cultural customs embedded within it.
United States
Spanish is taught in schools all over the United States as a second or foreign language. The global number of Spanish-speakers consists of approximately 559 million persons.
Objectives for Spanish-language education include preparing students to use the language for speaking, listening, reading and writing and to learn about the varied Spanish-speaking cultures as a context in which the language is used.
Spanish-language education in the United States aims to create global citizens competently able to communicate and collaborate with peoples from other cultures, who may be different from themselves, and thereby able to empathize with others' perspectives and experiences. In order to achieve this type of competency, teachers must obtain proficiency and receive training in language acquisition theory and methodology.
Teacher education requirements
Some requirements of language teachers are the following: demonstrate a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing; obtain a bachelor's degree in the Spanish language, perform a successful practicum in teaching the language with an experienced supervising teacher, and obtain a teaching license in the state in which the teacher will be employed.
Teaching methodology
Practices in teaching methods were designed with theories of language and language acquisition, as well as educational trends of the time. Language teachers learn of the varying methodologies and their role in the history of language education and implement them according to instructional need. The following are methodologies that reflect how theories of language acquisition have adapted over time:
* The Grammar-translation method promoted translating texts between students' first language and the target language, emphasizing reading and writing skills.
* The Direct method focused on the use of the target language for instruction, avoiding the use of students' native language. Use of realia, pictures, gestures, question/response and dictation were instrumental in the development of oral instruction provided via the direct method.
* The Audio-lingual method used dialogues to promote students' learning of chunks of language with repetition, imitation and methodological practices and exercises that were to develop listening and speaking skills in a non-spontaneous context.
* The Silent Way maintained the principle of deductive instruction in which students are provided context from which they deduce how the language is used (grammatical rules) in the samples provided them
*
Language Standards
The standards taught in world language classes are those set by The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which combine "the 5 C's": Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Community. In addition to the standards, ACTFL also provides proficiency guidelines and performance descriptors to aid teachers and administrators determine students' individual performance and level of language in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Established in 1967, ACTFL has provided language educators with tools for instruction and opportunities for professional growth.
ACTFL "has set industry standards, established proficiency guidelines, advocated for language education funding, and connected colleagues at the ACTFL Annual Convention".
Resources
There are a vast number of resources online, including both resources dedicated specifically to the study of Spanish as a second language, as well as more general resources, such as
Infoling
Infoling is a moderated email list for announcements and information related to Spanish-language linguistics. Its range includes topics like native languages of the Americas and teaching Spanish as a second language. There are over 12,000 members ...
.
See also
References
External links
Spanish languageat
BBC Online
BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...
*
Español para extranjerosat the
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires ( es, Universidad de Buenos Aires, UBA) is a public university, public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Established in 1821, it is the premier institution of higher learning in the country and one o ...
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How Best to Learn Spanish as an Adult
Second-language acquisition
Language education
Spanish-language education