Developing Oral Proficiency in Spanish across Class Modalities

Abstract

There is a growing demand for online course options, including classes offered and required in foreign languages. However, offering courses in multiple formats presents the challenges of developing high quality online courses and assessing the overall program effectiveness as students may elect to take the sequenced language acquisition courses in different formats. Thus, students complete the courses through various combinations of modes (i.e., all online, all face-to-face, some online/some F2F, transferring from another university or after successfully completing a placement exam). The purpose of this study was to examine a second language program offering both seated and online Spanish language acquisition classes at a small regional campus in the Midwest. Oral proficiency was tested using the Pearson Versant Test for Spanish and students' (n=108) scores were then compared to the ACTFL established benchmarks after one and two years of language study. In this study 42% met or exceeded the first year overall oral proficiency benchmark of Intermediate-Low and 27.5% met or exceeded the second year overall benchmark of Intermediate-Mid. These results suggest online Spanish course options can be an effective mode for students to meet oral proficiency benchmarks when programs require asynchronous and synchronous oral production, and provide speaking practice opportunities. However, additional research in this area is needed to better understand why some students are not meeting the benchmark.

The impact of the pandemic on student Spanish language proficiency

“…A decade later, three studies (Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2016;Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2018;Aldrich & Moneypenny, 2019) in particular supported the findings of Blake et al (2008) and took them a step further to compare fully online courses to on-ground courses. Not only did these studies also use the Versant test to specifically compare student oral language proficiency outcomes, they also largely concluded that students in fully online Spanish courses achieved equivalent oral proficiency outcomes as their peers in onground courses.…”

Assessing Spanish Proficiency of Online Language Learners after Year 1

“…For example, González-Lloret and Nielson (2015) employed the Versant as a pre and post assessment of F2F language teaching, and also found lower scores in these two specific areas on both the pre and posttests. Additionally, Moneypenny and Aldrich (2018) reported Versant vocabulary mean scores of 29.38 after one year and 35.16 after two years of mixed OL/F2F language study. Researchers often do not report the Versant subscores for the hybrid and OL first year courses; however, they do indicate a first year overall Versant for Spanish with averages varying but similar to the outcomes indicated in this study (Blake, 2008;González-Lloret & Nielson, 2015).…”

“…Research demonstrating scores on standardized tests and validated measures of proficiency across the spectrum of OL courses is needed (Tarone, 2015), with particular attention to oral proficiency (Blake 2015;Blake et al, 2008). Additionally, very few studies have reported language acquisition in the online setting beyond one semester or one class (Blake et al, 2008;Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2018). Nationally, 70% of students enrolled in Bachelor of Art's degree programs are required to complete two to four semesters of a second language (Lusin, 2012).…”

Speaking Proficiency in a Hybrid Environment. A Mixed-Method Study of Spanish Beginner Learners

“…Although results showed no statistically significant differences so far, studies pointed out that students in blended/hybrid courses had comparable results to their peers in traditional language classrooms (Blake et al, 2008;Chenoweth et al, 2006;Echávez-Solano, 2003;Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2018).…”

“…As noted in the literature review, the definition of a hybrid course was openended, and there were a variety of interpretations of how the hybrid course could be developed. (Anderson, 2018;Mizza & Rubio, 2020;Moneypenny & Aldrich, 2018;Rubio & Thoms, 2014).…”