From learner to teacher assistant: Community‐based service‐learning in a dual‐language classroom

Abstract

The growth of Latinx populations in the United States has resulted in an increasing number of community‐based service‐learning (CBSL) opportunities. In particular, the steady growth in Spanish‐English dual‐language schools and the accompanying staff shortages position elementary classrooms as meaningful settings in which to develop relationships between postsecondary L2 Spanish learners and Spanish–speaking children and adults. This qualitative study investigated a CBSL program in which L2 Spanish learners at an urban university served as weekly teaching assistants at a local dual‐language elementary school. Data were collected from 55 reflective blog entries, two focus group sessions, and interviews with four teaching assistants. The L2 Spanish learners reported that the experience supported their language acquisition by (1) providing oral language practice outside of class, (2) facilitating linguistic self‐confidence, (3) fostering metacognitive reflection, and (4) transforming motivation and attitudes. Implications are provided regarding ways that the dual‐language classroom setting holds promise for engaging L2 Spanish learners at various levels in CBSL.

From intercultural engagement to intercultural communicative competence: The case of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean

“…They can conduct an interview with faculty, staff, students, or family members from the TL culture on a topic of their mutual interests. Students may also participate in the local TL community through service‐based activities, as proposed by previous studies on TL community involvement (e.g., Baker, 2018; Moreno‐López et al, 2017). Providing students with a specific context and purpose supports the approach dimension of their ICC.…”

L2 vocabulary learning in a mixed-proficiency community-engaged program: Designing vocabulary instruction for college students

“…CEPs CEP research typically focuses on language majors with intermediate and advanced proficiency levels (Baker, 2019), with almost no studies including beginner students (e.g., Baker, 2018;Bloom, 2008). Those studies that do address different levels of proficiency within a CE have examined programs in which heritage speakers (HSs) and L2 learners work together or independently (see Baker, 2019).…”

Affordances, complexities, and challenges of intercultural citizenship for foreign language teachers

“…This strong U.S. and L2 Spanish focus, together with the “within country” and “abroad” options of community engagement, has also predominated in Foreign Language Annals (Abbott & Lear, ; Baker, ; Bettencourt, ; Caldwell, ; Polansky, ; Polansky et al, ; Willis Allen & Dupuy, ). Moreover, there has been an overriding theorizing around the Communities element in the 5 C's framework, which is also U.S.‐based (see Abbott & Lear, ; Polansky, , Willis Allen & Dupuy, , among many others), and in this sense intercultural citizenship offers a fresh theoretical outlook.…”