Utilizing Undergraduate Peer Teaching Assistants in a Speaking Program in Spanish as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Peer teaching instruction has not received much attention in college second language (L2) learning. In this article, an L2 peer teaching program at the College of Charleston is discussed including the role, training, and supervision of undergraduate peer teaching assistants (PTAs). The article also explores the kinds of self‐reported benefits students enrolled in the program and their PTAs receive. Data from 183 students and 12 PTAs were collected in the form of an anonymous questionnaire using a Likert scale and open‐ended questions. Results show that a high percentage of students reported an improvement in speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. PTAs reported practicing Spanish and reviewing the basics as the main benefit from the peer teaching experience.

TBLT and L2 Pronunciation

“…In the research-based pronunciation teaching literature, a variety of instructional methods have been employed. Attested methods for drawing attention to pronunciation through teaching include the use of contrastive analysis techniques (Arroyo Hernández, 2009;Hammerly, 1982), explicit instruction and oral practice on the articulation of specific sound segments (e.g., Elliott, 1995Elliott, , 1997González-Bueno, 1997;Macdonald, Yule, & Powers, 1994;Saito, 2013), explicit phonetics training for perception and/or production (e.g., Aliaga-García & Mora, 2009;Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1998;Kissling, 2013;Lord, 2005Lord, , 2008Lord, , 2010Missaglia, 1999;Zampini, 1998), and peer teaching (e.g., Rodríguez-Sabater, 2005). Research has also examined the impact of feedback targeting pronunciation-related errors (e.g., Saito, 2015;Saito & Lyster, 2012) as well as the use of journal entries in combination with in-class instruction (e.g., Kennedy & Trofimovich, 2008).…”

Curricular peer mentoring in first‐semester German: Novice learners' perceptions of a “Language Learning Assistant” program

“…In the L2 learning context, near-term modeling may also work in distinctive ways that are not immediately apparent to students. In her study on undergraduate "peer teaching" in a Spanish program, for instance, Rodriguez-Sabater (2005) found that second language learners' perceived improvement in their language may be related to the increased opportunity to "practice the L2" with the peer mentor, while receiving "constructive feedback" from them (p. 536). LAs in our present study similarly facilitated L2 conversation.…”

“…Learning is reciprocal: More advanced students deepen knowledge and strengthen skills while novice students grasp new content with the support of someone of a similar age and status. PAL has been documented in various disciplines in higher education (e.g., Miller et al, 2001;and T. Smith, 2013a) but holds particular potential in second language (L2) classes given the importance of interaction and communication in acquiring a new language (Rodriguez-Sabater, 2005). For the novice L2 learner, PAL provides additional opportunities for language practice with an advanced level speaker.…”

Service Learning at National Taipei College of Business, 2012-2013: New Perspectives on Community, Peer-Based Education

“…At the college level, Rodríguez-Sabater (2005) investigated the effect of peer teaching on learning Spanish as a foreign language. A very high percentage of the 183 students involved in this study reported improvement in pronunciation, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar, and Rodríguez-Sabater also notes that practice and review were benefits in the peer teaching experience.…”