I started learning Spanish in my freshman year of high school essentially from scratch, having tried other languages that never really “stuck”, so going into my first class I never imagined that I would eventually reach the level of proficiency that I did. I knew early on in learning that I wanted more than to just speak Spanish, but to actually make using it a big part of my life. After nearly seven years, it’s now hard for me to imagine who I would be today if I never spoke Spanish.
I decided to take SPA318 because I am interested in going into healthcare and I wanted to get more comfortable interacting with patients in Spanish beyond simply memorizing vocabulary for diseases and symptoms. I think we rarely realize just how crucial learning the pragmatic aspects of language is in professional practice because it ends up being taught as part of the hidden curriculum, and ultimately. Though the class also deals with grammar and vocabulary, I’ve been pleased that Spanish for the Professions really focuses on helping students develop these pragmatic skills as hispanophones in a way that sets it apart from traditional academic curricula. SPA318 in particular is great at using realistic dialogue activities to build these skills, and I would recommend it as an introduction to healthcare communication in Spanish.
Austin Graham O'Hara
Student, Ira A Fulton Schools of Engineering