Standard Spanish: A Brief History and Pedagogical Reflections
Subject Area
Foreign Language Pedagogy
Abstract
What does it mean to teach “standard Spanish”? Who determines what constitutes “the standard” and what does this imply about the other varieties of Spanish? In order to answer these and other questions it behooves us to examine the history of the Spanish language in order to understand its evolution and gain insight into why the current linguistic situation of Spanish is the way it is. Only then can we make informed decisions about whether or not to teach students about vosotros or el voseo for example. Embracing the diversity of Spanish dialects in our teaching is an important way for us as teachers to expose our students to histories, cultures and ideologies that shape the way millions of people in other parts of world see and interact with one another.
Brief Bio Note
My name is Sadler Kirk, I am a second year graduate student pursuing my MA in Spanish at Georgia State University.
Keywords
standard Spanish, foreign language pedagogy, dialects, history of the Spanish language
Location
Room 217
Presentation Year
March 2017
Start Date
3-24-2017 3:45 PM
Embargo
11-2-2016
Recommended Citation
Kirk, Sadler, "Standard Spanish: A Brief History and Pedagogical Reflections" (2017). South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL). 62.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2017/2017/62
Standard Spanish: A Brief History and Pedagogical Reflections
Room 217
What does it mean to teach “standard Spanish”? Who determines what constitutes “the standard” and what does this imply about the other varieties of Spanish? In order to answer these and other questions it behooves us to examine the history of the Spanish language in order to understand its evolution and gain insight into why the current linguistic situation of Spanish is the way it is. Only then can we make informed decisions about whether or not to teach students about vosotros or el voseo for example. Embracing the diversity of Spanish dialects in our teaching is an important way for us as teachers to expose our students to histories, cultures and ideologies that shape the way millions of people in other parts of world see and interact with one another.
