Interactive Digital Resources for Learning and Teaching Grammar in a Medical Spanish Class

We propose to enrich our current course offering, Spanish for HCP, using the Communicative Methodology Approach. Our current successful courses take an innovative approach and blends language and culture for students with no or limited Spanish language skills. Our project will advance the courses with more complex pedagogic methods. The first objective is focus on linguistic and extralinguistic skills, such as sociocultural competence and pragmatics competence needed in a healthcare setting. A second objective in the courses addresses the healthcare-related issues unique to Spanish-speaking populations in English-speaking locations. This component will be introduced through original and authentic interviews, dialogues, and lectures from our pluralistic community. 

The School of Nursing has been offering a Spanish curriculum for several years. While interest is high, enrollment always reached the maximum, however, many students are unable to take the course. It is difficult to schedule a time when the optimal amount of students have time to attend community lectures. By putting elements of the current course online, the course will be more accessible to current Columbia University students. In this proposal we ask for support to create community-based video content to supplement and enhance current lectures.