Learning and Engaging with the Community Intergenerational Programs: Pairing Spanish & English Foreign Languages Learners

The proposed Intergenerational Community-Engaged Language and Cultural Programs implicitly recognize that all language learners have something to offer with respect to teaching; that is, their native language and culture. Conversing with a native speaker in one’s target language can be an awkward and tiring experience for many. Some language learners may feel embarrassed because of their perceived lack of skill in the target language, hesitate to speak to native speakers, and remain in socially isolating situations. An Intergenerational Program (IP) could be an effective way to cross those barriers. I used Lewis & Reinders’ (2015) material for inspiration as to how to interact with seniors learning English as a Second Language (ESL).I will present reciprocal adult/higher education programs linking Spanish-L1 seniors learning ESL from university students learning Spanish as an additional language. The senior English learners teach the university students oral/aural Spanish, and the university students teach the seniors ESL.

I will walk you through the program’s inception, design, and preliminary results drawn from observations.

Fri, March 18
10-11 am
Zoom Meeting

For more information, contact Renate Johnson at renate.johnson@ufv.ca

03/18/2022