The term Spanish as a second or foreign language is the learning or teaching of the Spanish language for those whose first language is not Spanish.
In October 2001, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Relations, International Commerce and Culture of the Argentine Republic approved the guidelines in order to evaluate the knowledge and use of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language in Argentina. Known as the 'Resoluciones 919 del MECyT and 3164 MRREECIyC)', it recognised the role of universities in the development of the evaluation.
Meanwhile in 2004, a group of national universities created an inter-university consortium oriented towards the teaching, evaluation and certification of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language (o ELSE from the Spanish, Español como Lengua Segunda y Extranjera), aiming to contribute to political and educational linguistics.
By June of the same year, three national universities (University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Universidad Litoral (UNL) and the University of Córdoba (UNC)) were working together to design and implement the first official examination to measure competence of Spanish as a foreign language. The exam is called CELU (Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish) and was approved by Resolution 28 in January 2005.
See main article: article and Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish.
The CELU (Certificate of Use of Language in Spanish) is a certificate of competence in the Spanish language from Argentina. Like the DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera), it also has international validity. The Certificate can be taken by speakers of any language other than Spanish in order to validate their knowledge of Spanish as a second language in their work or study.
In Argentina it is the only examination officially recognised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture. Any speaker who can use Spanish in an effective manner, whose goal is to interact efficiently with the other members of the community can take the CELU, independently of the course or method that was used to learn the language.
Español como lengua extranjera (ELE) is the term used to refer to various systems used by different learning institutions that teach the Spanish language to speakers of other languages, like the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas and the Instituto Cervantes.
Following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or the CEFR, these institutions offer examinations that will measure the competence of a learner. There are six exams (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2) which can be taken independently (i.e. it is not necessary to pass A1 to get B2) no matter the method of instruction used by the learners.
Español en Toledo, a Spanish course started by the University of Castile-La Mancha General Foundation, brings students to monuments and historical sites in the city of Toledo, Spain for more experiential learning.
The "Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera" (Certificates of Spanish as a Foreign Language) is an official diploma granted by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education to evaluate a person's knowledge of Spanish.
There are six levels of qualification, each corresponding to a certain level described by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
Spanish is taught in schools all over the United States as a second or foreign language. The global number of Spanish-speakers consists of approximately 559 million persons.[1] Objectives for Spanish-language education include preparing students to use the language for speaking, listening, reading and writing and to learn about the varied Spanish-speaking cultures as a context in which the language is used.
Spanish-language education in the United States aims to create global citizens competently able to communicate and collaborate with peoples from other cultures, who may be different from themselves, and thereby able to empathize with others' perspectives and experiences.[2] In order to achieve this type of competency, teachers must obtain proficiency and receive training in language acquisition theory and methodology.
Some requirements of language teachers are the following: demonstrate a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing; obtain a bachelor's degree in the Spanish language, perform a successful practicum in teaching the language with an experienced supervising teacher, and obtain a teaching license in the state in which the teacher will be employed.[3]
To teach at a university, you will be required to have a degree in Philology or Translation, a master's degree and a doctorate. On the other hand, to give private Spanish classes there are no mandatory requirements, although it is advisable to have specific training in Spanish as a foreign language.[4]
Practices in teaching methods were designed with theories of language and language acquisition,[5] as well as educational trends of the time. Language teachers learn of the varying methodologies and their role in the history of language education and implement them according to instructional need. The following are methodologies that reflect how theories of language acquisition have adapted over time:
The standards taught in world language classes are those set by The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which combine "the 5 C's": Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Community.[8] In addition to the standards, ACTFL also provides proficiency guidelines and performance descriptors to aid teachers and administrators determine students' individual performance and level of language in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.[9] Established in 1967, ACTFL has provided language educators with tools for instruction and opportunities for professional growth.[10] ACTFL "has set industry standards, established proficiency guidelines, advocated for language education funding, and connected colleagues at the ACTFL Annual Convention".
There are a vast number of resources online, including both resources dedicated specifically to the study of Spanish as a second language, as well as more general resources, such as Infoling.