For the USA professional establishment- Learning Spanish within context from the comfort of the individual landscapes

• In Event: From Theory to Practice: The Teaching of Spanish for Specific Purposes

Abstract

The diverse mosaic of languages and cultures that conforms the U.S today makes the country unique. English, the first and official language underlines the origin of the U.S. as a nation and it is used in nearly all government functions; Spanish is the second prominent language in terms of demographics and domestic and international U.S. Affairs. As per the 2014 Census Bureau, out of the total U.S resident population of nearly 319 million, 38 million speak Spanish. In accordance to an analysis provided by the Pew Research Institute in 2013, the increasing number of Spanish speaking people in the U.S. is due primarily to Latin American immigration and population growth. Latino’s presence plays a significant role in all aspects of U.S. life, and Spanish is spoken by more non-Hispanics in U.S. than any other non-English language. Furthermore, “Spanish language television networks frequently beat their English counterparts in television ratings.” For the U.S. professional establishment, Spanish needs to be taught within a cultural context and emphasis on the lexicon pertinent to every field of expertise. Moreover, the online high technology available today makes course curriculum deliverance efficient and accessible to all professionals. This paper provides an overview on the pedagogics and course curriculum research for effective teaching of Spanish to the U.S. professional establishment in the areas of health care and social services, the legal and judiciary system, international business and political affairs. Foremost, the paper focuses on Teaching Spanish within a cultural context and a specialized lexicon for the U.S. professional communities.

Author

• Stella Moreno, Central Washington University