Spanish 397R - ST-Spanish in the US

In this course we will explore Spanish in the U.S. from a range of perspectives. We will apply what is known about the socio-linguistic situations of Spanish-speaking communities throughout the U.S. as we strive to learn about the Spanish-speaking community in Holyoke, Mass (a Spanish-speaking community that has not been described by linguists). The course includes a service-learning component such that students will work as tutors with Spanish-English bilinguals in Holyoke. We will examine the rise of Spanish-speaking communities across the US and will ask crucial questions such as: In what ways can varieties of US Spanish be deemed unacceptable? What Spanish varieties in Spain and Latin America, if any, can be considered linguistically pure or unmixed? What are the implications and repercussions of disallowing heritage languages in elementary schools? In what ways can bilingualism be an advantage or disadvantage? How does the bilingual situation in Holyoke compare to other bilingual situations in the U.S.? Throughout the course students will work together to create tutoring guidelines and best practices that can be made available to future tutors in the area.

All readings in this course are in ENGLISH and there is no Spanish language requirement for this course.

Any of the following courses are recommended prior to taking this course, but not required: LING201, LING402, SPAN378 or SPAN470. All students will be required to attend the Five Colleges Holyoke Bound program.