Revista: Conversación sin barreras by José A. Blanco

Abstract

Reviewed by: Revista: Conversación sin barrerasby José A. Blanco Ada Ortúzar-Young Blanco, José A. Revista: Conversación sin barreras. Instructor's Annotated Edition. 5thEdition. Vista Higher Learning, 2018. Pp. 217. ISBN 978-1-68005-042-4. The new edition of this well-established Advanced Conversation program continues to offer a wealth of materials for both instructors and students. The revised edition has replaced some "cortometrajes" and "lecturas" but the textbook maintains the old format and most of its content. [End Page 292]The "Supersite"—the online resources and course management system—also has been enhanced. As in previous editions, each of the six lessons centers on a topic: "¿Realidad o fantasía?," "Una cuestión de personalidad," "La influencia de los medios," "Las garras del poder," "Misterios del amor," and "Modos de vivir." Overall, they offer thematic variety that appeal to students and is conducive to class discussions on a diversity of opinions. Each lesson can be broadly divided into three categories that lend themselves to different pedagogical approaches. Each contributes in its own way to advance language skills and cultural awareness. One centers on authentic materials: a "cortometraje," various "lecturas," and a "tira cómica." Each of these are units in themselves and the instructor may choose to use all of them, or not, and opt to alter the sequence in which they are presented in the textbook. They are well planned and useful to the instructor and the students. Of particular value is the fact that these authentic materials are selected from many regions in the Hispanic world, bridging Spain and the Americas, in such a way that they provide students with authentic cultural variety and regional nuances of the language throughout the Spanish-speaking world. They also serve to introduce students to the reading of literature and to popular culture, which is provided by the "tiras cómicas" and the films. Each of the authentic materials unit contains introductory exercises that consist of a set of pre-reading and pre-viewing, useful vocabulary for this particular assigment, and brief information on the author. They are followed by the "Análisis," a series of exercises that range from comprehension and interpretation to topics meant to amplify the themes. They end with suggestions to work in pairs or small groups. A second category is devoted to a rapid review of those grammatical points that are most relevant to the materials presented. And lastly, each chapter wraps up with topics for a composition and for a "tertulia," thus giving the student ample opportunities to create both orally and in writing. Harnessing the latest technologies to enhance the teaching and learning experience is an essential component of any teaching program today. Revista's "Supersite" has many useful features for the instructor to manage and customize the course, such as creating quizzes, incorporating outside links and resources, grading tools, giving assignments online, and modifying the content with personalized notes. It also offers a communication center for the instructors to post messages as well as for students to communicate online with the instructor. For the students, the "Supersite" offers seamless integration with the textbook. Icons throughout the textbook point out to the features available online. The cost-conscious students, as well as those who prefer not to carry a hard copy, may purchase the online version of the textbook, which is also iPad friendly in the 5th edition. The "Supersite" brings the textbook to life with sounds and movements. Longer versions of the "cortometrajes" are provided, and students can immerse themselves in the Hispanic culture with sights and the spoken dialogue. Each lesson also includes an audio MP3 file of a reading of one of the "lecturas" with several options for the students depending on their level of comprehension of the spoken language. They may opt to listen to the reading as they follow the written text, or assess their comprehension of the language by just listing to it. Likewise, each word or phrase in the vocabulary section is read out loud which allows student to zero in the pronunciation of vowels and consonants, thus allowing them to refine their pronunciation. The exercises in the textbook also appear...