The Role of the Teacher of Spanish in the Orientation of Non-English Speaking Pupils

Abstract

It has long been recognized that one of the chief objectives of the foreign language course should be the of the foreign language as a key to the thinking and way of living of another people.' Inherent in the statement of this objective is the implication that the educand comes to the teacher of Spanish in a state of blissful ignorance of the language and civilization of Spanish-speaking peoples. This will be found to be true in the normal school situation in which the pupil has had no previous experience with the language and culture of Spain and Latin America. However, it is not this type of pupil alone that it is our privilege as teachers of Spanish to educate. For some years thousands of Spanish-speaking children with their families have been coming to such centers as New York, Los Angeles, El Paso, and Miami from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, and Spain. These Spanish-speaking pupils can already use their language most effectively as an instrument of communication, although their knowledge of grammatical structure and literature will vary directly with their educational background. Their most pressing need will not be of a strictly linguistic nature, although it may best be met through the use of their native tongue. Their immediate need is that of social adjustment: to orient themselves as quickly and as effectively as possible in their new milieu. It is here that the teacher of Spanish is offered the unique opportunity and challenge of helping to promote international understanding by serving as the interpreter of the culture of the United States. Admittedly, this is not what is usually thought of when one speaks of promoting international understanding in the foreign language class. The usual implication is that the foreign language teacher will interpret the foreign culture for the benefit of American pupils. But is it not as important for our Latin American neighbors and others to understand us and our culture? The past war emphasized this need to such an extent that our government established the radio broadcasts of the Office of War Information. Certainly, in these critical times, the need for promoting international understanding is just as great. The teacher of Spanish can render a real service in this regard through his ability to speak the Spanish language and through his knowledge of the psychology and culture of our Spanish-speaking friends.