Spanish Textbooks Research Articles

Comparing the finite and infinite limits of sequences and functions: A mathematical and phenomenological analysis and its implications in Spanish textbooks

The purpose of this article is to conduct a mathematical and phenomenological comparison of three concepts: (1) the finite limit of a function at a point, (2) the finite limit of a sequence, and (3) the infinite limit of a sequence. Additionally, we aim to analyse the presence of these concepts in Spanish textbooks. The methodology employed is exploratory and descriptive. Our mathematical comparison revealed differences in several areas, including the dependence between variables, the involved infinite processes, the types of infinity, the dimensioning for each variable, and the intuition of continuity in the interval. Our phenomenological comparison found a correspondence between phenomena using a formal approach, but differences in phenomena when using an intuitive approach. Finally, our analysis of textbooks revealed that all three limits are most commonly presented in the verbal representation system and definition format.Contribution: This study has contributed to the teaching and learning of the notion of limit.

Theoretical-methodological approaches and textbook design: analysis of arithmetic word problems in Spanish textbooks

Primary school textbooks can enhance the acquisition of arithmetic word problem solving skills by offering diverse problems based on their semantic-mathematical structure with targeted reasoning aids, including schematics highlighting their mathematical structure. While certain countries, such as the USA and Singapore, have made progress in improving the problems and aids found in their textbooks through the use of specific theoretical-methodological approaches, textbooks from other countries, such as Spain, have included a very limited variety of problems, with hardly any aids to reasoning. Recently, however, two of the most widely used Spanish publishers have released textbooks that adhere to these theoretical-methodological approaches. To assess whether these textbooks progressed past their predecessors in relevant aspects related to the resolution of arithmetic word problems, we conducted an analysis of the quantity of problems and their variety in terms of semantic-mathematical structure and level of difficulty, as well as the inclusion of schematic representations of their mathematical structure. The study demonstrated improvements among textbooks when publishers adopted a theoretical framework, suggesting that a reference framework could enhance textbook design. This is particularly relevant in countries such as Spain, where there are no applicable standards or official curricula for designing textbooks related to solving arithmetic word problems.

High frequency medical Spanish terminology: A corpus-based study of textbooks and reference materials

The purpose of this study is to identify high frequency medical Spanish terminology by building a corpus of medical Spanish textbooks and resources. By discovering the most common terms, instructors and curriculum designers can include salient topics in their courses, which will better serve the learners in these courses. To do so, medical Spanish textbooks and resources from 2012-2022 were uploaded to the corpus software AntConc. The final corpus consisted in a total of 26 resources and 1,421,163 tokens (or words). Word frequencies were calculated, and the top 3,000 most frequent terms were determined. A Semantic Rating Scale (Chung & Nation, 2003; Quero & Coxhead, 2018) was used to categorize words as general or technical. The top 3,000 words covered 38.9% of the entire corpus, and the most frequent words found in the medical Spanish resources were general Spanish vocabulary at 68.2%. The remaining 31.8% were medical Spanish technical terminology. The generation of these lists gives instructors and curriculum designers a tool to use in the development of medical Spanish courses that when combined with a patient-centered, communicative medical Spanish curriculum has the potential to enhance learners’ medical Spanish proficiency.

La introducción de la Física cuántica en España: libros de texto, panorama general y relación con la Filosofía (1930-1960)

In this article, we have addressed the early stages of quantum physics in Spain, specifically, between the years 1930 and 1960. We have relied on David Kaiser’s thesis on the weight of philosophy in quantum physics textbooks in the United States (Quantum legacies, chap. 8, 2020) and we have made a first approximation for the Spanish case. To have a better understanding of the editorial, intellectual and cultural context, we have created and analysed a database from the REBIUN university catalogue, which has offered us a panoramic view of the works published at the time, as well as their places of origin, languages, publishers, and evolutions. Then, we have analysed the treatment of philosophical aspects in some relevant Spanish textbooks. We have concluded a particular evolution in the Spanish case, conditioned by its economic, social, and political context, with a tendency to interpret quantum physics from a national-catholic dogma and to escape from mathematical complexity. We have also seen a great influence from the English-speaking sphere and an enormous importance from the Latin American publishing system in the dissemination of works in Spanish. The results call for us to carry out studies in greater depth.

Representation and reconstruction of Hispanic culture in localized Spanish textbooks in China: A multimodal discourse perspective

This study examines how Hispanic cultures are represented and reconstructed in localized Spanish textbooks in China. A multimodal discourse perspective was applied to the textbook data to identify the texts, images, audios, and teaching videos that depict Hispanic cultures, and to analyze their reconstructions. Our findings show that despite a large number of Hispanic big “C” and small “c” cultures included in the textbooks, there is an unbalanced contribution of sub-cultures and a lack of depth in teaching. Based on the analysis of textbook data and teaching video, the study also reveals several main strategies employed by textbook writers and users (teachers) in reconstructing culture, including translation, superficialization, symbolization, comparison, localization and globalization. This study is helpful in promoting the development of Spanish language education and textbooks and in global and local contexts, and also in better understanding language teachers’ agency in teaching foreign culture. FUNDING INFORMATION. This paper was funded by China’s National Social Science Fund of Education (BGA210059), project led by the corresponding author Geng Zhi.

Inhaltliche Gamification im aufgabenorientierten Fremdsprachenunterricht (IGAF)

Gamification can be more than rewards. For this study, an application was developed, which conveys the usual content of a Spanish textbook via a detective case in a playful and narrative way. Therefore, approaches of task-based language learning (TBLL), content-based gamification, and storytelling are used. The content-based gamification approach combines playful elements, storytelling, and learning objects. Learning content, such as sociocultural knowledge or linguistic resources, becomes part of a playful setting. Within the design-based research study, the app was cyclically tested with several groups of 7th graders. Qualitative data were collected and evaluated. The results show that this approach leads to a high level of problem orientation. The learners work on the tasks primarily in order to solve the detective case. The virtual space has the potential to promote perspective-taking and immersion processes so that learners immerse themselves in a target language world. Finally, these results culminate in a model for content-based gamification in TBLL (IGAF), which can be used for the development of similar teaching and learning arrangements.

Challenging the Supported Curriculum: Faculty Members’ Attitudes toward Caribbean and Louisiana Content in Undergraduate French and Spanish Textbooks

Guided by a theoretical framework underpinned by Critical Multicultural Education (Banks, 2019), this study aimed to understand university faculty members’ attitudes toward the presentation of Caribbean and Louisiana-themed content in French and Spanish textbooks and their associated teaching practices. A Likert-Scale survey was employed, and it was discovered that faculty members felt textbook content about the Caribbean was more or less accurate, but content about Louisiana was inaccurate. Likewise, they had to adjust their teaching practices to be more intentional about how these areas are presented in their teaching and represented in novice and intermediate French and Spanish courses. The findings of this study help to inform curriculum design in higher education World Language courses and assist in curriculum development efforts that align with frameworks that center on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as the core of course design.

Unlocking the power of emotion in L2 Spanish: a study of verbs of affection instruction

This study explores one of the most important research lines in the field of Applied Linguistics: the teaching and learning of a second language (L2), and more specifically, of L2 Spanish. Spanish is a rapidly growing language, with a user base that has increased to 591 million, 6 million more than in 2020, according to the latest annual El español en el mundo (Instituto Cervantes, 2021). Spanish is thus becoming one of the most in-demand languages and this requires effective teaching. Through the analysis of seven L2 Spanish textbooks, we aim to examine the theoretical approach underlying the explanations of verbs of affection in Spanish (e.g., me fastidia [‘it bothers me’], me encanta [‘I love’]), as this grammatical construction is complex for a non-native speaker. Based on the findings, this investigation endeavors to provide pedagogical illustrations of how cognitive linguistics can be an advantageous method in teaching and learning psych verbs. The results of the study indicate that while all teaching materials are based on the classical communicative paradigm, none of them provide a cognitive perspective for the instruction of psych verbs in the early stages of learning or across the entire spectrum of emotions. This disregard for grammatical meaning and systematic treatment of these linguistic forms results in a reduced focus on their formal aspects, neglecting the changes in meaning that occur based on the focus on the stimulus or experiencer. This approach to teaching emotions grammar is viewed as mechanical and artificial.

The emerging phenomenon of L2 vlogging on Bilibili: characteristics, engagement, and informal language learning

The rise of digital technology has provided new opportunities for language learning, extending beyond traditional classroom instruction. Video projects have emerged as an effective tool in foreign language education, yet research on self-initiated and regulated video production for language learning is scarce. This study investigates the phenomenon of vlogging in Spanish as a second language on the Chinese video sharing platform Bilibili, by analyzing 134 Chinese-produced Spanish-language vlogs. The study aims to understand the vlogs’ characteristics, the vloggers’ profile, and the ways they utilize the genre for learning Spanish. Through qualitative virtual ethnography, the study uncovers the presence and learning engagement of Spanish L2 vlogs on Bilibili. The results reveal a diverse range of vlogs, including daily life experiences and adaptations of popular YouTube trends, primarily produced by university students with advanced editing skills. Vloggers incorporate knowledge from both formal education (e.g., the Spanish textbook widely used in China, Español Moderno) and informal contexts. In addition to practicing oral Spanish, L2 vloggers use various forms of writing, including Spanish subtitles and Chinese translation, and mobilize multimodal resources, such as danmu comments for overlaying corrections. Vloggers also adopt discursive strategies for community interaction, such as self-deprecating metalanguage, feedback solicitation, and metalinguistic reflections. The study highlights the potential of video-sharing platforms like Bilibili as tools for language learning, reveals different learning styles in digital environments (self-supervised and interaction-oriented learning), and indicates the direction of integrating daily vlogs and multilingual subtitles into language curricula, emphasizing students’ agency, self-directed digital learning, and transmedia literacy development.

ПРО ДИСКУРСИ ПІДРУЧНИКІВ З ІСПАНСЬКОЇ МОВИ

This article is devoted to the topics that appear in the textbooks of the Spanish language written by Spanish authors. Special attention to the traditional discourses is paid. The textbooks are studied considering its didactic orientation, and it is observed that the topics represented in the textbooks change depending on its components: the texts and the tasks offered. It is shown that the text, the tasks and the exercises of the Spanish textbooks represent the cultural and mental characteristics of the Spanish nation along with the language. It is discovered that Spanish textbooks of Spanish language reflect traditional stereotypes and axiological points of the Spanish nation. It is especially characteristic of grammar books that, at first sight, seem to be far from the topics of Spanish day-to-day life, civilization, culture, and history. The discourse of the textbooks is described from the focus on the communicative, emotive, and metalinguistic functions of the language. The research has revealed that, in some cases, Spanish textbooks represent valuable sources for studying civilization and culture or even the history of Spain. As far as further research is concerned it is recommended to use the methods of the corpus linguistics. Free and directed associative experiments would be useful too as well as quantitative and statistical methods for their procession.

Um estudo inter-regional sobre o reconhecimento da diversidade dialetal nos usos dos pretéritos espanhóis nos livros didáticos de espanhol L2

ABSTRACT: This analysis continues the examination of the acknowledgement of dialectal variation in L2 Spanish textbooks initiated by Hernández Cubo (2019) and compares its findings with those from that previous study by focusing on the same linguistic aspect: the difference in the uses and semantic scopes of two past tenses – Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto and Pretérito Indefinido – in the Peninsular and Hispanic American macro-varieties. As the study by Hernández Cubo (2019) only examines textbooks produced in Spain, this investigation proposes a cross-regional comparison by evaluating materials from other world regions. Therefore, this research contributes to the investigation of language variation in L2 Spanish instruction by proposing a cross-regional analysis, which shows that the recognition of dialectal diversity within the uses of the aforementioned tenses is not a priority among textbook authors. Works from the USA, France, Germany and Italy present certain levels of dialectal acknowledgement, while the ones from Brazil and the UK constitute the most significantly dialectally sensitive materials regarding the treatment of Spanish past tenses.

실생활의 언어사용을 지향하는 행위중심 학습- 유럽공통참조기준 자매 편의 과제에 대한 이론과 실제

The Spanish version of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Companion Volume, published in 2021, presented an interpretation of the developmental vision of tasks for language learning and use, introducing the concept of action-oriented learning. This study argues that a task enabling action-oriented learning for real-life language use needs to satisfy three criteria―collaboration, interaction, and real-life use―and allow for both situational and interactional authenticity. Based on the theoretical discussion around this concept, this study aimed to analyze the design and execution of an action-oriented learning task in an actual Spanish-language education. First, to explore task design, action-oriented tasks presented in four Spanish textbooks were analyzed to determine whether they satisfied the three criteria. Next, for consideration of the execution of such a task, a case involving the use of an action-oriented learning task that meets the requirements of collaboration, interaction, and real-life use in a conversational Spanish language class at a Korean university is presented and discussed. Through this analysis, the theory and practice of designing and executing collaborative, interactive, real-life tasks based on the communication needs of Korean university-level learners of Spanish is explored .

Arithmetic word problem solving. Analysis of Singaporean and Spanish textbooks

The success or failure of education systems in promoting student problem-solving skills depends on attitudinal, political, and pedagogical variables. Among these variables, the design of mathematics textbooks is thought to partially explain why students from high-achieving countries show better problem-solving ability in international assessments. In the current study, we delved into this question and compared the frequency and characteristics of arithmetic word problems (AWPs) contained in primary school math textbooks in two countries with different levels of performance in international assessments—Singapore and Spain. In our analyses, we focused on (1) the quantity of arithmetic word problems, (2) the variety of problems in terms of their additive or multiplicative structures and semantic-mathematical substructures, and (3) the quantity and nature of illustrations that were presented together with arithmetic word problems. Although a larger proportion of AWP activities was found in Singaporean textbooks, the results showed a similar variety of AWPs in both Singaporean and Spanish math textbooks. Furthermore, in both countries, math textbooks emphasized the structures classified as (additive) combine 1 and (multiplication) simple rate in AWPs. Notably, the Singaporean textbook contained a larger percentage of illustrations that reflected the semantic-mathematical structures of the problems and helped students learn how to solve AWPs (e.g., bar models). The findings are discussed in light of theories that posit that textbooks constitute a fundamental part of the teaching–learning process in the classroom.

Environmental sustainability in economics teaching: analysing Spanish upper secondary economics textbooks

The study of economics involves core issues of sustainable development very relevant to society, such as growth, consumption or wellbeing. Accordingly, its epistemology and teaching contents influence other disciplines, the conception of society and the political agenda. From this perspective, it is strategic that the teaching of economics promotes sustainable development. The aim of this article is to examine what the subjects of economics and business economics teach about sustainability at the upper secondary education level in Spain, and if they contribute to the acquisition of the key competencies of the education for sustainable development. A content analysis is carried out of both the curriculum and the textbooks to that end. Our results emphasise that the ideas, concepts and values transmitted by the Spanish upper secondary economics textbooks do not adequately promote knowledge about sustainability or the learning of the key competencies.

The “Other” Latinx: The (Non)existent Representation of Afro-Latinx in Spanish Language Textbooks

ABSTRACT The present study conducted a critical discourse analysis and a visual analysis on 12 beginner-level Spanish textbooks. The goal of the study was to examine the representation of Afro-Latinxs and the ideologies behind these representations. The frameworks that guided the study were Fairclough’s framework for Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Kress and Van Leeuwen’s model for conducting a visual analysis. The results indicate that there is hardly any representation of Afro-Latinx in these textbooks. This finding is described as erasure. Interestingly, in the few instances in which Afro-Latinx are represented, we find instances of colorism, racial stereotypes, collectivization, and tourism discourse. In the light of these results, the study reechoes the importance of examining underlying ideologies in educational textbook materials.

¿Cómo ayudar a los estudiantes en la vuelta a la educación presencial después de la educación a distancia durante la pandemia? El papel de las actividades colectivas de interacción en los libros de texto de ELE seleccionados

The aim of the article is to reflect upon the tasks which might help students in the crisis caused by the return to school after distance learning connected with the pandemic. To start with, the data presented concern both mental and physical well-being, as well as the needs of Polish secondary school students during the pandemic (distance learning and the return to schools). Next, the author analyses the place of textbooks during the return to schools and suggests the typology of team tasks facilitating this process, with a special emphasis on the ones which develop the oral interaction and are in accordance with the processual approach to writing. Furthermore, in the research part, the tasks analysed proposed in the four textbooks of Spanish as a foreign language, destined for students aged 15-19 years, in order to state to what degree, they may facilitate the return to schools and what kind of adjustment to this situation they need. Finally, the conclusions were presented.

Thematic units and aspects of vocabulary knowledge in l2 Spanish textbooks

Thematic units and aspects of vocabulary knowledge in l2 Spanish textbooks

PLATE TECTONICS IN PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS: FROM THE 1960s TO THE 1980s

Plate tectonics caused a revolution within earth sciences which then was transposed into science textbooks. The main objective of this paper is to explore how plate tectonics influenced Portuguese and Spanish science textbooks published from the 1960s through the 1980s. For this purpose, a qualitative method based on the concept of didactic transposition is used. The didactic transposition of seafloor spreading evidence such as ridges, rifts and trenches, transform faults, seafloor sediments, the age of seafloor basaltic rocks, the magnetic anomalies on the seafloor, the Benioff zones and the subduction process, and also the didactic transposition of the formation of mountains ranges and island arcs, convection currents, plate tectonics concepts, boundaries and motion, and plate tectonics acceptance are studied in a comprehensive sample of science textbooks. The analysis of textbooks shows that the didactic transposition of seafloor spreading, and plate tectonics started mainly in 1970s Portuguese and Spanish textbooks and had a strong development in 1980s textbooks. No major differences were found between the approaches to plate tectonics in similar age Portuguese and Spanish textbooks. At the beginning of the 1970s, textbooks presented partial evidence for seafloor spreading, such as magnetic anomalies and the characteristics of ridges, rifts and trenches. They also addressed convection currents but only those that were related to geosynclines. In the mid 1970s and in the 1980s, textbooks presented more comprehensive evidence of seafloor spreading, by adding didactical transpositions of transform faults, seafloor sediments and the age of seafloor rocks. They also presented in more detail topics such as magnetic anomalies, the Benioff zones, orogenic processes and the tectonic significance of ridges, rifts and trenches. Plate tectonic theory was presented in major textbooks as widely accepted, and discussions about speculative facts or processes were rare.

Scoping Review of Textbooks for Medical Spanish Education.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01333-8.

Comparison of the level of authenticity of arithmetic word problems in Spanish and Singaporean textbooks (Comparación del nivel de autenticidad de los problemas aritméticos verbales de los libros de texto españoles y singapurenses)

ABSTRACT The nature of the arithmetic word problems found in maths textbooks influences the way students develop their ability to solve them, as teachers use the books in their classes quite frequently. Given that students are better able to reason through and solve authentic problems that are contextualized in situations familiar to them, and that different international assessments have shown the students in Singapore to be more skilled at problem-solving than their Spanish counterparts, this study compares the level of authenticity of the problems included in the primary school textbooks from the most frequently used publishers in both countries. The results show that the books from Singapore contain problems with a higher degree of authenticity than the Spanish textbooks at all school levels, thus providing students with better opportunities to learn how to solve problems through reasoning.