What is MÁS ALLÁ?
Music And Spanish in the Andes Language Learning Academy in an immersive linguistic and cultural experience that will develop students in three areas related to language learning:
(1) Linguistic Proficiency: For a week students will communicate, learn music, converse over meals, play sports on the oval, and much more almost entirely in Spanish. Experienced language and culture instructors will provide lessons that will help students construct a subconscious linguistic system and learn how to use this system in culturally appropriate ways. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to learn and sing in Andean indigenous languages such as Quechua and Aymara.
(2) Cultural Knowledge: MÁS ALLÁ gives students an environment where they are safe to both learn about Andean culture and embody it. Students will learn the role that participatory music plays in the lives of people living in the Andes, and they will put this into practice as they participate in music making of their own.
(3) Confidence: One of the greatest personal obstacles facing language learners is the fear of making mistakes. In MÁS ALLÁ students will have the opportunity to practice pronunciation in a chorus of music, practice grammar through story-telling, among many other activities. MÁS ALLÁ is a low-risk environment, where students can feel free to experiment with language use and gain confidence that they can take with them back into the classroom.
What can I expect to do in MÁS ALLÁ?
On a typical day you of MÁS ALLÁ you can expect to…
- Receive formal instruction in Spanish Language and Andean Culture
- Practice music, preparing for our closing concert
- Chat in Spanish over lunch
- Receive a tour of campus in Spanish, play sports, and play games
- Keep practicing music!
What can I expect to gain from MÁS ALLÁ?
Speaking and Listening Proficiency: Students will be immersed in a Spanish-speaking experience, where they will develop their fluency and comprehensibility through singing, and they will develop their grammatical competence through immersion. In addition, engaging with language through music is shown to help retention of knowledge of pronunciation and vocabulary. As this will be an immersive experience, students will constantly be practicing their listening and speaking skills.
Pragmatic Competence: A significant part of language use involves pragmatic competence. This is knowing how to use context to determine the purposes, goals, and intentions of language use. Pragmatic competence is difficult to develop in the classroom, but it is essential for successful communication.
Motivation: A key to language learning is having the motivation to study and engage with the language. Research suggests that affective motivation may be a more powerful motivator than the types of motivations to which students are normally exposed, such as economic motivation. MÁS ALLÁ will engage students with cultural practices of Spanish speakers and will help them interact with Spanish in a tangible way.
Musical skill and appreciation: The Andean musical aesthetic is quite different from that which we are normally exposed to in the Unites States. We like to say that participation in Andean music ensembles “stretches your ear.” By the end of the week, you will learn how to play the zampoña (pan pipes), sing in Spanish, and perform a tarkeada. In addition, students are encouraged to experiment with and learn to play other instruments including the charango, quena, cajón, chakchas, and many more.
Attending MÁS ALLÁ, may be your first step in checking out the Spanish major or minor programs at Ohio State. Check out the SPPO website to learn more!