Instructor takes ‘foots on’ approach to teaching Latin American culture
“Cinco y cinco,” a frantic voice yells out in the crisp morning air.
The speaker – clad in a bright-orange soccer jersey – urges his team forward in a smooth Mexican accent. The team he leads is a hodgepodge of players – young men and women, some wearing jeans and t-shirts, others with soccer jerseys. Some of the participants have sneakers and cleats; a few, more formal shoes. One is even barefoot.
“Dos minutos,” yells the man in the orange jersey, smiling, as the game draws to a close. The ensuing passing shot sails wide, while the tired countenance of both teams prevents either from gaining the upper hand. Abruptly, the match ends. Laughing ensues. High fives are exchanged. The scene could take place in any park in Mexico City, with college-aged friends enjoying each other’s company and the spirit of friendly competition.
But this is not Mexico City. It’s Logan, Utah. And this isn’t a Saturday at the park. It’s mid-morning on a school day, in Professor Juan Carlos Vazquez’s Spanish 2010 class.
This group of students isn’t just playing a collective game of hooky – they’re actively learning from one of the university’s most dynamic instructors. With the Utah State Spanish department for the past four years, Vazquez stresses a “hands-on” – or maybe that’s foot-on — approach to learning a language required for many students.
“I strongly believe that with languages, you have to be active in the teaching and learning processes,” said Vazquez, who was born in Mexico City. “Otherwise it’s just a one-way channel. So I like the interaction, and soccer has provided that.”
Soccer – or “futbol” as it is better known in his native Mexico – is something Vazquez knows well. Not only did he play it constantly growing up, but he even became good enough to play for a professional team in Mexico City, and later played at Weber State.
“Soccer has been a very important part of my life,” he said. “Growing up in Mexico City, I’ve played soccer ever since I could remember. It’s a part of the culture, and that is one of the things that I like to teach my students.”
The idea to move away from the strict confines of the classroom and take the learning process to the soccer field occurred to Vazquez when he first arrived at Utah State, he said. Looking for a way to convey the vocabulary and cultural lessons expressed in a chapter of the textbook he was using, Vazquez could think of no better way than to put practice into action and utilize the soccer field just outside his classroom.
“When we talk about learning Spanish, you think about learning grammar and concepts that you need to memorize, but I strongly believe that the cultural component needs to come to class in a very significant manner,” he said.
“So one of those days I just thought, ‘you know what, maybe it’ll be a good idea for students to get outside and play in the beautiful weather, and to put those things into context.'”
Vazquez’s students couldn’t agree more.
“I think it is a fantastic idea because we learn best when we’re doing things – especially when we begin to realize that language is so connected to culture,” said Amber Bowden, a junior English major. “We need to experience the culture in order to learn the language better and how it impacts us.”
To be fair, there is some work involved. Before taking to the field, Vazquez has his students write an essay about the importance of soccer in Latin American and Spanish culture. Students first research the history of the sport, and then have the option of writing either a page in Spanish or two pages in English about it. The combination of traditional learning and research, coupled with the active component of playing the game, allows Vazquez’s students to reach a more complete understanding of the game that some describe as the ‘unofficial religion’ of Latin America.
“Especially writing the paper beforehand, it made me realize why they like the sport so much,” said junior history major Marlee Portar. “It was fun to go play it and realize just how fun it is.”
Porter, who described her on-field performance during last Friday’s 5-5 game as “very poor,” said playing the match had other benefits aside from gaining a cultural appreciation for the sport, such as bringing the students closer together.
“I thought it was fun to do that instead of class,” she said. “It was a nice change. I thought it was fun to get to know people more in the class and let the class open up to each other and have fun with each other.”
Vazquez said the ease and comfort students feel playing the game is no accident. In the few years he has been taking his classes outside to play, he has noticed a difference in the classroom environment following the match. Knowing that many of his students come into the class with different major fields and various backgrounds, he said that the relaxed atmosphere of the game helps his students feel more comfortable with each other back inside the classroom.
“The rest of the semester, students know each other in a different environment. That creates a more conducive environment in the classroom,” he said.
While his main goal is to convey the importance of soccer in Latin America to his students, Vazquez said that the communication skills required in playing the game also reinforce vocabulary and grammar lessons. This approach to learning words and phrases is particularly effective, he said, because it occurs outside the context of the classroom.
“It’s in a completely non-threatening situation,” Vazquez said. “It’s not a test and it’s not a quiz. Just trying to realize, ‘how do I say this?’ Like in the match, when the ball went out of bounds; ok well this is how you say ‘out of bounds.’ Corner kick? This is how you say, ‘corner kick’. So there was a teaching moment there.”
It was teaching moments like Friday which Vazquez’s students say set the professor’s class apart from any other language class they’ve ever taken.
“It’s something I haven’t done for a class, and it was fun to do something new,” said junior Hadley Harris, a public relations major. “I’m so used to slideshows and notes and powerpoints, so this was really fun for a change.”
Harris described Vazquez’s teaching style as “definitely effective,” and said she has already gained a new appreciation for the language and Latino culture based on Friday’s game. It’s a sentiment felt by many in the professor’s class, including Porter, who said she is looking forward to a semester filled with interactive activities to help break the monotony of flash cards and word tables.
“This class has been fun the whole time just because of the teacher and the students in the class,” she said. “He’s a really good teacher who likes hands-on experience and makes the class that much more fun.”
–adam.nettina@aggiemail.usu.edu