Peer Review

BBC's Mundo Latino

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Feb 20, 2003 by World Languages

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The BBC?s Mundo Latino module is a timely source of informative readings and
audio components on the current situation of the Latino experience in the U.S.A.
The site is divided into an introduction and four major sections.Section one,
Introduccion, discusses the aims of the project. A Mapa interactivo informs the
reader of the current demographics in nine major states, and how these figures
have changed and will continue to affect political and societal conditions in
the USA. It provides a rich assortment of factual information about Latinos in
California, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Illinois and New York with corresponding
bibliographical citations. Vivencias presents six short autobiographical
vignettes by a broad spectrum of Latinos. The section, Figuras, presents
interviews with different prominent Latino figures including activists,
athletes, writers and entertainers.It gives their perspectives on what it means
to be a Latino, and what are the notable contributions made by the Latino
community. The Audio section links to four other BBC series that also center on
the Latino experience.
Type of Material:: Lecture/Presentation
Recommended Uses:: The study module can stand alone as a unit of instruction in a classroom
setting, or the material can be assigned as independent study.
This web site can be used as the raw material for a unit on Latinos in the
United States. It will need to be supplemented with vocabulary, grammar and
cultural explanations and exercises. In addition, it can be enriched by adding
pre-teaching activities, such as: brainstorming, analysis of visuals, titles,
pictures, skimming and scanning and other pre-reading techniques. The same can
be said for the audio component of the web site. Finally, the materials lend
themselves to a series of follow-up exercises and for the more advanced levels
as the starting point for projects dealing with a deeper discussion of the
topic.
Technical Requirements:: RealOne Player
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The site attempts to provide an informational text of contemporary relevance on
the current political and social aspects of ?Latin life? in the USA. The
material helps to increase the readers? cultural awareness of this contemporary
and social ambience. The theme promotes a keener understanding of cultural
variations about Hispanics as seen within and across cultures (a cross-cultural
perspective).

Students will be able to describe the demographic, economic, political and
cultural impact of Latinos in the United States. Also, they will be able to
analyze and discuss the impact that American society has on this community and,
finally, they will be able to identify a group of well-known Latinos.
Target Student Population:: The study module is best suited for intermediate and advanced Spanish language
students. It is especially beneficial for Spanish for Heritage Speakers
courses.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: An intermediate reader can comprehend the written text. Listening comprehension
should be at least at intermediate-high or advanced listening proficiency
level. An understanding of Hispanic cultural assumptions and values is
desirable.

In order for students to fully take advantage of these materials they need to
have an intermediate-high or advanced level of language proficiency across the
different skills. They need to be able to narrate and describe in different
time frames at the paragraph level, to interpret and understand maps, charts and
figures and to navigate the web.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Mundo Latino offers a variety of coherent spoken and written texts aimed at
describing and explaining the Latino experience in the United States. It
combines attractive visuals, maps, figures and audio files to tell a compelling
story. This exemplary content-based module presents a rich source of information
about Hispanics living in the USA. The module captures the ethnic and
socio-cultural experiences of a very diverse group, yet similarly alike. From
a cultural perspective, the reading selections and related audio scripts lend
themselves in authentically representing the Latino experience. The audio
component incorporates previous BBC - Mundo series from its ?Via libre? library.
In the ?Latinos, !Si!? series, two of the four themes focus on the importance
of the Latino vote. The series, ?La Palabra Americana,? describes the
variety of Spanish heard in Los Angeles. The series ?Entre Dos Mundos: Ni?os y
Migracion a EE.UU? includes seven interviews given by Hispanic parents,
community organizations, and immigrant children and adolescents. Additional
interviews focus on the adolescent issues regarding identity, family, gang
membership, and work. These are relevant themes that younger students can
relate to from an age perspective.
Concerns:: Novice internet users will need some guidance navigating through the rich
offerings of this site.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The content-based materials provide authentic reading and listening texts, ideal
for intermediate and advanced Spanish foreign language students, and Spanish
Heritage Speakers (SHS). The rich content of the materials provides an
excellent balance of experiences crossing ethnic, socio-economic classes, age
and gender themes. These materials serve as excellent ancillary materials for
SHS textbooks whose content materials concentrate primarily on Mexican-American,
Cuban-American or Puerto Rican themes and issues.The web materials help to
develop listening and reading strategies, enhance cultural understanding, and
provide an avenue for learners to engage in developing spoken and written
language. The website provides enough reading and audio text material to be used
as a main source in teaching Spanish Heritage Speakers. The heritage speaker
will easily identify with the themes covered, and be able to distinguish
similarities and differences that exist among Hispanics living in the USA. When
given the opportunity to relate to the Spanish Heritage experience in the
United States, Heritage speakers can be helped in their self identify by gaining
a better understanding of their own cultural assumptions and values.For
example, a web link to another one of BBC?s related themes, ?Entre dos mundos?
effectively contrasts the basic differences that young adults experience in
straddling two cultures and the problems inherent in attempting to adapt to
living in the USA. The site allows for developing cultural strategies working
around a meta-awareness and making cross-cultural comparisons. The audio source
from ?La Palabra Americana? describes the variety of Spanish heard in Los
Angeles. It serves as an excellent source to analyze the linguistic diversity
of Spanish spoken in the United States. These interviews underline the variety
of spoken Spanish, and help to represent the wide range of linguistic abilities
that typify informal vs. fluent and literate speakers. Instructors can help
heritage speakers identify and change negative attitudes on their language
usage, and provide opportunities to expand existing linguistic skills beyond
their informal use of language.The figuras and Vivencias sections interview
successful Hispanics. These interviews may serve as affective strategies to help
SHS identify with strong role models. Many of the audio files of interviews
also include music, which is at the heart of the Hispanic culture. By creating
a music link, e.g., salsa rhythms, another avenue is made available for SHS
learners to explore their cultural heritage. The related links can provide
additional in-depth exposure to the themes covered, and provide for accompanying
classroom assignments.

The site offers examples of different writing styles, from the intimate personal
to the impersonal scientific style. The rich assorment of authentic materials
and interesting topics make for a powerful combination that can be augmented by
the development of assessments to evaluate student understanding of the
material.
Concerns:: When teaching Spanish for Heritage speakers (SHS), the use of this website
requires that the instructor be familiar with SHS methodology. Also in teaching
either FL or SHS students, an instructor needs to be familiar with a culture
pedagogy. For example, learners need to develop skills for analyzing and
comparing cultures. Instructors need to carefully identify learning outcomes and
assessment tools before using the materials in class.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: This site is exemplary in its use of media for teaching and learning.
The module is exemplary in terms of design incorporating a clearly laid out
menu.The site consists of four major areas devoted to clearly laid out themes,
which are followed and developed with identical formats and templates for each
of the topics. The engaging format invites the user to navigate and explore the
whole site. Each section flows into the next and the related links complement
the module?s focus. Each area includes a variety of links. The most notable
is the audio link to the other BBC related series. Also noteworthy, in Mapa
interactivo, the images aid in helping the reader capture the census data by
means of colored charts, graphs, and visual organizers that simplify information
that would otherwise appear difficult to interpret.The Audio section links to
four other BBC series, that also center on the latino experience. Throughout
the site, an image identifies where there are audio components, some lasting for
15 and 30 minutes.
Concerns:: In using the audio section, many of audio files are fifteen or even up to 30
minutes in length. Without audio scripts, certain listeners may be unable to
follow without a text they can follow. The audio sections will require
pre-listening and comprehension activities for FL and SHS courses.

The addition of practice and evaluation exercises would be an enhancement.

Other Issues and Comments:: The audio files could of greater benefit to teachers if the audio scripts could
be made available for use in teaching discrete listening skills and developing
listening comprehension.
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