SPA II Honors

For the remainder of the semester, we will be reading a second story, titled Rival . This story will be set in medieval Spain, prior to the Age of Discovery. During this time, Spain endured rule by the Islamic Moors in a kingdom they called Al-Andalus. This, however, doesn't tell the whole story. Historians have studied this time and have differing takes on the Islamic rule. There are many that tout this time period as proof that religions, even those drastically different such as Christianity and Islam, can live in tolerance side-by-side. Surely, there were times during the Islamic rule that there was a certain level of tolerance for Christians, although there were restrictions placed on them to a degree. The time of Al-Andalus also greatly impacted the architecture, arts, sciences, and learning in Spain as well as in Europe at large as new thoughts and philosophies were introduced to Europe for the first time. That said, the time of Al-Andalus was not without it's own turm...

International travel provides one of the best opportunities for improving your Spanish proficiency, broadening your cultural understanding, and increasing your burden for missions. Visiting a Spanish-speaking country whether on vacation, business, or mission trips allows you to experience firsthand the cultural practices, products, and underlying perspectives of the people that live in those regions of the world. While traveling is often exciting, it can also be somewhat overwhelming as you try to navigate daily life in a new culture. The following list provides a sampling of some of the cultural differences you may encounter while traveling.   Flight arrivals: In many Spanish-speaking countries, it is common to applaud after landing, especially after a longer international flight. Although this trend has decreased over the years, clapping is still a common way of expressing gratitude for a safe flight, to the flight crew for their service, or to the pilots for a par...

Our main characters are now enduring the stark reality that their journey is falling apart, as inevitably as their raft is coming apart. Their is danger in the water and they have started to lose their minds (as was evidenced by Rita hallucinating that she saw Florida). This is where we pick up the story. The story has come to its concluding chapter. Will they all make it safely to Cuba and will they be allowed to stay. For some context, this story was written and set prior to the revocation of the "Wet Foot, Dry Foot" immigration policy. If they make it to land, they will be allowed to stay.  And that brings us to the end. I hope that you found this story interesting and enlightening, to a degree, about the struggles and plights of many real people who experienced journeys very similar to the one depicted in this story. Also, I hope that you found the work done to be helpful in oral recognition and comprehension. Please respond to the Google Classroom Question with...

Chapter 9 - ¿Es Real? The story has taken a tragic turn. Gloria's father has disappeared; reality has sunk in. He is not coming back, drowned among the tossing waves. Yet, Miguel and his company aboard the raft haven't had time to truly process this. They've lost their food and their journey and prospects are looking grim. This is where we begin this chapter. Having now read/followed along to this chapter, please provide a brief chapter summary by answering the Google Classroom Question.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”      Adoption. This past week, this concept has consistently been on my mind. What a beautiful thing adoption is. The complex act of taking someone who previously had been outside the family, outside the familiar, and conjoining that person with the family, granting to that person ownership in the family and bringing them into comforts of the familiar home. No longer is that individual a stranger but is a brother or sister, a son or a daughter. This wonderful truth is all the more marve...

Chapter 7 - El Remo At the end of the previous chapter, Miguel and Gloria fell off the raft as they were dancing. This is where this chapter begins. Chapter 8 - Silencio Tragedy has struck and bitter reality lurks all around them, darkness creeps in. Miguel and Gloria will need to support each other and those remaining in their company, trying to keep hope alive. And here we end our story for now. Two more weeks and we will have finished. Next week, we will cover chapter 9 before we conclude the story the following week. Again, our main focus is on reading/listening comprehension. Please answer the Google Classroom question with a brief summary of the 2 chapters as well as a brief reaction to the struggles these characters are facing (perhaps, think about what you would feel and/or do if you were in their shoes).

Last year, we spent some time reading and discussing the blessing in the difficulty of learning a 2nd language. God's providence was clearly on display at the Tower of Babel. However, there is more to it than that, and I would like for you to give some consideration to the following article written by Kathleen Nielson, again refocusing on the pivotal Biblical event that reshaped the world of language forever. She provides a new perspective and also adds a depth to the discussion, helping to capture why we study languages and can be thankful for that study. Nielson lists 5 main areas in which we can learn about our God and language from the story of Babel: (1) language lets us make beautiful things, (2) language wields great power, (3) languages show God's judgement of fallen humanity, (4) languages show God's mercy, and (5) languages show the hope of redemptive history. I would like for us to reflect on these 5 elements of language and their relation to our our life and...

In the prior article on linguistics, we looked at the prevalent theories in L1 acquisition. This was designed to inform our discussion of 2nd language (L2) acquisition. For our course, this realm of linguistics is quite applicable and we will spend more time exploring this, allowing our exploration to go a little deeper and a little broader over the course of a few weeks. We are going to begin with a look at one of the most influential linguists on L2 acquisition: Stephen Krashen. Since the 1980's, Krashen has dedicated much time and effort to the cause of trying to decipher what it is that allows us to learn a 2nd language (or, on the flip side, prevents us from it). His research and theories have informed much in the world of 2nd language education and was pivotal in transforming the world language classroom from a "memorize & drill" type of learning into a classroom where students are striving to engage with the teacher in a more meaningful manner, receiving what ...

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”      This past week, my family and I had the opportunity to attend an exhibition event by the CCHS competitive cheer team. One thing that was impressed upon me was the trust involved in the sport. My wife kept commenting to me about the unique connection and trust that had to have been developed between the teammates, knowing and believing, without a doubt, that they would be where they needed to be when they needed to be there, that they would catch those who were falling, that they would move in-sync with one another. That was true. It was simply amazing to watch that level of trust performed and done with courage, fun, and companionship. Every team possesses a level of friendship mingled with trust and reliance, and this could be said to be more ev...

Capítulo 5 - Enojado We rejoin Miguel on the raft with his father as well as the family of Fabio, including Gloria, the girl who Miguel has a ¨crush¨ on. They have just left Cuba on the raft and are headed towards Florida. Capítulo 6 - Llueve The story continues in chapter 6. Miguel is very angry at his father (possibly with cause? - albeit his father has a defense for his actions which might justify it?). As the title indicates, rain is on the way. Remember ¨llueve¨ is from the verb ¨llover¨, meaning ¨to rain¨. Now that you have read & followed-along to chapters 5 and 6, please give some thought to the story in a comment addressing the following: a short 3-5 sentence summary of the chapters as well as a short prediction of what might happen next, given how chapter 6 ends. Please include your name (Ethan M. - for example) after your comment in-case it is published as an ¨unknown¨ author. 

BACKGROUND Linguistics is the study of how language works. This covers a large sphere of information that bridges the gap between language literacy (reading, writing, speaking) and the scientific field of psychology and cognition. When studying second language (L2) acquisition, it is important to reckon with the underlying principles and theories that govern how our brain process and acquire this new language. However, before dealing with that concept, it is imperative to spend some time at the ¨beginning¨ - our first language (L1), the mother tongue. This will help build a platform upon which our understanding of L2 acquisition. How is it that we acquire our first language? In many ways, it feels like magic. Within the span of a few short years, a child goes from being unable to communicate, through babbling phases, basic speech, forming sentences, and, by the time they´re school-age, they are able to communicate in lengthy, intelligent conversation. How does this happen? There a...

Our story continues where it left off last time. Miguel went home with his father after meeting with his friend Fabio. However, he was never able to talk with Fabio about his father´s planned escape. This is where we pick up with chapter 3. The plot continues straight into chapter 4 where Miguel will face a future that he had no desire for and without someone he loves very dearly. Now that you have read/listened to these 2 chapters, please comment on the bottom with a short 3-5 sentence summary of the chapters as well as with your personal reaction to the situation that Miguel faces and how this is emblematic of the conflict/problem faced by those who chose to flee Cuba.

Chapter 1 - Conmigo Please watch the video below while following along with the text in the video and the audio. The glossary for the book is available on the Google Classroom assignment if you'd like to pause and reference it. In this chapter, we will meet our main character, Miguel, and also be introduced to a problem that he will face. Chapter 2 - Amigo After watching the video for chapter 1, continue to the video for chapter 2. In this video, Miguel will go to his friend Fabio's house because he has an idea.

Introduction It is worthwhile to look at some of the customs and traditions found elsewhere in the world, not to criticize them necessarily, but to look at them with the eye-of-faith, discerning elements which we share in common with other believers as well as, through those same eyes, viewing the culture of the world as we view the culture of our own country, filled with other problems and issues that aren't always fully in-line with our beliefs. Begin by reading this short introductory article: La Quinceañera We are going to take a look at one noteworthy celebration that has a major impact on the lives of Spanish-speaking families: the Quinceañera. Wrap-Up Now that you've read about some of the celebrations in the Hispanic world as well as learned a little more about the very important quinceañera, please complete the Google Form to show your understanding and also to voice your reaction to what you've learned.

Part 1: Background of the Conflict The story we are going to read, El Escape Cubano, introduces us to an area of tension in the Spanish-speaking world and with the United States. Cuba and and the US have had a tumultuous relationship. Watch the video below for a good overview of the conflict. Part 2: Changes Under President Obama Watch the following videos for some information on groundbreaking changes made during the Obama Administration in regards to the official stance towards Cuba and the policy towards those fleeing Cuba, established under President Clinton. Normalizing Relations Ending “Wet-Foot, Dry-Foot” Part 3: A New Direction...A Better Deal Watch the following video for news on the latest developments in US-Cuba relations after President Trump took office.