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Goal

The purpose of “Real Connections” is to immerse Spanish 3 and 4 students in authentic, real-world Spanish language and culture through curated materials that reflect how Spanish is used in professional, social, and cultural contexts across the Spanish-speaking world. This project aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the dynamic, global reality students will encounter in college, in the workforce, and as global citizens.

The need it addresses is the lack of access to real-world, engaging, and culturally relevant materials in the traditional classroom. While textbooks provide a strong grammatical foundation, they often lack current, authentic content that shows students how Spanish is used in real life — in magazines, job postings, online news, social media, visual storytelling, and career fields.

The project supports the following learning goals and outcomes:
1. Interpretive Communication (Reading/Listening)
2. Interpersonal and Presentational Communication
3. Cultural Competence and Career Readiness
4. Higher-Level Language Proficiency
As Spanish 3 and 4 are upper-level courses, this project emphasizes:
Advanced vocabulary for the workplace and academic discussions
Complex grammatical structures in an authentic context 

What will be done with my students

“Real Connections” is an immersive, culturally rich language project designed to connect Spanish 3 and 4 students with authentic, real-world uses of the Spanish language. The project brings the Spanish-speaking world into the classroom through real materials, career-readiness activities, and interactive experiences that deepen comprehension and engagement.
Core Activities:
Authentic Reading & Listening Materials:
Weekly reading and discussion using Spanish-language magazines (People en Español, Muy Interesante, National Geographic en Español)
Audio/visual media, including news clips, YouTube interviews, career-related podcasts, and social media content from Spanish-speaking influencers
Career Readiness Workshops (in Spanish):
Students will explore bilingual job postings and industry-specific language
Students will create bilingual résumés and write sample cover letters for real Spanish-speaking job roles
Simulated job interviews will be conducted in Spanish with peer feedback
Cultural Analysis & Presentations:
Students will research a profession and present how it is practiced in various Spanish-speaking countries
Collaborative projects (posters, short videos, or slides) to showcase how culture affects workplace communication
Visual Learning & Engagement Tools:
Use of visual aids such as infographics, maps, real advertisements, and brochures to promote visual literacy
Hands-on activities like creating mock LinkedIn profiles in Spanish or translating real-world materials.

This project addresses both academic and real-life learning gaps by allowing students to engage with Spanish in ways that are immediately relevant, practical, and inspiring. 

Benefits to my students

As a result of the “Real Connections” project, students in Spanish 3 and 4 will experience significant improvement in both their language proficiency and their confidence in applying Spanish in real-world settings.
Key Improvements:

Increased Fluency and Comprehension:
Exposure to authentic materials will help students better understand native speakers, regional vocabulary, and real-life language usage beyond the textbook.

Real-World Application of Language:
Students will see a clear connection between Spanish and future careers, helping them understand the practical value of bilingualism in fields like healthcare, education, business, and technology.

Cultural Competence, Engagement, and Motivation.

Measurement:
1. Language Proficiency Growth:
Pre- and Post-Project Assessments (interpretive and presentational tasks using authentic materials)

Rubrics aligned to ACTFL proficiency guidelines for reading, writing, speaking, and listening

2. Career-Readiness Skills:
Evaluation of student-created résumés, cover letters, and mock interview performances using professional rubrics

Student reflection journals on career exploration in Spanish-speaking contexts

3. Cultural Understanding:
Projects and presentations will include a culture rubric assessing students’ ability to compare and contrast practices, products, and perspectives across Spanish-speaking countries

4. Engagement & Student Voice:
End-of-project student surveys measuring interest, motivation, and perceived real-world value of Spanish

Class discussions and exit tickets focused on what students learned and how they see Spanish impacting their future 

Budget Narrative

The grant funds will be strategically used to equip my Spanish 3 and 4 classrooms with authentic, real-world resources that promote higher-level language acquisition, cultural understanding, and career readiness. Each item in the submitted list directly supports the activities and outcomes outlined in the project plan.

Each item requested is tied to a student-centered activity that aligns with ACTFL language standards and prepares students to use Spanish beyond the classroom. The materials are not only instructional, but practical and real, building a foundation for bilingual proficiency, cultural fluency, and future career success. 

Items