Mendoza-Morales, Fiorelys

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    Communicative competence in a biology course at the UPRM: A case study
    (2013) Mendoza-Morales, Fiorelys; Carroll, Kevin S.; College of Arts and Sciences - Arts; Morales Caro, Betsy; Mazak, Catherine; Department of English; Acosta, Dimaris
    Although Spanish is the official language in Puerto Rico (PR), the use of English medium courses, which are focused on specialized content areas, is very common at the University of Puerto Rico. This is due to the fact that the historical context is intrinsically related to language policy established by the government, creating a diversified environment where both, English and Spanish, can be used to teach classes. As a result, the faculty at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM) is a culturally diverse group where both Spanish and English can be used for instruction. The dual use of language could represent a problem for some students who consider their communicative skills in their second language are not adequate, resulting in anxiety to actively participate in class discussion. This case study used classroom observations, a questionnaire distributed to students, and interviews for its data collection. The purpose was to analyze the techniques used by a predominantly English-speaking professor from the Biology Department at UPRM. The most salient techniques found were: native language reinforcement, use of visual aids for comprehension, and culturally relevant examples to demonstrate concepts. Students identified how, the use of these strategies, worked towards lowering their linguistic anxiety in order to create a learning community ready, and instill confidence in students’ learning the course content. This thesis highlights the teaching strategies that may impact both, the acquisition and learning of the course content.