Engaging students for maximum foreign language achievement.

Although Andrea experiences difficulty in her listening and reading skills, she isn’t discouraged from still trying to get a better understanding of the language. She listens to her father and grandmother converse in Spanish on the phone or in person. By listening, Andrea is exposed to a variety of vocabulary and topics that have not yet been covered in her class. Andrea has an advantage that most students may not have with having relatives that can help her improve her Spanish. It helps to also have her father around should she have a question on any material written in Spanish should she have trouble getting in contact with her teacher.

Question 2:

Since learning Spanish in both a classroom and virtual learning, what is your preferred way to have class and why?

"I prefer it in class because it’s much easier…easier to ask questions, understand my teacher and what she is trying to say, I don’t have to worry about technical difficulties. Sometimes we can’t hear her because her microphone doesn’t work" (A. Ivanoska, personal communication, February 11, 2021).

Question 3:

Do you do any additional studying outside of the class to practice listening or reading? For example, watching a television program in Spanish or reading news articles in Spanish.

"My teacher gives us a lot of extra practice assignments so I try to do all of them. Also, I like to listen to my dad speak Spanish with my grand mom" (A. Ivanoska, personal communication, February 11, 2021).

Conclusion

COVID-19 has affected students in such a way that they are unable to attend class in person. For those students that prefer learning a foreign language face-to-face like Andrea, this is a serious challenge to overcome. New media has exploded as the main vehicle for virtual classroom instruction. The advent of Zoom has made it possible for students to connect as a class with their instructor in the safest way possible. With self-regulation, students can work on assignments and receive feedback from their teacher virtually which also serves to engage with classmates on a lesson. Students have a chance to have an interactive class that engages them with games and multimedia presentations. When students immerse themselves in authentic material outside of class, they are solidifying lessons discussed in class or inquire about new words and phrases.