Service-Learning: Overcoming Fears, Connecting with the Hispanic/Latino Community

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2016

Abstract

This chapter explores the reasons why adult Spanish language students claimed to be hesitant to participate in the local Hispanic/Latino community in a recent study on 25 students enrolled in a 400/500-level Spanish class with a service-learning component at a Southeastern university. Data come from student reflection papers, written four times over the course of the semester, analyzed through thematic content analysis. Findings indicate that students held specific fears about participating in the local Hispanic/Latino community, including fear of interacting with the community and insecurity about their ability to communicate with native speakers. The analysis of the reflection papers revealed that service-learning helped many students to overcome these fears. Pedagogical implications that consider ways in which service-learning can help learners overcome
their hesitance to participate in the local Hispanic/Latino community are discussed.

Publication Title

Dimension

Volume

2016

First Page

128

Last Page

146

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