Event Summary

On November 26, 2021, the Taiwanese Association of Hispanists hosted an online workshop titled "Online Spanish Teaching Workshop: Vocabulary, Culture, and Gamified Teaching Strategies." Moderated by Professor Lan Wen-chun (NCCU), the session featured three speakers with extensive experience in online education. They shared practical techniques for overcoming the limitations of remote teaching through interactive tools and pedagogical designs to boost student motivation and learning outcomes.

Presentation Highlights

1. Three Techniques for Online Vocabulary Teaching

Speaker: Ms. Yolanda Yu (Director, Hsinchu Yolanda Language Center) Highlights:

• Guidance over Instruction: Emphasized that the core of vocabulary teaching lies in guiding repetitive practice rather than mere knowledge transmission.
• Maximizing Oral Output: Shared three techniques to lead students in using new vocabulary for simple conversations, ensuring mastery within the class.
• Pedagogical Impact: Argued that shifting the teacher's mindset to "guiding practice until mastery" significantly improves overall teaching effectiveness.

2. Applying Cultural Lessons in Remote Teaching: Colombia as a Case Study

Speaker: Ms. Isabella Wang (Senior Online Spanish and Mandarin Instructor) Highlights:

• Visual and Auditory Materials: Explored how to effectively use multimedia materials in the absence of physical cultural activities like dancing or coffee tasting.
• Anti-Orientalist Perspective: Guided students to identify micro-discriminations or post-colonial viewpoints in online information for a more nuanced understanding of Hispanic cultures.
• Case Analysis: Used the series "Narcos" to analyze how mass media shapes stereotypes of Colombia and provided a more authentic cultural background.

3. Integrating Educational Game Apps into Online Teaching

Speaker: Mr. Ángel Shen (Lecturer at NCCU-CPTC and various high schools) Highlights:

• Digital Tool Integration: Shared experiences integrating platforms like Blooket and WordWall into online classrooms to add fun to learning.
• Contextual Transition: Discussed the journey from traditional to online teaching and how to choose the right apps to support instruction.
• Knowledge Sharing: Provided practical examples to help teachers simplify complex digital tools, making classroom gamification more successful and engaging for students.

Event Information

• Time: November 26, 2021 (Fri) 20:00-21:30
• Location: Online (Google Meet)
• Moderator: Prof. Lan Wen-chun (National Chengchi University)