La Charla An Interdisciplinary Course in Spanish Language and Latino Culture for Health Professionals University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dramatic demographic changes in the United States mirror the extent to which healthcare professionals and social workers are more and more encountering racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse patient populations. Hispanics are the fastest growing minority population in the United States and by the year 2000 it is estimated that Hispanics will be the largest minority population in the United States. North Carolina is the fifth largest agricultural state in the country and has a significant Hispanic migrant labor force. The national trends of population growth are evident in North Carolina as the Hispanic population is becoming less migrant and more resident.
At UNC Hospitals, community-based services, and other professional settings, it is becoming increasingly common to encounter Hispanic patients and clients who do not speak English. The cultural gap between patient/client and provider has been compared to an invisible border that is more significant than merely a division of language. This border is created by complex cultural differences that often lead to misunderstanding. Appropriate goals for healthcare providers and social workers, therefore, should include developing basic language skills and developing the knowledge, sensitivity and understanding for working with Hispanics in these professional settings. In response to the need for future healthcare professionals and social workers to develop these Spanish language and cultural skills, UNC is offering this interdisciplinary course, "La Charla," to students in Health Affairs and the School of Social Work.
"La Charla" is an 12-session course offered to UNC students in Health Affairs and Social Work. The course will emphasize elementary speaking and listening comprehension skills as well as important cultural aspects of the lives of Spanish-speaking clients. The course, which will meet for two hours each week, will consist of a one hour large group session focusing on language structure and culture including guest speakers from the community. During the second hour, students will meet in small interdisciplinary groups to practice language skills using role plays and case studies. There will be no required homework for the course, although, the more students are able to study their texts and notes, the faster they will progress. There will be optional language practice and cross-cultural opportunities in the community. There is no charge for the course, except for the cost of the textbooks, but enrollment is limited to 14 students per school and a completed application form is required. "La Charla" is not a credit course but the course is authorized by each of the participating schools and students completing the course will receive a certificate or letter documenting the course experience and their participation.
At completion of the course students will be able to welcome native Spanish speakers, instill confidence that someone is looking out for their interests, and conduct basic intake interviews. Students will also have a good understanding of Latino culture, and have an appreciation for all of the participating disciplines.
Currently the course carries no credit, but is authorized by each of the schools in Health Affairs and the School of Social Work. Each student who participates fully in the course will receive a certificate or letter from the course director describing the course and the student’s participation. Such documentation may be used in Dean’s letters, portfolios or resumes.
Students do not need to have any Spanish language skills or cross-cultural experiences to take this course. Students with some background in Spanish but limited conversational skills are encouraged to apply.
In order to learn and make progress with their Spanish language and cultural communication skills, students will need to commit to 12 two-hour sessions. It is also recommended that students commit themselves to reading 15 course book pages per week and review notes from the prior class. Since there are a limited number of available slots, students should consider enrollment in this course a serious commitment.
There will be no formal homework assignments.
The course will meet on Thursdays from 5:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. The first class of the spring semester will be held on Thursday, February 3, 2000, and the last class is scheduled for April 27, 2000. We are hoping to arrange make-up sessions for the Thursday evenings when degree programs require students to be out-of-town or to participate in official activities such as board exams.
Each of the seven schools participating in the course will have 14 available slots for students and they will be responsible for filling them. The deadline for turning in the required application form is January 24, 2000. The application form is also available here in PDF format.
Dentistry: questions to Enrique Platin (eplatin@email.unc.edu); forms at Academic Affairs and Admissions, room 105 Brauer Hall
Allied Health: questions to Judy White (jwhite@css.unc.edu), forms at each division’s office
Medicine: questions to Layli Milden (Layli_Milden@med.unc.edu); forms in room 314 Berryhill Hall
Nursing: questions to Bev Foster (Bev_Foster@unc.edu); forms at the Office of Student Services, room 301 Carrington Hall
Pharmacy: questions to Ralph Raasch (Ralph_Raasch@unc.edu); forms at the Office of Student Services, 117-B Beard Hall
Public Health: questions to Chris Harlan (charlan@sph.unc.edu); forms in room 263 Rosenau Hall
Social Work: questions to Dee Gamble (Dee_Gamble@unc.edu); forms at Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, room 370-G or 370-C
The course will meet at the School of Nursing, Carrington Hall in Room 001. The large group sessions will be held in the auditorium and the small groups will meet in classrooms also located in Carrington Hall.
There is no fee required for this course. Two small paperback books along with a course packet will need to be purchased. Participation in optional community cultural activities, such as a dinner at a local migrant labor camp, may have related charges.
According to the instructor, "Students who participate wholeheartedly in two semesters of "La Charla" will be able to communicate in any typical situation required for human survival. Diligent students will also be able to exchange pleasantries, discuss family life and perform "intake" evaluation in their various fields of expertise. Successful students will also be able to prescribe courses of action and to insure that patients or clients know what is happening during assessment and during any prescribed course of action. Students will also be able to communicate any expectations relating to future interaction. Communication may not be grammatically correct, but it will be effective."
Each week’s lecture will focus on language structure such as nouns, articles, gender, and verb tenses as well as vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
After a 15 minute break, students will meet in small, interdisciplinary sessions dedicated to Spanish language conversation. These sessions will involve a series of case studies and role plays which model scenes that are likely to unfold in the context of students’ professional lives.
There will be a number of optional opportunities during the course to practice language skills, become more culturally aware of the Latino community and gain direct community experience. These optional experiences include attending local Latino festivals, working at the SHAC clinic or other community-based programs, meeting regularly with a Spanish speaking conversation group, visiting a local migrant labor camp, attending the yearly Latin American Film Festival, and practicing language skills with tapes and videos at the Spanish Language Learning Center located within the Health Sciences Library.
Two small paperback books, Dictionary of Spoken Spanish and Thousand Most Important Words in Spanish, and a course book will need to be purchased. These learning aids are available at the Health Affairs Bookstore located on Medical Drive.
The large group session will be taught by Alan Archibald. Alan has been a Spanish language instructor for a number of years and has taught various groups from high school students to adult learners to doctors and judges. He is the co-founder of El Hogar Hispano, a non-profit organization dedicated to the health, education, occupation and habitation of central Carolina Hispanics, and has been involved with the Latino community for a number of years. Guest lecturers from the community will supplement cultural presentations by the instructor. The leaders of the interdisciplinary small group sessions will be native speakers from various backgrounds and involvement in the county.
Corina Duenas is the course director. An Advisory Committee has helped plan the course and will be involved throughout the year in monitoring the progress of the course. Members of the Advisory Committee include faculty and student representatives from Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and the School of Social Work. This course is supported by the Office of the Provost.