SPANISH LANGUAGE FOR PARK

EMPLOYEES
Jay Johnstone
In collaboration with Professor Gary Cotton, University of
Phoenix
January 26, 2015

Background
The Hispanic demographic is the fastest growing demographic
in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
Hispanics constitute 60% of the population in my parks region
of South Florida. Many of the countrys Hispanic citizens are
recent immigrants and use Spanish as their primary household
language.
While the park service has made notable improvements in
accommodating non-English speaking visitors through multilanguage signage and brochures, one lacking component is
foreign language fluency among park staff.
This language training proposal aims to provide a basic level of

INTRODUCTION
The Conversational Spanish course is designed for the
non-Spanish speaking park staff who are in frequent
contact with visitors.
The course will provide a foundation of linguistic skills and
cultural studies such as common phrases, vocabulary and
cultural history.
The course will serve as an introduction to the four basic

Course logistics
The course will include in-class sessions, computerbased and smart phone application based learning and
distance learning.
Instructors will be fluent Spanish speaking park staff
from Biscayne and Everglades National Parks.
The course will be conducted over six weeks with two
forty-five minute classes per week during lunch breaks.

Target Audience
Non Spanish speaking park staff who interact frequently
with park visitors;
law enforcement
information desk personnel
interpretive and education rangers
park volunteers
maintenance staff.

Learning Goals and

Objectives

Learning Goal 1: Students will develop basic

linguistic skills.
Learning objectives: Students should be able to:
Demonstrate the ability to understand speech in
Spanish language in most park situations;
Demonstrate the ability to communicate orally in
Spanish language in park situations.
Demonstrate the ability to understand Spanish
language texts.
Demonstrate adequate mastery of the grammar of

Learning Goals and

Objectives
Learning Goal 2:Students should develop a
sense of the cultural aspects of the peoples who
speak Spanish language.
Objectives: Students should be able to:
Recognize political, social, economic, and
linguistic factors that influence components of
Spanish language and the culture.
Develop understanding of people of other
cultures in general and in the particular local
setting(s).

Instructional Strategies
The Spanish language training course will use
multiple instructional strategies and a variety of
activities. Strategies include:

on-line self-assessment test to determine

language fluency

traditional classroom settings and structure

personal tutors

self-paced on-line learning lessons and chapter

reviews.

Instructional
Technologies
Technology will play a large role in course delivery,
student homework assignments and student
assessments. Students will use:
On-line course calendars, assessments and
feedback forums
Spanish language smart phone applications
Rosetta Stone language software
Distance learning platforms
Podcasts and video blogs to review past course
presentations and exercises

Course Implementation
Timeline

The prototype Spanish Language course is six

weeks in length with forty-five minute classes
offered twice per week during lunch breaks.
The local rapid prototype start date is June, 2015.
The second six week regional prototype will be
offered to a broader audience in September, 2015.
The national six week prototype will be offered in
January, 2016.
The final version will be offered nationally in May,
2016 and again as interest and demand warrants.

Building Interest and Participation

In order to attract the widest participation and to ensure the final
product meets organizational standards, I will involve:
Local, regional and national training office for needs assessment
and review.
Local, regional and national training specialists to help evaluate
product development, application and summative data.
Park training specialists to help promote and recruit appropriate
audiences.

Evaluations
Formative Assessments play a large role in the development
of this course. I'll collect usability data through beta testing
the various components such as:
on-line elements
distance learning platforms
reading materials
homework assignments
demonstrations.

Evaluations
Summative evaluations will be used to evaluate
knowledge, skill and abilities. Students will take:
Authentic assessments to determine their Spanish
language proficiency and aptitude
Phone app and computer-based quizzes
Traditional quizzes such as multiple choice and
vocabulary tests

hsc.csu.edu.au

Additional Justification
Spanish speaking visitors to national parks are currently
receiving below average service due to the lack of park
staff with Spanish language fluency. While we may be able
to address the problem in the long run by hiring more
Spanish speaking staff in the future, we can also address
this issue by training current staff in basic, rudimentary
language skills.
By offering brief, intensive classes led by fellow park staff
and offered through variety of mediums, the park service
will take a proactive strategy to provide employees with
essential skills while providing improved public service to
a growing demographic.

References
Scriven, M. (1967). The methodology of evaluation. In R. W. Tyler, R. M. Gagne, & M.
Scriven (Eds.), Perspectives of curriculum evaluation, 39-83. Chicago, IL: Rand
McNally.
The Essentials of Instructional Design: Connecting Fundamental Principles with
Process and Practice, Second Edition Chapter 10: Determining the Success of the
Instructional Design Product and Process
Baker, S. K., & Good, R. H. (1995). Curriculum-based measurement of English
reading with bilingual Hispanic students: A validation study with second-grade
students. School Psychology Review, 24, 561-578.
Dick, W., Carey, L. & Carey, J. (2009). The systematic design of instruction. New
York: Longman
Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1994). Evaluating training programs: The four levels. San
Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.Publishers.