My Experience in Teaching the Spanish language

The Spanish Language has been a vital component of my professional and pedagogical career. Spanish is my mother language and also my first language; therefore, I received both my Primary and Secondary education in the Spanish language. Being specialized in teaching Spanish as a Second Language (SSL), and Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL), I have gained remarkable experience in training teachers/educators to teach and implement the Spanish as a second language in both the Primary and Secondary schools in Belize. After obtaining experience in the field and elaborating didactic material for teaching in the classroom setting, teaching Spanish as a second language has become my ideal strength in my professional career.

As a fundamental component of my specialization in the teaching of SSL and SFL, I successfully completed a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Spanish Education at the University of Belize. Consecutively, I have completed my Master’s Degree in the Training of Teachers to teach Spanish as a Foreign Language at the European University of the Atlantic, in Spain. I am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education in the research line of Didactics of Foreign Languages and the Acquisition of Second Languages at the International Ibero-American University (UNINI), in Mexico.

As a result of acquiring a great deal of knowledge and experience in teaching Spanish as a second language, I have had the opportunity to teach the language at international entities throughout Belize. These include: The Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation “Simón Bolívar and Philip Goldson”, at the Venezuelan Embassy, and The Peace Corps Belize from the United States of America. Furthermore, I have had the opportunity to impart knowledge in various Secondary level Institutions. For instance, I have had the honor to teach at the Belmopan Baptist High School, Belmopan Methodist High School, and St. John’s College. At the Tertiary/Higher level Institutions, I am currently a Spanish Lecturer at the University of Belize with the responsibility of teaching language courses to students from all programs, including Teaching Method courses to students  pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Education and Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education Programs. Having the opportunity to impart my knowledge, I am able to teach the Spanish Language as a secondary language to the educators at the Primary School Level.

As a developer and publisher of educational didactic material, I have published the Spanish Book series, Mi Nuevo Mundo, that is directed for Primary Schools in Belize. Also, I have published a Spanish newspaper in Belize known as Prensa Latina. Furthermore, I participated in the development of the Spanish Program at the University of Belize. Presently, I am publishing the first Spanish Curriculum, along with four (4) different programs and their corresponding workbooks. The publication, Mi Nuevo Mundo, is intended to enforce and guide educators by demonstrating how to properly teach Spanish as a second language in Secondary Schools in Belize.

The teaching profession has provided me with the opportunity to become more specialized in this field of study, acquire vital knowledge, experience, and confidence to produce Spanish didactic materials that fulfills the linguistic needs of our country. Certainly, the content, teaching methods and strategies will enhance the knowledge of Belizean educators, allowing them to become versed in teaching Spanish as a second language at the different levels of the Belizean education system.

Attentively:

 Orlando Portillo