1202 W. Thomas Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85013
602–285–7500

Faculty and Staff Take Advantage of Two-week Hispanic Language and Culture Workshop

by: Christy Skeen

The Phoenix College Foreign Languages Department recently held a two-week Hispanic Language and Culture workshop for faculty and staff. Participants received two full weeks of valuable language and culture instruction, listened to guest speakers, visited with members of the Hispanic community and sampled traditional foods of the Hispanic culture.

This unique program, which has been offered every summer since 1989, is designed to address the needs and promote a better understanding of the college’s growing Hispanic student population.

"We developed this workshop for a number of reasons," said Delia Escalante, workshop coordinator and Spanish faculty. "We want our students to feel comfortable and feel like they can relate to their instructors and others involved in their college experience. Therefore, we felt that it was extremely important to offer a workshop that would address not only sensitive issues but a workshop that would also create awareness and enlighten our campus community about the history and background of the Hispanic culture. The language instruction is only a minor component of the program."

Participants were in class for fours hours a day for two weeks, engaged in hands-on learning. Their activities ranged from language instruction to listening to guest speakers. This year’s guest speakers included: Ricardo Pimentel, columnist for The Arizona Republic; Constantino López, Anthony Estrada, Violeta Téllez, M.E.Ch.A. student organization; María Enciso (PC), Miranda López (SMCC) and María Reyes (EMCC), Title V directors; and Fabio Correa, local educator and Phoenix College Spanish adjunct instructor.

Workshop participants visited the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix and also received a cooking lesson on how to make corn and flour tortillas and pico de gallo.

Escalante believes that this course is extremely valuable.

"The workshop opens your eyes," added Escalante. "It reveals that there is so much more to learn about the Hispanic culture. Many only associate the Hispanic culture with Mexico; however, this workshop addresses the cross-section of Hispanic communities.

The Foreign Languages Department will host another workshop next summer. For those that are interested, please contact Delia Escalante at (602) 285-7170.