Associate Professor Jose Arce
Assistant Professor Jennifer Brown
Assistant Professor Steven M. Gardner
Assistant Professor Margaret A. Marek
Instructor Donna Walters

Spanish Course Listings

The study of foreign languages is a vital part of a liberal arts education. Students of Spanish gain direct experience of foreign cultures that depends their understanding of the world as they learn to read, write, and speak a language other than English. Professors integrate technology into the classroom utilizing the Internet, digital video, audio, and photos to enhance traditional teaching methods. These tools are used to compose and critique projects teaching students critical thinking skills in new and exciting ways. Students choosing to major in Spanish take advantage of the maximum personal attention that comes from small class sizes, trained student tutors, and technology facilitators. They work with their professors to match their skills and interests to develop a curriculum that fits their needs. The language courses are also valuable for students who are interested in International Studies or who wish to meet language requirements for graduate research in any field.

Students in the elementary and intermediate courses are required to tilize the superbly equipped language laboratory. This laboratory provides access to a wide variety of foreign language learning technologies, including special computer programs (word processing, self-paced tutorials, vocabulary and grammar references, testing, and full access to the World Wide Web), audio-cassette and video recorders, foreign satellite broadcasts, compact discs, and laser disk technology.

What opportunities are available for students?

Phi Sigma Iota is the international honors society for students in a foreign language. It recognizes outstanding ability and high standards of students of foreign languages, literatures, and cultures. To be considered for membership students must maintain a minimum GPA within their chosen language and as a part of their class.

Students choosing to major in Spanish are strongly encouraged to spend on semester or more immersed in a Spanish-speaking culture. The study abroad experience is used to put classroom learning into context. Foreign study may be arranged anywhere Spanish is natively spoken.

The Spanish Honors Program, available to Spanish majors, contains three parts:

• A structured study abroad experience
• High academic standing
• Completion of the departmental honors course (Spanish 480)

Parts one and two are monitored by the student’s advisor and will constitute the prerequisites for the honors course. Spanish 480 consists of an honors thesis written in the second semester of senior year to be presented (in English) to the Illinois College Community.

What opportunities are available after graduation?

Courses in Spanish will help prepare students seeking careers in international business and industry, social service involving foreign language communities, U.S. government missions abroad, and teaching modern languages in elementary or high schools.

Faculty Members in the Modern Language Program

Jose P. Arce
Associate Professor of Modern Languages (Spanish)
B.A. University of Texas-El Paso; M.A., Ph.D. University of Texas-Austin

Jennifer S. Brown
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages (French)
B.A. College of William and Mary; M.A., Ph.D. University of Virginia

Shanon Dickerson
Instructor in Modern Languages (Spanish)
B.A. Illinois College; M.A. Northern Illinois University

Bernd K. Estabrook
Associate Professor of Modern Languages (German)
B.A. Whitman College; M.A. Ph.D. University of California-Berkley

Steven M. Gardner
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages (Spanish)
B.A. Alma College; M.A. University of Delaware-Newark; Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Margaret A. Marek
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages (Spanish)
B.A. St. Olaf College; M.A., Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University

Almut Spalding
Assistant Professor of Modern Languages (German)
B.A. University of Heidelberg, Germany; M.Div. McCormick Theological Seminary; M.A. University of Iowa; M.A., Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Mioko Webster
Instructor in Modern Languages (Japanese)
A.A. Fort Scott Community College

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