Indigenous Ecuadorian woman and child
My portfolio theme is based on the culture and customs of Spanish-speaking countries in South America, particularly in Ecuador.
Ecuador is a country with a traditional South American population and,
although it is changing, has not been the traditional tourist site that some other
Spanish-speaking countries have been. I had the pleasure of visiting Ecuador in the summer
of 2000. Staying approximately 6 weeks, I was able to see and understand the people,
the culture, the language, and the customs to a certain extent and look forward to
sharing this information with students in my high school Spanish classes.
Although Ecuador is different in some ways than other South American countries,
it is also very similar. Being the smallest Spanish-speaking country in South America,
they have imported many customs, cultures, etc. from other more populated areas such as
Colombia and Peru.
To connect this information in a technological format, I plan on using the software
program of "High School Advantage 2000--Literature and Spanish." While this piece of
software doesn't focus solely on one country, it does offer lots of South American
vocabulary that is sometimes overlooked in traditional Spanish textbooks. Including
animations, simulations, and actual conversations with native speakers, this resource will
help students become accustomed to the native language, as it is spoken in actual
Spanish-speaking countries.
Drawing from my personal experiences and knowledge gained through various Spanish classes,
I feel that I am knowledgeable enough on this subject to make this my portfolio theme,
while also making it a helpful source of information for any Spanish student.