Other Opportunities to Learn Spanish on Campus
Along with our regular courses, the Spanish Language Program provides BC students with other opportunities to make contact with the Spanish language and the rich variety of cultures in the Hispanic world.
During the semester we organize a Spanish round-table (“Café en español”), which meets on a weekly basis. This informal meeting offers a unique opportunity for students to practice and improve their speaking skills with faculty and other students in a relaxed environment. All BC students who speak Spanish, regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in a Spanish Language Program course, are welcome!
What our students say about the Café en Español
“I love going to Café en Español! It’s refreshing to have a place to go and practice my Spanish, and I’ve met so many new people. Café en Español is the part of the week I look the most forward to.”
Courtney Griffin, Class of 2017
“In my experience at BC, Café en Español has been an invaluable tool to improve my Spanish and make amazing friends who share my passion for Spanish. I highly recommend it to anyone. Café is the best!”
Robert Harding, Class of 2017
“Café is an amazing opportunity the Spanish Language Program offers every week. My Spanish has improved drastically since attending and I have made great friends!”
Maria Slater, Class of 2018
The Language Lab serves as a center that provides for the learning and teaching needs of the many different language departments at Boston College. It boasts an extensive collection of textbooks, films, teaching materials, technological equipment, and multimedia language learning tools. The Laboratory, located in Lyons 313, is run by accommodating staff and is accessible throughout the week.
BC Spanish students can individually also take advantage of the many opportunities facilitated by the Language Laboratory which includes a variety of resources for Spanish learners:
- Spanish language learning titles (including textbooks/workbook-lab manuals/audio and/or video programs) = over 100 titles
- Documentary or Feature-length Films on DVD or VHS video = approx. 165 titles
- Spanish music recordings = approx. 150 titles
- Spanish language reference books (dictionaries, grammar texts) = 17 titles
Virtual Dual Immersion Exchange
Each academic year approximately 250-300 Spanish students participate in the Virtual Dual Immersion Exchange between Boston College and several Latin American universities, conversing with native speakers from across the Spanish-speaking world. Following the dual-immersion methodology, BC students and their partners—students from a Latin American university—split a normal class period in two, conversing in Spanish for 25-30 minutes and in English for another 25-30 minutes. Students have had the opportunity to speak with students from universities such as Pontificia Universidad Javierana Cali (Colombia), Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Caracas, Venezuela), Universidad Iberoamericana de León (Mexico), Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla (Mexico), Universidad Iberoamericana Torreón (Mexico) and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) (Guadalajara, Mexico), among others.
What our students say about the Virtual Dual Immersion sessions in the Language Lab
“The Virtual Dual Immersion sessions gave me the confidence to use what I learned in class in a practical setting. I had spoken a good amount of Spanish with other students and with my professors in a formal classroom setting, but it was especially affirming for me to experience that I could actually communicate with native speakers, other than my professors. This is one of the clear examples of how the Spanish Language program professors are able to diversify class time and engage their students.”
Adela Kodra, Class of 2017
“Skyping with students from Mexico the past two semesters has been a unique opportunity to take the Spanish skills we have learned in the classroom and apply them through conversation. Speaking with students from contrasting cultures was a fun, new experience that has reinforced my interest in Spanish and its culture.”
Kate Miklavic, Class of 2018
“I enjoyed participating in the Virtual Dual Immersion sessions because it was really cool to be able to practice using my Spanish conversationally and learn a little bit more about Mexican culture and language at the same time. The girl with whom I talked to taught me a few Spanish expressions that are unique to Mexico like ‘¡qué padre!’ which means ‘that’s cool!’ or ‘how cool’ and ‘no inventes’ which roughly translates to ‘no way!'”
Erin Griffin, Class of 2018