Furthermore, I was able to produce cross-cultural comparisons and differences as the ACTFL Scorer gave me the opportunity to elaborate about my Study Abroad Experience in further detail. Thus, I was proposing and defending these similarities and differences based upon being an aspiring Foreign Language Educator and a Server at a Mexican Restaurant with the role of Educators and Servers in the Spanish Level. As a consequence of this cultural aspect of this conversation, I demonstrated that I was able to compile multiple elements together in regards to both the target culture and the target language which exhibits my ability to construct a meaningful and coherent oral response that demonstrated my understanding of both target languages and cultures. I feel that is it important to add that this documentation is a reflection of my ability to use numerous communicative tasks within the target language in both the educational and real-life situations. This component is extremely important as I aspire to be an active communicator in the classroom environment and in the Hispanic Community. Most importantly, my OPI Certification is a contribution to my own personal goal of linguistic proficiency as it reveals to the reader that my communicative skills, not only give me the opportunity to talk to non-native speakers, but also non-native speakers as well. Although, this depicts a high-level of interpersonal proficiency the document goes into detail explaining that I am still able to grow a foreign language speaker with further elaboration and explanation so that I am able to work towards falling under the Superior Category. Thus, showing that there is room for me to further perfect my oral skills in the target language.

  

            Additionally, I chose to use a Literary and Cultural Written Exam as a demonstration of my Interpretative Skills regarding the target language as I had to read the short story “Griselle” by Spanish Writer Juan Gómez Bárcena and analyze the main theme of the play by providing evidence from the text. Furthermore, I had to come up with a subtheme based upon the theme that I presented as the main theme with textual evidence as well. In my opinion, this written assessment reflects my Interpretative Skills within the target language as I demonstrated that I was able to evaluate a text by making judgements based upon the actions of the characters in the story. In addition, this evaluation included a justification component to truly show that I had fully comprehended the text that I had read.  It is important to mention that this assessment showed that I was able to make cultural connections with the text and the Spanish Gender Roles and Mentalities in the past due to my prior knowledge on the content area. Thus, I was able to take my comprehension to another level as I not only was making meaning of what was being said in the text, but establishing connections that I was able to use as additional support-in addition to the textual evidence.

            Both of these documents are a contribution to my ongoing pursuit of linguistic proficiency as they both show that I am not just content with understanding the literal meanings of words, phrase, idioms, or texts as I always strive to take my comprehension one step further by making connections and using certain Mexican Phrases to better understand the target language in both a figurative and literal way. Thus, improving my overall pedagogical skills.   

            My Video Recorded Presentation Assessment shows that I am able to provide an oral analysis on a very controversial topic while still maintaining a good grammatical structure. I feel that this reflects my skills as a Spanish Speaker as my linguistic skills to not create limitations when it comes to discussing cultural topics that are still problematic in today’s world. In this Video Recording, I discussed the role of the Catholic Church in the mistreatment of the indigenous tribes. This was something where I was tapping into my own faith, but it did not impact my analysis as no one has the ability to change what has already occurred. Thus, I was able to prepare and produce an oral analysis without letting this take ahold of me on a personal level which shows that I am able to use the information that I had learned during the time leading up to the exam in a hew way which enlightened me not only as a language learner, but also as a person. This particular artifact shows that I can meet a high-level of oral presentational skills as I had the opportunity to explain the ideas and concepts that I had learned in further detail, by talking about the texts as evidence to back up the judgements I made during the video recording.  

            In conclusion, I feel that both my WPT Certification and my Video Recording Assessment reveal my ability to continue my linguistic and written proficiency in the target language as they show my constant efforts to improve not just my pedagogical development as a future foreign language educator, but my professional development within the profession and as an individual.  

            Additionally, I chose my PowerPoint Presentation for this standard as I was able to present the past historical events that have lead to where Mexico stands politically in today’s world. I feel that this is important to demonstrating relationships and perspectives cross-culturally as I was able to link together various historical events and explain how these events have affected the decisions that this particular Spanish-Speaking Country has made both in the past and present. Thus, allowing me to apply my prior knowledge to establish connections with the knowledge that I have recently acquired as a foreign language learner. This particular artifact conveys comparisons between cultures as it allows you to see the impact that Mexico’s past has on the relationships that it has established with other Spanish-Speaking Countries and other Non-Speaking Spanish Countries through the ups and downs revealed in my presentation. As a result, I was able to portray my understanding of the crucial role that the culture framework plays as it impacts every relationship that not only the individual, but the country establishes with another individual and or country that has a different cultural framework. 

            To resume this reflection, I feel that it is important to include these documents as a reflection of meeting this cultural standard as it shows that I am not only desiring to make linguistic connections, but cultural ones to help me learn about how the target language is used to express the target culture which ultimately helps me grow as an individual. 

            I chose my ThingLink Project as it demonstrates my ability to compare interactions with Native Spanish Speakers and Non-Native Spanish Speaker through the use of texts, music, and interviews. As a result, I used this project to explain orally to my instructor and peers that Native Spanish Speakers can be distinguished through their accent which is evident when the target language is both spoken and or sung. As a result, I was able to propose that even us as Non-Native Spanish Speakers have the ability to figure out where Native Spanish Speakers are from based upon not only their pronunciations of certain letters, vowels, and consonants, but also due to the vocabulary that is used. Due to this portrayal of differences, I was able to depict both my cultural and linguistic knowledge by emphasizing the importance of the ever-changing linguistic system in different countries. It is important to note that I discussed the linguistic variations of individuals who have learned Spanish as either their Second Language or as their Foreign Language as certain traits can helps us distinguish these individuals’ origins.

            Overall, both of these artifacts demonstrate my ability to continuing to increase my linguistic knowledge as I convey its importance when it comes to acquiring another language in the works that I have described above. 

            My essay on the Taíno Culture reflects my ability to depict the influence of the indigenous culture as a significant cultural theme which is often presented in texts regarding the target culture. Thus, allowing me to demonstrate my understanding of cultural texts as numerous cultural texts shows us that so much of the Hispanic Culture is derived from how the indigenous people used to live their live. As a result, I am able to make connections between both the past and present Hispanic Culture through cultural texts.   Thus, allowing me to put both past and present cultural elements together to produce a better understanding of the Contemporary Hispanic Culture that is practiced in today’s world. 

            Both of these artifacts represent my constant pursuit to continue enhancing my cultural knowledge my analyzing literary texts about specific cultures and cultural themes which have impacted the growth and development of the Hispanic Culture as we know it.