Foreign Language Study

The Division of Languages and Literature offers a Minor in Spanish and various electives at the elementary and intermediate levels. The Minor in Spanish is designed to equip students with foreign language skills to work in diverse fields. Students who complete the Minor have the opportunity to teach Spanish at elementary and high schools in the state of Mississippi. Our motto for the Spanish program is “Breaking linguistic and cultural barriers through the teaching of language” (Rompiendo barreras lingüísticas y culturales a través de la enseñanza de idioma).

Our main goal is to ensure that students attain communicative competence in Spanish, using the language appropriately and accurately in situational contexts. To achieve this goal, we have developed educational initiatives that integrate culture, bridge the cultural gap and differences, and eliminate linguistic barriers. Some of these include:

• TERTULIA: a forum that allows students to encounter live and authentic exchanges with other Spanish speaking persons, discussions, and educational games in the foreign language.

• CINE CLUB: a film festival held each semester to introduce students to the diverse cultural backgrounds of Spain and Latin America through cinematography. Films (movies and documentaries) of different genres and eras expose students to aspects of language and culture, followed by guided discussions.

• THE PULSERA PROJECT and the recognition of Hispanic cultural celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de Los Muertos among others.

• SPRING BREAK STUDY ABROAD is incorporated into SPA 403 courses.

• SUPPLEMENTAL TEACHING ENDORSEMENT: completion of the minor in Spanish also qualifies education majors for a supplemental endorsement in the teaching of Spanish.

Delta State offers face-to-face courses in biblical Greek that give students a reading knowledge of New Testament Greek.  The New Testament is one of the most significant texts in the “western canon.”  It has contributed to the history of western philosophy, theology, linguistics, and politics.  The ability to read the New Testament in its original language—Koine Greek—puts the reader in a far better position for critical reflection on the meaning of the New Testament than those who have only a knowledge of the New Testament in an English version, e.g., the King James Version or the Revised Standard Version.