The lecture requirements are designed to equip your students with the tools to examine texts through a critical and informed lens.
Before your normal lecture classes, you need to make sure that your students complete the activities assigned for each session. Developing a critical perspective doesn’t happen overnight; it grows gradually with practice, reflection, and guided engagement. Through these lectures, students will be able to recognize underlying assumptions, question what appears “neutral,” and become more attentive to the power dynamics embedded in everyday discourse.
The following lecture activities are designed to help students get a sense of how to analyze texts, so then you can have better discussion in class. Please note that the section “In- Class Activities” is based on the lecture requirements. That is why students must complete these lecture requirements before every class. Always refer to your syllabus to follow the curriculum intervention in the allotted time.
Please note:
- All classes are divided by week, and they follow a chronological order
- The lecture activities are designed with detailed instructions and linked activities that your students can follow very easily. This allows them to work independently as everythig is thoroughly guided.
- Before sending the materials to your students, make sure to link the files to a Google folder that you have access to. Most of the lecture requirements require students to submit a written reflection or something more elaborate. Make sure to link the folders where your students will be submitting their assignments.
Week 1/Class 1A
Analyzing the Dynamics of Power and Representation within Discourse.
Through these activities, we will discuss the beliefs and biases that are expressed toward minority groups, creating ethnic stereotypes that are acquired, reinforced, and expressed through discourse by majority groups. In addition, you will identify the influence of the media in creating, shaping, and manipulating the identities of marginalized and racialized groups. Remember to put your Spanish repertoire into practice as much as you can. In these activities, you can use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 1/Class 1B
Organizing the Toolbox for Critical Discourse Analysis
Through these activities, you will gain a general understanding of the goals of critical discourse analysis. You will also observe the linguistic tools used to carry out a linguistic analysis and its interpretation, taking into account the social, cultural, and political contexts that surround it in order to reach a meaningful interpretation. Remember to put your Spanish repertoire into practice as much as you can. In these activities, you can use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 2/Class 2A
Exploring racialized beliefs within Latin America.
In this section, you will explore some racialized beliefs within Latin America that stem from historical events which have erased African and Indigenous voices. Through the activities, you will examine the concepts of Afrolatinidad, Afrolatinx, and historical aspects that have shaped the presence of people of African descent in Latin America. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. In these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 2/Class 2B
A Glance at Textbooks Through Critical Analysis
The activities in this lesson are designed to help you become familiar with some methodologies and approaches for analyzing language textbooks. By looking at previous analyses of textbooks, you’ll be able to build a theoretical framework that helps you identify ideologies, representations, and stereotypes within educational materials. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. In these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 3/Class 3A
Studying the Textbook from a Raciolinguistic Perspective
The goal of these activities is to put into practice the concepts we discussed in class about analyzing textbooks using your analytical toolkit. You’ll be able to explore your textbook and ask questions that challenge ideas that may appear to be merely informative. In addition, the concept of linguistic profiling will help you identify the reasons behind the lack of Afrolatinx and Indigenous representation, as well as the elevation of certain countries over others in the construction of the “Spanish-speaking world” in your textbook. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. In these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 3/Class 3B
Analysing My Spanish Textbook from a Political Perspective: Spanish as a Global Language.
The activities in this unit will help you explore your textbook and pay attention to the type of Spanish that is most visible and most promoted. Based on your reflections and the articles you will read, you will be able to discuss why some forms of Spanish are more visible than others and how all these reflections relate to the lack of Afro-Latin and Indigenous representation in Spanish textbooks. In this way, you will have the opportunity to identify the political dimension of language. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. In these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 4/Class 4A
Critically Analyzing My Spanish Textbook: Steps to Consider
In this lesson, you will review the steps to follow in order to analyze your assigned textbook. The goal of this unit is to guide you in questioning the information your book presents so that you can ask the necessary questions to identify the stereotypes, prejudices, or assumptions present in the representations of Afro-Latinidad and Indigeneity in particular. By the end of the activities, you will have conducted a critical analysis of your book and will be ready to present these insights orally to your classmates. For this presentation, consider prioritizing your entire Spanish repertoire. You may use Spanglish, demonstrating your Spanish abilities as fully as possible.
Week 4/Class 4B
Oral Presentations/Your First Impressions
The presentations are designed to provide students with an opportunity to share their initial impressions with their peers. This exchange enables the identification of diverse perspectives, as students may draw on similar examples from the texts but interpret them in different ways. The presentations create a space for collective discussion, allowing participants to connect their observations to the theoretical concepts introduced in class and to receive feedback from both peers and the instructor. This stage carries the greatest weight within the curriculum intervention, as it emphasizes collaborative knowledge construction and the refinement of analytical skills through dialogue and reflection.
Week 5/Class 5A
Oral Presentations/Your First Impressions
The presentations are designed to provide students with an opportunity to share their initial impressions with their peers. This exchange enables the identification of diverse perspectives, as students may draw on similar examples from the texts but interpret them in different ways. The presentations create a space for collective discussion, allowing participants to connect their observations to the theoretical concepts introduced in class and to receive feedback from both peers and the instructor. This stage carries the greatest weight within the curriculum intervention, as it emphasizes collaborative knowledge construction and the refinement of analytical skills through dialogue and reflection.
Week 5/Class 5B
Analyzing The Power Structures Beyond the Textbook
At this point, you have already analyzed your textbook, drawn your own conclusions, and shared them with your classmates. Now, it is very important to examine the power structures that go beyond the textbook itself. To do that, it is essential to ask questions such as: Who are the authors? Which publishing houses are responsible for distributing this material? What audience is this book intended for? These questions help you understand the relationship between your textbook and its creators and support your interpretation. Through the following activities, you will gain a clearer view of publishing companies and the broader use of language as a consumable product. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. In these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 6/Class 6A
Questioning the Curriculum and the Role of Education from a Critical Perspective
In the activities of this lesson, you will have a very brief introduction to the concept of “hegemony.” The goal of this unit is to question the supposed “neutrality” of the knowledge we acquire through educational institutions and, above all, textbooks. In addition, this will help you critically examine the role that Artificial Intelligence plays in education and analyze these authorities of knowledge. Remember to use your Spanish repertoire as much as possible. Within these activities, you may use English, Spanish, or Spanglish.
Week 6/Class 6B
Drafting your essay
The purpose of these activities is to help you develop your essay in written form. Remember that you already have your entire analysis completed—you just need to explain your findings in writing. Consider the following recommendations carefully.
Week 7
