Hoyland: MLO1
MLO 1: Language Proficiency
The student sustains performance in speaking, listening, reading and writing at the Advanced level of language
proficiency, as outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL):
MLO Outcomes
1.1 Speaking ability: The student is able to satisfy the requirements of everyday situations and routine
school and work requirements. Can communicate facts and talk casually about topics of current public
and personal interest, using general vocabulary. The student can be understood without difficulty by native
speakers.
1.2 Listening ability: The student is able to understand main ideas and most details of connected
discourse on a variety of topics beyond the immediacy of the situation. Comprehension may be uneven
due to a variety of linguistic factors and topics.
1.3 Reading ability: The student is able to read prose selections of several paragraphs in length,
particularly if printed clearly and if prose is in familiar sentence patterns. Reader understands the main
ideas and facts but may miss some details. At this level the student can read such texts as descriptions,
narratives, short stories, news items and routine personal and business correspondence.
1.4 Writing ability: The student is able to write routine social correspondence and join sentences in simple
discourse of at least several paragraphs in length on familiar topics, and is able to express him/herself
simply with some circumlocution. Good control of the most frequently used syntactic structures, but
makes frequent errors in producing complex sentences. Writing is understandable to natives not used to
the writing of non-natives.
MLO 1 Reflection
MLO 1 is officially assessed during the Capstone course through the final capstone presentation and submission
of the final capstone paper although each class I have taken as a Spanish major as well as outside personal
experiences, internships, employment, and extracurricular activities have applied towards the completion of the
MLO outcomes.
For the speaking ability outcome I have spent considerable amounts of time outside of class to increase my
speaking abilities. Because of the number of students attending lectures, speaking opportunities during class can
be limited. As a transfer student entering the major I questioned my true abilities to speak the Spanish language
at a high level until I had the opportunity to put my skills to use outside of the classroom in my service learning
experiences. These experiences showed me that I was able to speak for long periods of time in the language as
well as pull ideas together and form arguments on the spot without having time to prepare my statements ahead
of time. I have continued to spend significant amounts of time speaking Spanish with co-workers and friends to
develop these skills.
I have seen significant improvements in my listening abilities during the four semesters I have spent at CSUMB
as a Spanish major. I struggled for the first semester or two and relied on other students at times when I did not
understand the lectures. After spending time as an intern speaking Spanish in an office setting and beginning a
new job communicating with co-workers in Spanish on a daily basis, I have seen incredible improvements in my
listening and comprehension skills. I am amazed to be able to sit through two hour lectures taught in Spanish
and understand everything that is said as well as being able to comfortably participate in discussion.
My Spanish reading ability has slowly improved through the completion of several classes. The Introduction to
Hispanic Literature course specifically pushed me to focus on improving my reading skills to be able to participate in class dialogue and complete class assignments. In this course we read and analyzed in-depth several short stories and poems written in Spanish by well-known authors from Spain, Central and South America. The Advanced Spanish Grammar class I am in the process of completing this semester has also provided necessary insight into sentence structure and unique qualities of the Spanish language that have helped to build upon my reading skills.
I have completed several Spanish writing assignments of noteworthy length in the classes I have completed for
my graduation requirements including research projects of several pages written over a length of time as well as
timed essay assignments for midterm and final exams. I think that both of these types of written projects show
my ability to think critically and write academically in Spanish as well as produce important information and
arguments at will.
I have provided links below to provide additional support towards my completion of the MLO.
Samples:
SPAN 304 Narrative Midterm
SPAN 316 Midterm Essay
The student sustains performance in speaking, listening, reading and writing at the Advanced level of language
proficiency, as outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL):
MLO Outcomes
1.1 Speaking ability: The student is able to satisfy the requirements of everyday situations and routine
school and work requirements. Can communicate facts and talk casually about topics of current public
and personal interest, using general vocabulary. The student can be understood without difficulty by native
speakers.
1.2 Listening ability: The student is able to understand main ideas and most details of connected
discourse on a variety of topics beyond the immediacy of the situation. Comprehension may be uneven
due to a variety of linguistic factors and topics.
1.3 Reading ability: The student is able to read prose selections of several paragraphs in length,
particularly if printed clearly and if prose is in familiar sentence patterns. Reader understands the main
ideas and facts but may miss some details. At this level the student can read such texts as descriptions,
narratives, short stories, news items and routine personal and business correspondence.
1.4 Writing ability: The student is able to write routine social correspondence and join sentences in simple
discourse of at least several paragraphs in length on familiar topics, and is able to express him/herself
simply with some circumlocution. Good control of the most frequently used syntactic structures, but
makes frequent errors in producing complex sentences. Writing is understandable to natives not used to
the writing of non-natives.
MLO 1 Reflection
MLO 1 is officially assessed during the Capstone course through the final capstone presentation and submission
of the final capstone paper although each class I have taken as a Spanish major as well as outside personal
experiences, internships, employment, and extracurricular activities have applied towards the completion of the
MLO outcomes.
For the speaking ability outcome I have spent considerable amounts of time outside of class to increase my
speaking abilities. Because of the number of students attending lectures, speaking opportunities during class can
be limited. As a transfer student entering the major I questioned my true abilities to speak the Spanish language
at a high level until I had the opportunity to put my skills to use outside of the classroom in my service learning
experiences. These experiences showed me that I was able to speak for long periods of time in the language as
well as pull ideas together and form arguments on the spot without having time to prepare my statements ahead
of time. I have continued to spend significant amounts of time speaking Spanish with co-workers and friends to
develop these skills.
I have seen significant improvements in my listening abilities during the four semesters I have spent at CSUMB
as a Spanish major. I struggled for the first semester or two and relied on other students at times when I did not
understand the lectures. After spending time as an intern speaking Spanish in an office setting and beginning a
new job communicating with co-workers in Spanish on a daily basis, I have seen incredible improvements in my
listening and comprehension skills. I am amazed to be able to sit through two hour lectures taught in Spanish
and understand everything that is said as well as being able to comfortably participate in discussion.
My Spanish reading ability has slowly improved through the completion of several classes. The Introduction to
Hispanic Literature course specifically pushed me to focus on improving my reading skills to be able to participate in class dialogue and complete class assignments. In this course we read and analyzed in-depth several short stories and poems written in Spanish by well-known authors from Spain, Central and South America. The Advanced Spanish Grammar class I am in the process of completing this semester has also provided necessary insight into sentence structure and unique qualities of the Spanish language that have helped to build upon my reading skills.
I have completed several Spanish writing assignments of noteworthy length in the classes I have completed for
my graduation requirements including research projects of several pages written over a length of time as well as
timed essay assignments for midterm and final exams. I think that both of these types of written projects show
my ability to think critically and write academically in Spanish as well as produce important information and
arguments at will.
I have provided links below to provide additional support towards my completion of the MLO.
Samples:
SPAN 304 Narrative Midterm
SPAN 316 Midterm Essay
