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In:Recent Developments in Hispanic Linguistics: Studies in structure, variation, and bilingualism
Edited by Michael Gradoville and Sean McKinnon
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 41] 2024
► pp. 268–288

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Chapter 11
Spanish for specific purposes in the United States

Trends, challenges, solutions, and future directions

ORCiD logo with link | Arizona State University
Published online: 4 October 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.41.11laf
Abstract
This article will provide an introduction to the field of Spanish for Specific Purposes (SSP) in the United States (U.S.) (situated within a global context) and will discuss the advantages of SSP courses and programs in U.S. university Spanish curricula. It will then provide an overview of trends in the development of the SSP field in Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. by comparing the SSP faculty profiles, motivations for including SSP in language curricula, theoretical frameworks underlying SSP research, research themes and domains studied in these three geographic regions. Finally, the article will explore several major challenges to the field of SSP in the U.S. and will propose solutions and future directions for addressing each challenge.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.SSP as an integral part of Spanish curricula
  • 3.Global trends and perspectives on SSP
    • 3.1Regional comparisons of SSP faculty professional profiles
    • 3.2Regional comparisons of SSP research
      • 3.2.1SSP research in Europe
      • 3.2.2Research in Latin America
      • 3.2.3SSP research in the United States
  • 4.Challenges, solutions, and future directions for SSP research and teaching in the U.S
    • 4.1Lack of communication, connections, and collaboration among SSP scholars and instructors in different geographic areas
      • 4.1.1The challenge
      • 4.1.2Solutions and future directions
    • 4.2Need to develop SSP students’ communicative competence and T&I skills to help address communication needs of marginalized U.S. Spanish speakers
      • 4.2.1The challenge
      • 4.2.2Solutions and future directions
    • 4.3Need to provide students with opportunities to develop their critical consciousness and transformative authenticity in order to work more effectively to help address challenges faced by the U.S. Latinx community
      • 4.3.1The challenge
      • 4.3.2Solutions and future directions
  • 5.Conclusions
  • References
References (86)
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