Diversifying the Curriculum: examples of how to introduce cultural diversity in Spanish Language Teaching

TY - CONF

T1 - Diversifying the Curriculum

T2 - University of Dundee Scholarship Conference 2025

AU - Crowe, Mayra

A2 - Smith, Julie

A2 - Duke-Williams, Emma

A2 - Holme, Richard

A2 - Srinivasan, Sundar

A2 - Spark, Gordon

A2 - Martindale, Linda

A2 - Kinnear, Susan

N1 - © 2025 The Author.

PY - 2025/10/6

Y1 - 2025/10/6

N2 - This paper examines practical examples of how to introduce cultural diversity in curriculum design for 'Spanish as a second or foreign language', moving away from a Euro-centric approach. Carmichael-Murphy and Ggbagbo have found that to 'truly decolonise the curriculum, universities must acknowledge the colonial legacies of the institution and how they shape experiences for students and staff today’. The University of Dundee, along with other Scottish HE institutions, have commissioned reports to acknowledge and address these legacies. In April 2022, the University of Dundee Founders Project Final Report was published to acknowledge its historical connections with colonialism and slavery. As part of the Next Steps recommended by the report, ‘decolonising the curriculum’ was pivotal in moving forward. The presentation will focus on examples implemented in the Spanish curriculum at University of Dundee. Spanish language is a world language and as such it should be presented when learnt and taught showing all its diversity. This paper by no means will explore the prescription of standardising the language, but rather the opportunity to showcase its richness through its cultural diversity. According to the Cervantes Institute Yearbook 2024, there are almost 500 million Spanish speakers with a native command of the language. It is relevant to note that only approximately 48 million are based in Spain leaving the remaining 452 million outside Europe. Carmichael-Murphy and Ggbagbo state that, ‘University curricula should strive to enable students to develop as global citizens; otherwise, there is a danger of (re)producing colonial practices.’ This presentation will showcase practical examples on how to enable Spanish language students to acquire intercultural awareness in their path to become global citizens by being exposed to the colonial legacy of Spanish Language and its diversity.

AB - This paper examines practical examples of how to introduce cultural diversity in curriculum design for 'Spanish as a second or foreign language', moving away from a Euro-centric approach. Carmichael-Murphy and Ggbagbo have found that to 'truly decolonise the curriculum, universities must acknowledge the colonial legacies of the institution and how they shape experiences for students and staff today’. The University of Dundee, along with other Scottish HE institutions, have commissioned reports to acknowledge and address these legacies. In April 2022, the University of Dundee Founders Project Final Report was published to acknowledge its historical connections with colonialism and slavery. As part of the Next Steps recommended by the report, ‘decolonising the curriculum’ was pivotal in moving forward. The presentation will focus on examples implemented in the Spanish curriculum at University of Dundee. Spanish language is a world language and as such it should be presented when learnt and taught showing all its diversity. This paper by no means will explore the prescription of standardising the language, but rather the opportunity to showcase its richness through its cultural diversity. According to the Cervantes Institute Yearbook 2024, there are almost 500 million Spanish speakers with a native command of the language. It is relevant to note that only approximately 48 million are based in Spain leaving the remaining 452 million outside Europe. Carmichael-Murphy and Ggbagbo state that, ‘University curricula should strive to enable students to develop as global citizens; otherwise, there is a danger of (re)producing colonial practices.’ This presentation will showcase practical examples on how to enable Spanish language students to acquire intercultural awareness in their path to become global citizens by being exposed to the colonial legacy of Spanish Language and its diversity.

U2 - 10.20933/100001457

DO - 10.20933/100001457

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 2 September 2025 through 3 September 2025

ER -