The visibilisation of teaching and learning Spanish to SL in Nijar´s settlements

Abstract

This paper is the result carried out as part of a final degree research focuses on Spanish teaching-learning as a second language (SL), specifically, in an almost unknow context of language learning such as the migrant settlements in the Region of Níjar (to the East of the Province of Almeria, Andalusia). The main characteristic of these settlements is that their population lives in a precarious and irregular situation of residence in Spain. Learning Spanish is a necessity for social integration, but above all, in order to be able to work and to be able to do so with better guarantees of security, salary, etc.  On the other hand, it will allow them to regularise their residence status in this country. Therefore, based on this context, we present the results of this exploratory qualitative study to analyse, on the one hand, which entities are in charge of this type of teaching and, on the other, to find out about various aspects related to this complex teaching framework, such as the needs of these learners or the processes and resources used by teachers to teach Spanish as a SL, among other issues. For this purpose, we used participant observation, a survey and a semi-structured interview as research instruments. Among the findings, it is worth highlighting the diversity of the students, their resources (both in terms of time and the need to create flexible learning spaces, with materials adapted to their needs and possibilities and with teachers trained to deal with this type of teaching. Undoubtedly, this research provides information on a specific context which is very unknown in the academic field context yet unknown.