1: Introducing Tarea Libre 2
Introduction to Tarea Libre 2
This is an instructor guide to Tarea Libre 2 . The Tarea Libre 2 project is a comprehensive and accessible Open Educational Resources question bank of 800 interactive activities created in ADAPT for second-year Spanish courses for California Community Colleges (CCC) that can be used via ADAPT or linked to a campus Learning Management System via LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability). This LTI integration seamlessly connects the assigned activities to the grade book streamlining the assigning and grading of homework.
The project follows the success of Tarea Libre for first-year Spanish and aims to create the foundation for a cohesive OER Spanish language homework set equivalent to what is available through paid-subscriptions licenses provided by commercial publishers. This homework ancillary fills an existing gap in OER and increases the likelihood of OER adoption in the first two years of Spanish courses.
Tarea Libre 2 aligns with California’s C-ID SPAN 200 and SPAN 210 , the curriculum standard for higher education disciplines. Additionally, the project aligns with existing Spanish OER text materials already identified on the ASCCC OERI Spanish Discipline page . It includes a variety of formative and summative assessments that cover a range of skills. Each module has multiple levels of engagement, allowing instructors to create homework assignments that address different skill levels. Additionally, it will enable students to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) IDEA framework of inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism is at the foundation of this project. All 8 modules have been designed to address them through various readings that underscore the cultural practices of minoritized groups in the Spanish-speaking world, including the United States.
About the Project
Tarea Libre covers 32 grammar topics typically taught in second-year Spanish courses. To increase adaptability and flexibility for instructors, the project has 4 modules for SPAN 200 and 4 modules for SPAN 210 , based on California’s C-ID curriculum model.
Each module is comprised of 4 to 5 grammar topics and listening, speaking, and reading comprehension activities. As found on most homework (workbook and lab activities), each grammar topic has a four levels of mastering steps:
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Paso 1 "Empecemos"
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Paso 2 "Continuemos"
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Paso 3 "Practiquemos"
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Paso 4 "Avancemos”
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De todo un poco
Each grammar module has an average of 20 auto-graded activities.
In addition to these auto-graded activities, Tarea Libre 2 includes four sections of instructor-graded and auto-graded activities that target oral, speaking, and reading skills:
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Hablemos: Using the ADAPT recorder, students answer the prompt questions.
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Escuchemos: These short thematic videos were created in Powtoon. Using the ADAPT recorder, students provide their answers after watching these videos.
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Leamos: These cultural readings with narration and auto-graded comprehension questions were created on various topics.
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Conversemos: Through these interactive discussion assessments, students are able to post audio, video, or text submissions. Topics are directly connected to topics in Acceso .
About the Integration of IDEA Principles and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
IDEA principles and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) are integral to our project. The project’s eight modules contain a variety of cultural themes across the Spanish-speaking world. We, as authors, have curated modules that celebrate the rich cultural tapestry of the Spanish-speaking world. Through the inclusion of voices, stories, and traditions that are often overlooked in standard textbooks, we aim to provide a more inclusive and engaging learning experience.
From personal narratives like those of Chef José Andrés and Albert Espinosa, to exploring the multicultural influences shaping Latin American societies, such as the Levantine roots of tacos al pastor and Korean immigration in Mexico, our content highlights the complexity of these communities. Moreover, our focus on Indigenous groups—through articles on the Garifuna, Ngäbe-Buglé, Mapuche, Rapa Nui, and sustainable initiatives in the Moskitia—underscores the importance of preserving cultural diversity and ancestral knowledge.
By embracing these diverse perspectives, we hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for the varied and dynamic cultures that make up the Spanish-speaking world.
Thumbnail image by Wikimedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 license