Bethzaida Fernandez, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Spanish Language Program

I teach all levels of Spanish with an emphasis on intermediate and advance level courses with core content on health and Latinx immigration issues. My interests include second-language teaching and learning methodologies, technology in the second language classroom, community-based and service-learning pedagogies, intercultural competence development, Latinx immigrant experiences, Global/Public Heatlh issues related to immigrant populations. I am also interested in the study of happiness and well-being. I direct the Duke in Costa Rica summer abroad program and teach the course Language, Culture and Health in Costa Rica, and coordinate the Intermediate Spanish Language Program (SPAN 203).

Contact Info:

Office Location:	2122 Campus Drive, Durham, NC 27708
Email Address:
Web Pages:	https://sites.duke.edu/bridges/the-project/team/ https://sites.duke.edu/raicesrutasritmos/

Teaching (Spring 2025):

• SPANISH 203.02, INTERMEDIATE SPANISH Synopsis

  Crowell 107, MTuTh 08:45 AM-09:45 AM

• SPANISH 203.03, INTERMEDIATE SPANISH Synopsis

  Crowell 107, MTuTh 10:20 AM-11:20 AM

• SPANISH 306-1.01, HEALTH, CULTURE: SERVICE-LRNG Synopsis

  Friedl Bdg 126, TuTh 01:25 PM-02:40 PM

  (also cross-listed as GLHLTH 326-1.01, HLTHPOL 306-1.01, LSGS 306-1.01)

Office Hours:

Office Hours change every semester

Education:

M.A.	University of Northern Iowa	1992
B.A.	University of Northern Iowa	1989
Training Program in Language and Research	American Language Institute, Georgetown University	1987
Undergraduate Studies in Education, English and French	University of Costa Rica	1984

Specialties:

Spanish

Research Interests:

Master Thesis: Role of Attitudes and Motivation in Second Language Acquisition.

Areas of Interest:

Language Learning Methodologies
Developing Teaching Materials
Uses of Technology in the classroom
Service learning and Community Based Learning Pedagogies.
Development of Intercultural Competency in the Language Classrom.
Study Abroad

Keywords:

Cross-cultural studies • English language--Acquisition • Health Education • Hispanic Americans • Intercultural communication • Language acquisition • Service learning • Spanish language • Spanish language materials • Spanish language--Acquisition

Duties:

Coordinator Intermediate Spanish (SP203). Cultural Advisor, Spanish Language Program. Coordinator, Club Pura Vida, Spanish Conversation club

Recent Publications

1. contributor, Gente Intermedio (2011)  [author's comments]
2. with Vargas, BF; Fernandez, B, in progress (2011)