Making connections through language
IU Kokomo Spanish professor participates in teacher exchange with Brazil
By Danielle Rush
Communications Specialist, Indiana University Kokomo
Learning another language helps you connect with people around the world.
J.R. Pico, Indiana University Kokomo teaching professor in Spanish and humanities, models the importance of learning languages and the value of travel in his classroom and through his actions.
This year, realizing that his Portuguese was a bit rusty, he participated in Bilateral Educator Exchange (BEE), a program that pairs American educators with their counterparts in Brazil and Uruguay, in South America.
Pico first hosted Ingried Maria Weber, principal and teacher from Cliff Idiomas e Robótica LTDA in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for two weeks in February. Then in June, he spent two weeks as Weber’s guest in Brazil, visiting schools, experiencing the culture, and using his Portuguese.
“When you are totally immersed in the language, it makes a significant difference,” he said. “You are learning the language as it works, as you go to the movies, order in restaurants, and interact with native speakers.”
During Weber’s visit to Kokomo, Pico arranged visits at area middle and high schools, in addition to bringing her to campus.
“Her goal was to learn how the American education system works, practice her English, and document her visit,” he said.
Though he previously had learned Portuguese, which is Brazil’s official language, he hired a tutor to help him brush up on his skills.
“When you learn a language, it’s a never-ending process,” Pico said. “You have to continue using it. You need to be in contact with native speakers, watch moves, and listen to songs in the language to make sure you maintain it. This was part of my professional development, but it’s also something that gives me a lot of personal satisfaction. There is nothing more valued than when you visit somewhere and you can communicate and speak their language.”
While in Brazil, Pico toured multiple schools and universities and was invited to give presentations.
“I learned a lot about their educational system and how the language courses are taught and the methods they use,” he said. “I had the privilege to audit some classes, meet the professors, students, and upper administrators. I learned some strategies to implement the communicative approach more effectively and to do more creative projects in language and humanities classes.”
Pico would like to create a partnership between IU Kokomo and some of the universities he visited in Brazil, to create opportunities for students at both.
Weber said she and her students were grateful for his visit to her school, and that he made all of them comfortable participating in their conversation.
“It was a memorable, meaningful, and unique experience, which taught them a great deal,” she said, especially noting his presentations about the United States, where he is a citizen, and Colombia, where he grew up.
“His compliments on their language skills as well as their presentations, and his optimistic way of encouraging them to pursue their dreams increased their confidence in themselves,” Weber said of Pico’s impact at her school. “His generosity and kindness were contagious, showing us that we can always share and help others.”
Jill Woerner, director of the BEE program in the United States, said Pico made connections everywhere he visited, and set an example for his own students at IU Kokomo.
“He is modeling what an educator wants in their students,” she said. “This experience promotes the idea of connecting with others whose language and culture may be different than one’s own. It models how to safely step out of one’s comfort zone to learn about people and the world. And this type of experience reminds his students of the value of learning an additional language. It’s a great reminder of the number of people with whom you can connect when you speak Spanish or another language.”
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.