Flexing Language Skills: USciences Humanities Students Get Hands-On in Spanish Course

Editor's note: This article was written prior to University of the Sciences' merger with and into Saint Joseph's University and does not reflect the current, combined institution. References to programs, offices, colleges, employees, etc., may be historical information.

Learning a foreign language can be difficult without understanding the real-world use of the language. For students enrolled in Spanish 101 and 201 at USciences, they got hands-on experience during an all-Spanish yoga class on campus in December.

“Students have been working on vocabulary in Spanish around anatomy and body parts,” said Elena Costello PhD, assistant professor of medical humanities, who worked to coordinate the class with the Office of Student Life and the Athletic/Recreation Center.

“A gentle restorative yoga/meditation session allows them to put their knowledge into real life context, and I hope will also give them a gentle space for restoration as we approach the end of a demanding semester,” said Dr. Costello. The yoga class was led by instructor Marco Antonio Salgado Ascencio.

Virginia Uyehara ’24 (MedHum) said she isn’t usually up for a yoga practice, but enjoyed the class in Spanish. “I was impressed by how much of the class I understood,” said Uyehara.

“Dr. Costello's teaching emphasizes the importance of mental health which her students greatly appreciate,” said Samantha Young ’23 (BMS).

Young said she has used her Spanish skills when she was working as a retail pharmacy technician and anticipates that conversational Spanish would be helpful in the future.

“I am on track to complete the Spanish for Healthcare Professionals Certificate Program, so I hope this will provide me with a skill I can use in my future career as a physician,” said Young.