Research Guides
- University of Washington Libraries
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- UW Libraries
- Spanish Studies
- Open Educational Resources for Language Learning: Spanish
Spanish Studies: Open Educational Resources for Language Learning: Spanish
Where to Find Open Language Textbooks
Open textbooks can always be adapted to fit the needs of a specific course. UW instructors are encouraged to reach out to the Open Education Librarian for support.
- Open Textbook Library — LanguagesSearch or scroll to find the Spanish language textbooks and anthologies in this assorted-languages collection, which can be downloaded for no cost or printed at low cost. All textbooks are either used at multiple higher-education institutions or affiliated with an institution, scholarly society, or professional organization.
- OER Commons — Open Textbooks by SubjectThis large repository includes all kinds of open educational resources. Use the search limiters to narrow by education level, material type (e.g., textbooks), and subject. (Tip: Language is nested within Arts & Humanities.)
- ASCCC Open Educational Resources InitiativeResources in this collection have been peer-reviewed or selected for use by faculty at California community colleges. The collection focuses on elementary and intermediate Spanish courses and resources for heritage speakers.
Finding OER for Teaching and Learning Spanish
Instructors can freely mix and match these openly licensed resources or incorporate components into new work. Email the Open Education Librarian to learn more.
- Language OER at KUScroll down for links to Spanish resources, including books, the intermediate-level Acceso curriculum, and supplemental materials. The federally funded Open Language Resource Center at Kansas University focuses on creating OER for the secondary and post-secondary level.
- LibreTexts: SpanishThis collection provides open resources for English speakers learning Spanish. Note that LibreTexts has a separate library of Spanish-language textbooks for other subjects, Biblioteca Viva.
- Spanish | COERLLThis list links to grammar and literacy lessons, video and audio files, curriculum, and other resources. The Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning receives federal funding to produce and share OER.
- SpinTX Video ArchiveVideo clips and transcripts in this archive are selected from the Spanish in Texas Corpus, a collection of interviews with bilingual Spanish speakers. The Lesson Ideas page suggests ways to use clips in classwork or homework.
- Pressbooks Directory: Language Learning CollectionThis is a curated selection of notable language-learning materials published with Pressbooks, including several Spanish titles. Additional Spanish resources are available in the main Pressbooks Directory.
- Spanish Ancillary Activities and OER Materials — The Pathways ProjectThe open educational resources in this Boise State University repository can be used and adapted freely.
Recent Work in OER and Open Pedagogy
Hear from your peers: Speakers at the first Foreign Language OER Conference in March 2021 shared their experiences with developing OER and using open pedagogy for Spanish-language courses in higher education. All linked recordings are on YouTube.
- Open Educational Practices: Empowering Students to Share Their Voice and Knowledge Beyond the Classroom
Dr. Alegria Ribadeneira (Colorado State University, Pueblo) showcases a book and a website created by her students and shares some of the challenges of a project-based approach to language teaching. - Propias Palabras: An OER for Cultural Surveys of the Spanish-Speaking WorldSean Gullickson (University of Kansas) talks about how graduate student authors and faculty volunteers developed modules focused on primary texts from the Spanish-speaking world, each with an introduction and a range of activities.
- Ingresos: A Multiliteracies Approach to Intermediate Business SpanishAnne Hoffman-González and Michael Arnold (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities) discuss the creation of an OER for Spanish for the professions that includes reading, listening, writing, and speaking activities grounded in authentic texts.
- OER Beginning Spanish Curriculum Featuring Authenticity, Flexibility, Social Justice and MoreJenny Ceciliano and Lisa Notman (Portland State University) share their experiences with creating and implementing an OER language textbook informed by adult learning theory and social-justice pedagogy.
Made at UW
I'm All Ears: Spanish Pronunciation Course for Speakers of English by The author, an associate teaching professor at UW, uses video, audio, and interactive exercises as tools for instructors to teach pronunciation as well as for individual students to improve their pronunciation and check their own progress.
Language Learning OER Examples
Para vivir con salud by This webbook offers an introduction to reading different genres of literary and cultural texts from diverse communities in the Spanish-speaking world with a thematic focus on health. The authors provide learning objectives and tips for using the book in the classroom.
Mi idioma, mi comunidad: español para bilingües by This project-based textbook centers on students’ experiences with Spanish as a heritage language, identity, and belonging. It incorporates podcasts, videos, neighborhood maps, and music.
¡Chévere! Introductory Spanish I & II by Publication Date: 2021These multimedia texts offer a comprehensive introductory sequence, providing guidance and practice in reading, writing, listening to, and speaking Spanish. Each lesson includes self-grading practice activities.
JUNTXS by Publication Date: February 22, 2021Developed at The University of Queensland, Australia, JUNTXS adopts a critical and intercultural lens to help beginning learners improve their ability to read, speak, and understand Spanish as it is used across the world. As of November 2021, some modules were still under construction.
+ JUNTXS by Publication Date: February 23, 2021+JUNTXS, an intermediate companion to JUNTXS, is a media-rich open educational resource. As of November 2021, some modules were still under construction.
¡Libro Libre!Publication Date: July 2021 (2nd ed.)This beginning Spanish textbook created by a Spokane Community College instructor, now in its second edition, is available as a printable PDF or in Canvas with practice activities developed by students.
Co-Created By Students
Antología abierta de literatura hispana by Publication Date: August 2, 2017This critical anthology of literary texts from the Spanish-speaking world combines a focus on canonical authors and an attempt to include voices that have been marginalized. Each text has an introduction and annotations created by students.
La lingüística hispánica: Una introducción by Publication Date: July 18, 2019This student-authored and student-edited book aims to provide a simple introduction to Spanish linguistics for university students in the U.S. It is the product of a long-term open pedagogy project and is still in development.
¿Cómo suena? Fonética y fonología del español by Publication Date: May 14, 2021This Spanish linguistics resource was created by a lecturer and two independent-study students at the State University of New York at Oneonta. Future students will contribute additional chapters and materials to the book.