Spanish as a Symbol of Cultural Identity: The Case of a Puerto Rican ESL High School Classroo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the purposes and functions of Spanish and English in an English as a second language high school classroom in Puerto Rico. A qualitative method was used to identify, describe, and analyze the uses of Spanish and English by the ESL teachers and students. The study explored the use of the L1 as a tool for L2 learning as well as the contexts that most facilitated language learning. A total of six twelfth grade students participated in the study, as well as two ESL teachers and the school principal. Classroom observations made over the course of two weeks, one-on-one interviews with each participant, and English curricular guides and standards from Puerto Rico's Department of Education were used to collect the data and triangulate the results. Major findings reveal that teachers and students employed Spanish and English for different purposes. Spanish had a cultural and identity meaning; it mainly had a social and conversational purpose whereas English was used for administrative purposes (e.g., deadlines). Findings also demonstrated that the political relationship of Puerto Rico with the United States has an impact on the teaching and learning of English on the island, which meant that high school students and teachers resisted the teaching and learning of English because it was associated with a loss of political independence and a thread to Puerto Rican cultural identity. Further research on the use of Spanish in the ESL classroom in Puerto Rico and its effects on L2 acquisition was recommended to gain a deeper understanding of the low level of English language proficiency among students in the public school system.