Building Conceptual Understanding in Online Spanish

Posted February 20, 2026February 20, 2026 in SPARK!, Students, Teaching Spanish

Reading Time: 4 minutes

How do students truly understand grammatical concepts in a second language, especially in a remote asynchronous classroom? This project reimagines how Spanish preterite and imperfect tenses are taught by shifting away from rule memorization and toward conceptual understanding. Grounded in sociocultural theory, the study explores how learners develop deeper aspectual awareness when instruction centers on meaning rather than mechanical forms.

This research was presented at the Graduate Poster Exhibition during the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge). Developed within the Teaching Spanish (M.A.T) program, the project was completed by Elisa Alvarez Outerino. Her work examines how Concept-Based Instruction can promote conceptual development in novice second language learners within an online asynchronous university Spanish course.

At SPARK! 2025, Elisa Alvarez Outerino (Master of Arts in Teaching) examined how Concept-Based Instruction reshapes online Spanish learning. Moving past rote rules, her model builds deeper understanding of preterite and imperfect through conceptual development. pic.twitter.com/G09FQqAZ71
— RUC Graduate School (@RUC_GradSchool) February 21, 2026

Abstract: Aspectual Development in the Online-Asynchronous L2 Classroom through Concept-Based Instruction

Framed within a Sociocultural Theory approach to Second Language Development, this proposal examines the implementation of Concept-Based Instruction in the teaching and learning of Spanish preterite and imperfect tenses in a remote asynchronous second semester university Spanish course. The course was previously designed using traditional structural models that approach preterite and imperfect in a piecemeal and taxonomic fashion, relying on prescriptive rules and rote memorization.

To address this issue and support online instruction in the elementary Spanish sequence, the curriculum was redesigned to avoid structural approaches and instead implement a concept-based model to develop aspectual awareness and control over Spanish preterite and imperfect. This approach supports learner conceptual development and moves away from memorization and repetition, encouraging students to reflect on communicative choices through conceptual tools.

Using Vygotsky’s distinction between scientific and everyday concepts as applied to second language development, this poster showcases a pedagogical implementation of Concept-Based Instruction in a remote asynchronous context. The effectiveness of this model was examined in a second semester Spanish course with eight learners over a two week asynchronous sequence.

Learners’ emerging conceptual development was analyzed using multiple sources of developmental data, including conceptual awareness measures, morphological and aspectual accuracy in written narrations and cloze activities, verbalizations, reflection data, scaffolded tasks, and the creation of personal conceptual schemas. These schemas encouraged students to manipulate and internalize conceptual distinctions rather than memorize rules.

Preliminary results indicate that learners’ conscious manipulation of concepts during activity promoted a more sophisticated semantic understanding of aspectual categories and supported the internalization of grammatical concepts. Findings suggest increased precision in the use of preterite and imperfect both morphologically and conceptually, demonstrating that an asynchronous pedagogical model grounded in sociocultural principles can effectively promote conceptual development in novice second language learners of Spanish.

Graduate Poster Exhibition at SPARK!

The Graduate Poster Exhibition celebrates the research and creative work of the graduate community, showcasing everything from prose and code to original research and artistic expression. As part of SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge), a reimagining of Research Week, the exhibition highlights the depth, range, and impact of graduate scholarship and invites the campus community to engage with ideas taking shape across disciplines.

Teaching Spanish MAT: Preparing Educators for Tomorrow’s Spanish Classrooms

The Rutgers–Camden Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Spanish program equips students for careers in K–12 education and community colleges, offering practical training for teaching Spanish in bilingual settings. The program accommodates both fluent Spanish speakers from diverse backgrounds and Anglophone students seeking to enhance their Spanish fluency. Graduates gain advanced language skills, intensive pedagogical training, and cultural sensitivity, preparing them to meet the needs of their academic and cultural communities. This comprehensive approach, combined with immersive Spanish-language instruction, distinguishes the program from others in the region, preparing graduates to excel as Spanish-language educators in diverse educational environments.