This document provides guidelines for a cultural presentation assignment in a Spanish language course. Students must choose a topic related to the culture of a Spanish-speaking country or region covered in class. They will research the topic, formulate a thesis, and present for 10-15 minutes in Spanish. The presentation should be engaging through the use of visual aids, music, food, etc. Students will be evaluated on content, organization, vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency, and supplemental materials.

1. There are five primary factors of the general environment that
include economic, cultural, international, political and legal
factors. These factors compose on how the general external
environment and could affect any organization to a great extent.
In our case the most relevant are economics, international and
cultural. As the year 2008 was a year of global recession and
many corporations, financial and non-financial both, wound up
their operations, all of the organizations around the world were
affected highly.
The discussion shall focus on global economic recession and
international factors and further the paper shall discuss the
movement of US population to suburbs areas in the cultural
factor heading. The subheadings for economic will be the global
financial crisis, the financial performance of various companies
in the women apparel industry from 2004 to 2008 and
restructuring plans introduced in 2008. The subheadings under
cultural factor will be the change in culture after 1980s,
branding extension focused by various brands and industry
development through creation of brand loyalties. In the
international factor, the subheadings will be impact of global
recession on women apparel industry, the overall demand,
impact of global recession on merchandise supplier operating
round the globe.
Economic Section:
In this section there shall be a discussion over the global
recession of 2008 which generated a wave of retail closure
around the globe. This shall take into account the inflation
rates, borrowing rates, monetary policies of various
governments, balance of payments, and the exchange rate
differences caused by currency fluctuations. Also it shall be
discussed that how the above factors affect the women apparel
industry as a whole and what are the after effects of the 2008

2. financial crises on various companies of the women apparel
sector.
Cultural Section:
In this section there shall be a discussion over the impact of
movement of US population to suburbs areas which raised the
standard of life style and increased the customer base for many
corporations and also initiated the establishment of many
fashion and apparel industries. Further, a discussion about the
relevance of brand image in the women apparel industry with
the culture that existed in different decades is also required and
the paper shall also discuss the adaptation by the management
of various firms procedures related to brand loyalty to capture a
large share of market and keep their customers with them for a
longer period.
International Section:
In this section the discussion shall focus on the relations and
dependency of industry leaders on its supplier operating round
the globe and how the global recession could have impacted the
going concern of the various companies in the women apparel
industry if they were dependent upon a small number of
suppliers. Further, there shall be a discussion over the threats to
the local industry from international competitors and
opportunities available with these companies in the
international market.
SPANISH BASIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
CULTURAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES (10% final grade)
POSSIBLE TOPICS
Attendance on cultural presentation days is mandatory.
Absences on one of these days will lower your grade by 50%.
Students should pick an interesting cultural topic from a
Spanish speaking country that we have covered this semester,

3. and prepare a 10-15 minute presentation in Spanish to give to
the class during the last week. Make sure you time your
presentation: make it engaging!
Spanish 102- Specific topics based on the chapters covered:
(1) Any aspect (political, economic, historical, music, sports)
related to one of the following countries: Chile, Colombia,
Panamá, México, Perú, Bolivia, and Cuba.
(2) Painters: Roberto Matta, Fernando Botero, Guillaume, Frida
Kahlo, David A. Sequeiros, Diego Rivera, José C. Orozco,
Wilfredo Lam, Enrique Martínez Celaya
(3) Writers: Isabel Allende, Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral,
Gabriel García Márquez, Fernando Vallejo, Arnulfo Arias,
Mario Vargas Llosa.
(4) Musicians: Violeta Parra, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Arturo
Sandoval. (MUST ANALYZE AT LEATS ONE SONG)
(5) Any cultural topic that is related to the themes of the
chapters we have seen (cultural readings)
RESEARCH process
Once you have a topic –whichhas to be very concrete- you need
to pose a burning research question/s. The question is
provisionally answered with a hypothesis -the more interesting
the question, the more intriguing the answer and the research.
Then, through research (reading about the topic, making
interviews with relevant informants, visiting specific places in
Miami, etc.) students confirm/change/adapt and transform their
hypothesis into a thesis. The outcome of your research will be a
10 minutes (2 students) or 15 minutes (3 students) in-class
presentation on the topic, and a brief report -- in Spanish-- of
all your research and how you arrive at your conclusions (2
pages). Example of the research process:
Topic: Colombian painter Fernando Botero
Burning question: Why are figures so plumped up in Botero’s
paintings?
Hypothesis: Maybe the painter is trying to denounce our

4. obsession with
image and being thin?
Research: Look for interviews, the biography of the painter, his
ideas
about painting, etc.
Thesis: His painting style is based on …?
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PRESENTERS and NON-
PRESENTERS
Presentations need to be made with Power Point
Groups of two or three student. Each student should present for
five minutes. Bring music, photos, visuals, video, food, etc.
related to your topic. Each group should bring a handout with
relevant vocabulary and cultural information. You may even
prepare a follow-up activity for your peers (fill in the blanks,
brief game based on the cultural info, etc.)
PRESENT, DO NOT READ: In Public Speaking courses,
experts usually recommend to rehearse up to six times before
your actual presentation. Now considering that this presentation
is in your second language, rehearse your presentation
thoroughly.
Presentations should be practiced and well prepared and are not
to be read from a script (an outline may be used). AGAIN DO
NOT READ!
BE CREATIVE: Feel free to be as creative as you wish to
present the material to your classmates (power point, posters,
realia, etc). Presentations should be practiced and well
prepared. Your oral performance will be evaluated through
these presentations.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF NON-PRESENTERS: Make sure you
understand what your peers are presenting. Ask questions about

5. content, vocabulary and cultural information.. Attendance on
cultural presentation days is mandatory. Absences on one of
these days will lower your grade by 50%.
SPANISH BASIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
CULTURAL PROJECT
IN-CLASS ACTIVITY
** Bring this sheet the day of in-class Cultural Project
workshop
RESEARCH process
Once you have a topic –whichhas to be very concrete- you need
to pose a burning question/s. The question is provisionally
answered with a hypothesis -the more interesting the question,
the more intriguing the answer, and the research.
Then, through research (reading about the topic, making
interviews with relevant informants, visiting specific places in
Miami, etc.) you will confirm/change/adapt and transform your
hypothesis into a finalthesis. The outcome of your research will
be a 10 minutes (2 students) or 15 minutes (3 students) in-class
presentation on the topic, and a brief report -- in Spanish-- of
all your research (topic, thesis, conclusions, etc (2 pages). Be
creative for the in-class presentation. It can be done in any
format you feel is engaging and productive.
Example of the research process:

6. (1) Choose a specific topic: Colombian painter Fernando Botero
(2) Basic types of research questions:
(a) Why questions- looking for cause/effect or reason/result
relationships
e.g. Why are figures so plumped up in Botero’s paintings?
(b) Origin: What is the origin of his style? Who influenced this
painter?
(c) Goal question: What are Botero’s goals when he paints?
What is he after?
(d) Essence-question: What is the essence of his paintings?
(3) Hypothesis: Maybe the painter is trying to denounce our
obsession with
image and being thin?
(4) Research: Look for interviews, the biography of the
painter, his ideas
about painting, etc.
(5) Final thesis: His painting style is based on …?
NAME OF STUDENTS
1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
DATE OF PRESENTATION

7. _______ DE ______________ DE 20__
TOPIC (be very specific)
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
HYPOTHESIS
RESEARCH SOURCES
FORMAT OF PRESENTATION
POSIBLES FORMATOS:
* Noticiero
* Programa de opinión: buenas noticias, malas noticias
* Obra de teatro
* Exposición de arte-galería
* Periódico (con lectura en voz alta)
* Poema (con lectura en voz alta)
* Degustación culinaria
* Concierto (con canción original, compuesta por los
estudiantes)
* Skit humorístico
HANDOUT AND VISUALS, MUSIC, FOOD
GRADING CRITERIA: Cultural Project and Oral Presentations

8. NAME:______________________________________________
___________
CONTENT, ORGANIZATION, VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
USED
Well developed ideas, clear, to the point. Very well organized.
Rich and extensive vocabulary; very accurate use of grammar.
14
13
Ideas mostly well developed, fairly clear and relevant. Clear
organization. Occasionally lacks basic words; generally
adequate
for situation. Occasional mistakes.
12
11
Ideas present but not well developed. Somewhat disconnected
Presentation. Mostly inaccurate or inadequate vocabulary and
grammar.
10
9
Minimal and/or irrelevant information. Very disorganized.
Very limited vocabulary. Abundance of mistakes in grammar
covered during the course.

9. 8
7
ORAL PRESENTATION
COMPREHENSIBILITY and PRONUNCIATION
Completely comprehensible to instructor and classmates.
Generally good pronunciation, accurate stress.
12
11
Mostly comprehensible but with some errors, sometimes slow
and simple. Rather good but with some striking non-Spanish
sounds.
10
9
Frequent errors in use of language, sometimes impede
comprehensibility. Generally poor, use of non-Spanish vowels
and consonants, incorrect stress.
8
7
Mostly incomprehensible. Very poor and inaccurate
pronunciation patterns.

10. 6
5
FLUENCY
Speech generally natural and continuous; no unnatural pauses.
No reading from notes.
12
11
Some definite stumbling, but manages to rephrase or continue.
Reading from notes occasionally.
10
9
Speech frequently hesitant and jerky: sentences may be left
uncompleted. Student reads from notes frequently.
8
7
Speech halting and fragmentary: long, unnatural pauses or
utterances.
Student reads from notes almost everything.
6
5
WRITTEN REPORT, HANDOUTS & VISUALS
All materials presented by students are very effective and high
quality
12
11
Materials presented by students are adequate and mostly
effective
10
9

11. Materials presented by students are fair but not very effective as
presentation aids.
8
7
Materials presented and utilized by students are inadequate.
6
5
GRADE: / 50