¡Con brío! - PROGRAM SAMPLER

About the Authors L A I L A DAWSON My love for Hispanic countries and cultures had its roots in Buenos Aires and Mexico City, where I spent my childhood. This foundation eventually led me to graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin and a teaching career, first at Virginia Union University and then at the University of Richmond, where, as director of the Intensive Spanish-Language Program I was able to help promote a communicative and truly student-centered approach to language learning, and also develop the department’s first service-learning course. My passion for travel was shared with students through summer study and service programs in Spain, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Honduras. I began writing Spanish textbooks in 1979. In my retirement, I work with Mexican immigrant women, teaching ESL and participating in community integration projects. Dedico este libro a mis queridos nietos, Joel, Maya y Emmy. Courtesy of Laila Dawson CONCHITA LUCAS MURI LLO I was born in Castile in the old university town of Salamanca, Spain. I spent my childhood in Galicia in the delightful city of Santiago de Compostela and thereafter, in the Basque Country, which greatly impacted my youth during the years I lived in Bilbao, and which continues to influence me as I spend every summer there. I obtained a Licenciatura in German from the University of Deusto in Bilbao and a Master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Iowa. I have also studied at the University of Saarbrücken in Germany and at the University of Perugia in Italy. After completing my studies in German, I moved to Madrid where I was hired to work as an interpreter at the Commission of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. There I interpreted fromGerman and French into Spanish. From Belgium I came to the United States. The combination of those experiences, my studies abroad and teaching at Black Hawk College (29 years) inspired me to conceive andwrite the first edition of this book togetherwith LailaDawson . The fruits of this collaboration further deepenedmy commitment to ¡Con brío! ’s second and third editions. I am thrilled to now have Donna Shelton as a co-author. Her dedication and expertise have been essential for the successful completion of this fourth edition. Dedico esta cuarta edición a Dale, mi marido, que tiene tanto brío. Courtesy of Conchita Lucas DONNA SHELTON I grew up in the Kansas City metropolitan area and began to study Spanish in junior high school. While I was an undergraduate at Baker University in Baldwin City, KS, a study- abroad experience in Guadalajara ignited my enduring fascination with the cultural richness of the Spanish-speaking world. I specialized in Latin American literature, but I soon realized that my passion was working with students in the early years of language and culture study. I taught Spanish at Phillips University in Enid, OK, led summer study-abroad programs in Mexico, and mentored students preparing to become teachers. Then, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, I directed a federal grant project that provided training to teachers in school districts with large Hispanic immigrant populations. Since 2004 I have taught all levels of Spanish courses at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK. I also served as program coordinator for nearly ten years. The students are from diverse backgrounds, and many will use the language in their work and personal lives in this region of the US. I enthusiastically agreed to serve as an author of this new edition of ¡Con brío! because it appreciates the needs of students of different ages and circumstances and it acknowledges the role of Hispanic culture in this country. Quiero dedicar este trabajo a mi marido, Richard, por su apoyo; y a mis estudiantes, especialmente a aquellos que ahora están enseñando español. Courtesy of Donna Shelton