Lasting Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Second Language Spanish Teaching at Higher Education Institutions

Abstract: Second language (L2) teaching and learning was vitally altered by emergency remote teaching spurred by COVID-19, and a moment of rigorous professional development for many L2 teachers ensued (Seaman and Seaman 2022). This article reports findings from a national survey of postsecondary L2 Spanish teachers in the US asking about pedagogical practices and materials that they abandoned or adopted in the shift to remote or hybrid teaching and how changes have prevailed since. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that while some practices used to adapt to social distancing dissipated in the return to face-to-face teaching, many instructors adopted open-access materials, digital assignments, and alternative assessments into their regular curriculum and continue to utilize efficient processes such as electronic rubrics and virtual one-on-one meetings with students. The pandemic was a period of professional development, but the effect was greater for teachers of beginner-level classes, less experienced colleagues, and those without prior training in online teaching. Furthermore, instructors described changes in the needs and capabilities of learners resulting in a reduction in the quantity of content covered and more flexibility and leniency. These findings show how L2 curricular trends could continue to change while also informing teacher training and L2 curricular design.