Category Archives: Speaking Spanish

What is the OPI?

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OPI stands for the Oral Proficiency Interview. It is a standarized oral assessment of your speaking and listening proficiency in another language. The American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) developed the test and certifies testers.

You may be required to take the test to determine your functional level of speaking Spanish. The test consists of a 20 to 30 minute interview either live or via a video chat tool like Skype or by telephone. The topic of the interview can range from many subjects but the tester is going to use your answers early in the discussion to generate topics to ask about later.

There are four mandatory phases:

  • Warm-up
  • Level checks
  • Probes
  • Wind-down

Check back here soon for tips on preparing for and taking the OPI.

 

What to do with my Spanish?

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So you’ve got skills, huh? Spanish skills. That’s great. But what good is it if you can’t ever use them. You even know that Spanish can help you get a job. It might even get you a ticket to see more of the world.  Then comes the frustrating realization that you don’t know how to use your Spanish.

That’s why the Professional Spanish Club was formed; we want you to take your Spanish further and we want your Spanish to take you further, too. The PSC can help you find out how to use your Spanish even if you majored in something else, especially if you majored in something else. There’s nothing better than using your Spanish in your career that you’ve been preparing for, and there’s never been a better time to have Spanish no matter what field you are in.

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Whether you’ve studied or trained in the medical field, safety engineering, criminal justice, social work, or many other occupations, Spanish can give you an advantage in the job market both here in the U.S. and abroad. Join the PSC for help in figuring all of this out and for opportunities to access college-level content, participate in exclusive live events like international conversation practice with native speakers, all while building a community of like-minded lovers of Spanish.

Membership in the club is free and gives you access to so much material and support. This is not classroom Spanish or run by robots. It’s run by real people, Ph.D.’s at a real university in Pennsylvania. And it’s about using Spanish in the real world. We say it’s “Real Spanish. Real life.” We’d love you to join us today. Visit the Membership page for more information and then join the club. Bienvenidos!