During my internship as a Language Assistant at a university language center in Barcelona, Spain, I developed curriculum and led instruction for two distinct language groups: an English conversation group and an introductory Hebrew class. In the English group, I co-designed and facilitated ten weekly sessions for low- to intermediate-level adult learners, focusing on real-life speaking situations and cultural exchange between US traditions and local Catalan and Spanish culture. Because my students were primarily retired community members, our discussions also explored the generational challenges they faced, including how to navigate rapid technological change. For the Hebrew class, I independently designed and taught a ten-week beginner course entirely in Spanish to adult students learning for personal, religious, and academic interests. Because instructional resources for teaching Hebrew through Spanish are extremely rare, I developed original teaching materials from scratch, creating customized worksheets and trilingual slide decks presented in Hebrew, phonetic transliteration, and Spanish. By breaking down grammar concepts and developing targeted self-learning activities, I guided students with little to no prior background to achieve foundational literacy in reading, writing, and basic conversational Hebrew.
Working as a language assistant in Barcelona showed me how powerful clear, patient communication can be across cultures and generations. Because I was teaching beginner Hebrew in Spanish—a language I was continuing to refine myself—I had to be exceptionally intentional about pacing, simplifying complex ideas, and recognizing subtle cues when someone felt confused but hesitated to ask for help. Working with retired community members in my English group also deepened my understanding of the generational challenges older adults navigate daily. As an aspiring physician, these lessons in empathy, active listening, and bridging communication barriers will directly shape how I care for patients navigating unfamiliar and stressful medical environments.
Sapir Brand