There is increasing awareness of the need for field-specific communication skills in Spanish on the part of animal science and veterinary professionals.

Animal well-being is at stake when English-speaking professionals encounter a monolingual Spanish-speaking workforce. Currently, between 80% and 90% of the work force on livestock farms is made up of Spanish-speakers. Additionally, small animal veterinarians increasingly need the communicative skills to interact with Spanish-speaking pet owners about animal care.

Our Spanish language program addresses this workplace communication gap. Starting in the Fall of 2018, the CSU Languages, Literatures and Cultures Department began offering a unique series in Spanish for Animal Health and Care. The program is based on a triangulated language needs analysis and aims to develop intermediate to advanced-level communication skills in Spanish in large and small animal care. The program focuses on the basic terminology and the linguistic skills necessary to successfully complete relevant every-day tasks in Spanish. All targeted linguistic forms, communicative activities and assessments are task-based and practical in nature.