# SPANSH 59H - Spanish for Latino Students II: Connecting with Communities Semester: Spring | Year offered: 2026 | Link: [Course Website](https://locator.tlt.harvard.edu/course/colgsas-159938/2025/spring/12652) An advanced language course for Spanish heritage learners that aims to strengthen students’ Spanish oral and written capabilities through civic engagement with Latinx communities; and to further develop students’ critical language and social awareness around important issues for Latinos in our globalized era: U.S-Latin American relations, migration, bilingualism and education, ethnic studies and social justice and health disparities. Students explore these topics through various genres (newspapers and academic articles, debates, literary essays, short novels, poetry, visual art, film and music) and through three hours a week of community service. --- ## Course Head [### María Luisa Parra ](/people/maria-luisa-parra) Senior Preceptor in Romance Languages and Literatures (Spanish) Co-Director of Language Programs Undergraduate Advisor in Spanish, Latin American, and Latino Studies Research Interests: Spanish as a heritage language and Pedagogy, Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy; Child Language Development and Bilingualism; Latino Families and Immigration; Immigration and Education Dr. María Luisa Parra has a B.A. in... ![parra](/sites/g/files/omnuum8296/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-04/maria_luisa_at_desk_1-3.jpg?itok=UH7-nHfl) See also:- [ Spanish language ](/keywords/spanish-language) - [ Spring 2026 ](/class/term/spring-2026) - [ Language ](/class-categories/language) - [ Spanish ](/language/spanish) - [ María Luisa Parra-Velasco ](/language-instructor/maria-luisa-parra-velasco)