Are you looking to spice up your school’s curriculum with some Spanish language learning? Not only will it expand your students’ cultural horizons and boost their education, but it’s also a guacamole-loaded homerun for parents searching for the perfect school for their little ones.
But let’s be honest, creating an effective Spanish language program can be like trying to dance the flamenco without any rhythm.
“No te preocupes” (don’t worry), we’re here to help!
In this post, we’ll walk you through step-by-step to show you how to easily integrate Spanish language learning into your K-8 curriculum with our Spanish for Schools program.
Step 1: Assess Your School’s Language Learning Needs and Goals
The first step to integrating Spanish language learning into your curriculum is to assess your school’s specific needs and goals. Determining how much time you can make available in your schedule is one of the most important things to consider in this step, but believe it or not, all you need is as little as 30 minutes per week! You’ll also need to assess the proficiency level of your students, as they are probably mostly beginners, and your desired outcome for your students.
Do you want your students to be introduced to Spanish culture and be able to have basic conversations in Spanish, or are you aiming for more advanced proficiency?
We get it. You’ve already got a ton on your plate.
After you tell us your vision, we develop a customized curriculum that fits your school’s goals, resources, and students’ proficiency levels. Whether you’re starting from scratch or need to adapt an existing program, we’ve got it from here.
Step 2: Determine Class Length and Frequency
How long and how often should your Spanish classes be? The answer depends on your school’s schedule and your students’ needs. Generally, we recommend at least 30 minutes per class, once a week, but we adjust the program to fit your school’s unique needs.
Many schools choose to use our Spanish language learning program during the school day and place another teacher in the room to monitor the program. This allows for a consistent and structured learning experience that’s both effective and enjoyable for students.
Step 3: Choose an Effective Instructional Method
There are various instructional methods for teaching Spanish, including immersion, communicative, and grammar-based approaches.
At Sarah’s Spanish School, we use a communicative approach that is great for beginners and focuses on real-life scenarios to develop speaking and listening skills. We’ve found this method to be the most effective for teaching beginner-level Spanish to students in grades K-8th.
Step 4: Supplement the Spanish Curriculum with Cultural Activities
Language and culture go hand in hand. To fully appreciate the Spanish language, it’s essential to include cultural activities as part of your curriculum. From food and music to dance and art, the possibilities are endless and tons of fun to learn about!
At Sarah’s Spanish School, we offer a variety of cultural activities as part of our program to enhance the students’ learning experience.
Step 5: Celebrate Progress and Achievements
We believe in celebrating students’ progress and achievements rather than just assessing them, especially at the elementary level. This means that we create a positive and motivating learning environment where students feel encouraged to succeed and are rewarded for their hard work.
Our middle school program includes regular assessments, including pre, formative, and post, to track your students’ progress and make any necessary adjustments to the curriculum. This helps ensure that the students are learning and progressing at a comfortable pace.
Step 6: Work with Our Program to Develop a Customized Curriculum
Our Spanish language learning program is 100% done for you. Here’s how it works. You tell us your needs, and we develop a customized Spanish language learning curriculum that meets your school’s specific needs.
AND we teach it for you, no Spanish teacher hire required.
We align our curriculum to state standards and work with you to determine your goals, the students’ level of proficiency, and the time and resources available. This allows us to create a curriculum that is both effective, efficient, and easy to implement.
At Sarah’s Spanish School, we make it easy for you to create an effective Spanish language learning program that meets your school’s specific needs. Our Spanish for Schools programs are designed to suit your school’s needs and provide fun, interactive, and educational Spanish classes for your students. Contact our friendly team today to learn more about our programs.
