With more and more elementary school students coming from diverse backgrounds, providing a world language program as part of your school’s curriculum is essential to meet their needs and prepare them for a globally connected world.
From teacher shortages to deciding what language to offer for your elementary students, this can be challenging for principals and administrators to know where to start. This only adds to parent and student frustrations over the lack of language education at your school… and adds pressure on your shoulders!
At Sarah’s Spanish School, we’re firm believers in Spanish language programs being the best world language education to offer in your school. And there are numerous reasons why. So we want to share with you our favorite reasons why your elementary school should offer Spanish programs and how they benefit your school and students. Let’s dive in!
1. Over 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide
Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the world, with over 500 million speakers worldwide. The advantages to speaking Spanish as a second language are vast, with adults who can speak Spanish as a second language finding it a lot easier to progress in many industries, from business to healthcare. This will be a skill they value for years to come. Even if they’re not 100% fluent in Spanish, basic Spanish skills can still provide a huge advantage over their peers and colleagues in the future.
For those who don’t need Spanish for their future careers, you’re still giving them the gift of being able to communicate with people from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures. They can use these language skills to study abroad, travel the world and enrich their social circles.
2. Early Spanish language learning has long-term benefits
Research has shown that early language learning has numerous benefits, including improved cognitive development, enhanced communication skills, and better academic performance. All of these benefits help elementary students in all areas of their educational development.
When children learn a second language at a young age, their brains are more adaptable to the process, making it easier for them to learn additional languages in the future. So even if your students don’t go on to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country or need to speak Spanish in their job roles, they’ll have lots of foundational language skills to learn a third or fourth language!
3. Spanish is the most commonly taught second language in the United States
With over 41 million Spanish speakers in the United States, it’s no surprise that Spanish is the most commonly taught second language in American schools. When parents vet elementary schools for their children, offering a Spanish language program could be what sets you apart from other schools or puts you on their “top contenders” list. You don’t need to go against the trends with this one!
4. Spanish programs can improve your school’s diversity and inclusivity
Offering a Spanish program can help improve your school’s diversity and inclusivity by providing a welcoming environment for students from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. For families who have native Spanish speakers within their extended family, teaching their children to communicate with their loved ones is an invaluable skill.
Learning a new language involves more than just memorizing words and grammar rules. It also exposes students to the culture and customs of the language they’re learning, which helps students from non-Spanish-speaking backgrounds learn about and appreciate the diversity of their classmates.
5. A Spanish language curriculum helps your school to meet state and national standards
Many states and national organizations have established standards for language learning in schools. By offering a Spanish program in your elementary school, you’re helping your school meet these standards, which can help with accreditation and funding.
At Sarah’s Spanish School, all of our Spanish teachers are state-certified, and our programs are designed to meet state standards to help support your school to meet your goals.
6. Students tap into their imaginations
Learning Spanish through immersion encourages creativity. As students learn new vocabulary and grammatical structures, they will use their knowledge to express themselves in different ways. From writing poems and stories to songs in Spanish, students in our Spanish for elementary schools program are encouraged to use their imagination, which boosts their confidence and taps into their creativity.
7. Learning Spanish can improve English language skills
Did you know that learning Spanish can help improve students’ English language skills? This may seem strange, but it’s true! As a language, Spanish shares many similarities with English, including grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. And when you learn a second language, you often understand these rules a lot more than you do with your native language, which you learn from a much younger age.
With this knowledge, students can improve their understanding of English grammar and vocabulary, which can help them excel in all their academic subjects.
Ready to start offering a Spanish program in your elementary school?
By choosing a personalized Spanish program from Sarah’s Spanish School, you can ensure that your students receive a high-quality, engaging, and personalized Spanish curriculum that meets their unique needs. With real teachers, interactive lessons, differentiated instruction, and flexible scheduling, your students will be better prepared for their future and have fun while learning a new language.
So why wait? If you’re an elementary school administrator or principal looking for the best Spanish language program for your school, schedule a call with us today to learn more about our personalized Spanish classes and how they can benefit your students.
