Class Descriptions
Why learn a second language young?
Just like children learn their first language, they are able to learn a second language naturally through immersion. There is a time period linguists call a “window of opportunity” for learning languages in which children can learn through immersion with little or no translation needed.
Children who study a second language young also have many advantages!
Research shows such advantages include:
Higher test scores
Greater confidence
A life-time of ease in learning languages
The ability to mimic accents
Cultural awareness
Higher reading scores
A greater understanding of one’s own language
Parent
+ Tot
How will students learn in this class?
Babies and young toddlers have a huge advantage over others to absorb multiple languages. This class will seem like a “play group” to your child, but in reality will be the beginning of your child’s bilingual journey. Through our weekly class routine, toddlers, parents/caregivers will learn fun commands, common phrases, actions, high frequency words and even understand simple stories in Spanish. Each month kids will be exposed to a new useful and fun and age appropriate learning unit. Teaching will be done through immersion, movement, stories, songs, snack time and simple art projects. Even if your child is not speaking English yet, their brain has the ability to absorb multiple languages from birth – truly amazing!
Pre-K
How will students learn in this class?
Students will learn Spanish naturally through movement, play, games, songs, rhythms, snack time, art projects, and acting out/listening to simple stories. Our storytelling-based method focuses on long-term retention, not just memorization. We teach high frequency vocabulary and grammar structures found in common speech and communication. With our extremely effective method, students learn to speak quickly and grammar is taught in context. We create an immersion experience for students while always insuring understanding and comprehension.
Elementary
Students will learn Spanish naturally through movement, play, games, songs, rhythms, snack time, art projects, and acting out/listening to simple stories. Our teachers will use TPRS (Total Physical Response and Storytelling). This method focuses on long-term retention, not just memorization. This storytelling approach is fun and extremely successful in teaching communication skills. Teachers will reinforce high frequency vocabulary and grammar structures found in common speech and communication. With this method, students learn to speak quickly and grammar is taught in context—without any rote memorization . Our class will create an immersion environment for students while always ensuring understanding and comprehension.
Our staff uses clear and vibrant visuals in addition to lively multi-sensory teaching presentations. Our elementary classes not only learn to understand spoken Spanish, but they also learn how to read, write and speak freely in the language.
How Storytelling Works
According to Stephen Krashen, a world renowned and respected linguist and author, language is learned through meaningful and comprehensible input. Language is learned through understanding messages. Stories allow for a lot of comprehension input, which promotes long term retention. Stories use both sides of the brain and kids have an emotional response to a silly story, and therefore are learning the second language sub-consciously. This also allows for language to be learned in “chunks” and important phrases.
Bilingualism is just a click away!
Let the fun begin with Fun Fluency today - Head over to our registration page to get started! Gracias!
Level 1 High School
This will be a high school level 1 Spanish class incorporating the national foreign language standards: communication, culture, communities, connections, and comparisons. Our students achieve Spanish proficiency through storytelling and reading. It is a unique, yet a highly effective and natural, way to learn Spanish. This method focuses on long-term retention, not just memorization. This storytelling approach is fun, and extremely successful in teaching communication skills. Our teachers will reinforce high frequency vocabulary and grammar structures found in common speech and conversational Spanish. With this methods, students learn to speak quickly and grammar is taught in context. Some of our current students are able to free write an entire story in Spanish of more than 2-3 pages, not to mention tell the story while looking at pictures! (This is after one year of once a week classes). Fun Fluency also has High School Level I students that can summarize an entire Spanish novel, speaking freely for 5-10 minutes.
The class will be a blend of our text, handouts, the study of Spanish speaking countries, weekly readings, authentic online videos/scenarios to watch, cultural outings, authentic food preparation, and the reading of a short Spanish novel.
Spanish is a skill that must be practiced and studied! So, in order to make the most of the class, students will be asked to incorporate Spanish homework into their daily studies.
How Storytelling Works
According to Stephen Krashen, a world renowned and respected linguist and author, language is learned through meaningful and comprehensible input. Language is learned through understanding messages. Stories and storytelling allow for a lot of comprehension input, which promotes long term retention. Stories use both sides of the brain and kids have an emotional response to a silly story, and therefore are learning the second language sub-consciously.
Level 2 High School
The high school level 2 Spanish class incorporates the national foreign language standards: communication, culture, communities, connections, and comparisons. The level 2 class will be a continuation of Level 1 Spanish (students don’t need to have taken level 1 with us, specifically). We will continue to use storytelling and comprehensive input as a means for acquiring Spanish. In level 2 the stories will be told in the past tense as a means of acquiring a new dimension of the language.
The level 2 class will be a blend of our text, handouts, the study of Spanish speaking countries, weekly readings, a new authentic online video drama to watch, cultural outings, authentic food preparation, and the reading of two short Spanish novels. The Level 2 class will have many opportunities to use their Spanish skills in the local Spanish speaking community.
Spanish is a skill that must be practiced and studied!
So, in order to make the most of the class students will be asked to incorporate Spanish homework into their daily studies.
A Note on TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling)
TPRS is a highly effective and natural way to learn Spanish. This method focuses on long-term retention, not just memorization. This storytelling approach is fun, and extremely successful in teaching communication skills. I will teach high frequency vocabulary and grammar structures found in common speech and communication. With this method, students learn to speak quickly and grammar is taught in context. Some of my current students are able to free write an entire story in Spanish of more than 2-3 pages, not to mention tell the story while looking at pictures! (This is after one year of once a week classes). We have High School Level 2 students that can summarize an entire Spanish novel, speaking freely for 5-10 minutes.
Adult Conversational Spanish
Adult conversational classes coming soon.
Private tutoring also available, tailored to your level and needs.
Please contact us at
for more information.
Bilingualism is just a click away!
Let the fun begin with Fun Fluency today - Head over to our registration page to get started! Gracias!