Spanish at IACS is built on two basic beliefs about language education:
- Contact with authentic spoken
and
written language is
essential:
all assessments and class activities aim to put students in contact
with Spanish as it is used in real life. That means speaking
activities are done "full speed" from day 1 and students are
constantly put in contact with language features and vocabulary
beyond their reach. By asking students to stretch themselves and to be
willing to be uncomfortable, we put an emphasis on learning strategies
for negotiating meaning and keeping conversations alive even when
students have limited language ability.
- Learning language requires breaking
down barriers:
barriers of
culture, of pronunciation, and of anxiety. The best way to break those
barriers down is through humor and fun.
To put students in contact with authentic language and to break
down students resistance to speaking in Spanish, we use the Rassias
Method. The method uses theater and humor to keep
students engaged and to enable all students to speak Spanish in a
low-risk, supportive, fun environment.
Students also engage in long-term projects that require they use their Spanish in a variety of fun and dynamic projects, such as creating Spanish cooking shows, writing and filming "telenovelas" using hand-crafted puppets, or singing along to Spanish pop-songs in a class competition.
Throughout the program, students are assessed not only on how well they can recall vocabulary and grammar taught in class but, more importantly, on how they can put their language skills to use in one-on-one conversations, in-class presentations, and listening and reading assessments that ask students to grapple with real-world Spanish texts and recordings.
Our goal is to enable every student to speak basic conversational Spanish, giving them the tools they need to communicate with Spanish speakers and to build fluency down the road through travel and further study.
Tom Hinkle
Spanish Curriculum Coordinator | 