Will my student be prepared to take the AP/CLEP/etc. exam after taking this class?

Will my student learn Spanish grammar and mechanics in this class?

Is there research to support this approach?

How will this prepare my child for AP/CLEP?

Why do you put all students into the same class, rather than dividing by level?

How did you choose which subject areas to combine with Spanish?

Can I take your class if I am not a homeschooler?  What if I am an adult?

What do you mean by "authentic materials"?

My child needs a traditional Spanish 1, Spanish 2, etc., grade for his transcript.  Is that possible in this class?

 

Will my student be prepared to take the AP/CLEP/etc. exam after taking this class?
A student's level of preparation depends greatly upon the effort that the student puts into mastering the material.  While that is true for any content area, it is especially true for a foreign language.  The major exams have moved away from a grammar-centric approach and toward a much more proficiency-based approach.  This means that the more comfortable a student is with the language, the better prepared he or she will be for the exams.  This course is designed to maximize the exposure that students will get to real-world language use.  Four years in these courses should give students a solid foundation for success on whatever tests they choose to take.

 

Will my student learn Spanish grammar and mechanics in this class?
Students will learn grammar and mechanics in the same way that they learned them for their first language - by listening to and reading authentic materials in the language.  We will discuss relevant grammar points as they come up, but we will not specifically set out to study the imperfect tense, double-object pronouns, etc.  Real-world language use is about understanding and being understood, not about one's ability to diagram sentences.  Modern language classes and modern language tests now reflect this reality, and a student will be best prepared for those tests and for the real world by exposing himself or herself to Spanish as much as possible, and therefore becoming comfortable with the language.

 

Is there research to support this approach?

Absolutely.  Although I have created my own system based on my own experiences, there is plenty of research that backs up the underlying cooncepts of what we are doing.  Stephen Krashen has five hypotheses about langauage learning, and this class dovetails nicely with those hypotheses.  There is an approach called content-based instruction that also shares many of the same principles.  Also, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has partnered with the Project for 21st Century Skills to create a document that outlines ways to improve foreign language instruction (see pages 4 for information supporting the techniques we will be using, and page 5 to see how well our subject-area selection aligns with what ACTFL and P21 view as ideal).

 

How will this prepare my child for AP/CLEP?

Modern exams now expect students to be able to understand what they hear and read, and to be able to respond appropriately in speaking and writing.  They focus more on effectively getting the point across than on being completely accurate in grammar, spelling, or pronunciation.  The AP Spanish Language and Culture exam has a section where students answer multiple choice questions about print and audio texts, as well as a free-response section where students demonstrate their skill with interpersonal and presentational writing, as well as interpersonal and presentational speaking.  By focusing on authentic texts, video, and audio sources throughout the four years of our class, students will get weekly experience with all of these skills.  The Spanish CLEP exam is a more traditional test that focuses on listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and vocabulary and grammar.  However, despite the traditional approach of this test, our contextualized approach to learning in class will give students a comfort level with the language that will help them be able to accurately respond to these questions.  The optional supplemental text will also be useful for students considering the CLEP exam, and we will discuss vocabulary and grammar on an ongoing basis as we encounter pertinent examples in our studies.

 

Why do you put all students into the same class, rather than dividing by level?

There are several reasons for this. By combining all students into the same course, I can focus all of my attention on that course, ensuring that it is well-organized and well-presented.  I teach for Aim part-time, and have another full-time job, to say nothing of my family and church responsibilities.  Therefore, if I can find ways to streamline the classes, I think that it ultimately benefits the students because it allows me to avoid getting spread too thin.

 

That is not the only reason for this approach, however.  In economics, we talk about economies of scale, and in science, we speak of reaching critical mass.  With classes divided into multiple levels, the number of students in a given class is much smaller, which limits the opportunities that students have to help and learn from one another.  By grouping all the students together, we get a stronger core of students.

 

Another reason is student placement.  In the past, I have frequently gotten questions such as, "My son has been studying independently for two years, but I am not sure he is ready for Spanish 3.  Should I put him in Spanish 2 or 3?"  By having a single course where each student continues to build at whatever point he is at, we avoid those placement dilemmas.

 

My last reason is not so much a reason as simply a benefit.  It is common for siblings to enroll in Spanish together, but when they do, they are typically in separate levels.  With a combined class, though, siblings (or even friends who are taking the class) will all have the same work to do, and can therefore work together and learn from one another.  I think that this will really strengthen and accelerate the learning of everyone involved.

 

How did you choose which subject areas to combine with Spanish?

The idea of combining classes came to me through my full-time job.  In that job, I oversee not only foreign language classes, but also health and PE classes.  It occurred to me that there is a very natural connection between Spanish and health, because health is an issue of concern everywhere, including in the Spanish-speaking world.  There are countless resources available in Spanish to teach people about health, and there are massive efforts throughout the Spanish-speaking world to improve health.

 

Once I had the idea, I started thinking about other issues that are relevant in Spanish-speaking countries.  I thought about the innate desire that most teenagers have to improve the world around them, and I tried to find subjects that would appeal to that desire.  By studying health, economics, people and places, and current events, we can find ways to get involved and make a difference ourselves.  It was not until after I had chosen these different subject areas that I realized how well they align with the recommendations from ACTFL and P21.

 

Can I take your class if I am not a homeschooler?  What if I am an adult?

I would love to discuss this possibility with you.  Please use the Contact page to reach out to me, and we can discuss our options.

 

What do you mean by "authentic materials"?

In Spanish classes, "authentic materials" are materials produced by native Spanish speakers for native Spanish speakers.  This would include newspaper articles, radio programs, TV shows and commercials, flyers on the street corner, and any other speaking or writing done for everyday life.  Textbooks and teachers have traditionally created many of the materials that are used in classes, but these materials always have an artificial feel to them, and are not as good for helping students learn to understand the language.

 

My child needs a traditional Spanish 1, Spanish 2, etc., grade for his transcript.  Is that possible in this class?

Absolutely.  Although most requirements simply state that a student must have two years of a foreign language (or something along those lines), we can provide grade reports with the appropriate level number for your student, upon request.