spanish Through the grades
Meet the teacher
Lower Grades 1-3
In grades one to three learning becomes a less intellectual but a more natural activity. At that age, children absorb the language in its totality. Imaginative imitation and repetition are part of this rhythm. The formative qualities and unique sounds of the language enrich the child’s feelings and for that reason, the lessons are offered 95% in Spanish. This approach contributes to language acquisition. During these first three years, Spanish is presented through storytelling and fairy-tale material brought from the different Spanish speaking cultures such as Latin America and Spain. New sounds are organized in a rhythmical teaching flow of “in-breathing” and “out-breathing.” Verses, complex poems, finger games and folk songs are repeated chorally at the beginning and at the end of the class. New vocabulary is incorporated in context. Children listen to fables, legends, body percussion activities and our sound activities, such as, circle games, TPR (Total physical response) movement and dance. They perform dialogues, role-playing and dramatization of what has been presented. What has been learned is represented in their Spanish main lesson books. Each image becomes a unique story.
Grades 4-5
During the fourth and fifth grades children learn to read in Spanish by writing the material they have previously memorized. The foundation of the Spanish grammar is presented and connected in everyday life activities, actions, stories, etc. Children also start writing their first short compositions. They then present them in class, as the communicational experience becomes more significant and necessary for more vocabulary building. They are also introduced to Latin American culture, songs, festivities, traditions and geography. Oral communication and short group presentations are encouraged in class during the year.
Middle School 6-8
During middle school, students are exposed to more complex Spanish reading material. They are introduced to Spanish geography and poetry with epic and lyric styles. Spanish literature, customs and songs are also taught. More grammar and irregular verb conjugations in different tenses are presented and spoken during each class session. Students are tested once a month and they are given group research work with two presentations in Spanish. As part of the Waldorf curriculum, they are also introduced to the American pre-Columbian cultures and their cosmologies such as Teotihuacan, the Aztecs, the Mayans and the Incas. They learn about rhythms from Central/South American countries like Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, etc. Biographies of relevant Latin American heroic people are also presented to class. More complex Spanish recapitulation of what has been previously learned is frequent during the eighth grade. Students are given handouts with different grammar activities and readings related to Latin-American and Spanish culture, arts and history. Homework is assigned on a regular basis and quizzes and tests are part of the learning rhythm.
