Spanish Program for Elementary Schools

In 1997, Julia Burnier made a decision to leave her career as a research chemist and focus her energy and creativity into developing a Spanish program for elementary schools. (About the Author) She felt that too many Spanish students were not learning much and not liking it. She wanted to develop a Spanish program that works. Now, she and her teachers teach over 1500 students in San Diego with both after school and in school instruction (Spanish Classes in San Diego) and hundreds of Spanish teachers around the country are using the Sing 'n Speak Spanish curriculum.

Sing’ n Speak Spanish is an extensive five-year program that takes elementary aged children far beyond most elementary Spanish curricula. View our Spanish Curriculum to see the themes taught in each course. Our Scope & Sequence Chart illustrates how easily you can incorporate this flexible curriculum into your school from year to year.

Our PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY stems from one simple idea: children love learning a new language if they succeed at it. They will succeed if the following are true:

* Each lesson plan includes a variety of interactive activities that make the necessary repetition for long term retention fun. Our lessons include colorful and humorous visuals, movement, singing, puppetry, games, stories, role-play, and more.

* Each lesson is carefully designed to result in a fast-paced energetic class that is multi-sensory and reaches children of all learning styles. Click on Teaching Tips to get ideas on how to have a dynamic Spanish class.

* Engage most of the students most of the time, constantly spiraling-in previously learned vocabulary and grammar.

* Use TPR gestures in the presentation of new vocabulary and in sentence-building, in the teaching of songs, and in numerous activities.

* Our Spanish program uses a Comprehensible Input model which is language input that can be understood by listeners despite them not understanding all the words and structures in it. Our teachers speak mostly in Spanish with lots of gestures but use some English to aid student comprehension.

* Humor is liberally sprinkled throughout each lesson. Laughter eases tension and makes learning fun.

* Students have workbooks and music CDs and songbooks to continue learning at home.

Go to Materials to learn about our Spanish educational products for teachers and students.