Bilingual education provides a host of benefits to students of all ages. Research has associated learning a second language in childhood with flexible thinking abilities and more efficient learning. Children who enroll in a bilingual education program tend to score better on math, logic, and English tests. They are also more likely to learn third and subsequent languages in the future.

If you're considering a multicultural education for your preschool, elementary, or middle school child, explore the six best ways for students to learn Spanish. These techniques can help set the stage for fluency and spark a lifetime of language enrichment.

1. Connect With Others

A casual conversation with native speakers gives students a chance to practice their language skills. Kids can connect with their "language mentors" in person or online. At the International School of Denver, Spanish educators from the nation's Ministry of Education and Science provide native instruction.

Pen pals may be an old-fashioned elementary school tradition, but writing letters to Spanish-speaking students who will respond in English can be a valuable learning experience for both groups. To update this exercise, email can substitute for snail mail to take advantage of the best way to learn a language.
If you've always wanted to learn another language, challenge yourself by learning Spanish alongside your child. Interacting in this new and special way will be fun and enriching for you both.

2. Make It Fun

Gamification has entered almost every sector of our lives, including food, fitness, and foreign language learning. Students may benefit from practicing vocabulary and grammar with an app that provides points and awards as the user "levels up" by mastering new content.

Speaking of motivation, your student should also have clear internal motivation. Why does he or she want to learn a foreign language? Understanding this drive will unlock an important piece of the puzzle during the learning process.

You can also bring Spanish into your child's leisure time to emphasize skills and encourage practice that doesn't seem like work. During screen time, look for Spanish-language cartoons, videos, and online games. Watch movies together in Spanish with English subtitles. Although you and your student might not pick up everything, you'll become more familiar with the vocabulary and cadence of the language.

Letting students drive the process by choosing their own method of practice is the best way to learn Spanish. For example, they could choose to draw a comic strip, record a podcast with a friend, or write a song in Spanish.

3. Take a Holistic Approach

Instead of one dedicated foreign language course, research recommends incorporating language study throughout a holistic curriculum. For example, research published by the Cambridge Journal found that English students who were taught academic subjects in French performed better on language-listening tests and displayed a higher level of motivation to practice French than students in the control group, who received traditional French-language classes along with academic subjects in English.

Many schools have success with this method, often by adding specialty classes in drama, literature, music, and arts taught in Spanish. At the International School of Denver, we teach math, science, and history courses in the student's target language.
Using practical assignments in language learning also supports the need for authentic content in language learning. In other words, reading newspaper articles, watching movies, and playing games in the original Spanish enhances fluency and expands the student's knowledge base.

4. Assign Practical Projects and Tasks

Rote vocab memorization and tedious grammar exercises lack the engagement children need to learn a new language effectively. Active tasks help students connect with the content, the culture, and the vocabulary. For example, students could watch a video about Spanish folk songs and then work in groups to translate the lyrics into English.

Roleplaying also provides an effective tool. Set up scenarios in which students can practice real-world language skills. Try having one group work as shopkeepers, have the other group try to get the groceries they need without speaking English, and switch roles.

Teachers may group vocabulary in subject areas, and parents can support this method at home. For example, challenge your child to learn the words for all their favorite foods. The next week, learn all the words you would need to visit the amusement park in Spain. These themes help students build the mental connections inherent in language learning.

5. Prioritize Consistency and Immersion

Students won't learn a new language overnight, but regular practice will help them gain fluency and confidence. Many language experts stress the importance of daily exposure to the target language. They also emphasize the importance of relevance; in other words, language learning methods that reflect the child's life and interests support engagement.

Daily schedules with short sessions work best for preschool students. Switching up the class every 10 minutes or so between vocabulary games, singing, dancing, art, writing, and other activities keeps kids this age interested and motivated.

Language learning requires repetition. We must hear the grammar and vocabulary repeatedly so that it becomes second-nature. Varying the methods in which students practice provides the necessary repetition without risking a loss of interest and motivation.
Parents can also add Spanish into their child's daily routine. Have them practice the foreign phrases for everyday tasks like eating breakfast, putting on shoes, and brushing teeth as they complete those items.

6. Embrace the Four Cycles of Learning

The International School of Denver has created this progressive language-learning model to provide instruction based on age and stage of language development:

Families who are serious about Spanish language education should consider the International School of Denver, recognized as one of the best Spanish learning programs in the U.S. We established our Spanish curriculum in 2001 - although our school has a history of over 40 years - and it received the Spanish Ministry of Education's highest honor in 2011. The following year, the ministry ranked us as one of the top four Spanish-language immersion elementary school programs in the United States.

The International School of Denver offers an inclusive, globally-focused education for students in pre-K through grade eight from the United States and all over the world. Students do not necessarily need previous experience in a foreign language to enroll depending on their age and target language. Learn more about pre-K, elementary, and middle school admissions and schedule a tour of campus to decide whether our learning community is the right place to provide your child with a truly international education.
Contact the Admissions Team at admissions@isdenver.org or 303-340-3647 to learn more.
 

• Cycle 1, Immersion, starts in preschool and continues through kindergarten. Students can begin this program at age three and will receive the majority of instruction in the target language (Spanish, French, or Chinese). 
• Cycle 2, Solidifying the Knowledge Base, occurs in first and second grades. Students receive 80% of instruction in the target language, including science, math, music, and art courses, while adding intensive English language and literacy instruction.
• Cycle 3, Expanding the Knowledge Base, provides enriched language instruction in grades three through five. Most students in this group become truly fluent, and some even decide to add a third language to their studies.
• Cycle 4, Embedding Global Concepts and Responsible Citizenship, emphasizes these ideas for our middle school students. While this age group spends more time learning in English in a block-based schedule, they still receive 30% immersion in the target language. We use the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for language instruction.

Families who are serious about Spanish language education should consider the International School of Denver, recognized as one of the best Spanish learning programs in the U.S. We established our Spanish curriculum in 2001 - although our school has a history of over 40 years - and it received the Spanish Ministry of Education's highest honor in 2011. The following year, the ministry ranked us as one of the top four Spanish-language immersion elementary school programs in the United States.

The International School of Denver offers an inclusive, globally-focused education for students in pre-K through grade eight from the United States and all over the world. Students do not necessarily need previous experience in a foreign language to enroll depending on their age and target language. Learn more about pre-K, elementary, and middle school admissions and schedule a tour of campus to decide whether our learning community is the right place to provide your child with a truly international education.

Contact the Admissions Team at admissions@isdenver.org or 303-340-3647 to learn more.

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