Curriculum and Study Approach
1. Child-Centered
- Activities are planned by children’s interests, allowing them to explore Spanish naturally through play, storytelling, and movement.
- Learning is experiential, using hands-on activities rather than rote memorization.
2. Language Acquisition Through Real-World Experiences
- Spanish is woven into daily routines, conversations, and exploration, creating a meaningful language-rich environment.
- Children learn vocabulary and communication skills through practical activities, such as cooking, nature walks, and building projects.
3. The Environment as the “Third Teacher”
- Classrooms and learning spaces are intentionally designed to be visually engaging, natural, and interactive.
- Open-ended materials (loose parts, sensory bins, art media) encourage exploration, creativity, and problem-solving—all while reinforcing Spanish vocabulary.
4. Project-Based Learning & Inquiry
- Instead of traditional lessons, children explore big ideas (e.g., ocean life, space, or the Insects) through long-term projects and discovery-based learning.
- Teachers act as guides, helping children ask questions, research, and express their understanding through art, storytelling, and play.
5. Collaboration & Social Interaction
- Group discussions, role-playing, and cooperative activities encourage communication in Spanish.
- Peer learning is emphasized, allowing children to learn from each other in a natural, interactive way.
6. Multi-Sensory Learning & Expression
- Art, music, movement, and sensory play are central to language acquisition.
- Activities like painting, dancing, and storytelling provide opportunities to express ideas in Spanish through different mediums.
7. Documentation & Reflection
- Learning is documented through pictures, recordings, and children’s artwork to track progress and encourage self-reflection.
- Children revisit their work, reinforcing concepts and expanding on their ideas over time.
Curriculum Main Objectives
These objectives form the basis of our flexible framework in planning the studies and learning experiences.
- Social- Emotional
- Language
- Cognitive
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Social Studies
- Arts
- Physical