It took me almost 30 years of teaching foreign languages to close the circle and combine experience with shortcuts learned in the classroom. The result is this method: An attempt to give our teaching spaces the authenticity they deserve and to provide our students with meaningful opportunities to acquire a second language dynamically and naturally.
TIMonthematª is based on the following principles:
¥ Our brains are programmed to acquire language
¥ Our brains seek meaning
¥ Positive emotions enhance learning
¥ Movement facilitates connections and keeps us engaged
¥ Language immersion promotes cultural awareness
TIMonthematª LEVEL 1 is for novice Spanish learners ages 4-8 (No previous knowledge is needed. Students with some Spanish knowledge are also welcome.) TIMonthematª Level 1 goals are cultural awareness, linguistic confidence, vocabulary recognition, vocabulary production, and pronunciation.
At the end of this level, students will have learned how to:
¥ identify and pronounce 150 Spanish words!
¥ make connections and find ways to understand new words
¥ build simple sentences in Spanish
¥ boost linguistic confidence
¥ appreciate other cultures