¡Hola!
At Rockhampton Girls Grammar School, learning Spanish is an exciting journey that starts in Prep.
For our little students, learning a new language is not challenging but exciting. They learn Spanish through games, songs and role-playing.
This approach combines fun and immersion to encourage the girls to always communicate in Spanish.
Visual clues, flashcards and multimedia resources are essential in our class to avoid translation and the use of English.
When hearing a word in Spanish, young students think of the action or image associated with that word rather than the English word, boosting language acquisition naturally.
These girls learn basic vocabulary related to their world: numbers, colours, animals, the house or family.
Our classroom routine begins with a Spanish greeting followed by interactive games, songs or storytelling to introduce vocabulary and grammar in a fun way.
This exposure allows the girls to absorb the language naturally and build confidence and fluency by trying to use the language at all times.
Learning Spanish at a young age promotes cognitive development by exercising memory, creativity and critical thinking abilities.
It can also improve overall language skills, enabling the girls to communicate better in English as well.
How Secondary students learn Spanish at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School
Secondary students continue working with games and visual stimuli to acquire the language.
In our classroom routine, students engage in role-playing exercises and group discussions that encourage active participation and build confidence in speaking Spanish.
Our secondary students also develop empathy and cultural sensitivity by learning the language.
These girls will be opened to many future opportunities by learning the second most widely spoken language in the world.
Speaking Spanish gives them a competitive edge in future academic and professional pursuits.
Overall, exposure is vital not only to acquiring the language but also to retaining what we already know.
For that reason, students, parents and carers are encouraged to continue the immersion at home.
We can do little things such as incorporating some words into our daily routine: buenos días (good morning) or gracias (thank you).
A higher commitment may include watching films, listening to songs… Any student can find her option, from watching Peppa Pig in Spanish to following a Spanish TikToker.
¡Vamos!
Maite Lacoste Sanchez
Spanish Teacher