FAQs
How do I find a Spanish teacher? Who do I hire to teach this program?
Schools have different options. You need to decide which will work best for your school and for each classroom.
A. Use the regular certificated classroom teacher. If the regular classroom teacher speaks Spanish they can teach the program. This teacher does not need to possess a BCLAD. The teacher only needs to posses enough of the Spanish language to sustain the language for one hour. The certificated teacher will need time to review lessons and prepare materials as necessary. No additional funds are required. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
B. Use a classified staff member. A paraprofessional can lead and teach the lessons with the certificated teacher in the classroom acting as assistant, practicing and modeling Spanish for the her/his students. Because the certificated staff teacher is in the classroom interacting with the students, this does not subtract from required instructional contact minutes. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
C. Use a community member (parent, grandparent, etc.). A community member can lead and teach the lessons with the certificated teacher in the classroom acting as assistant, practicing and modeling Spanish for the her/his students. Because the certificated staff teacher is in the classroom interacting with the students, this does not subtract from required instructional contact minutes. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
D. Hire an additional Spanish teacher to push into the multiple regular classrooms throughout the week. This teacher could be certificated and provide release time for the regular classroom teacher. (One teacher could teach up to 25 classrooms each week, 5 classrooms each day, plus an hour to prepare materials for each days classes.)
E. For parent participation schools, enlist parent community members to agree to teach this program to their child’s class. This would qualify as two parent participation hours each week. One week physically teaching in the classroom and hour as prep to review lesson and prepare required materials. Parents that are able can teach multiple classrooms. Special
How do I fund and pay for the program and training?
Each school’s funding is unique depending on the unique demographics to your school. Here are some possible funding sources.
PTA or Foundation funds. You can ask your school’s PTA or foundation to fund this project. The program benefits all children in all classroom’s that use the program.
How do I ensure long-term sustainability of the program?
We know that long term exposure to languages is what allows for enjoyment of the benefits of bilingualism. You may have studied another language in high school or college and now don’t use it regularly. You know that if you don’t have sustained access to reinforce a language, the learnings lie dormant, but never fully go away. So, we want your school to continue to offer a foreign language
Gain support and enthusiasm from key stakeholders. Just like any new changes that you bring to your school community, teachers and parents need to be on board. You’ll be fighting an uphill battle if you’re the only one convinced of the benefits of bringing a foreign language to your school. Start talking one on one to active parents and vocal teachers. Start asking teachers what languages they have studied and their language of proficiency. Most people wish they were fluent in more languages than what they currently know.
Start small and then slowly spread this across the school. We offer the teacher training twice a year, once in August and once in January. Start a couple of classrooms in the Fall. Once the teachers, parents, and children start talking about the program and the ease of it’s implementation, it’ll will be easier to add on extra classrooms in the Spring.
Purchase the three year package to get the locked in security of the price and continued momentum to use the program year after year.
How can I test or pilot the program?
We understand that implementing a new school-wide curriculum takes agreement and commitment from all stakeholders including teachers and parents. We know that it takes time to encourage your school to make the mindset shift to truly valuing bilingualism and preparing children for the high demands of a 21st century workforce. Some schools start at a single grade level with a certificated teacher that is committed to change. Some schools start in their full day kindergarten classes where there is more room to modify the instructional minutes of the day. Training for the first teacher is included in the purchase of the program. After seeing success in one or two classrooms, more teachers and parents and other community members will be more likely to accept and embrace that changes that your bring to your school.
We also have a guarantee. We know that this program works. We know that this program can help your students to achieve more. If you decide to purchase the program on a trial and send 1-3 teachers to participate in our training, 50% of all payments made to Language Achieve for the first will be refunded to your school. We keep 50% to cover the cost of the training and materials. If you purchase the three year package, 100% of funds covering years 2 and 3 will be refunded. Your teachers, whether certificated, classified, or community members will still benefit from the training and gain valuable information on how they can continue to support and spread the benefits of bilingualism to all children, preparing them for advanced achievement and long term success in life.
How do we accommodate the ELs in the class who are Spanish or who are fluent in another language?
For ELs, this is not just enrichment, rather this program fills a fundamental need to assist Spanish speaking ELs to flourish in their other content areas. We know that use of the primary language support children make connections and actually enhances their English language development. One principal suggests to use the Language Achieve program as a portion of the required ELD time for ELs since it does provide that primary language support.
Why Spanish?
See our blog post for compelling reasons why to choose Spanish.
Schools have different options. You need to decide which will work best for your school and for each classroom.
A. Use the regular certificated classroom teacher. If the regular classroom teacher speaks Spanish they can teach the program. This teacher does not need to possess a BCLAD. The teacher only needs to posses enough of the Spanish language to sustain the language for one hour. The certificated teacher will need time to review lessons and prepare materials as necessary. No additional funds are required. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
B. Use a classified staff member. A paraprofessional can lead and teach the lessons with the certificated teacher in the classroom acting as assistant, practicing and modeling Spanish for the her/his students. Because the certificated staff teacher is in the classroom interacting with the students, this does not subtract from required instructional contact minutes. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
C. Use a community member (parent, grandparent, etc.). A community member can lead and teach the lessons with the certificated teacher in the classroom acting as assistant, practicing and modeling Spanish for the her/his students. Because the certificated staff teacher is in the classroom interacting with the students, this does not subtract from required instructional contact minutes. Benefit: The classroom teacher will be able to make connections learnings made throughout the regular school day.
D. Hire an additional Spanish teacher to push into the multiple regular classrooms throughout the week. This teacher could be certificated and provide release time for the regular classroom teacher. (One teacher could teach up to 25 classrooms each week, 5 classrooms each day, plus an hour to prepare materials for each days classes.)
E. For parent participation schools, enlist parent community members to agree to teach this program to their child’s class. This would qualify as two parent participation hours each week. One week physically teaching in the classroom and hour as prep to review lesson and prepare required materials. Parents that are able can teach multiple classrooms. Special
How do I fund and pay for the program and training?
Each school’s funding is unique depending on the unique demographics to your school. Here are some possible funding sources.
PTA or Foundation funds. You can ask your school’s PTA or foundation to fund this project. The program benefits all children in all classroom’s that use the program.
How do I ensure long-term sustainability of the program?
We know that long term exposure to languages is what allows for enjoyment of the benefits of bilingualism. You may have studied another language in high school or college and now don’t use it regularly. You know that if you don’t have sustained access to reinforce a language, the learnings lie dormant, but never fully go away. So, we want your school to continue to offer a foreign language
Gain support and enthusiasm from key stakeholders. Just like any new changes that you bring to your school community, teachers and parents need to be on board. You’ll be fighting an uphill battle if you’re the only one convinced of the benefits of bringing a foreign language to your school. Start talking one on one to active parents and vocal teachers. Start asking teachers what languages they have studied and their language of proficiency. Most people wish they were fluent in more languages than what they currently know.
Start small and then slowly spread this across the school. We offer the teacher training twice a year, once in August and once in January. Start a couple of classrooms in the Fall. Once the teachers, parents, and children start talking about the program and the ease of it’s implementation, it’ll will be easier to add on extra classrooms in the Spring.
Purchase the three year package to get the locked in security of the price and continued momentum to use the program year after year.
How can I test or pilot the program?
We understand that implementing a new school-wide curriculum takes agreement and commitment from all stakeholders including teachers and parents. We know that it takes time to encourage your school to make the mindset shift to truly valuing bilingualism and preparing children for the high demands of a 21st century workforce. Some schools start at a single grade level with a certificated teacher that is committed to change. Some schools start in their full day kindergarten classes where there is more room to modify the instructional minutes of the day. Training for the first teacher is included in the purchase of the program. After seeing success in one or two classrooms, more teachers and parents and other community members will be more likely to accept and embrace that changes that your bring to your school.
We also have a guarantee. We know that this program works. We know that this program can help your students to achieve more. If you decide to purchase the program on a trial and send 1-3 teachers to participate in our training, 50% of all payments made to Language Achieve for the first will be refunded to your school. We keep 50% to cover the cost of the training and materials. If you purchase the three year package, 100% of funds covering years 2 and 3 will be refunded. Your teachers, whether certificated, classified, or community members will still benefit from the training and gain valuable information on how they can continue to support and spread the benefits of bilingualism to all children, preparing them for advanced achievement and long term success in life.
How do we accommodate the ELs in the class who are Spanish or who are fluent in another language?
For ELs, this is not just enrichment, rather this program fills a fundamental need to assist Spanish speaking ELs to flourish in their other content areas. We know that use of the primary language support children make connections and actually enhances their English language development. One principal suggests to use the Language Achieve program as a portion of the required ELD time for ELs since it does provide that primary language support.
Why Spanish?
See our blog post for compelling reasons why to choose Spanish.
