Spanish Language Immersion School Methodology

IPED employs the communicative methodology for teaching Spanish to ensure that academic excellence and the most effective learning systems are provided. Furthermore, the most positive and important aspects of other methods, such as the Natural Approach, The Whole Language Approach, the Direct Method and acquisitionist, cognitive and multiple intelligence theories are incorporated into the curriculum. Classes are lively, active and creative and the students will be amazed at their quick advancement.

 

We want our students talking 70% to 80% of the classtime.

 

The communicative approach is based on the following theory of how Language is acquired. Psycholinguists believe that information goes first into our short memory storage. It may stay for a few seconds, a minute or an hour or so and if it is not stimulated correctly it will disappear. In a communicative class the material is presented and practiced with creative, task-based learning activities. These communicative type activities stimulate a transference whereby the information goes from the short memory storage to the long memory storage. This approach ensures and encourages the students active involvement in the learning process. You participate in discussions, roleplays, problem solving exercises and small group activities. The small groups (2-4 students) ensure extensive practice using Spanish in contemporary, realistic situations. Our teachers constantly encourage accuracy and language development through error correction and constructive feedback.

Different aspects of new trends in language teaching are integrated into our teaching methodology along with the Communicative approach. The Natural Approach believes language acquisition can take place through constant exposure to real and natural language through communicative activities in a relaxed atmosphere. The Natural Approach has provided great insight into the importance of the psychological factors and attitude of the students.

 

The Direct Inductive method believes it is possible to acquire a language intuitively too, but also says language can be learned consciously. For example, when we first learn how to type, we have to consciously learn which finger corresponds to which key. Eventually the learned skills become automatic and intuitive, we don't have to think about them. This kind of crossover is, in fact, how we learn many things in life as well as languages. Through trial and error language skills quickly become subconscious and intuitive. The Communicative methodology integrated with the best aspects of other approaches is the cornerstone of our teaching philosophy.

 

Furthermore, it is also important to take into account and incorporate the differences in learning styles of each student. Some of us learn better by seeing a written word, others by seeing the object or a picture of the object, others by listening to the word and others by doing an action.

 

These different styles of learning must be taken into account and incorporated into the learning process so every student is provided the opportunity learn at his/her best ability.