I have been asked to teach a new course for Senior level high school students. I understand it will involve grammar and literature and that I am to speak only Spanish during the class.

Because I am doing this as part of a local community college, I have not selected the book. nor have they issued it to me. I expect that any book they give me will be fine and I can work with it.

My question: If you have only spoken Spanish in your classroom for the duration of the class on a daily basis, what is that like? I expect that I can carry it off, but how about the kids? How will they react?

I must confess that in the past I / we spoke spanish for 10 - 15 minute intervals. Often some English errupted, but we would go back to Spanish. I always used English during the class time.

It seems like it will be fun from my perspective to go Spanish non-stop. What is your experience? I await your responses and hope that you will give me advise on how to encourage the kids to participate and how to make them feel like it is an easy and fun way to learn.

Hola! This is a topic that I've come across pretty frequently in my career. I was always told complete immersion is the way to go while in training. In fact, I wish that I was taught the same way. It was not until I studied in Spain that I mastered the language. Ugh!!! 10 years worth of classes and a year abroad was the only way to become proficient! I student taught in high school and the kids did pretty well. Now I'm teaching grades 6-8 (ages 11-14)and the same holds true. Of course, there will be times that English is needed and you should be able to sense that from the class. Never be afraid to try something new! I would also try TPR (total physical response) methods. Body language and visual aides really help out too.

I hope that I was able to help out! Please feel free to stay in contact if you need further advice. Buena Suerte! Debbie

Well, I am not a teacher, but I am a student . Im now a junior spanish major in college, and just got back from a sophmore semester in Granada. Obvisously english is never used in my college level classes, but when I was in High School, English was also NEVER used in the classroom. Even from first year spanish in 8th grade.

I think the most important part of it, and the only way it was possible in the early years was through a major use of body language, props, and lots of acting and cirumlocution on both the part of the teacher and the students. We students were also motivated to stay all in spanish as we were graded daily on this, and lost points for any english slip ups, and rewarded with extra points if at the end of the week we had not lost any points for using english.

Although it was really hard at first, especially in the 1st, 2nd year classes, I really think because of that experience, I felt much more prepared to enter spanish at the college level, and had a ton more confidence when I went abroad for the first time. The skills I learned through full immersion in high school and college proved very helpful when I found myself taking classes at the University in Granada along side my spaniard peers. If I had never had the experience of being a little lost or overwelmed by the language immersionin a class in high school, or college, I would have not been as prepared to deal with it in a spanish university classroom abroad with native speakers! I had the practice I needed to be fluent enough to keep up, and also the skills- like circumlocution to get around it when I didnt know a word, or didnt understand something, etc.

Wow that got long , but that is my opinion on the full classroom language immersion issue in high school. I really think it is the only true way to gain confidence in a language, and if you give your students the skills they need to do well in that environment, it will turn out great.
Good Luck!!!
Kelly

Sofia writes: You will probably begin by violating Rule #1 when you explain the 'ground rules' for the class (in English). But that's to be expected. You might schedule a visit to NYC to pick up some current Spanish newspapers & periodicals. A scenario would be to have one student read a feature article aloud in Spanish and have the rest of the class critique the article's subject (or whatever), in Spanish, of course. You might even pick up some videos of recent Spanish movies (in Spanish - hopefully without subtitles) and do what European 'Ciné Clubs' used to do (i.e., critique the movie). I participated actively in several meetings of such clubs in Madrid years ago - it helped my confidence with Castellano. Another tactic: Vamos a Cantar! Find someone who's having a birthday and have the class join in singing las Mañanitas to him (or her). I think the kids will enjoy it! You might teach them some of the songs the Tuna Universitaria sing (i.e., Clavelitos, La Dolores, etc.)

In addition to traditional music like that, tell them that there are many Spanish 'Acid Rock' groups. My wife's nephew is a percussionist with one of them.

One way to avoid breaking the immersion with the long "rules" speech is to put the rules in writing and having the students read them on their own time. A syllabus is of course standard in college, and a nice convenience in HS.

I teach and day one is the day you set the tone. If you want to teach in all Spanish, then day one should be all Spanish. If you plan to fudge it and not stick to your guns, then feel free to speak English starting with day one...you're going to do it anyway, right?

One methodology that was presented to me in college was that of an explanation sheet that is placed on all students' desks before class begins. The sheet explains what is about to happen, why you'll be speaking in Spanish [rationale], what tools they can use to understand [gestures, "gist-ing", etc.].

I've found that these strategies work, and although you'll slip periodically, eventually the students will call you on it and tell you to stop speaking in English!

Enjoy your year!!!

I have been taking courses at a major university to learn Spanish. As an adult learner with a teaching background in science, I cannot help but critique each instructor.

The most successful instructors are those who speak NO English in the class and who allow NO English to be spoken during the class time. Even in the first level course, the students do better when they KNOW that the teacher is not going to break down and use English. Office hours, before class, and after class are the only times a student or teacher should use English.

It can only be done if you set the standard by refusing to use English from the very first day. Slow your speech,simplify your words and if necessary, repeat important facts more than once, but do it all in Spanish.

Good luck!!

I too have taught at the college level, mostly to college freshman at St. Louis University, using Terrels 'Natural Approach', based heavily on communicative learning and Total Physical Response. We were strictly trained to only speak in Spanish from day one; the first class consisted of going around and introducing yourself to the students and getting them to learn introductory phrases and eachothers names and whatnot. We put the course name and number up on the board to reassure students they were in the right place, but The syllabus was passed out during the last 10-5 minutes and quickly reviewed in brief English, going over major policies. That was the extent of English.

This was in theory good, but it was easier for me to stick with Spanish throughout the semester in my 1st semester intro courses, because I had them first and set the precedent. It was actually harder to maintain Spanish in my second semester classes, since many students had different instructors the semester before with varying degrees of intensive Spanish immersion, so some students simply weren't used to it. They got used to it quick though.

So, yes it can be done, but it's crucial to start right away and not waver. Easier said than done, but I do think TPR really helps establish a base of operations and gets past the initial "I have no clue what you're saying to me."

Oigo, escucho y entiendo! Muchas gracias a todos por el buen consejo. Espero que otros ofrezcan su consejo y su buena o mala experiencia del pasado.