Foreign Language

Elementary Spanish

NCA's 1st and 2nd-grade Spanish classes are founded upon the TPR Storytelling approach, which utilizes four consecutive steps of language acquisition: hearing, speaking, reading, and writing. Students hear and do (gesture) new vocabulary, respond to questions with short answers, and interact using simple greetings in the target language. Songs, games, and skits with silly costumes and/or puppets are all part of the method that has fluency in Spanish as its aim.

Our 3rd -5th-grade Spanish program focuses on one workbook episode (story) per quarter.  We start the quarter by learning the vocabulary words that go with this short story and act out mini-scenarios using combinations of these words.  Then we work on writing out and memorizing the story.  Students work on assignments related to the short story in their workbooks which are due at the end of each quarter. In addition, we teach basic Spanish vocab like colors, rooms of the house, classroom objects, and the calendar. Every time students enter the classroom, the first thing they do is praise the Lord in Spanish, concentrating on one worship song per quarter. 

Classes meet twice a week for 30 minutes.  Teaching includes a variety of strategies: games, songs, dancing, video lessons, focused vocabulary projects, words with motions, and computer/technology resources.  Our focus is strengthening the four main skills needed to learn a language: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.  In fifth grade, we begin using Google Classroom for practicing vocabulary at home or on the go.

Middle School Foreign Language

Spanish

Sixth graders receive one semester of Spanish as they move into their middle school years. During this time, they transition from their elementary workbook curriculum and move into a more grammar-focused style by translating silly stories and perfecting the basic vocabulary introduced in earlier grades.

Seventh and eighth grade Spanish is a two-year program focused on teaching the main content of high school level 1 Spanish, and in some high schools, even part of their Spanish II programs. At this level, Spanish is an elective class. We divide this class into two different groups: 7th graders take the Intermediate class and 8th graders take Advanced Spanish. The seventh graders meet twice a week for 50-minute periods and eighth graders meet three times a week for 50 minutes.

In both 7th and 8th grade, we do grammar exercises, record conversations, sing worship songs, practice writing, have weekly homework, read 2 novels, play games, and have many other interesting activities. All of the assignments can be accessed online through Google Classroom, which helps students who have extracurricular activities keep engaged in class.

Most students who participate in Intermediate and Advanced Spanish can go on to enroll in a high school Spanish II program, but placement depends on their high school’s policy.