April’s Fair in Seville, Spain is an annual festival that dates back to 1847. It is held in April or May and celebrates the arrival of spring. The fair takes place around the city and is a time for festivities with bullfighting, open-air concerts, nightly fireworks, rides, lottery booths, and much more. Traditional folk costumes […]
Ekeko: Talisman of Luck and Wealth
An ekeko is a traditional good luck charm originating from the Aymara culture of several South American countries including Bolivia and Peru. It is believed to promote abundance and prosperity, and often takes the form of a small cloth figurine filled with items believed to bring luck like food, coins, coca leaves, cotton balls, and […]
Spanish Class Activities for Earth Week: Class Guide for Spanish Teachers
The Speaking Latinos’ Earth Week Class Guide helps middle and high school Spanish teachers discover the environment-themed activities and materials they can use in class prior to Earth Day (April 22nd). These ready-made materials reduce prep and planning time. Having a guide with Spanish class activities about Earth Day is important because it provides students […]
31 Outstanding Afro-latinos Your Students Should Know
February marks the celebration of Black History Month and this is a great opportunity to introduce your students to notable Afro-latinos in your Spanish classes. There are 54 million Hispanics in the United States, of whom 24% identify as Afro-Latino. Here’s our list of biographies in Spanish (and some in English) you can use in […]
3 Websites to Learn and Practice Spanish Without Spending a Penny
A tight budget doesn’t need to be your reason for not learning Spanish. Luckily, there are some great free tools available to help you practice and hone your skills. Whether it’s learning a few words every day with an app that uses spaced repetition, picking up new phrases from an online community, or mastering your […]
Día de San Patricio: St. Patrick’s Day Spanish Vocabulary Printables
St. Patrick’s day is a great time for Spanish teachers to have some fun with their students. Here are 3 St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary activities that you can use in your classroom: a word list handout, a crossword puzzle, and a word search. The word list handout gives students lists of words related to St. […]
5 Songs in Spanish for Valentine’s Day
For middle to high school Spanish teachers who wants to celebrate Valentine’s Day in class, here’s our suggestion of 4 songs in Spanish that your students will enjoy. Songs are a great way to teach new vocabulary because they can be fun and engaging. Songs typically have catchy melodies and rhymes that make them easier […]
2nd Annual Survey for World Language Teachers: Stop Wondering and Participate
Can you believe we have been teaching in the pandemic mode for a year now? Your challenges of teaching remote, hybrid, in-person, synchronous, asynchronous, and any combination of those mixed together have been going on for months and months. Can you believe your 2nd semester of teaching is almost halfway in? Or perhaps, can you […]
13 Afro-Latino Class Activities for Students: Scaffolded for Novice to Advanced
Use these scaffolded activities in any order during Black History Month or through the school year. Each activity includes 3 versions to use with novice, intermediate low-mid, and intermediate high-advanced students.
Elementary Spanish Curriculum Recommendations
We have been asked in the past if there is something similar to what we offer inside the Speaking Latino Spanish Teachers Community for elementary students. We reached out to elementary Spanish teachers in our Facebook group and these were their recommendations: 1. Rockalingua Rockalingua is an online resource to help children and beginners learn […]
I’m Quarantined! Sub-plans Ideas for Spanish Teachers
“I can’t be at my school, which is fully live, in school every day. I need lesson plans for non-Spanish-speaking substitute teachers. I need at least 2 weeks, probably more, I think. I found the 5 intermediate substitute lessons on your website. Any suggestions for how/where to go in your site to get more?” This […]
16 Fail-Proof Spanish Class Activities and Games
Speaking Latino followed up with 16 Spanish teacher experts that presented in the Spanish Teacher Success Academy online conference and asked them: What is your number one favorite activity you play in your classroom? They gave us awesome ideas that you can use any time in class. As an extra bonus, we have unlocked this […]
The State of World Language Teaching: Results of the 2020 World Language Teacher Survey
This survey was created to give language teachers real answers they can use to make changes to their teaching, to provide comfort in knowing they’re not alone, and help make changes in their institutions and districts.
Professional Development Certificate from the World Language Teacher Summit
World language teachers looking for affordable professional development should check the training sessions provided by the World Language Teacher Summit. This online conference, featuring 45 language teacher experts, is now opening again for new members. By only watching a few sessions, many teachers have been able to improve, modify and change the way they teach. […]
National Read Across America Day: 2 Videos for Spanish Teachers to Help Students Read More in the Target Language
National Read Across America Day is celebrated every year on March 2nd. This day is also known as Dr. Seuss Day. Spanish teachers can always use these celebrations as opportunities to bring excitement to their class. If you need some activity ideas, check out the article 4 Read Across America Day Spanish Class Activities. To […]
Tips to Assess Comprehension in the Spanish Classroom
In summary, language comprehension is “understanding what other people say and write”. Spanish teachers (and any world language teacher) must make sure that their students are actually understanding. But, how do you know? How do Spanish teachers access comprehension every day? Here’s what speakers from the Spanish Teacher Success Academy online conference do… Sam Finneseth […]
Tips to Deal with Students Who Don’t Want to Learn Spanish
When teachers encounter one or more students who essentially don’t want to learn Spanish it can jeopardize the activities and class dynamics. Sometimes, teachers feel that they need to go back to the drawing board and re-think everything that they had planned. Fourteen speakers from the Spanish Teacher Success Academy online conference gave us some […]
How to Encourage Students Who are Struggling to Learn Spanish
Students that struggle to learn Spanish is something that any teacher encounters every school year. Here are some tips from Spanish Teacher Success Academy online conference speakers that can help you deal with this issue. Sam Finneseth “I high-five them every single chance I get.” Sam finds small but meaningful ways of connecting with her […]
The Best Free Spanish Podcasts
The podcast was invented in 2004 by MTV video jockey Adam Curry, and years later, it has become a global phenomenon. Portable and often ad-free, podcasts have become an incredibly popular audio source of education, entertainment, and news. So, chances are, you probably already understand the undeniable appeal and the beauty of the podcast, but […]
Spanish Worksheets for Kids
The younger the age, the easier it is for us to acquire a new language. It is definitely a good practice to send a child to Spanish classes as young as kindergarten age (or even younger!). However, teachers may find it hard to catch the attention of such small students, so using absorbing teaching aids […]
When I First Started Teaching I Wish I Had Known…
We asked Spanish Teachers Success Academy presenters to name one thing they wish you had known when they started teaching. And here is an extract of their answers that collects their reflexions on their teaching careers. You can watch the full video interview and additional Q&A session bonuses inside the Spanish Teacher Success Academy. Allison […]
The Spanish Teacher Success Academy Professional Development Certificate
When you first started out teaching Spanish, I bet you heard the same thing over and over again: grammar is the key, follow the textbook, drills, exercises, and tests are the best way to teach. You took that advice to heart, but it was hard to know where to start. As you kept on researching, […]
31 Terrific TpT Stores for Spanish Teachers and Why You Should Follow Them
Follow these Teachers Pay Teachers stores to get some inspiration for your Spanish class.
The Massive List of Ideas to Engage and Motivate Your Spanish Students
By building rapport, optimizing the classroom environment, and fostering a culture of continuous engagement, you can cultivate a love for the Spanish language that extends far beyond the classroom walls.
Spanish Lesson Plans and Activities for Earth Week
Earth Day lessons and activities are an important part of any Spanish classroom. Not only do they provide an engaging way to learn about environmental issues, but they can also help students build a deeper understanding of the complex global network that is today’s world. By providing lessons and activities related to environmental issues, Spanish […]
Spanish Class Activities for Spanish Language Day (April 23rd)
Spanish Language Day is celebrated on April 23rd to mark the anniversary of Miguel de Cervantes’ death, one of Spain’s most beloved authors. Spanish writer and poet Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra published Don Quixote de la Mancha, considered the first modern novel in the Spanish language. This landmark work of literature has helped to make […]
Easter and Holy Week Traditions Spanish Class Activities
Holy Week is a big cultural event in Latin America. People get involved and commemorate the most important week or Catholic celebration that ends on Easter Sunday. You can highlight the cultural aspects of this date in your classes and also introduce Easter vocabulary in Spanish. Check out these ready-made printables: Easter and Holy Week […]
12 Spanish Class Activities for National Poetry Month
Check out the activities and materials we have created to celebrate National Poetry Month in April! All Spanish Teachers Community members have access to these materials and hundreds of ready-made lesson plans and resources for the full school year! Click here to access our exclusive freebies for Spanish teachers. How to Include Poetry in Your Spanish […]
Human Migration (Immigration) Spanish Class Activities
1. Lesson Plan – Crossing the U.S. – Mexican Border – This lesson plan is designed for use with the film Al Otro Lado (To the Other Side). This 60-minute film provides a window into issues along the border between the United States and Mexico. 2. Lesson Plan – Encuentros y desencuentros: Inmigración en España. […]
Bell Ringer Spanish Class Activities
1. List – Bellringers: Stress-Free Ideas For The World Language Classroom – Tips for streamlining the process and creating meaningful bellringers. This can be good to let students know you are ready to start and expect them to get busy, right away. 2. Video – Warm Up Activities – This video was created for an […]