Great Ideas

The Best of the Best

A compilation of great language programme ideas from the 2006 Fundación don Quijote Scholarship Programme

1  Use the Web

CREATE A WEB

Create a web page for your students. Link to Spanish language resources and in-country Spanish courses. Include a forum where students can share their enthusiasm, as well as their impressions and opinions after completing their in-country Spanish course.

CREATE A SPANISH STUDY INTRANET

Build an Intranet where students can access practice exercises, parallel texts, pictures of the Hispanic world and detailed information about Hispanic fiestas and traditions.

2  Encourage creativity

• Stage a student theatre performance- -in Spanish.
• Hold a translating or poetry reciting contest.
• Sponsor a student photo contest: “España y yo”, or , suggests dQ,” El español y yo”.
• Run a film contest in which students write and create short films promoting language learning – in a foreign language. Make the prize very attractive – an IPOD, for example!

3  Build bridges to Spanish speakers

• Line up a formal student and teacher exchange programme with an institution in Spain or Latin America.
• Invite a Spanish language “Writer in Residence” to spend a semester, or 2 weeks, or a day with your students. Small institutions with a local Spanish-speaking community could introduce students to a local Spanish language journalist, if a far flung writer seems out of reach.
• Interview Spanish speakers in class.
• Install video conferencing in classrooms and link up to the Spanish speaking world.
• Organize fun social events and language exchanges with Spanish speaking foreign students studying at your institution – or another local institution.
• Participate as a class in Cervantes Institute events in your town, and consistently post/announce local cultural events for your students.
• Give your students academic credit points for volunteering in the local Hispanic community, or organizing cultural events with the community.

4  Liven up the study programme with vibrant cultural classes and events

• Hold free screenings of Spanish Language Films –complete with palomitas.
• Add classes about Spanish literature, poetry, food and music to the curriculum.
• Celebrate as many traditional Hispanic festivals as possible, including El Día de la Hispanidad. Host concerts, plays, fairs, dance contests, talks and food booths.

5  Create opportunities for teachers

• Encourage and, if possible, financially support teachers taking in-country training courses during school breaks
• Sponsor a teacher’s conference in your region or country. Invite representatives of Spanish publishing companies to promote their textbooks at the conference. In exchange, request a sample copy for each teacher attending the conference.

6  And more great ideas:

• Expand your institution’s Spanish language library. Haven’t got a Spanish library? Start one!
• Host a Study Abroad fair in collaboration with your institution’s career advisor. Invite employers to speak about the value of a second language. Invite students and adults who have studied abroad to talk about the impact on their lives.
• Celebrate Tapas Days in class!
• Send a team to local, regional and national Spanish academic contests. Then promote their success (and all of your Spanish activities) at your school, on the school Web and in the local press.
• Offer summer language courses.
• Hold regular information sessions (10 per year, for example) to keep students enthused and up-to-date about opportunities to study Spanish abroad.
• Invite students to participate in an annual scientific conference, presenting their research in Spanish linguistics.

Read the 2005 Best Ideas