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Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Education Program for Kids - Risas y Sonrisas

Below are answers to some of the questions most frequently asked about the Risas y Sonrisas Spanish Education Program. If you have additional questions, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.

Can I purchase individual items from the complete classroom program?
The following items are all included in the complete classroom program and may also be purchased separately:

  • Individual Program (full color book, CD-ROM, matching domino game and music CD) - $39.95
  • Music CD with 39 songs to learn Spanish (includes colorful lyrics booklet) - $11.99
  • Pronunciation Package - $25.00
  • Conjugation Package - $25.00
  • Seasons/Months 4 Poster Set - $15.00
  • 8 posters - Days of the Week, Family, Colors Snake, Olimpo y Ana, Ser, Estar, Tener, Time - $9.95 each

What is your return policy?
If for any reason you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, you can return it within 7 days of receiving the product. Please call (512) 219-0225 or send an email to letismith@spanishforkids.com and provide the reason for your return. Once we have received the returned product, you will be refunded your purchase price minus the shipping and handling charges.

If you are a school and want to return the complete classroom program, you have the option of keeping the individual classroom program for only $10.00 added to the return shipping cost.

Can our school/organization review the complete classroom program before purchasing?
Yes. Please send your request for a 10 day evaluation through email or fax on school letterhead signed by the school principal. You will be charged $45.94 to cover shipping and the cost of the individual program, which you may keep.

If you decide to keep the complete classroom program, we deduct the $45.94 from the total price and you are charged for the balance. If you decide to return the complete classroom program, you keep the individual program and we cover all S&H expenses, including the return. Please call (512)219-0225 or send an email to letismith@spanishforkids.com to provide a reason for your return. You must send back the program no later than 10 days after receiving, and it must be in resalable condition. The wrapped CD in the box needs to be unopened. Please listen to the music CD inside the individual program since it's the same as the one in the box.

This policy does not apply to individuals interested in reviewing the program, only to schools or established organizations. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

What kind of discount do you offer for large volume purchases?
If you have purchased the classroom program and you would like to purchase extra Individual Programs or Music CD's, discounts apply as follows:

  • 15% discount for 1 - 50
  • 25% discount for 50 - 100
  • 40% discount for more than 100

How can the same program be used with different grade levels?
If students from different age groups have never been exposed to a new language, they all need to start from the same level. The main difference between younger and older students in learning a new language is their reading skills. There is no reason to limit the vocabulary for younger children. Young children have a great capacity for learning new words. Most of the same material is presented to readers and non-readers. For example, readers are introduced to the alphabet, vowel and consonant sounds, pronunciation and reading skills while non-readers only learn to sing the alphabet and the vowel sounds.

Can my child learn Spanish using the Individual Program without having Spanish classes?
Children advance much faster if they are using this program in a classroom setting. They have the guidance from an instructor, they are exposed to more visuals and there is an incredible variety of games to rehearse what they are learning. However, children can learn from the individual program without classes. Music plays an essential role in introducing vocabulary. The CD-ROM and the book are a wonderful aid to rehearse pronunciation of words, songs and phrases. The matching domino game is a fun way to practice vocabulary.

Is the Risas y Sonrisas program appropriate for pre-school age children?
If your goal is to teach only pre-school, the classroom program will provide you with much more than what you need, so it may not be worth the investment in this case. However, most of the songs in the Music CD are appropriate for this age group. With pre-school children, you should use music, lots of movement, games with visual aids, and very short stories with pictures and words they can repeat.

Is the Risas y Sonrisas program appropriate for middle and high school students?
The creative visual aids, associations and games in Risas y Sonrisas are appropriate for any age group. You may find some resistance from older students to sing some of the songs which are more appropriate for children. We are working on a new music CD that will be more appropriate for this age group.

How much time does it take to complete the entire Risas y Sonrisas Curriculum?
There are different factors that will affect the time it takes to complete the program: size of class, age of students, classroom setting, amount of time for each class and number of days you meet in a week. It takes approximately 96 class hours to cover the complete curriculum if you have between 8-15 students, you meet for one hour twice a week and your students are readers. Non-reading students will be exposed to reading skills only after they can read in their own language, so this element will vary. You can continue to use the program to reinforce complex sentences using picture and word cards. Students who complete the program will be ready to engage in Spanish theatrical plays that require fluent reading and understanding of basic vocabulary.

What can I expect students to know after completing the Program?

  • MODULE I (24 class hours):
    • 14 Songs / Key Phrases for each Unit
    • Pronunciation - Alphabet, Spanish vowel and consonant sounds, reading skills.
    • Colors - 11 colors
      Greetings - phrases
    • Numbers - 1-1000
    • Questions - 10 questions (using american sign language)
    • Masculine and Feminine Concept
    • Body - 24 vocabulary words
    • Directions - 12 vocabulary words
    • Verbs - 24 vocabulary words
    • Personal Pronouns
    • Cognates - 36 words that are similar in Spanish/English
  • MODULE II (24 class hours):
    • Continue review of Module I
    • 10 Songs / Key Phrases for each Unit
    • Conjugations (yo, tú, él, ella usted - simple sentences in the present/past/future)
    • Family - 9 vocabulary words
    • Opposites - 24 vocabulary words
    • Days of the Week - 7 vocabulary words
    • Months, Seasons/ Weather - 16 vocabulary words and weather expressions
    • School - 24 vocabulary words
    • Food - 24 vocabulary words
    • Cognates - 36 words that are similar in Spanish/English
  • MODULE III (24 class hours):
    • Continue Review of Module I and II
    • 6 Songs / Key Phrases for each Unit
    • Conjugations (yo, tú, él, ella usted, nosotros, ellos, ellas, ustedes - simple sentences in the present/past/future)
    • Farm Animals - 24 vocabulary words
    • House - 24 vocabulary words
    • Clothing - 24 vocabulary words
    • Time - Learn how to say the time in Spanish
    • Cognates - 36 words that are similar in Spanish/English
  • MODULE IV (24 class hours)
    • Continue Review of Module I, II and III
    • 7 Songs / Key Phrases for each Unit
    • Conjugations (yo, tú, él, ella usted, nosotros, ellos, ellas, ustedes - more complex sentences in the present/past/future)
    • Wild Animals - 24 vocabulary words
    • Places- 24 vocabulary words
    • Occupations - 24 vocabulary words
    • Ser/ Estar/ Tener - understand uses of ser, estar and tener
    • Cognates - 36 words that are similar in Spanish/English

Do I need to speak Spanish, be certified or have previous experience in teaching children?
It is best to speak Spanish because students will benefit more from hearing the correct pronunciation of words. The CD-ROM can be used by a non-Spanish speaker to present the pronunciation of words, phrases and songs but it will take a longer time to learn. You need to be certified if you plan to work on a public school or certain private schools. You can start your own business teaching Spanish to children with out a certification.

The most important qualifications for a children's Spanish instructor are:
  • Speak Spanish correctly
  • Enjoy working with children
  • Be enthusiastic (enjoy dynamic classes - playing, moving and singing)
  • Know how to control children in a group setting

The key factor is to have a good program that offers not only a "how to do manual" but the "right tools" to do it effectively.

Does this program use only Spanish?
The Total Immersion Method (where only Spanish is spoken) works best when students have the opportunity to have Spanish classes often and for long periods of time. However, if students meet only once to three times a week for less than an hour, and only Spanish is spoken, they will feel frustrated and precious time will be lost with misunderstandings.

When introducing vocabulary for the first time, instructors need to say words or phrases in Spanish/English/Spanish and use a gesture or sign that represents those words. Explanations of games or grammar concepts should be done in English because students would not understand otherwise. Once the meaning of words is understood, it is strongly recommended to use only Spanish along with the assigned gesture. Some songs are in Spanish/English as an introduction, but the posters, bingo games, word cards and phrases are only in Spanish.

How should we divide the age groups in our Spanish classes?
The most important factor is to divide them by groups of readers and non-readers. You can have groups of K - 2nd grade and 3rd - 5th grade. Second graders are right in between and sometimes they can be with the group of readers if necessary.

How large should the groups of students be in our classes?
The smaller the group, the better it is for the students because they have more opportunities to use individual verbal skills. Most classes in schools have between 20-30 students and even though it is not the optimal number, it is possible to offer most of the suggested games with the materials included in the program. For after school classes, we would recommend between 8 and 15 students.

How often should classes be offered?
The more often children are exposed to the new language, the better; everyday would be ideal. If you don't have that choice, 2 to 3 times a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour is a standard time. With this program, even 30 minutes once a week during the school year has proved to bring amazing results to the students. Several schools around Austin are teaching Spanish once a week with parent volunteers.

Does the Risas y Sonrisas program include any kind of student evaluation tools?
Teachers review the material in every class using pictures and games. Students answer as a group and individually. There are many opportunities to measure their level of proficiency by their response to questions. When vocabulary has been mastered orally, then students are ready to be challenged by writing those words, preferably on eraser boards. Students that know the answer feel proud to be the ones who raise their board first and the teacher tells them “perfecto” or corrects them if the word is misspelled. Students who don't know the answer look at the boards of the students who got the correct answer and then they write the word, which reinforces learning.

A grid showing student's names and the units to be mastered is very useful. Teachers can take 5 minutes of class time to give the opportunity to 5 students who feel they have mastered a vocabulary unit to be tested orally. Each student must respond to 5 random pictures or questions in order to get credit for that unit. The test can be taken as many times as it is necessary, but all have to be correct answers. There are no grades, either a student gets or doesn’t get credit for a unit, and it is done at the student’s own pace. An incentive, such as a visit to the treasure box when a number of units are mastered will give students encouragement to participate in the testing.

The teacher manual includes reproducible sheets with pictures of the vocabulary and a space to write the word on. Also, students can say or write the answer to the key phrases included in the program.

When students have mastered several vocabulary units, including verbs and personal pronouns, they will be ready to write or say sentences from pictures of personal pronouns, verbs, nouns and adjectives arranged as sentences on the magnetic board.

Can this program be used by itself or is it only supplementary to other Spanish programs?
If you are planning on using a traditional approach with workbook and tests, this program would be supplementary to that program. If your main interest is that your students learn Spanish and feel comfortable speaking without having to worry as much about the rules behind what they are saying, Risas y Sonrisas is all that you need.

What are the most important elements included in the Risas y Sonrisas Spanish Program?
M.A.G.I.C. - Music, Associations, Games, Involvement, Color

What am I not going to find in the Risas y Sonrisas Spanish Program?
You are not going to find phonetic Spanish pronunciation (mooy im-pohr-tan-teh), drills of boring repetition, written workbook exercises or material that is not practical and easy to apply to children's everyday life.

Do you offer teacher training?
Your success is our success! Our priority is to make Spanish for children a joyful experience. We want teachers to know how to take the most advantage of the materials in the "Risas y Sonrisas" classroom program. We will be including an instructional training video in the Teacher's Manual in the summer of 2006. If you purchase the complete classroom program prior to the video release, we will send it to you at no additional cost when it becomes available.

We offer a full day training workshop related to the methodology and how to apply it in the foreign language classroom. Please call Risas y Sonrisas at (512) 219-0225 for more details.

Those who want to start their own business teaching Spanish to children can purchase the complete classroom program and join the Spanish Instructor Network free of charge.

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