Some frequently asked questions... and answers
Below are answers to some of the questions most frequently asked about the Risas y Sonrisas Spanish Education Program. Click on the question to reveal the answer.
If you have any other questions, please contact us. We will be happy to assist you.
Learning Spanish should be first and foremost a positive experience for children.
To reinforce learning, the program incorporates repetition, but it is done with a variety of enjoyable activities to keep students engaged. Risas y Sonrisas makes learning Spanish fun and effective through the use of creative visual aids, music, signing, games, Q&A, skits and picture sentences using learned vocabulary. The result is that students learn practical communication skills, maintain a high level of retention, and develop a growing interest in the new language.
Risas y Sonrisas is based on the following “Accelerated Learning” theories:
The Whole Brain:
Each side of the brain functions in the learning process. The left side controls logical/analytical performance; the right side affects emotional/musical/artistic aspects. Activities used in this program make full use of right and left brain activity.
Three Learning Styles:
Learning can be visual, auditory or kinesthetic. The key is to offer different ways to learn the same information to match each student’s preferred learning style.
Suggestopedia:
The power of positive suggestion cannot be underestimated. Risas y Sonrisas ensures students receive information in a way that makes them confident learners.
Multiple Intelligences:
People have varying strengths and combinations of multiple intelligences – verbal/linguistic (word smart), logical/mathematical (number/reasoning smart), visual/spatial (picture smart), musical/rhythmic (music smart), bodily/kinesthetic (body smart), interpersonal (people smart), intrapersonal (self smart). Recognizing these different forms of intelligence brings out the best in each student.
Risas y Sonrisas is far more than a teacher manual, book and workbook. This program provides the teacher with all the elements needed for an effective, dynamic and fun Spanish class. All the tools (music, interactive CD-ROM, skits DVD, colorful posters, picture & color-coded word cards, games, etc.) are provided and interconnected to create a multisensory program that captures children’s attention.
The Total Immersion Method (where only Spanish is spoken) works the best when students are “immersed” and have Spanish classes often over long periods of time. When students meet only one to three times a week for less than an hour, the use of this method is less effective, and precious time is lost in missed translations. With Risas y Sonrisas, Spanish/English/Spanish is used only to make the first connection. Once the meaning of words is understood, then only Spanish and Sign Language is used. Some songs are in Spanish/English as an introduction, but posters, bingo games, word cards and phrases are exclusively in Spanish.
Children learn faster when they connect a sign to a word and sing with movement. American Sign Language offers signs that are easy to relate to words. Besides, expediting the learning process, children have the added bonus of learning still another language.
The Complete Classroom Program is intended for teaching large groups of students. The Individual Self Study is for individual learning or small groups of two to four.
All elements of the Individual Self Study Program are included in the Complete Classroom Program. In a classroom setting, children have the guidance of an instructor. They are exposed to more visuals and can engage in more group games while they are learning. The Complete Classroom Program uses large posters, pictures and color-coded word cards. The teacher manual includes a training DVD and there are more activities that can be done with larger groups. Each student can be provided with one or all of the elements in the Individual Study Program (Book/CD-ROM/Skit DVD, Music CD, Cognate Folder with Flashcard Set or Sign and sing DVD) for home study.
Different factors 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. About 100 to 120 class hours are needed to cover the complete curriculum. Once all chapters are completed, the program can continue to be used to reinforce sentences using picture and word cards. Time will be further extended if cultural activities, videos and reading books are used to supplement the program.
Spanish pronunciation and reading skills, extensive vocabulary, frequently used questions and answers, practical skits and building picture sentences in the present, past and future. The program is divided into 4 modules:
| MODULE I PRONUNCIATION Spanish Vowel and Consonant picture sounds. Reading skills using cognate words. Alphabet using American Sign Language. Vowel Stress. NUMBERS 1 to 10 Count from 0 to 10. COLORS AND SHAPES 11 Color picture/words, Q&A. 12 Shape picture/words. GREETINGS Q&A and use of ¿Cómo estás? with condition pictures. OLIMPO Y ANA Masculine - Feminine concept. Articles “the” “a /some”. BODY 24 Body picture/words, Q&A. DIRECTIONS 12 Direction picture/words, Q&A. QUESTIONS 10 question words. CONVERSATION SKITS 1&2 MODULE II |
MODULE III VERBS 24 vocabulary words, Q&A. Personal Pronouns and Conjugations From this moment on, continue practicing sentences in the present, past and future using personal pronoun conjugation cards and vocabulary pictures. FOOD 24 vocabulary words, Q&A. Table Setting Silverware. TIME Learn how to say the time in Spanish, Q&A. HOUSE 24 vocabulary words, Q&A. CONVERSATION SKITS 5&6 MODULE IV |
Students of different age groups who have never been exposed to a new language need to start learning from the same level. The main distinction between younger and older students learning a new language is reading skills and attention span. Young children have great capacity for learning new words, so vocabulary should not be limited. Non-readers (K-Grade 2) can sing songs, learn simple Q&A and play games that don’t require reading. They can follow the songs by looking at pictures in the book and use the CD-ROM to practice pronunciation of vocabulary and Q&A. Older students (Grades 3-5) learn the same as non-reader and can engage in higher order thinking related to reading, understanding masculine/feminine, counting to the millions, conjugation in the present past and future, acting in skits and building picture sentences.
The Songs CD, the Sign and Sing DVD (the teacher needs to learn the ASL for the songs prior to presenting them), the picture cards and some game ideas from the instructor’s manual are appropriate for this age group. Pre-school children respond well to music, lots of movement, games, group activities with visual aids, and very short stories with pictures and simple words they can repeat. In the Summer of 2010, we will offer a smaller program that will only include the Risas y Sonrisas age appropriate materials and activities for non-readers.
It is best to speak Spanish because students will benefit more from hearing the correct pronunciation of words. Risas y Sonrisas provides audiovisual tools to complement the songs, vocabulary and Q&A presented in the curriculum. For instance, teachers can use the CD-ROM to play a Bingo game or teach a song or use the Skits DVD to rehearse a skit. It may be necessary to be certified if you plan to work in a public school or certain private schools. However, to start your own business teaching Spanish to children it is important that you have the following qualifications:
- Speak Spanish correctly
- Enjoy working with children
- Be enthusiastic (enjoy dynamic classes - playing and singing)
- Know how to control children in a group setting
If for any reason you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, you can return it within 10 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 in re-selling condition, you will be refunded your purchase price minus the S&H charges.
If you have purchased the Classroom Program and you would like to purchase extra Student Books/CD-ROM/Skits DVD, separate CD-ROMs or Books, Cognate Folders, Flashcard Sets or Music CD's, we offer volume discounts.
The bottom section of the School Products page includes a discount for extra bulk items for the classroom. If you plan on purchasing more than 50 items, please contact us for details.