Spanish

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Spanish instruction begins in Grade 1. By Grade 6, classes are conducted almost entirely in Spanish.

World Language Instruction at St. Patrick’s

Establishing a solid grounding in a language other than English is a crucial part of educating global citizens. Because the number of Spanish speakers is rapidly on the rise – the United States has more than 45 million Spanish-speaking citizens and the second largest Hispanic population in the world – Spanish is the foreign language we have chosen to teach at St. Patrick’s.

Lower School Academics

Because the groundwork of fluency in a world language is best laid early on, we begin teaching Spanish in Grade 1. Three times each week, Lower School students are immersed in a multi-sensory learning environment that moves from the alphabet, numbers, and basic greetings to weave vocabulary into conversational phrases. Study and celebration of various traditions and customs in the Spanish-speaking world add interest and texture to lessons on grammar and vocabulary.

Upper School Academics

Upper School Spanish is more intensive than in the Lower School, focusing on taking English out of the equation so that students can begin to think in Spanish. Oral presentations build students’ confidence in speaking en Español. By Grade 6, classes are conducted almost entirely in Spanish, with an emphasis on speaking and proper pronunciation. Students in Grades 7 and 8 continue to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, writing longer compositions and reading beyond the textbook.