Teaching Spanish to Elementary StudentsThe Elementary Spanish program in Wilmette is a FLES program that offers students Spanish instruction 20 minutes a day, 2 days a week in Kindergarten and 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week in first through fourth grades.  The program is content-based meaning students learn vocabulary and concepts based around what they are learning in the regular classroom.

Program Philosophy

  • COMMUNICATION: The study another language leads to communication. We will teach students from in early age to communicate beyond their primary language(s) in order to participate effectively in this global community.
  • CULTURE: The study of another language will unlock and broaden the students' views of their world and that of other cultures. Students will recognize that which is common to all human experience and will accept that which is different.
  • CONNECTIONS: The study of another language leads to an Interdisciplinary view of the curriculum. Students will begin language study as early as possible in an Interdisciplinary environment.
  • COMPARISONS: The study of another language leads to critical thinking skills. Our goal is to enhance the ability to analyze, to compare and contrast, to synthesiz, to improvise and examine cultures through a language and a perspective other than one's own.
  • COMMUNITIES: The study of another language will enable students to become life-long learners. Students will use the targey language beyond the school setting

Program Goals

  • Every child will have the opportunity to participate in an elementary foreign language program during the optimal years of acquisition
  • Every child will have the opportunity to acquire functional proficiency in one or more languages other than the child's native language
  • Children will be exposed to cultures different from their own and therefore will develop positive attitudes about language and culture
  • Students will be comfortable with the language and will be inspired to continue language learning
  • Students will acquire language-learning strategies in addition to basic vocabulary and conversational skill