Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop
The FUN & EXCITING Way to Learn SPANISH!

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8524 W Gage Blvd A116, Kennewick WA 99336 509.947.4154

As parents we wield incredible influence over our children. As a parent, you are constantly under the scrutiny of your child. You are her first teacher. You are the one he turns to for guidance and support.

To encourage your child's interest in Second Language Learning it is important to remember that learning is a process. Just as a child learns to crawl, then walk, and eventually run as a sign of "normal" development, children learning a Second Language also learn first by navigating the "normal" phases of language development.

What does this mean, you might ask? What this means is that your child can and will learn Spanish (or another language), but probably not in the first lesson or maybe even the first several months of classes. Learning another language requires frequent exposure over time. The primary focus of Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop is to support and motivate students interested in learning Spanish. While short term gains are expected, the main purpose of Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop is to lay a strong foundation for future language study by grabbing a student's attention and interest in the Preschool and Elementary years.

Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop - Two Times the Fun!

MISSION: To support and motivate students

The teaching philosophy of Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop is to give the student a strong anchor for future Second Language study in Middle School and beyond. While most students come to our Spanish Workshops without a prior experience with the Spanish language, there are some who have had previous lessons through their school or other private language programs. Classes are structured to allow each student to progress at his/her own pace. By choosing relevant and meaningful themes, students and parents are engaged in learning in a way to help them take away the most personally relevant and meaningful information.

PHILOSOPHY: Learning another language is a process over time

Keep in mind that bilingualism, or becoming bilingual, is not a "one size fits all" endeavor. Just as individuals have different learning styles for other subjects, students learning a second language will find their own unique path to successful language learning. It is the goal of Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop to support each student in his or her learning in a way that is respectful of diverse learning styles and individual needs.

EXPECTATIONS: "Normal" Stages of Second Language Development

Principle #1: Bilingualism is an asset and should be fostered.
Principle #2: There is an ebb and flow to children's bilingualism; it is rare for both languages to be perfectly balanced.
Principle #3: There are different use cultural patterns in language use.
Principle #4: For some bilingual children, code-switching is a normal language phenomenon.
Principle #5: Children come to learn second languages in many different ways.
Principle #6: Language is used to communicate meaning.
Principle #7: Language flourishes best in a language-rich environment.
Principle #8: Children should be encouraged to experiment with language.

Taken from: http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/ncrcds04.html

CONCLUSION

Learning a Second Language is a process. Depending on interest and motivation, a student may feel comfortable using words and/or phrases right away. Most, however, will go through a "Silent Period" while absorbing the information and working to make meaning out of the sounds they hear and activities they experience in class. Dos Caminos Spanish Workshop strives to support the unique educational, social and emotional needs of individual students while providing educationally sound, relevant and personally meaningful Spanish language learning opportunities.

¡Buena suerte!