Professional Development Department
Spanish Initiative Program |
Paula Grier,
Spanish Instruction Specialist |
(972) 925-8017 Phone
(214) 321-8884 Fax
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Spanish classes for the spring 2009 semester are postponed due to budget constraints
The Dallas ISD Spanish Initiative Program is a conversational Spanish program initiated by the district in 2002 to provide improved services and communication to Spanish-speaking students, parents, and community members by increasing the number of employees at the campus level who are able to converse in Spanish.
Fall 2008 Semester
Returning program participants who were eligible for levels II – VI were sent course schedules the week of August 18, 2008. Participants registered using the Oracle Registration System starting on August 19, 2008.
Spanish classes began the week of September 2, 2008, and met for two hours one day a week for 12 weeks. Courses were offered after school hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or on Saturday mornings. Twenty-two hours of staff development credit were awarded upon successful course completion. Please note that these courses do not count toward mandatory content training.
Prospective Spanish I Participants
Prospective Spanish I participants (teachers, teacher assistants, and campus support staff) are required to submit an application. Campus support staff includes: office managers, registrars, data controllers, school clerks, financial clerks, and media assistants. For more information, please contact the Spanish Initiative Program Office at 972-925-8017.
Other Campus-Based Professionals
Other campus-based professionals (librarians, health services staff, special education individual evaluation staff, and speech therapists) are offered Spanish conversation courses during the fall and spring semesters. For eligibility information, please contact the Spanish Initiative Program Office at 972-925-8017.
Program Goal
The goal of the Spanish Initiative Program is to provide improved services and communication to Spanish-speaking students, parents, and community members by increasing the number of district employees at the campus level who are able to converse in Spanish.
Program Objectives
- Development of Spanish language conversational skills
- Increased cultural understanding and appreciation of Hispanic cultures
- Improved services and communications to Spanish-speaking students, parents and community members
- Reduction of language and cultural barriers between Spanish and English speakers
- Opportunity to earn 22 hours of non-mandatory staff development credit
Course Requirements
Each participant commits to the following requirements:
- Take a Dallas ISD conversational Spanish course which consists of twelve 2-hour classes
- Complete all coursework with a grade of C or better
- Pass a structured oral exam
- Use Spanish-speaking language skills in working with students and parents
Course Materials
In 2003, the Spanish Initiative Program adopted a college-level Spanish textbook package published by Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company entitled Imágenes. It is used for all six levels of Spanish offered. The textbook emphasizes the teaching of conversational Spanish according to the principles of oral proficiency, as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), and the national standards for foreign language learning.
The basic, required package contains the following components: textbook, workbook/lab manual, audio CD, and interactive CD-ROM. Participants may also opt to purchase another package that contains all the components listed above plus an audio CD lab program. Textbook ordering procedures, ISBN numbers and special package prices will be sent upon request.
Contact Information
To contact the Spanish Initiative Program Office, call 972-925-8017. You may also email: pgrier@dallasisd.org
Our school mailbox number is - Box 39. Our fax numbers are: 214-321-8884 or 214-321-6744.
Spanish Language Immersion Programs
According to researchers from the Center for Applied Linguistics, an effective approach to develop high-level language learners among the American population is to provide intensive immersion experiences, including overseas study in a target-language culture. (ERIC/CLL Newsletter, Vol. 26, No. 2, Spring 2003.)
In a Spanish language immersion program, students typically stay with a Spanish-speaking family. They may make arrangements to go alone, take a friend or take their family. In the morning, they attend classes at a language institute and in the afternoon, there are opportunities to visit nearby cities and sites of cultural and historical interest. The Spanish courses are designed for students of all levels, from beginners to advanced speakers. Depending upon the program chosen, participants, at their own expense, may go at any time and stay for as long as they like: one week, two weeks, one month or the whole summer.
The benefits of immersion programs are immeasurable. In addition to accelerating fluency in Spanish and developing a greater understanding of the cultural similarities and differences between themselves and their Spanish-speaking hosts, students will also make new friends and discover a whole new world.
If you are interested in learning more about intensive Spanish language programs, contact the Spanish Initiative Program Office at 972-925-8017.
Professional Organizations and Spanish Language Resources
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