Our Methodology

¡Niños! Spanish for Children uses the La Jolie Ronde method of teaching foreign language to children, established in 1983 and used as part of the curriculum in hundreds of top schools around the world.

It means that the children learn Spanish through a balanced programme that combines fun games, stories and rhymes with conversation and basic grammar. Your child can join the programme at a starting point appropriate to their age and learn with children of the same age. The course is highly structured, with a precise list of vocabulary and phrases with which a pupil is expected to be familiar by the end of each stage of learning.

Pupils learn to communicate in a foreign language - they acquire skills which will help them communicate in any foreign language:

• Learning to listen, observe and imitate
• Looking for clues to help them understand
• Learning to interpret gestures, expressions and body language.
• Learning to respond within the context of the conversation.

Pupils imitate the teacher's native accent from day one. Children are encouraged to express themselves as much as possible in Spanish but are not made to feel afraid of making a mistake. Spanish is used in the class as much as possible but English is used too, as it is important for your child to understand what is expected of them.

Children learn that they need to practice to become fluent. Practice comes in many forms, from the exercises, games and activities completed with the tutor, to the use of the learning CDs and activity books at home.

What does a typical lesson look like?

Classes are no larger than 12 pupils, with a maximum of only 8 for pre-school age groups.

The structure of each lesson involves repetition and reinforcement in order to build confidence, but new vocabulary is also introduced through during every lesson. Each session is very varied, including songs, games and stories for the younger ones and role-plays and drama for the older children. The emphasis is very much on spoken Spanish. Older pupils are introduced to the written form, but always through a fun activity.

The La Jolie Ronde method presents basic grammar through the language activities so that it is absorbed naturally as part of the  process of learning to communicate.

                                                                                        
Note: we are not employed by La Jolie Ronde but we are a self-employed La Jolie Ronde franchisee. La Jolie Ronde's own website is at www.lajolieronde.co.uk and any statements made on this website are ours and not those of La Jolie Ronde, who have not given or endorsed them.

PHOTO CREDITS:(FLICKR PROFILE) top centre-cesar astudillo bottom - Jose Luis Garcia