IPED employs the communicative methodology for teaching Spanish
to ensure that academic excellence and the most effective
learning systems are provided. Furthermore, the most positive
and important aspects of other methods, such as the Natural
Approach, The Whole Language Approach, the Direct Method and
acquisitionist, cognitive and multiple intelligence theories are
incorporated into the curriculum. Classes are lively, active and
creative and the students will be amazed at their quick
advancement.
We want our students talking 70% to 80% of the classtime.
The communicative approach is based on the following theory of
how Language is acquired. Psycholinguists believe that
information goes first into our short memory storage. It may
stay for a few seconds, a minute or an hour or so and if it is
not stimulated correctly it will disappear. In a communicative
class the material is presented and practiced with creative,
task-based learning activities. These communicative type
activities stimulate a transference whereby the information goes
from the short memory storage to the long memory storage. This
approach ensures and encourages the students active involvement
in the learning process. You participate in discussions,
roleplays, problem solving exercises and small group activities.
The small groups (2-4 students) ensure extensive practice using
Spanish in contemporary, realistic situations. Our teachers
constantly encourage accuracy and language development through
error correction and constructive feedback.
Different aspects of new trends in language teaching are
integrated into our teaching methodology along with the
Communicative approach. The Natural Approach believes language
acquisition can take place through constant exposure to real and
natural language through communicative activities in a relaxed
atmosphere. The Natural Approach has provided great insight into
the importance of the psychological factors and attitude of the
students.
The Direct Inductive method believes it is possible to acquire
a language intuitively too, but also says language can be
learned consciously. For example, when we first learn how to
type, we have to consciously learn which finger corresponds to
which key. Eventually the learned skills become automatic and
intuitive, we don't have to think about them. This kind of
crossover is, in fact, how we learn many things in life as well
as languages. Through trial and error language skills quickly
become subconscious and intuitive. The Communicative methodology
integrated with the best aspects of other approaches is the
cornerstone of our teaching philosophy.
Furthermore, it is also important to take into account and
incorporate the differences in learning styles of each student.
Some of us learn better by seeing a written word, others by
seeing the object or a picture of the object, others by
listening to the word and others by doing an action.
These different styles of learning must be taken into account
and incorporated into the learning process so every student is
provided the opportunity learn at his best ability.
