The study of world languages at King is more than memorizing words and phrases. From Prekindergarten through Grade 12, students learn to understand and appreciate diverse values, beliefs, biases, and worldviews of other cultures while honing their vocabulary and grammar skills in a second language. Through this approach, students grow into global citizens, better equipped to perceive and interpret the world and their place in it.

This approach was recently highlighted in middle school Spanish teacher Veronica Guevara’s Spanish 2 and Spanish 3 courses. Interspersed with vocabulary and grammar lessons, students completed special projects focused on world languages and social issues.

“Both projects were a means of introducing the classes to the work expectations and class norms and to help them reignite their prior knowledge and jump into the year in Spanish,” said Guevara. “It was also a way for me to get to know each student through their interests, questions, and work habits.”

The “World Languages in My World” project in Spanish 2 posed the driving question, “How do the languages we learn, hear, and aspire to speak shape our understanding of the world and our connections to others?” Students were asked to consider how they had been exposed to world languages in their lives and think about their desire to learn and engage with languages in the future. 

Guevara asked students to choose a language that resonated with their backgrounds or piqued their curiosity. This personalized approach resonated with many students who enjoyed discovering more about their classmates.

"I liked how I got to learn about others," shared Sia Rothbard ’30.

Over the course of three weeks of independent research and peer discussions, students examined the significance of language in shaping identity and opportunities, connecting personal experiences to larger global themes. At the project's culmination, students detailed their findings in creative slide presentations in a gallery-style walk.

Meanwhile, Spanish 3 students explored the contributions of leaders from and organizational initiatives across various Spanish-speaking communities in the lesson “Social Justice Leaders and Projects in Spanish-Speaking Communities.” 

Students chose research topics from a curated list provided by Guevara as they sought to answer the question, “How do social justice leaders and projects in Spanish-speaking communities inspire us to use our Spanish language skills to promote change?” 

As they researched figures like indigenous rights activist Rigoberta Menchú and the Mayan revolutionaries of the Zapatista movement, students worked on presenting their findings in Spanish, building linguistic skills and empathy for the struggles and triumphs of these communities. Peer feedback, teacher support, rubrics, and examples guided students throughout the process.

By engaging with these real-world topics in both lessons, students honed their language skills and developed a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, and personal implications of multilingualism and justice. Through their research, collaboration, and reflection, students gained tools to connect their learning to their communities and the world, emerging as empathetic, informed, and globally-minded individuals.

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