Spanish Conversational Challenges

Update: By popular demand, here is the recipe Sam used.

We have all encountered a situation where learning something new seemed utterly tedious. At the Alzar School, we help students engage in their studies by crafting curriculum and assignments to accommodate various interests and passions. For some, learning Spanish, or any language for that matter does not come naturally. Through conversational challenges in Chile, students are giving the opportunity to tailor their Spanish lessons to their interests. The power of learning and cultural exchange combine as we watch students use the Spanish language to communicate about their passions, drawing upon schema, prior knowledge, and experiences, to connect with local Chileans.

As an avid chef and baker, Sam found his Spanish learning nitch in a Chilean kitchen. Sam first approached Veronica and Joanna, the women who serve and cook our meals in Choshuenco, with a conversational challenge to learn the Spanish word for “measuring cup.” This initial conversation left Sam wondering if he would be able to use their kitchen to bake. So, he asked and they agreed. Deciding upon a dessert for the group, Sam shared his recipe for donut muffins with Veronica and Joanna. Together they worked through the ingredients, quantities, and instructions in Spanish. Sam remembers feeling more comfortable trying out new vocabulary and tenses with Veronica and Joanna “because we were in their homes” and in the familiar space of the kitchen. Throughout their baking conversations, Sam learned new vocabulary such as “moleda” meaning “powdered, “nuez moscada” or “nutmeg”, and “Imperial” which is the Chilean brand of and cultural reference for “baking soda”. Needless to say, the donut muffins were a hit! Constructing his conversational challenge around his passion in the kitchen, Sam was able to get far more out of his Spanish lesson in Chile all while making new friends.