Experiential Spanish, developed by Dr. Tamara Stenn, is a holistic way of learning language in a context that creates meaning and builds comprehension mimicking how people actually acquire, process, and retain language. Grounded in the pedagogy of “Core Fluency” which guides learners through, “fun, interactive experiences in Spanish, personalized, real conversations, interactive storytelling, and comprehensible readings,” Experiential Spanish also incorporates visual arts, nature, cooking and music into its curricula (corefluency.com, 2013).
Its structure comes from grounded theory in second language acquisition that states, “the learning of rules might be seen as a recycling process gradually leading to their internalization” (Aramayo Prudencio, 2006). The recycling process means that lessons are designed around a grammar structure and vocabulary that participants engage in and re-use, figuring out the rules and words in the process. Worksheets and written instruction are also provided to help facilitate learning.
Stenn, a native English speaker, developed the Experiential Spanish method based on her own Spanish-as-a-second-language acquisition experience and her studies in experiential learning at the School for International Training. She shares 20 years of Spanish language experience, having lived and worked in Bolivia with travels to Mexico, Spain and Nicaragua. Stenn, a professor at Keene State College, teaches conversational Spanish to both adults and children from beginner to intermediate levels. Jill Stahl, Director of Arriba
Spanish writes of Stenn, “She was consistently positive and upbeat, determined to make the experience of learning another language as fun and memorable as possible.”
Experiential Spanish classes are now forming in the Brattleboro area. Groups of three to five meet
for one hour, two times a week, for six weeks and cost $180 each. Private tutoring rates are $25 an hour. Contact Tamara for more information at 802-254-2273 or tstenn@keene.edu. Classes can be held at her Marlboro, VT home or off-site.
