Both the process and product of language learning are valuable
Comprehensible input, output and true opportunities for interaction are necessary to acquire language
Learners' interests and goals should inform and guide instruction
A relaxed, supportive environment is key
Creativity and fun make the process easier and smoother
Learners should be equipped with tools to recognize and set goals for their own language growth
"Through my initial teaching experiences with traditional grammar textbooks, I quickly realized that only teaching explicit grammar and vocabulary did not lead to communicative ability and drained students of their motivation to learn Spanish."
"I began teaching classes in comprehensible Spanish... The response from students was astounding – they were engaged, feeling successful, and typically underperforming students were developing proficiency in Spanish!"