by Diliana Fernández

The "Cocinando Palabras" project began at the prestigious Panama City Trilingual School. Its innovative approach to education was quickly recognized, standing out as one of the recipients of the 2006 Excellence in Education grant, awarded by the renowned Junior League of Panama City.

This significant accolade validated the program's impact and commitment, laying the groundwork for its continued development and success within the community.

pctrilingual.org/

Cooking up Words

panamacity.jl.org/

A living experience to learn Spanish through gastronomy and culture.

Cooking Words…

It is an extracurricular program aimed at students in grades 5 through 9, designed to reinforce Spanish language learning through real-world experiences linked to Hispanic cuisine and culture.

…at PC Trilingual School

We have designed a vibrant experience for learning Spanish through gastronomy and culture—an immersive approach that awakens vocabulary, brings grammar to life, and opens the door to cultural understanding through culinary activities in a safe, welcoming, and engaging environment.

Spanish in Action

To foster natural, functional, and meaningful learning—connected to the Spanish language—through real-life situations, such as cooking.

Cooking and Grammar

Recognize basic culinary vocabulary and use simple grammatical structures.

Flavors with a History

Recognize cultural aspects related to Hispanic dishes from other countries, and learn about linguistic borrowings from other languages into Spanish.

Academic Ingredients...

Week

Activity

Content Focus

Project presentation + kitchen safety. Greetings, basic vocabulary

Ingredients (fruit, vegetables, foods). Vocabulary + gender and number

Kitchen utensils. Nouns + definite article

Cooking action verbs. Infinitive (cut, mix, peel)

Simple recipes (no heat).Basic imperative

Hispanic gastronomy and culture. Countries, traditional dishes

English borrowings. Vocabulary recognition

Italian borrowings (pizza or spaghetti preparation). Vocabulary – Introduction to Italy

French borrowings (Crème Brûlée preparation). Vocabulary – Introduction to France

German, Arabic, Greek, Japanese, Portuguese borrowings (various canapés). International vocabulary awareness

Discussion, selection and assignment of final project recipes. Choice + planning

Guided recipe preparation. Reading comprehension + sequences

Final project and oral presentation. Functional use of Spanish in real context

Hands That Cook, Minds That Learn

The 5th-grade students—the first cohort of “Cooking words”—stand out for their enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment. They have demonstrated a keen interest in learning Spanish through cooking, participating actively and working effectively as a team.

Their progress in Spanish vocabulary usage and communication is remarkable, reflecting significant learning within a dynamic and motivating environment.

Lianny

Mia

Cristhian

Crystal

Erkin

Sara

Quetzaly

Mrs. Diliana

She is Diliana.

Diliana Fernández was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She is an anthropologist—a graduate of the Central University of Venezuela—and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. She completed a specialization in Social Psychology and pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Salamanca, Spain.

She served as a university professor in the fields of Social Psychology and Research Methodology. Currently, she is a Spanish teacher at PC Trilingual School, where she focuses on integrating creative and cultural methodologies into language learning.

Passionate about both gastronomy and teaching, she has developed educational initiatives in which the kitchen serves as a space for learning Spanish, culture, and values in an experiential and meaningful way. Her hobbies include gastronomy, oenology, golf, professional makeup, and hiking.

Flavors Without Borders

We present our “Cooking Words” cookbook, where learning Spanish becomes a practical and flavorful experience. Through recipes such as arepas, Bolognese pasta, pizza, bruschetta, hamburgers, tacos, and more, our students have explored the cuisine and culture of various countries.

Furthermore, they have learned about loanwords, recognizing how words from other languages have become part of the Spanish language—particularly within the realm of gastronomy.

This cookbook reflects their enthusiasm, creativity, and the value of learning by doing.

Arepas

Spaghetti Bolognese

Pizza

Bruschetta

Hot Chocolate

Hamburgers

Smoothies

Chile con carne

Mixed Berry Salad

Lasagna

Friends of Cooking words: Learning Together Through Cooking 👫👭

During the recent sessions of Cooking Words, we were joined by high school students whose participation proved invaluable as they took part in our culinary and learning activities. It was an enriching and enjoyable experience, during which we shared knowledge, experiences, and special moments while practicing Spanish in a dynamic and collaborative environment.

Through the art of cooking, we strengthened our communication skills, expanded our vocabulary, and discovered that learning a language can be a truly meaningful experience when combined with creativity, teamwork, and interaction among students from different grade levels.

Alianiz

Leydis

Ariabella

Aiden

The Grand Finale: Showcasing Flavors in Spanish

And so, the big day arrived for the final presentation of our dishes—all in Spanish! After weeks of learning, practice, and teamwork, each student had the opportunity to present their recipe, explain the ingredients, and share the preparation process, all while using the Spanish language.

Although there was plenty of nervousness and excitement, everyone did an extraordinary job. We feel proud of the achievements attained and of the confidence they developed as they expressed themselves in Spanish in front of their classmates and families. This experience allowed us to see firsthand that language learning can be meaningful, fun, and memorable when experienced through real-world activities.

We conclude this adventure feeling happy and grateful for everything we have learned, taking with us new linguistic knowledge, culinary skills, and memories that will last a lifetime. A truly memorable linguistic and gastronomic experience!

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