Know Your Proficiency Level!

"Fluent" is not a very useful term when describing how much you can use a language because it implies a yes or no answer. "Proficiency" is a better term because it includes levels of skill. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) uses the following major levels to describe proficiency:

Novice - Can use memorized words/phrases and make lists of words
Intermediate - Can create new sentences; can ask and answer many basic questions
Advanced - Can talk about past, present, and future; can deal with complicated situations
Superior - Can use the language in almost any setting and communicate with ease

You might try completing a self-assessment grid or a checklist to evaluate your own skills with the languages you know.
 

Classes/workshops/study groups

Teachers who want to learn more Spanish as a group can also borrow and use the distance learning course "Spanish for Educators", which is appropriate for Novice and Intermediate learners. It was designed as a distance learning course and includes 40 DVD lessons (with accompanying worksheets) on vocabulary and structures that would be useful in a school environment. For more info on our study groups or on borrowing this DVD course please contact Mr. Aldrich.

Recommended Websites

Interpretive Reading/Listening Skills

DuoLingo (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced) - Vocabulary, sentence, and translation practice

Tar Heel Reader (Novice) - Short easy-read books; search by book language

Memrise (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced) - Vocabulary practice on a number of levels and themes; you can create your own lists as well!

BrainPop Español (Intermediate, Advanced) - Log in with your school's BrainPop login information

Interpersonal Skills
Espanglish chat (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced) - Text chatting online

Verbling (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced) - Video chat with a native speaker of the language you're learning and teach them some of your language as well

Presentational Speaking/Writing Skills
Using direct commands (Novice, Intermediate)

Spanish songs for learning (Novice, Intermediate) - Lots of children's songs lyrics and sound clips

StudySpanish verb drills (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced)

Recommended books

Spanish for Educators by William C. Harvey

Chapters include: Information Parents Need to Enroll Their Children in School, The School Building, The Primary Grades, The Curriculum, Success in School: Enlisting Parental Support, Medical Problems and Emergencies, In the Counselor’s Office, Verb Conjugation Charts, Answer Key for Practice Questions, Glossary

McGraw-Hill's Spanish for Educators by Jose Diaz and Maria Nadel

Chapters include:
Before You Begin, At School, The Younger Students, The Older Students, Discipline, The Counselors, The Administrators, Support Staff, Verbs, Dictionary