“The majority of the students that participated in the programme had some basic Spanish-language knowledge having studied it at Secondary School but a lack of practice for many years caused this knowledge to deteriorate.”

“The Spanish programme at the OECS Commission offered the students an opportunity to refresh their knowledge and increase their levels of proficiency in speech and grammar.”

“The contribution of a native speaker to the classroom is quite significant, as the students can experience the feeling of being in direct contact with a different culture and can immerse themselves in the language they are learning.”

“I also believe that a native teacher sparks the curiosity of the students a bit more since it’s a more exotic experience for them. And, as we know from advances in neuroscience, cognitive processes are inseparable from emotions and what ignites learning is emotion and curiosity.”

Spanish as a tool for cooperation

“Spanish is the third most spoken language after Chinese and English. It is spoken in 22 countries; most of them in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is therefore strategic for the staff of the OECS to learn Spanish in order to establish cooperation ties with these Spanish-speaking countries.”

“This experience has been really rewarding for me. Not only has it allowed me to enthusiastically convey our linguistic and cultural wealth, it has also given me the opportunity to come into contact with the Saint Lucian people, their customs, gastronomy, music, cultural values, idiosyncrasies, geography and history.”

“All of these elements have come together to add to my cultural identity forever, which makes me really fortunate.”