Curriculum Development

Founder of the Ascendencia curriculum for high school heritage Spanish speakers. This curriculum features three year-long course materials, lesson plans, teacher guides, and assessments. 

Tools used: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite

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Problem

Spanish-speaking high school students are under challenged in beginner Spanish courses. They need materials that are rigorous and engaging to further their progression in Spanish. 

Solution

The Ascendencia curriculum features content-based instruction at an appropriate level for students who speak Spanish at home. The core components of reading, writing, culture, and community propel students forward in their bilingual journey. 

Results

By using the language students already have, they are able to build even further upon this foundation. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking in Spanish with students who have shared experiences increases their fluency and general confidence in their identity.  

These are well-organized and help guide ideas for what to over in a class with heritage students. I appreciate how they are laid out with day by day instructions. Interesting topics and things to discuss. We are doing Cesar Chavez unit right now and the Braceros reading is fascinating!

Mary B.

This was so helpful in planning my new middle school heritage class. It really made planning efficient to pull from these materials. I also really appreciate the thought that went into these. This curriculum matches everything I learned about best practices for heritage class from a workshop I took with University of Wisconsin Whitewater. Thank you, Profe Nygaard!
Samantha P.

Buy this program. It is so SO good. I used it in my middle school advanced Spanish class, so this class has students who are 6th-8th grade and either native, heritage, or non-heritage but that attended the Spanish immersion elementary school. They loved almost every activity. ¡Gracias!
Sarah P.

Courtney Nygaard       

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