By: Jenny Purath
AIM Certified Teacher
of Elementary Spanish in North Carolina
1. What do you like the most about AIM?
I love that students who have been taught using the AIM methodology develop the ability to produce language spontaneously in everyday conversations in the classroom, both with their teacher and with peers. After years of teaching using more traditional approaches and seeing only minimal results, I love to hear my students speaking Spanish regularly in the classroom!
2. How do you think AIM benefits the students?
AIM benefits students by equipping them with the vocabulary they need to communicate. The pleasant repetition of pared down language gives them exposure to essential vocabulary in a variety of contexts so that they can confidently use that same language to express their own thoughts and ideas. It also offers a multi-faceted approach that is engaging, inviting students into the language learning process, no matter what type of learner they are.
3. How is AIM different from other ways of teaching languages
AIM is different from other ways of teaching because it mirrors the way we learn our first language. When we are babies, our mothers don’t sit us down and have us memorize word lists or grammar rules. We learn through the input we receive. Once we learn what “sounds right,” we are better able to understand rules and patterns in the language. AIM equips students to begin speaking right off the bat, from the first weeks of school, and then gradually, over time, in the context of stories and situations, students begin to see patterns and learn rules of grammar.
4. Why might teachers look at adopting the AIM?
Teachers should look at adopting the AIM primarily because it works. When I first discovered the AIM website, I was amazed at the claims they made, but I have now seen it come true in my very own classroom. Their teacher manuals and story kits give the teacher step by step instructions on how to implement the methodology. AIM also provides outstanding professional development opportunities that equip and support teachers along the way.