Spanish is an integral part of the Bay School curriculum from grades 1-8. The objectives of the Spanish program are to open the children’s minds and hearts to other cultures, to reveal to them the accessibility of other languages, to develop in them auditory and linguistic flexibility, and to cultivate in them a sense of how language is structured. Students receive consistent twice-weekly instruction in Spanish. The youngest children learn entirely by ear, through songs, poems, word games, and small stories. In later grades, reading and writing is introduced, followed by grammar. Spanish instruction in grades seven and eight is specifically designed to reinforce students’ understanding of their own native English grammar by comparing different approaches to language formation. The older grades also embrace interactive language study through short scripts and theatrical scenes to further enhance this practice in their daily lives.