How to Decorate a Spanish Classroom

The best part of decorating a Spanish classroom is incorporating the wealth of culture from which you can draw inspiration. From Spain to South America, to Mexico and the Caribbean, the language is spoken on three continents and may be the most useful foreign language there is to learn. You can help communicate this concept to your students by the way you decorate the classroom.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Alphabet border
• Paintings
• Posters
• Instruments
• Miscellaneous items

Spice Up Your Spanish Classroom

1. The first thing you'll want is a decorative border to place above the chalkboard or dry erase board that shows the Spanish alphabet. These usually come with pictures of words that start with every given letter. Seeing a picture of an apple next to the word "Manzana" five days a week can really pound the knowledge into your students.

2. The next thing you'll want to do is get prints of some of the famous paintings and murals of the great Spanish and Latin American artists. There are lots of artists to choose from, such as Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. By choosing the right pieces of art, you could easily incorporate these decorations into lesson plans that bring in some valuable history.

3. Posters or framed photos of different locations in Latin America and Spain can give your students an idea of what the Spanish-speaking world looks like, and also entice them to study for eventual travel purposes. So put up pictures of the beaches of Baja California, flamenco dancers, the running of the bulls and Machu Picchu. Spanish is spoken in more than 20 countries, and it's a powerful tool for getting around.

4. If you live anywhere near the U.S.-Mexico border, then you're in luck. Plan a weekend trip to head into one of the cities just south of the border and browse through the shops there. Everything is very affordable, and you could bring back all sorts of fun things like sombreros, Mexican dolls, brightly colored fabrics or glass chilies to hang from the ceilings.

5. If you really want to go that extra mile, you could always set up a little display of Spanish and Latin American instruments in one of the front corners. This would definitely add some pizazz to the classroom, but it also means that your students will undoubtedly play around with them between passing periods. An old, beat up classical guitar (with nylon strings) should be easy to get a hold of, as well as an Andean pan flute. If you can manage to find some castanets, that would really be the cherry on top!

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your students what aspects of Spanish and Latin American culture they're interested in. You can pique their interest by going above and beyond and bringing that world into the classroom.

• Don't bring in items that are too valuable or that you have sentimental attachment to, at least not as a regular piece of decor. It's best to assume that anything you bring in could be damaged.