2nd Annual National Teach Spanish Day

Join the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) in celebrating the second annual National Teach Spanish Day on September 30, 2020.

The purpose of National Teach Spanish Day is to promote the teaching of Spanish as a profession, to call attention to the current Spanish teacher shortage nationwide, and to emphasize the importance of Spanish as a world language.

The AATSP encourages all Spanish teachers and American citizens to recognize the positive impact of Spanish language education in our country, to thank those who teach, and to find new ways to support multilingualism and multiculturalism in the United States of America.

During the pandemic, it is essential to motivate students to learn and grow. Spanish teachers face unique challenges carrying out instruction with masks covering mouths and/or providing meaningful speaking practice online. We need to keep teachers motivated as well! This year, our celebration will be carried out virtually and in person where admissible.

Teachers and students can participate in a variety of different ways. Some plans include YouTube video testimonials by teachers sharing why they teach Spanish, a special Facebook photo frame to feature Spanish teachers, and more. We encourage teachers to celebrate with students and share National Teach Spanish Day classroom activities widely.

On September 30th, the AATSP encourages everyone to discuss the influence of the Spanish language and culture worldwide. Students should learn about the many opportunities that their knowledge of Spanish can provide them. Teachers can share the many advantages to learning Spanish such as 1) foreign/second language education improves your chances of getting a job in every field, 2) Latin American countries are some of our most important trading partners, 3) learning another language is good for your brain, improves cognitive skills, and boosts scores on standardized tests, 4) Spanish is spoken by more than 43 million people in the United States, and 5) Spanish is spoken in 20 countries as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and is a sought-after language for travel abroad.

National Teach Spanish Day is held in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month which is observed from September 15th through October 15th in the United States.