Spanish Resource Center - Miami
Events
Welcome to the Miami Resource Center!
In collaboration with Florida International University, the Ministry of Education of Spain organizes activities aimed at the educational community of this university, Miami-Dade County, and the bordering counties of South Florida. Always with the objective of promoting the Spanish language and culture, we advance teacher training, offer roundtables on language learning, and participate in events that encourage the use of Spanish. Our Resource Center in Miami is a space designed to support the teaching of Spanish whether it be as a world language or as bilingual studies and serves as a meeting place for administrators, coordinators, Spanish teachers, students of all ages and people interested in the knowledge and dissemination of Hispanic cultures. It is also a launch pad that offers visibility to the programs sponsored by the Ministry of the United States and Canada.
Come and join us!
Professional Development
Through the Resource Center - Miami, a PD development seminar is held annually for administrators and Spanish teachers from schools in the South Florida area. Around 85 educators participate each year.
The educational communities of our ISP (International Studies Program) schools, our ISAs and other schools in the area also shared the day with us.
During the day, four workshops were offered by the speakers: Dr. Melissa Baralt, Dr. Déborah Gómez, professors from Florida International University and Florida Memorial University, and our visiting professors from Spain Ms. Luisa Jara and Dn. Luis Amílcar Sánchez.
The main objectives of the seminar were: to facilitate the relationship between the different schools, share experiences, reflect on the programs they currently offer, study possibilities for improvement, inform schools interested in implementing Spanish immersion programs, share good educational practices and disseminate the programs of the Ministry of Education.
The opening of the event was carried out by the Deputy Consul of Spain in Miami, Ms. Sofía Ruiz del Arbol Moro and the Education Attaché, Ms. Yolanda Zárate Muñiz.
There was collaboration from the Department of Modern Languages and the College of Business at Florida International University, as well as the school districts of Miami-Dade and Broward. The Conchita Espinosa Academy graced us with some Spanish dances to share and highlight Spanish culture with the attendees.
The New York Times Tuesday Roundtables
“Do You Speak My Language? You Should" - an article from the NY Times
The New York Times Roundtable is a weekly series of moderated conversations organized by FIU Global Learning, based on articles published by this prestigious newspaper and discussed from multiple points of view by students, faculty, and guest speakers. This roundtable based its discussion on the article above.
The Spanish Resource Center - Miami held a session on March 3rd, 2020 and then another on March 21st, 2023 with the honored presence of our Consul Sofía Ruiz del Árbol, Dr. Maida Watson , a professor from the Department of Modern Languages at FIU, Ms. Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg, Head of Schools, Downtown Doral Charter Schools, one of our ISP schools in the Miami-Dade school district, Ms. Jessica Yevics, Director of IE Miami Center and Ms. Beatriz Calles Bullon, our language and culture assistant from Spain, and Ms. Lisa Arias Rodríguez, representing the Education Office of the Consulate of Spain.
It was a pleasant and dynamic meeting, focused on the subject of the great importance of language learning.
We appreciate the welcoming words from our Consul General and from Vice Provost Dr. Pablo Ortiz, as well as the participation of our guest speakers.
A special shout out to the team at the Global Learning department for giving us a platform to encourage language learning in the South Florida area.
NALCAP Spain
Would you like to spend a year in Spain getting to know its people, culture and language?
The North American Language and Culture Assistants program is an educational outreach program sponsored by the Ministry of Education of Spain in conjunction with the 17 regional governments of Spain, through the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain in the United States.
It offers American college students and/or graduates, who are native speakers of English, the opportunity to become teacher assistants to teachers of English in schools in Spain. While in Spain, language assistants will also be able to learn about the Spanish language and culture and use this experience upon their return to the United States, whether it be in the field of education, business or any other. This will contribute to the development of a cultural understanding and cooperation between the citizens of Spain and the United States that will last a lifetime.
Check out our website for more information!
Language Day
The Importance of Languages
Every year in November to celebrate International Education Week, the Spanish Resource Center - Miami participates in the FIU Language Day together with the Spanish Club.
Language Day is an annual event organized by FIU to celebrate the many languages spoken among the university community. More than 350 people participated in this event. We were happy to have the collaboration of the Department of Modern Languages.
The event also allowed us to promote the NALCAP Program among the student body.
The Ministry of Education of Spain and the Education Office of the Embassy of Spain visit FIU
On October 28, 2023, the Spanish Resource Center in Miami was proud to host the visit of the deputy director of the Educational Education Abroad Unit, Dn. Andrés Contreras Serrano and the Advisory Member, Ms. Rosa María Prieto Gallego, and the counselor, general director and attachés of the Education Office of the United States and Canada at Florida International University.
They were received by the provost, Mrs. Elizabeth Béjar, the dean of the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, the director of the Department of Modern Languages and a representation of the European Union Center of Excellence, among other prominent members of this educative community. It was a wonderful experience to share educational standards and programs from both countries.
Spanish Movie Night
This film series, offered in collaboration with the Department of Modern Languages at FIU, consists of the screening of films in Spanish, subtitled in English, of different genres to attract all audiences. An average of 2 films are shown per quarter. Spanish students who attend receive extra credit towards their final grade.
La Hora del Café
Practice Speaking in Spanish
Throughout the school year, the Spanish Resource Center - Miami participated in La hora del café, an event organized by Sigma Delta Pi, a university organization that promotes Spanish.
This event is held weekly and seeks to encourage students to practice their Spanish in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
La hora del café, is open to all FIU students who want to improve their Spanish although many students from Spanish I and Spanish II classes come and share this meeting place to put into practice what they are currently studying in their Spanish classes.
Our language and culture language assistant from Spain is in charge of organizing these meetings pinpointing the needs of students who come to practice their language skills.
The Ministry of Education of Spain offers Spanish students a Book Club, an initiative aimed at the promotion of reading in the Spanish language using a digital book platform, eLeo, sponsored by the Ministry. This activity provides students of Spanish with a chance to delve into the world of Spanish literature through all the literary works and teaching materials that are available on the eLeo platform.
For the 23-24 school year, the book club was developed as a pilot experience for Spanish classes at FIU. The book club, moderated by the Spanish language assistant assigned to the Department of Modern Languages, consisted of the reading and discussion of the book, Mujeres de la Cultura by Rosa Huertas. Over 4 weeks, the activity was carried out in Spanish classes at FIU.
The Spanish book club has offered a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the literary and cultural wealth of Spain, promoting both personal and linguistic development. Most students that are learning Spanish or want to improve their fluency, are convinced that the book club is ideal for practicing and improving their understanding of the language. Additionally, conversations about readings in Spanish help students share their points of view, interpretations, and personal experiences, which enriches their understanding and appreciation of the readings.
