At Shenandoah Language Academy, we teach from a "second language" perspective instead of a "foreign language" perspective.

​What is the difference?

​Teaching from a ​foreign language perspective is:

• common in most foreign language classrooms
• focuses on grammar & memorization
• teaches academic language & vocabulary
• extracurricular: teaches "about" the language (as one might teach "about" history or "about" science
  
• fluency is not necessarily a goal

Teaching from a second language perspective is:

• used in English as a Second Language classrooms and Dual-Language classrooms
• values practical language skills
• teaches relevant, real-life language & vocabulary
• emphasis on communication skills, comprehension, & confidence in pronunciation
• teaches with the goal of growing toward fluency

This second language perspective is what we use in our classes at Shenandoah Language Academy.

Why teach from a "second language" perspective?

A second language perspective emphasizes practical, real-life language skills in the target language. Small, actionable language skills are the building blocks of fluency. We want you to leave each lesson with practical language that will be useful in daily life.

Explore class offerings