5 Ways to Bring Spanish Culture into Your ESL Classroom
Most of us have taught ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons using course books or online resources, and while discussing big topics—the environment, crime, or education—can be valuable, we’ve found that students really light up when the conversation hits closer to home. Language learning is always more enjoyable when it’s connected to students' own lives and experiences. Now, we’re not suggesting you start blasting flamenco music or staging tomato fights, but we do have five easy ways to bring Sunny Spain into your classroom while introducing meaningful content that resonates with your students
#1 Include Spanish Food and Cuisine in Your Lessons
Food is not only central to Spanish culture but also a true source of pride. It's fairly typical to hear Spanish students waxing lyrical about the joys of the 'Mediterranean diet.' Beyond being a beloved topic, Hadfield and Hadfield (2003) said that the inner world of the student is, ‘the richest, deepest seam of gold that you have’, and we think that because food is tied up in so many memories and experiences, it’s a great way to mine this treasure.
We’ve put together two fantastic (and free!) food-themed lessons your students will love. Let’s Talk Tapas, aimed at B1 learners, covers all the vocabulary you need to describe typical Spanish dishes and is packed with opportunities for speaking. The Paella that Broke the Internet is ideal for higher-level learners, featuring an authentic video listening task and a deeper discussion on pushing the boundaries with food and drink pairings—anyone up for a glass of calimotxo?
#2 Utilize Local News and Current Events
Bringing current events into the classroom adds a real-world element to language learning and not only encourages students to engage with English in a meaningful way, but keeps your lessons feeling up-to-date and relevant.
There’s a wealth of news websites where you can check out what’s making the headlines: BBC News Spain, Catalan News and The Olive Press are all great sources of (English) news articles about Spain, for you to bring in extracts or headlines to discuss. You could also follow people like Simon Hunter on X, or Morgan in Spain on Instagram to keep your ear to the ground for local talking points.
#3 Leverage Spain’s Geographic Diversity
Spain’s diverse regions, each with its own unique cultural aspects, offer endless possibilities for discussion. Have students choose a region, such as Andalusia or Catalonia, and present it in English, focusing on its cultural differences, famous landmarks, or unique traditions. You could also have your students create a "travel itinerary" in English for a trip around Spain, including all the most important cultural highlights - set budgets and time constraints to add an extra layer of challenge! You might also have them create a calendar marking key regional holidays, from Feria and Las Fallas to Sant Jordi. And, a good old old “North vs South” discussion is always guaranteed to provoke some interesting debate.
#4 Highlight Famous Spanish Speakers as English Learning Role Models
It’s not uncommon to hear Spanish people talking wistfully about how well they speak English in Germany or Portugal. But there are a ton of well-known Spanish-speaking celebrities who have successfully mastered English, and we think this can be highly motivating for students. In fact, we’ve created two whole lesson plans based on videos of Javier Bardem and Salma Hayek, who are not only capable of being really funny in English, but will teach your students a thing or two in terms of vocabulary.
#5 Use Sports and Fitness Culture as Discussion Topics
Sports and fitness are integral parts of Spanish culture, with football (soccer) being particularly popular, but there is also a strong interest in healthy living and outdoor activities like cycling or running. There’s a reason they live so long on the Iberian peninsula! Everyone - from teenagers to the elderly - seems to have at least one active hobby. No matter what age you’re teaching, we think your students will enjoy our Let’s Talk about Sport and Exercise resource. It will challenge your students to correct 10 frequent mistakes which Spanish speakers make when learning English, before they go on to have a full and engaging discussion on their fitness habits.
What are your go-to topics and activities for your Spanish students? Let us know in the comments!
