Command Spanish
Program Summary
In today’s multi-cultural world, learning a new language is no longer a situation in which “one size fits all.” While academic and conversational language courses will always be of value to certain student audience, there are thousands of professionals like firefighters, construction workers, sales people --, etc.) who need a limited and focused amount of Spanish to do their jobs effectively, efficiently, and safely. They don’t need Spanish 101. They need no-nonsense, work-related occupational Spanish designed for adult learners. Command Spanish® programs provide Spanish language and cross-cultural training for non-Spanish-speakers who want to interact more effectively with Spanish-speakers in the workplace.
Command Spanish® programs are effective in that they focus on the specific work-related needs of participants; provide generic Spanish understood by all Spanish speakers; structure training in short modules; eliminate tedious grammar and verb conjugation; require no prior knowledge of Spanish; include job aides, cassette tapes, and CDs that aid the learning process; and focus on oral communication that can be used immediately on the job. Command Spanish® courses do not attempt to teach language fluency, but rely on intensive drill, choral response, alpha-beta lines, simulations, total physical response, situation cards, and cross-cultural components to teach Spanish that is relevant in the workplace.
Employment Trends
- In the 1990s, the Hispanic population in the US grew 57.9% -- 35.3 million people, now the largest minority group in the US.
- In the mid-Atlantic region, there are now an estimated 432,000 Hispanics -- half of whom live in Maryland, after having migrated from Salvadorans, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Cuba as well as Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
- In Prince George’s County, there are an estimated 56,813 Hispanics – 7% of the county’s population. Over 33% report that they speak little to no English.
- What we call the Hispanic population in America is actually a diverse mixture of people from around the world. Their common link is the Spanish language. Hispanics have a wide range of social and economic backgrounds, some better prepared for the US labor market, and others much less successful.
- With the impact of the growing and diverse Hispanic populations, there is growing need for:
- Translation and interpretation services
- Multi-lingual signage, advertising, web services, manuals, and forms
- Customer service systems that target many audiences
- Cross-cultural training, as languages, diverse cultures, and dialects intermix
- Literacy training
- English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages (ESOL)
- Conversational English and/or occupational English to help Spanish-speakers
- Conversational Spanish and/or occupational Spanish to assist English-speakers
Program Goals
The goals of Command Spanish® are to help organizations provide better customer service to Spanish-speaking customers, increase harmony in the workplace, build respect for workers, improve communication among employees, enhance workers’ job performance, handle safety and medical emergencies, help employees avoid interpersonal conflict, ensure accurate evaluations of employees, and prevent employment litigation cases.
While Command Spanish® programs target an organization’s non-Spanish-speaking employees, employers will also want to consider combining this training with other strategies to help their Spanish-speaking employees become more successful. This two-pronged approach (Spanish-speakers learning English & English-speakers learning Spanish) can be quite effective in creating a better-informed and more effective workforce.
Program Objectives
Successful completion of each course earns a Certificate of Completion
Command Spanish courses are designed to stand alone based on the specific needs of class participants.
For example, “Spanish for the Physician's Office” is designed for non-Spanish-speaking physicians, nurses, technicians, receptionists, and physician's office managers who want to better assist Spanish-speaking patients. Topics include using Spanish to register patients; engage in office etiquette; explain payment options; obtain medical history and vital signs; determine a patient's complaint and condition; explain diagnosis, treatments, work-ups, and procedures; and give discharge information.
Learning Objectives
- Orally use Spanish to greet and register a patient, engage in office protocol, explain payment options, and obtain medical history
- Orally use Spanish terms and vocabulary to obtain a patient's vital signs, determine a patient's complaint, and assess the patient's condition
- Orally use Spanish terms and vocabulary to explain a patient's diagnosis, treatments, work-ups, and procedures
- Orally use Spanish terms and vocabulary to give discharge information and follow-up instructions
- Recognize the Spanish alphabet, Spanish surname system, nicknames, and terms related to medical conditions, diagnosis and treatments
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who teaches Command Spanish®?
All of our instructors are bi-lingual professional trainers with specific experience teaching adults in each particular skill area. All instructors receive special training to learn Command Spanish® philosophies, teaching methodologies, and materials.
- What should I do if I’m interested in teaching Command Spanish® myself?
We’re always interested in having new instructors join our team. Please contact the Program Coordinator, listed on the first page.
- I'm NOT in that specific profession, but I'd like to take the Spanish course anyway. May I register?
The courses in this program are designed for practicing professionals already in the occupation or students about to be become practicing professionals. The courses focus on job-specific terminology and applications, not on the language itself. If you’re interested in learning Spanish as a conversational language, please see the section, Foreign Languages.