Arts school adds toddler Spanish

For people contemplating learning an additional language, Spanish may not be the first one to come to mind as being available in Yorkton.

It is though, for adults and starting this fall for toddlers, thanks to Twila Napoleoni, owner of Bara' Academy of the Arts.

Twila, an artist by vocation and art teacher by trade, always dreamed of opening an art school and did just that in 2009. Drawing the name for the school from the Hebrew word for 'create,' she started up art classes for children aged four and over and for adults, but wanted to add something to the mix. Already having some Spanish herself, the seed was planted.

At that same time, she was teaching English as an Additional Language at Parkland College where she met and married Angelo Napoleoni a Chilean studying to be an industrial mechanic.

"He was one of the first international students they got; now there are students from all over there," Twila said.

The couple started teaching Spanish classes for adults in addition to art. She said there is actually quite a bit of demand in Yorkton

"A lot of sun destinations for Saskatchewan are in Spanish-speaking countries," she explained, adding other students sign up just for the challenge.

"We have to keep our brains exercised just as much as we have to keep our bodies exercised."

In 2011, Twila and Angelo welcomed their first daughter, Zoe, into the world. Wanting to concentrate on motherhood, Twila suspended the art classes, but kept the Spanish going. They added a second daughter, Alicia, in 2012.

"I'm focusing in on my little ones and I'll get back to [the art] in the future," Twila said. She does not have a firm timeline, but figures it will probably be another five years, once her daughters are in school.

After graduating from Parkland, Angelo went to work for EMW, which keeps him on the road regularly so they brought on another Spanish instructor, Victoria Stickwood. Originally from Mexico, she was a natural fit for the Bara' family.

This fall, the school added Spanish for toddlers. The idea for toddler Spanish was a practical one, Twila explained.

"When I started putting Zoe in toddler classes-music and the library had some classes-so when I eventually started getting her out there, I was a little concerned because we were just speaking Spanish to her at home and I wanted that Spanish to stick, so when I was at one of those classes, I thought I could do this in Spanish," she said.

Twila spent six months developing the curriculum including writing little songs and even publishing her own textbook.

The current class has eight students starting at 18 months of age and meets Tuesday mornings. Twila said the benefits to children are enormous.

"It's an amazing brain developer for kids even as young as a year," she said. Furthermore, she said, because of the similarities between Spanish and French, it sets kids up well for taking French when they get to school age.

Following the fall semester, Twila said she would assess demand and look at running the beginners adult and toddler classes in the spring and possibly add continuation courses for those who have already completed the beginners classes.