Eva Salas, a middle school Spanish teacher at Birdwell Dual Language Immersion School, is transforming the way students learn Spanish with the help of a recent grant. The $800 grant, awarded by Grants for Great Ideas through the Tyler ISD Foundation, will fund Salas' innovative project, "Bringing Spanish to Life with Board Games."
The grant presentation was a lively affair, with the district's band, drill team, and cheerleaders joining forces to deliver the check in celebratory fashion. Salas, beaming with excitement, shared her vision for the project and its potential to energize her classroom. “Bringing Spanish to Life with Board Games is going to help all middle school students find the Spanish subject more enjoyable and fun,” she said. “When I wrote this grant, I was thinking of an innovative way to engage them at the same time as learning and practicing Spanish.”
The project is set to benefit students across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, making language learning a hands-on, interactive experience. Salas believes that incorporating board games will not only make lessons more engaging but also enhance students’ ability to use Spanish conversationally in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.
“I hope my students are as excited as I am,” Salas added, noting her anticipation for how the initiative will reshape classroom dynamics. From vocabulary-building games to activities focused on grammar and cultural themes, the project promises to cater to a variety of learning styles while fostering collaboration and critical thinking.
The Tyler ISD Foundation’s Grants for Great Ideas program supports educators like Salas who bring creativity and passion to their classrooms. With the support of the grant and her innovative approach, Salas is poised to make Spanish not just a subject to study but an experience to enjoy for her students at Birdwell.