Reviews

What do SpoLang parents think about the programs

       SpoLang Language Academy has been great for my kids. My daughter is learning Spanish and my son is learning German. Señora Barnes keeps the lessons engaging and interesting and my children have learned so much. We really appreciate all the time and effort Sra. Barnes puts into the classes, and with the online platform, we will be able to continue with classes when we move to Texas.

Amy Pacione, 2022

       My daughter is starting her 3rd year at SpoLang. Her experience here has been amazing! She has learned so much and looks forward to class. The class is engaging and structured. Frau Barnes is an amazing instructor. She is kind and knowledgeable. It has been fun to watch my daughter grow. We are fortunate to have found this program for our daughter to learn German.

Thank you Frau Barnes for your hard work.

Tara Smith, 2022

       Frau Barnes is a very personable teacher. She’s engaging with the kids and works to create a sense of  community even in her online classes. She offers a well run program for those serious about learning another language, yet is flexible and supportive when other things pop up. I am glad she is offering this service to Spokane. 

It was easy to find positive things to say, because there are many benefits to what you are doing! 

Karen Seery, 2022

       We found SpoLang during the pandemic. Our 5 year old’s daycare was open and Frau Barnes was willing to coordinate with our daycare provider to accommodate our child in her classroom twice a week. Of course, my daughter wouldn’t tell me anything about what she learned in class, but on the few occasions that daycare was closed and she signed on to class from home, I could see how engaged and focused she was on participating in class for a full 50 minutes. As a non-German speaking household, this is a great place for our child to start learning the basics and get a feel for the language and pronunciation of German.

David Stern Levitt, 2021

       My two girls are in their second year of after-school Spanish at SpoLang, and they love it! I am so impressed with the amount of vocabulary they have learned. She uses a variety of instructional methods from songs and plays, to coloring activities and on-line matching games to help reinforce everything she is teaching them. As a parent who tries to find a healthy balance between free time and extra-curricular activities for my girls, I feel as if SpoLang is the perfect program for our family. Even though we are committed to going twice a week after school, my girls always look forward to it. I love how enthusiastic and energetic they are when I pick them up. Clearly, Senora Barnes keeps them engaged with a positive, fun and rigorous learning environment. I would recommend her program to anyone looking to introduce their children to learning a second language in their elementary years.

Sharon Conaty, 2020

       SpoLang has become an important part of passing down our family’s culture and a treasure to us. We have sent both our kids to SpoLang preschool and Spanish classes. Señora Barnes is an organized, patient, kind and overall excellent instructor. She keeps the kids engaged and creates a respectful and fun environment to learn. It’s a delight to hear our kids singing songs together in Spanish and using their Spanish phrases with each other as well as with us. It’s more than Spanish though, the kids have grown in their self discipline, listening skills, and respectfulness thanks to the nurturing environment of Señora Barnes’ classroom. We love SpoLang!

Miguel and Viktoria Fernandez, 2020

       We are so fortunate to have found Frau Barnes! My daughter is learning so much from SpoLang.

Angie Stalmakov, 2018

       We love Frau Barnes and her school. She loves what she does and pours her all into her kids and families. Our son has learned so much from her and we look for a long relationship as he masters German.

Torsten Leigh Ann Langley, 2018

       My Grandson talks in German 90% of the time and he loves Frau Barnes! I have loved the programs Frau Barnes puts on to show what the students have learned! This is an amazing program!.

Brenda Goodwin-Winn, 2017

       Spolang has been a great place for my daughter. My now 6 year old began attending Spolang in April 2015, and we LOVE it! I was a little apprehensive at first because it was my daughters first time away from me. With the devoted help of Frau Barnes, my daughter and I soon overcame the “separation and language hump” (as Frau Barnes calls it).

I’ve truly been impressed with how much she has blossomed and learned since she started. She loves singing songs learned in class and spontaneously uses phrases with us and around friends and family. Frau Barnes is patient and fair and one of the best that I’ve observed, and I am a mother who has very high standards. She seems to genuinely care for my daughter, and my child absolutely adores her. She is a one-of-a-kind dedicated teacher and always strives to do what is best for my child instead of “merely teaching vocabulary”.

Frau Barnes is helpful, friendly and very accommodating. The classroom activities are lovely, engaging, creative, and fun! Every time I pick up my daughter I see how much she’s enjoying classes.

We are leaving Spokane this year and it saddens my heart that we will be leaving this amazing school. If I could take Frau Barnes with me, I would.

I recommend Solang to my friends and family, because of the quality of care and education that my daughter has received.

Tynisha Barjak, 2017

RN

 

     We love SpoLang! Abby (3) always comes home so happy and is already speaking German at home! She was telling grandma German phrases over facetime this weekend. So thankful we found this gem!

Katrina Wilson, 2017

       My grandson, now age 4, has attended SpoLang German preschool for just over one year. I am always amazed by his wonderful pronunciation and ever-growing vocabulary. Frau Barnes deserves high praise for creating a fabulous learning environment, through singing, hands-on crafts, free play and routines. She is delightfully enthusiastic, encouraging and flexible.  

Pamela Kathrens, 2017

       My children (10/11) are loving their German class. Frau Barnes is an exceptional teacher and mentor for them as they develop their language skills. I could not be happier with their abilities and retention already. Definitely worth the time and drive from the far north side. Ser Gut ! 

Robin Harmon, 2017

       Two of my daughters (ages 3 and 8) have attended German classes with Frau Barnes for 3 months and I am blown away at how much they have been able to learn, how good their pronunciation is, and how comfortable they are with using their German! Seriously blown away! We are moving to Germany in a couple weeks and the only regret I have is not hearing about Spolang earlier! This is such an advantage for my girls who will be attending German public schools soon.

Thanks for everything, Frau Barnes!! 

Jennie Midkiff Fawbush, 2017

       Thank you Frau Barnes for your years of German instruction for all three of our boys. They all speak and write German fluently and have all been to Germany on their own. Brendan even spent four months interning for a German company, which let him use his college International Business degree and German minor. 

Thank you for opening our sons’ eye to a bigger world.  

Darren and Cindy Hollenbaugh, 2016

       My daughter is in her second year at SpoLang and she absolutely loves it! 

Since starting, she has learned a good deal of Spanish (she is now working on teaching me new words during our daily drive and loves to belt out songs in Spanish when she gets in a musical mood).  She has also improved greatly in many areas including her social and artistic skills since starting.  While my original hope with her joining SpoLang was for her to have an opportunity to learn another language and have a little more knowledge about other cultures, I have found that she has gained so much more than that.  I hope to keep my daughter in for a long time and will always recommend this school to others. 

It is very apparent that Señora Barnes has a passion for teaching and that the students love her.

SpoLang is definitely a hidden gem in the Spokane area.

Heather Durbin, 2016

Lead Registered Nurse

     My daughter loves going to Spanish class with Señora Barnes! She has a ton of fun, is always excited to go, and learns a lot. We think it is very important for her to learn in an environment where she has fun and is willing, and wants, to go back.

Thank you Señora. Barnes!

Lauren Kinne, 2016

     Our son, Jonathan, will return to SpoLang for the third year this Fall studying German with Frau Barnes.

Jonathan has shown great improvement in his language learning skill since he began studying with Frau Barnes. With the use of well-designed text book, weekly lesson loaded with intensive listening and conversing, quarterly Euro Day with movie and treats, and the preparation of the year-end play, Frau Barnes ensures a well-rounded learning environment for all the kids.

Frau Barnes does not only teach but she also inspires and encourages the kids to do better. Her extended effort to keep parents up-to-date on what’s happening is crucial to the success of this whole learning experience. But the biggest reason we send our son back is because of the dedication of Frau Barnes. It makes giving up not an option!.

Johnnie and Eppie Lew, 2015

    Great place to learn a foreign language for the little ones. Frau Barnes is an amazing teacher! I wish I would have found her years ago, so my oldest could have taken classes at SpoLang as well. Conny Brown, 2015

     My daughter started attending the SpoLang Spanish immersion program when she was 2 and is 3 now. She is constantly (constantly!) singing songs, saying certain phrases, and answers simple questions in Spanish. She counts and knows all the colors in Spanish practically before English at this point! She LOVES, LOVES going to pre-school and loves Señora Barnes. I highly recommend Spolang Foreign Language Academy to anyone hoping for their child to be immersed in another language in a fun, structured, artistic way including lots of singing and dancing for the little ones!

Tricia Stombaugh, 2015

     My child loves learning Spanish in this fun and nurturing environment!

Elizabeth Truesdell Richardson, 2015

     Spolang Foreign Language Academy is a great place to learn a foreign language. Frau Barnes, you are an amazing teacher!

Galina Stalmakov, 2015

     Fantastic program! Kids are excited to learn German through playing, singing, crafting, baking, and other hands on activities.

Andrea Baass Peters, 2015

     This is the best foreign language program in Spokane! Real immersion, substantial homework done in a fun format that kids actually enjoy, and a great exposure to new styles of learning. Could not be happier – my kids actually love the challenge!

Liana Groza, 2015

     It’s Fun! I have no doubt that my three-year-old granddaughter is having fun at SpoLang’s Spanish preschool. The first day that I dropped her off, she had a little separation anxiety. A half hour later Senora Barnes texted me that she was doing great! On the way home from her second class, she shouted, “I love Senora Barnes!” over and over. To this day, mentioning that we’re going to see Senora Barnes can change her from moody to excited.
She’s Learning!

At the end of the second week (4th class) my granddaughter counted to 10 in Spanish on the way home in the car. I was amazed!
Recently, she went to a birthday party where one of the parents spoke Spanish. She was able to carry on a basic conversation. We were all impressed.

I know this is the age for children to easily pick up another language; and I know this will make her more employable when she grows up. She is having fun and learning — how can you beat that?

Joy Scott, 2015

 

    I enrolled our first daughter in the German class with SpoLang and have not looked back. I now have all three of our children enrolled and my youngest is excited to be starting his first year there this fall.

The education that my children have and continue to receive has been so beneficial to them. My oldest is speaking so well, so well in fact that her dad has said that her accent is better than his and German is his first language.  

Learning a second language isn’t just learning a language. It is learning a whole different culture. I am so grateful that Frau Barnes continues to be a teacher in my children’s lives. She is giving them a life long gift of understanding not only a language but, also a culture.

Esther Paul, 2014

 

 

    Best German school this side of the Mississippi!

Katherine Traxel, 2014

 

    I have two young daughters who have been under the German instruction of Frau Barnes’  at SpoLang Foreign Language Academy for numerous years. Her passion for teaching is clearly visible with each day of instruction. My daughters are learning so much about the German language.  Not only are they learning to speak and write in German, but they are also learning about the traditions embedded in the German culture.  We are so fortunate to have a Language Academy in Spokane that allows our young children to be immersed in a foreign language at such a young age!

Frau Barnes’ teaching style is very hands on and reaches all types of learners. the children sing, dance, play, write, read and create activities to further their knowledge and experiences in the German language. My children are always so excited to go to German school and to share with me the new things they have learned! I am grateful that my children have such a caring, passionate, knowledgeable and professional teacher to further their language development skills.

I would highly recommend that parents start immersing their children in a 2nd language at a young age. This is the time when language skills are developing the most, and the children’s minds absorb the new information like sponges.

Frau Barnes does an amazing job an I have no hesitations with recommending her!.

Felix Paul, 2014

 

    My two children have attended Language World, now SpoLang Foreign Language Academy, since preschool. They cherish memories of the extraordinary crafts and cultural traditions they experienced over the years. Frau Barnes has instilled in them a passion and love for learning. The presentation skills and elements of grammar and writing that they learned from her at a young age have carried over into other areas of their lives. Language study provides them a unique world view and an identity that allows them to form connections with people in the greater community. Recently, Frau Barnes helped prepare my eldest child for German competency-based testing for high school credit and for the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) A2 test. My children look forward to continuing their language studies and are excited to see that German language skills open up a number of work and study abroad opportunities in science and engineering.

Suzanne Fricke, 2014

 

    Such a warm loving, clean atmosphere! I would 100% recommend Lwfla to any child/young adult! 😀

Stacie Swedberg, 2014

    Our two boys have been learning German from Frau Barnes for almost 2 years and we could not be happier with the education they are receiving from her! Our boys have been enrolled in her German-based preschool and after school lessons. At this age, they are very receptive to learning another language and Frau Barnes provides a fun and stimulating environment to help the children learn. The curriculum and creative learning tools she uses have helped my children develop not only their German reading skills, but their English reading skills as well. The reward system she uses in class provides positive reinforcement for good behavior and homework completion. This has also helped my boys develop the habit for completing their school homework, which is great! Overall, our family feels that our boys’ experience with Frau Barnes has become a fundamental tool in their education and we feel very lucky to have found her!

Sheila Borden, April 2013

     Three of our kids are on an adventurous fun journey with Frau Barnes ever since they were two years old. The curriculum is greatly enriched with hands on activities, dramas, songs, puppet shows and unique work projects which are creatively, carefully and appropriately designed for each age. We especially notice the progress in our two oldest boys who are 7 and 4 years old. The fluency of German language is becoming increasingly stronger and more consistent with the right pronunciation. Our kids are always eager for the lessons and are looking forward to warm and cheerful greetings from Frau Barnes. We would describe Frau Barnes’s teaching philosophy with this metaphor: she sees a child not a vessel to be filled up, but rather as a fire to be ignited. All of our three children have been definitely ignited by Frau Barnes.

Tishenko Family, March 2013

 

     Language World Foreign Language Academy is an amazing school!   We have all 5 of our children, ranging in age from 2-14, taking weekly classes.  Our younger 2 take both Spanish and German, while the older 3 are taking only German.  They have gained so much knowledge and skill, in both verbal and written form.  Our 4 year old is actually reading German!  They all enjoy going and we know they will be challenged in ways that aren’t available in traditional settings.  Frau Barnes has a keen understanding of developmentally appropriate learning and is very nurturing with the kids.  She is creative and understands the need for a multisensory approach to learning.  She uses songs, crafts, stories, and free play with younger students and has age/ability appropriate materials for the older students.  My husband and I are so thankful that we found LWFLA and feel like our children are getting top notch instruction.

Michele Staben, Speech Language Pathologist, 2012

 

     Frau Barnes is absolute magic with the kids, both young and old. My Granddaughter goes to German class, she is only two, and is already understanding, and speaking German… AND has the time of her life :-] Thanks Frau Barnes!!

Mike Longfellow, 2012

 

     I love the way Frau Barnes teaches my little 3 year old boy. We just signed him up in September, and he already uses his German words around the house – teaching us! Her  class is taught with love and care. I feel my son is in good hands. Thank you Frau Barnes.

Cindy Anderson, 2012

 

     My husband and I would like to take this moment to express our thanks your devotion and professionalism in teaching our son Nicholas in the German language. Nicholas enjoys his weekly visit with you and the other students. He will be going to Germany to visit relatives and friends, and will be able to communicate with his learned language skills.

We are very happy with your teachings and hands on when it comes to creativity. Please continue with your excellent work. Schools such as yours are a rare find, and we can only recommend you highly to other individuals and also educational facilities.

Gabriele Doerr Plutckak, 2005

 

     Our 11 year-old daughter has been taking German lessons from Frau Barnes for 7 months and we are very pleased with the results. She is studying the “traditional” conversational German along with the “slang” the younger Germans are speaking.

Frau Barnes method of total immersion into the language is both challenging and unique. The workbook our daughter keeps enables us to view her progress and allowed her to refer back to previous lessons when she gets stuck. The classes have consisted of conversations, art projects, songs, videos and homework assignments.

Frau Barnes has always been pleasant and encouraging. She keeps us well informed concerning our daughter’s progress. She’s also been very accommodating with our change in schedules due to sports and other activities.

Our daughter looks forward to her German lessons and enjoys her teacher, Frau Barnes. I would highly recommend Frau Barnes for anyone interested in opening new doors for their child through a foreign language.

Christy Bafus, 2004

 

     This is an enthusiastic recommendation for the teaching abilities of Frau Barnes. Frau Barnes has taught German classes at Roosevelt Elementary School for two years that I have run the foreign language program there. Frau Barnes has that rare ability to teach language in a way that is active, challenging AND fun for children! She brings a variety of materials and methods to her teachings that keep children extremely engaged: no dull worksheets for her students – – – its ‘active’ use of the language instead. Furthermore, she is one of those very rare language teachers that can handle the widest abilities of learners all within the same class, all while she speaks German nearly constantly! From my experience, it is only the very best of language teachers who are able to create such inclusive classrooms. I have confidently been able to leave beginners as well as children with several years of experience in her class and not had the slightest doubt that all of them were appropriately engaged. Lastly, not only is Frau Barnes a gifted teacher, but she is also extremely energetic and reliable. I couldn’t recommend a teacher more highly than Frau Barnes.

Sarah Conover, 2003

 

     Our Family has been associated with Frau Barnes for three years, as a German teacher to our children, who are 6 and 8 years old.

We are most impressed with Frau Barnes ability to excite and actively engage the children. The kids are immersed in German through games and activities and don’t realize that they are learning because they’re having so much fun.

Our children can’t wait for the days that they have German class, and we attribute that to Frau Barnes enthusiasm for what she does and the rapport she establishes with the kids.

As a teacher, Frau Barnes is of the highest caliber, and we are so fortunate to have her as a part of our children’s education.

Karla Wiencek, 2003

 

     We began sending our two-year-old daughter to Frau Barnes for part-time German language day care. Since then, we have come to know Frau Barnes as a dedicated, enthusiastic professional. She is very flexible and easy to work with. We feel quite comfortable leaving our daughter with her.

We have always dreamed about giving our children the German language. Now, thanks to Frau Barnes, this has become a reality. The benefits of this German-only environment are already evident in our daughter. Since she is only two, she is not only learning German, she is absorbing it. Studies have shown that bilingual or multi-lingual children have a certain type of mental flexibility that other children do not. This flexibility helps on other areas of learning as well.

As well as offering German, Frau Barnes gives many opportunities for our daughter to develop her talents in the arts. Our daughter paints, colors, makes all kinds of arts, and is learning a variety of songs. Frau Barnes love for children shines through her positive energy and enthusiasm.

We recommend Frau Barnes very highly.

Denise Briggs, MA Creative Arts in Learning, 2002

 

     I am a homeschool mom with a 10-your-old son, who recently had the privilege of working with Frau Barnes. I often supplement my own teaching and curriculum with outside activities and foreign language is one of them.

In my search for the best possible education, I look for many different qualifications of the teacher. In Frau Barnes, I found that not only could she handle a room full of various age and skill levels, but also she could make each one feel that they are special. My son finished the course with a basic understanding of the language, was able to practice what he had already accomplished at home and had confidence to try using a few phrases now and then. He also has a pen pal that Frau Barnes set up and looks forward to corresponding in his “new” language.

I know Frau Barnes would be an asset to any teaching environment the she is involved in, because she offers so much of herself and her experience to the learning process.

Susan Herleikson, 2000

 

     LWFLA tutored my son, Scott, in the German language during the spring of this year. Frau Barnes fostered a love of the language in my son, who was always eager to attend class. In addition, she was always organized and well prepared with colorful handouts and worksheets. We look forward to continuing his lesson with LWFLA.

Janet Henderson, 2000

 

     In January, I enrolled my daughters, ages 9 and 11 in a beginning German class, taught by Frau Barnes, at Corbin House. My girls attended class with Frau Barnes for seven weeks and were so motivated about learning more German, I enrolled them in a semi-private class.

Frau Barnes makes class fun by introducing activities which children enjoy: playing games, integrating crafts, translating German videos and providing German pen pals. I am not a German speaker myself, although my husband is. My girls seem to be progressing in the basic of the language: counting, colors and simple phrases. They are very interested in learning German and look forward to going to their lesson every week.

Our experience with Frau Barnes as a German teacher has been very positive and we recommend her as a German teacher.

Rosmary Otto, 1999

 

     My nine-year-old daughter took German lessons through the Parks and Recreation Department and I was very impressed with Frau Barnes. She is organized, disciplined, knowledgeable, and great with kids! When the lessons were over I inquired about continuing with the instruction and was extremely pleased to get Jessica into a semi-private class.

More important than my impression, children seem to connect with Frau Barnes. My daughter always comes home smiling, eager to practice what she was taught that week and never complains when it’s time to go for her lesson, even on beautiful days when she could play outside. This, to me, is a very nice compliment.

Lorrie Borrell, 1998