Dear Reader,

Bilingual Inc was created as a direct result of my experiences teaching Language and communication skills for nearly 30 years. In my travels, I have been fortunate to teach a variety of curriculums and age groups. Spanish, English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education have been some of my favorites because they have given me the opportunity to spread my wings. By this I mean that I have taught from pre-schoolers to adults from all over the world.

CHILDREN:

As a high school teacher, I experienced the frustration of teenagers expected to learn a foreign language long after they had missed their “window of opportunity,” the ideal time to learn a language. Research and more research has shown us that young children’s brains are wired appropriately to absorb all languages. By young I mean birth through early elementary grades. This is the TIME. This is why I developed the MUSICA program. I was fortunate to teach in a magnet foreign language program beginning with pre-k through grade 5, but this was short lived. The program was eliminated because of lack of funding.

When I taught English as a Second Language and Bilingual education I gained even more experience and knowledge on acquiring a second language or even learning two or three consecutively as a child. I realized internally that the ideal way to learn a second language is the same as learning your first. Speaking, followed by reading and writing. I can remember my colleagues and I fantasizing about all of our foreign students arriving here at pre-school age so that the oral language would be the focus prior to the reading and writing that is essential for academics.

ADULTS

Throughout my years of teaching there were countless times when adults would approach me expressing their desire to learn Spanish. My teaching colleagues even suggested that I speak with administration about offering a Spanish class for them. Some of them took Spanish courses in the evenings, but I never heard them say that the course curriculum was what they needed to communicate with non-English students or their parents. For many years I thought of developing an appropriate curriculum for teachers and school personnel. I knew this would be very time consuming and my schedule always seemed to be too demanding to set enough time aside for this. It wasn’t until several years later that I discovered “Command Spanish.” Here it was! The “Command Spanish” program did not only have curriculum specific for teachers, but for most people oriented careers like nurses, fire fighters, secretaries, etc. What I realized a long time ago was that when adults would say that they wanted to learn to speak Spanish, they usually meant learning the vocabulary that would be useful to them. They are not necessarily looking for the art of conversation in Spanish. With the “Command Spanish” program, the curriculum has been developed using work specific language, without tedious grammar instruction and more importantly designed for adult learners.

*note “Command Spanish offers a Community Spanish course

INTERPRETIVE SERVICES:

I have served as an English/Spanish or Spanish/English interpreter since childhood. It is something that became second nature to me. However, it was not until several years ago that I formally got certified as an interpreter by Blue Ridge Services. In my career interpreting has always been a part of it. As a teacher, interpreting for my colleagues and schools became a part of my work day. I have also interpreted for clients in a business setting, orientations, public speaking, banking services, emergency rooms and all other medical services. I would like to identify myself as a Community interpreter bridging the gap of communication.

Sincerely,

Mercedes Hardy

Certified Teacher
(30 yrs. experience)
Pre-K – Adults
Spanish
ESL/Bilingual Ed.
(Piano Teacher)