Learn Spanish on YouTube: A Guide to the Best Channels

by Spanish Mama | Feb 13, 2019 | Online Spanish Resources, Spanish Resources, Teaching Spanish

Inside: Learn Spanish on YouTube- a guide to the best videos and channels, for class and at home, from Jennifer Brunk of Spanish Playground.

When YouTube arrived in 2005, I was teaching at a university in Wisconsin. Overnight, I had access to hours of authentic video at no cost. I started a collection of YouTube videos for Spanish class and marveled at how the platform was going to change language learning.

Fast forward 14 years, and we’re watching 5 billion videos on YouTube every day. There is so much content, the challenge has become finding the right YouTube videos for Spanish class.

So, how do we find what we need? I’ve found it’s essential to keep my objectives in mind. Do I want comprehensible input of specific vocabulary? Or am I looking for examples of a particular grammatical structure? If I am going to share cultural content, I consider whether students will learn more from a video in English.

So, what videos are right for you will depend on your class and goals. Below you’ll find videos I’ve used successfully with students.

Learn Spanish on YouTube

This post gathers all kinds of amazing video channels and formats, for teachers or those learning Spanish on YouTube. To help you sort through all the options, click on the links to jump to specific sections. To see them ALL, just keep scrolling!

YouTube Shows for Spanish Learners (Teens to Adult)
Authentic Spanish Cartoons on YouTube
Spanish-Language Versions of Cartoons
Spanish Lessons on YouTube
YouTuber Videos in Spanish
How-To Videos in Spanish
Cultural YouTube Videos for Spanish Class

Never underestimate the power of a story in learning language! Some of the most effective YouTube videos for Spanish class are shows with characters, setting, and a plot.

YouTube Shows for Spanish Learners

Story is engaging, but at the same time we don’t want to bombard learners with Spanish that goes over their heads. For novice and intermediate levels, consider shows specifically for learning language.

Buena Gente is a series for novice learners. It is filmed in Mexico and is appropriate for all ages.

Extra is a language-learning series for middle and high-school students. It was produced from 2002-2004, and there are 13 episodes in Spanish available on many YouTube channels.

Destinos: An introduction to Spanish is an older series in the style of a telenovela. The 52 episodes are available on many YouTube channels.

Spanish Cartoons

Animated shows in Spanish appeal to younger learners and can provide fun language exposure in class.

Cartoons from Spanish-Speaking Countries

Educational cartoons from Latin America and Spain introduce children to culture as well as language. I use short clips of animated shows, and pause the video to build on the images with comments and questions.

Serie Pinchintún is a children’s series from Chile CNTV. It tells stories of Aymara, Mapuche and Rapanui children, showing their homes, games, pets and traditions.

Pocoyó is a series from Spain, available in Spanish and English. The show is intended for preschool and has a voice over narration. The format works well with older language learners, too.

Mundo VEOVEO has children’s programing from Ecuador.

Mundo Zamba is a TV series from Pakapaka, an educational children’s channel from the Ministry of Education of Argentina.

Spanish Language Versions of Cartoons

El Perro y el Gato is an educational television series airing on HBO with episodes available on the HBOLatino YouTube Channel. The program features dialog in Spanish and English, with the characters repeating what they say in both languages.

El mundo divertido de Peep is the Spanish version of Peep and the Big Wide World. The series teaches science and math to preschoolers and is a fabulous resource for young language learners.

The Peppa Pig Español Latino YouTube channel has many episodes of Peppa Pig in Spanish, including videos for holidays such as Father’s Day, Halloween and Christmas.

Masha y el Oso is the Spanish version of a popular Russian cartoon series. There are many episodes available on YouTube.

Spanish Lessons on YouTube

If you are looking for direct lessons for beginners, you might want videos teaching specific concepts or limiting their language for beginners. Here are some channels perfect for those who want to learn Spanish on YouTube.

Señor Jordan has well-done videos that cover popular Spanish topics extensively. He recently began creating storytelling videos that I highly recommend, or you can browse the more traditional topical and grammar-based lessons.

Dreaming Spanish is a series of storytelling videos designed for learners. Though they’re immersion-based, they still include lots of visuals and slowed speech to stay comprehensible for learners.

Butterfly Spanish is great for those who prefer a traditional route, and want access to videos on very specific topics or themes. These are presented by a native speaker in a lively and understandable way, and give the feel of sitting in an actual class.

VideoEle is an extensive series that will be helpful to those learning at home, and teachers who want to supplement with YouTube videos in Spanish class. You can find videos by grammar topic, or vocabulary theme.

YouTuber Videos in Spanish

YouTubers create a connection by speaking directly to their audience. The format is appealing to kids, but if you are looking for YouTube videos for Spanish class, you need to be sure the YouTubers are appropriate.

The Kids Learn Spanish Habla videos feature YouTubers from Mexico and Peru talking about kid-friendly topics. Designed for Spanish learners, these videos are much easier than authentic YouTubers.

Many kid YouTubers from Latin America also make creative videos that appeal to students. These tweens and young teens talk about their daily lives, play games and do challenges. I’ve found these videos especially useful with heritage speakers. Check out Spanish YouTubers: Videos for Kids by Kids for some of my favorite channels.

How-To Videos in Spanish

How-to videos let you combine authentic language with hands-on learning. In particular, drawing tutorials and videos of crafts model activities you can do in class or at home to learn Spanish on YouTube.

Try drawing tutorials like the ones from Dibujin Dibujado and Dibujo Fácil para Niños. Students hear lots of language in context, and it is reinforced as they draw along. I choose simple drawings and pause and rewind to let students hear instructions again and have time to draw.

Craft tutorials list the materials students are going to use, and then show a step-by-step process. I look for short videos of simple crafts from channels like DonLuNatic from Spain.

Cultural YouTube Videos for Spanish Class

One of the best uses of YouTube videos for Spanish class is to share images of cultural content such as places, celebrations, sports, food, and dance.

If you are teaching a specific topic or event, it is always worth doing a YouTube search in Spanish to find authentic video. You can show a short clip with the original audio, then pause or turn off the volume and comment to create comprehensible input with key vocabulary.

Holidays and Festivals

Try YouTube videos to show students images of cultural celebrations such as Día de los Muertos, la Cabalgata de Reyes Magos in Sevilla or La Tomatina de Buñol.

Geography and the Environment

You can also introduce students to places with documentaries and travel videos. For example, try the short public service announcements from the Mexican Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales to share the biodiversity of Mexico.

Videos in English are also an excellent source of content about different places. National Geographic Kids has a YouTube series called Are We There Yet, with episodes about Latin American countries. These videos are a fabulous introduction to specific topics like the pyramids of Mexico, llamas in Peru or the cloud forest of Ecuador.

Streaming YouTube Videos in Schools

YouTube is free because publishers advertise. However, we want to focus our students’ attention on the content we have selected, not compete with ads. Although there are third party apps to download YouTube videos for Spanish class, they violate Google’s terms of service.

YouTube Premium is one way to eliminate advertising and download videos. Another solution is Edpuzzle. Edpuzzle uses YouTube’s embedded player, and lets you choose the part of a video you want to show. You can also add questions and comments to create an interactive lesson.

Streaming Video with Netflix

No service rivals YouTube for user-created content or quantity of authentic media. However, Netflix offers a wide range of high quality shows in Spanish and has excellent options for the classroom.

To get started, check out the Best Spanish Cartoons and Shows on Netflix and these Spanish Movies for Kids.

Teaching Spanish with Video

YouTube videos for Spanish class are a fabulous resource, but the videos are only one piece of the puzzle. Teaching effectively with video takes planning and technique. Check out Spanish Mama’s excellent article on How to Use Videos to Teach Spanish for specific tips for your classroom.

People all over the world continue to add video to YouTube at an astounding rate, and it takes sorting and planning to use it well, whether in the classroom or to learn Spanish on YouTube on your own. However, the payoff is enormous as we expose students to authentic Spanish and offer them a window to the world.

What other channels would you recommend for using in class or to learn Spanish on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below.

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Channels to Learn Spanish on YouTube

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Hey! I’m Elisabeth, a teacher and mom raising two bilingual kids in the Peruvian jungle. Read our story here. I love digging up the best Spanish resources for all you busy parents and teachers!

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14 Keys to An Effective Classroom Management Plan

by Spanish Mama | Feb 11, 2019 | Teaching Spanish

Inside: How to develop an effective classroom management plan in your Spanish classroom, from Angie Torre.

Help! I Need a better classroom management plan!

How can I teach when students won’t stop talking?

How can I use the target language 90-100% of the time? I can’t even use it 50% of the time because students aren’t listening!

These are some of the questions I’ve received from distressed teachers trying to reconcile the ideals they were taught with the reality of the classroom.

As a newbie in the classroom, I remember thinking, “Why didn’t they teach us how to get these students to focus in our teacher-preparation courses?”

In answer to the demand, I wrote four blog posts on the topic. But requests for classroom management strategies still top the messages in my social media. So, I decided to do a round-up of the best classroom discipline tips.

In this blog session I will share the strategies from the previous posts that I believe are the most essential for creating an optimum learning environment. Then, I will highlight the advice from exemplary teachers from all around the United States whose input I have solicited.

14 Tips for A Better Classroom Management Plan

1. Include positive tension in your lesson plan. Tell students at the beginning of the lesson what they will be learning and what THEY will do at the end of the lesson, preferably that day, to demonstrate mastery. Students hustle because they know they will have to perform.

2. Teach and test your rules and routines. Then, enforce them consistently. The rules are not the ones posted in the front of your room. The rules are the ones you consistently enforce. EVERY TIME. Students learn quickly which rules they can ignore.

DISCIPLINE BEFORE INSTRUCTION.

The two or more weeks it takes to teach and practice your procedures will create the environment necessary for teaching and save you time in the end. After teaching the rules, and PRACTICING them, give an assessment on them and grade it the same way you would an academic test. Then, don’t forget to continue reminding and practicing. (This is how we turn in our papers. This is how we answer questions.)

3. Don’t speak when students are talking. EVER. Stop and wait until all students are listening. It may seem like an eternity, but it isn’t. Don’t raise your voice above the normal volume level. If you catch yourself doing it, stop. Wait until all are quiet. To call students back to their desks while they are working in groups, use a chime or bell, NOT your voice.

4. Build a repertoire of engaging games. Students engage when they are having fun. Click here to see Seven Activities that Guarantee Student Engagement.

5. Check the phones at the door. You can’t compete with phones and the irresistible temptation to use them will be a constant distraction to the students. Click HERE to see the phone pockets I used.

6. Change the seating chart frequently. Once you know the students, separate the talkers and strategically position the human distractions. Then, once students have NEW friends, or you identify instigators, move them again.

7. Give frequent assessments. The knowledge that there is always an assessment around the corner keeps students focused and hustling.

8. Teach in small chunks. When students get lost, they zone out and then act out. Teach one step, check for understanding, then have students DO something with their new knowledge. Then, teach the next step, check for understanding and have students DO something with the concept. Repeat.

As a new teacher, a mistake I frequently made was to present too many concepts at once, assuming students had the foundational knowledge. But they didn’t and I was faced with a classroom full of puzzled expressions. (What’s a syllable? What’s an adjective?)

While you are teaching one step at a time, begin at the bottom and make no assumptions.

9. Use positive peer pressure: Team A can’t score until everyone in their team has correctly written the answer. Click HERE for engaging, collaborative activities.

10. Use proximity. Park yourself next to the off-task student and continue teaching. Walk around constantly so no student is far from you for too long a period. Make sure your furniture is set up to facilitate quick movement around the room and access to every student. I found this strategy to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE!

11. Use wait time. Ask the question. Pause. Repeat the question. Pause. Look around the room giving eye contact. Call a student’s name. NEVER call the student’s name before saying the prompt or question. That lets the entire class off the hook. This is another form of positive tension. (See # 1)

12. Include all students in the closure activity. If the activity only engages MOST of the students while some passively observe, don’t use it. My Go-to activity is an A against B competition. I number all students 1-15 (depending on the number of students in the class). I ask the question, pause, then call a number. The two students with that number must stand and say or write, act out, or draw the answer.

13. Choose hands-on or high-interest activities. The more senses the students use, the more engaged they will be and less likely to disrupt. Some examples of activities that actively engage students are: Interactive Notebook Activities, TPR, listening activities that require students to draw or follow instructions, Google Drive Activities, charades and competitions that require movement.

14. Attend a Fred-Jones Tools for Teaching Workshop. Go with colleagues at your school or other teachers. I have attended and facilitated this workshop at least 15 times. Most of what I know for my classroom management plan I learned from these workshops. Changed my life!

If you would like more details or strategies, click on the following links to read the original posts.

How to Motivate Unmotivated Learners- Part One

How to Motivate Unmotivated Learners- Part Two

How to Motivate Unmotivated Learners- Part Three

How to Motivate Unmotivated Learners- Part Four

Tips for Classroom Management Plans from Around the World

I asked exemplary World Language teachers from around the globe, “If you could give a new teacher ONE tip to help them with developing a classroom management plan, what would it be?”

Here is what they said:

Moon Mckinny said, “Give students plenty of opportunity to move and talk! I’ve found that most classroom management issues come from forcing the kids to be quiet and still.”

Erin SheaHauri said, “Design your lesson around the students. Especially at the high school level, they love when it’s all about them. It will keep them engaged because they are intrinsically motivated. When they are engaged/interested, classroom disturbances decrease.”

Rachel McCurdy Ortiz said, “As a teacher, apologize when YOU mess up. Kids aren’t used to adults admitting their own mistakes and it’s an instant trust builder. I’ve yelled at a class and apologize the next day. One time a student actually said, “What are you doing? Teachers don’t apologize.” I do, and it has made some truly behavioral challenges completely turn around.

Erin Coleman said, “Build relationships first. Sometimes this means choosing your battles and letting smaller issues slide so that you can handle the big issues with ease. If your students feel safe with you, they will learn from you. And aside from learning your content, if you model patience, respect, and acceptance, they will reflect that back to you.

You can read more about how to build positive relationships in her blog post on the subject: The Engaged Spanish Classroom

Pepa Maria Cabelllo agrees. She says, “Build relationships. Talk to them. Sometimes you have no idea what they are going through.

Here are some tips from two elementary teachers.

Mundo de Pepita said, “Establish expectations and routines and hold to them consistently.” Read her blog post about End-of-class routines .

Fun for Spanish Teachers said, “Keep your rules simple. Having your rules and procedures established allows you to stay in the target language for more time later.” Click on Fun for Spanish Teachers to see what her rules are and to read her awesome blog post.

Add these strategies to your BETTER CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN and start enjoying teaching more!

Would you like to get teaching tips and freebies in your email? If so, click on Best PowerPoints for Spanish and French and scroll to the bottom. For signing up you get a FREE 122-slide PowerPoint on regular verbs and infinitives.

Stay tuned! Next time we will talk about how to deal with annoying violations of the dress code.

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