A time-tested approach

DESCUBRE is built around a proven six-step instructional design.

Six-step instructional design

Each lesson is organized into color-coded strands that present new material in clear, comprehensible, and communicative ways. With a focus on authenticity, cultural immersion, and the seamless integration of text and technology, Spanish-language learning comes to life.

Six Step Instructional Design

1. Context

Make it personal

  • Provides visual context for the chapter theme.
  • A primera vista questions allow students to use the Spanish they know to talk about the photos.
  • Redesigned lesson openers with clearly labeled Essential Questions, Can Do Goals, and IPA contexts, as well as a cultural focus on products, practices, and perspectives.

2. Vocabulary

Put it into words

New Contextos illustrations! Theme-related vocabulary is introduced through expansive and updated full-color illustrations and easy-to-reference lists.

3. Media

Bridges Experiences

Instructional, cultural, and authentic streaming video presentations with optional captioning.

Brand new Fotonovela storyline videos

Brand new Fotonovela storyline videos—levels 1 and 2 are shot on location in Madrid, Spain, while level 3 takes place in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Cultural video

Cultural video: En pantalla presents TV clips from around the Spanish-speaking world connected to the language, vocabulary, and theme of the chapter.

Authentic video

En pantalla in DESCUBRE 3 includes authentic, complete, award-winning short films and documentaries from a Spanish-speaking director.

Panorama cultural

Panorama cultural: There are 42 new Panorama cultural videos. They provide interesting visuals for two of the paragraphs on every Panorama spread.

4. Culture

Cultural Perspective in DESCUBRE 1A/1B, 1 and 2

En detalle explores the chapter’s theme in-depth. All cultural readings are now in Spanish starting in lesson 1 and feature more scaffolded activities.

4. Culture

Cultural Perspective in DESCUBRE 3

Cultural exploration with a regional focus continues in the El mundo hispano section. And there are literary selections from high-profile authors in a variety of genres.

5. Structure

Grammar as a tool

Clear and concise explanations followed by visually appealing examples

5. Structure

Comunicación sections

Updated Comunicación sections feature pair and group activities for interpersonal and presentational practice and provide a better balance of activities in the three modes of communication.

6. Synthesis

Pulling it all together

  • Lectura offers context-based readings that pull all the chapter elements together.
  • Estrategia provides strategies for preparation and execution of the writing task related to the chapter’s theme.
  • Escuchar builds students’ listening skills with a recorded conversation or narration.