¿Qué Pasa?

Find out what's going on with us! Company founder and owner Tonya Tiggett will update you on current events and special invitations:

Owner Tonya Tiggett teaches Spanish on TV and radio for Cinco de Mayo
To commemorate the Battle of Puebla, known and celebrated as Cinco de Mayo, Tonya taught popular NBC 4 TV personalities Mindy Drayer and Marshall McPeek Spanish on Sunday, May 2, 2010.

During the interview, Marshall asked Tonya to clarify the difference between Mexican Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo. Tonya explained that Mexican Independence Day is celebrated September 16th each year to commemorate the declaration of independence from Spain. Cinco de Mayo on the other hand commemorates the Battle of Puebla. On the morning of May 5, 1862 4,000 Mexican soldiers surprise-attacked an invading French army of 8,000 soldiers and thwarted their efforts to overthrow the capital of Mexico City. This was a David versus Goliath event and is really celebrated in mainly one region of Mexico, near the town of Puebla.

Americans popularized the holiday in recent years and the beer manufacturers and restaurants have taken advantage of this to increase their sales and encourage everyone to be Mexican for a day, much like we are Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

Tonya then appeared on the morning show Power 107.5 with DJs Paul Strong and Konata, who Tonya dubbed “Pablo Fuerte and Carlos Casablanca, Hombre Internacional de Misterio (International Man of Intrigue). The DJ’s were enthusiastic about learning some new words and phrases, and were even a little mischievous by asking “How do you say ‘big butts’ in Spanish?!” The original spot of 15 minutes stretched into almost 45 minutes and Speak Our Language has received multiple requests for classes and programs as a result of this appearance.

We want to say “gracias” to Mindy, Marshall, “Pablo Fuerte,” and “Carlos Casablanca” for their playfulness and the opportunity to showcase what we do best – effectively teach and have fun while doing it!

Late Summer & Fall Class Schedule:
Late Summer Classes:
Level 1 Spanish:
Aug. 10- Sept. 28, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Intermediate 1 Spanish:
Aug. 10 – Sept. 28, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Level 3 Spanish:
Aug. 10 – Sept. 28, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Registration Deadline: July 13, 2010
Fall Classes:
Level 1 Spanish:
Oct.19-Dec. 14, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Level 2 Spanish:
Oct.19-Dec. 14, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Level 3 Review Spanish:
Oct.19-Dec. 14, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Intermediate 2 Spanish:
Oct.19-Dec. 14, 2010, 6pm – 8pm
Registration Deadline: September 28, 2010
* Please email us or call if you wish to enroll after the deadline but before class begins. Please contact us for enrollment forms at

Coming in the fall: Conversation Club! Stay tuned for more details!

¡Vamos a México en 2011!
Speak Our Language is headed south of the border to Cuernavaca, Mexico in June of 2010 and will be returning to Mexico in 2011.
¡Ven con nosotros – Join us!
Informational session and dates for 2011:
Tuesday, Sept. 28th, 2010 from 8PM – 9PM at Thomas Worthington High School. 300 W. Dublin-Granville Road, Worthington 43085. Room # TBA.
• Want an educational vacation?
• Want to practice your Spanish in a Spanish-speaking country?
• Want to have an on-site coordinator to help you navigate travel, language, and your stay?
• Want to live with a host family and see “authentic” Mexico

If you have missed our informational sessions and are interested in the trip, please call us at 614-245-8482 or send an email to or click here to access the fee schedule and Frequently Asked Questions document.

Welcome to Bright Horizons Pre- School – our newest “After School” Español (ASE) partner.
Speak Our Language is working with the Riverside Hospital location of Bright Horizons and director Rebecca Komarov to implement their first Spanish classes for toddlers and kindergarten students. A big “gracias” goes out to parent Rachel Caviness who introduced our services to the director. This particular program takes place during the morning, so we can’t really call it an “After School” program –but it is an ASE model nonetheless. The program is being led by instructors Gina Palluconi and Lalita Huth.

¡Felicitaciones to graduating SOL teachers!
Gina Palluconi - B.A. Spanish with a minor in Creative Writing
Cristina Miller - B.S. Psychology
Brenda Louisin - M.S. Special Education

The New York Times Company says “Sí” to working with Speak Our Language!
The New York Times hired us in September 2009 for a 10-week Business Spanish program that emphasizes conversational language interaction.

Our corporate program prides itself on FUN LEARNING, and having students be able to converse after only one class (granted, you must do your homework!), as our NY Times liaison Mrya Limson pointed out, “The New York Times Company’s VOCES Latino Heritage Network’s partnership with Speak Our Language has been invaluable in bringing Spanish Language instruction and culture to the Company. Fallon Plazas and Tonya Tiggett are excellent facilitators who create a fun learning environment. Employees with little to no previous instruction were able to speak Spanish by the end of the first class.”

We are proud that a company such as The New York Times has chosen us to implement and lead their Spanish language offerings. We are even more excited that this partnership will continue throughout 2010, with our New York City-based instructor Fallon Plazas again leading the effort.

If you are interested in a program for your company, please send an email to

Need Graduate Credit & an Educational Vacation South of the Border?
Speak Our Language expands its partnership with Cemanahuac Educational Community and Ashland University year round

Cemanahuac is now able to offer graduate credit for study, in cooperation with Ashland University (Ohio) and instructor, Tonya Tiggett of Speak Our Language.  Three hours of graduate credit are available for two weeks of study, and the full program includes registration, 45 hours of language instruction, housing with a Mexican family (double room), textbook, two all-day field study trips, one half-day trip, cultural studies classes, a certificate of completion and transcript, and academic costs for three hours of credit, for a total fee in 2010 of $1810.00.

In addition to attendance at language classes and field study trips, requirements include a journal and a written project on some area of cultural or language studies which will be helpful to the individual student’s professional life.
Students can come at any time of the year, and single rooms are available at a small additional fee.  It is also possible to attend Cemanahuac for one week for 1 hour of graduate credit. 

The credit is offered through the Professional Development program in the College of Education, and thus does not have a minimum language requirement for registration.  Teachers and others with an undergraduate degree in any field can apply. 

As with any academic credit, those planning to use this credit toward a graduate degree should discuss this educational opportunity with a professor in their own universities. 
For more information and registration information, please contact Tonya Tiggett at
Speak Our Language, LLC. 614-245-8482 or visit the Cemanahuac site at www.cemanahuac.com.