Find out what's going on with with us! Company founder and owner Tonya Tiggett will update you on current events and special invitations:
Felicitaciones to Our Fall Conference Gift Certificate Winners
The first Ohio Hispanic Business Summit was held at The Ohio Union at The Ohio State University on Thursday, October 13. Speak Our Language was sponsored by Nationwide and had a booth with information, games and prizes for those who dared to play our version of Plink-O. The following day Speak Our Language traveled to Rochester, New York to attend the New York State Association for Teachers of Foreign Language and gathered some great ideas for 2012 webinar topics.
The following people won gift certificates: ¡Felicitaciones!
Ohio Hispanic Business Summit
$300 16 hour Spanish class: Deb Gutman
One free hour Spanish lesson at work: Karla Boldery & Stephanie Valdez
$15 El Vaquero Gift Card: Mónica Garcia
Rochester, NY NYSAFLT
$320 discount on travel: Sally Mattern
$25 Teacher Discovery Gift Card: John Schepisi
Free Webinar: Margaret Wells & Virginia Cambareri
Speak Our Language Owner, Tonya Tiggett, recognized as a VISIONARY finalist by NAWBO.
The Columbus chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) selected finalists from the Columbus area for the much anticipated Visionary Award. NAWBO is in its thirteenth year of recognizing women business owners who own and operate unique businesses with a visionary approach. These women business owners are also recognized for their mentorship with other women and for the contribution each business owner makes to the greater Columbus community through volunteerism.
We are proud that Tonya has been selected in the 2011 class of finalists who will find out the winner at the July 28 NAWBO Visionary Award Luncheon. Stay tuned!
For a glimpse into NAWBO and this prestigious business award, please view the short video below or you may click here for a slide show.
Fall 2011 Class Schedule: Level 1 Beginner Spanish: WEDNESDAYS!
November 30 – January 18, 2012, 6pm-8pm Registration Deadline: November 16, 2011
Level 2 Beginner Spanish:
November 1 – December 13, 2012, 6pm-8pm (schedule is slightly modified, see us for complete list of dates) Registration Deadline: October 27, 2011
Level 2 Intermediate Spanish:
November 15 – December 13 , 2012, 6pm-8pm (schedule is 4 weeks instead of 8, two hours per week) Registration Deadline: November 8, 2011
Winter 2012 Class Schedule:
Level 1 Beginner Spanish: TUESDAYS
January 17 – March 13 (no class 2/14), 2012, 6pm-8pm Registration Deadline: January 10, 2012
Level 2 Beginner Spanish WEDNESDAYS:
February 1 - March 21, 2012, 6pm-8pm Registration Deadline: January 28, 2012
Level 3 Beginner Spanish TUESDAYS:
January 17 – March 13 (no class 2/14), 2012, 6PM – 8PM Registration Deadline: January 10, 2012
Level Intermediate 3 Spanish: Dates TBD, please contact us in January 2012 for:
Levels Intermediate 3, 4, 5 and Advanced Level 1 in addition to upcoming webinars for 2012!
Please email us or call if you wish to enroll after the deadline but before class begins. Please contact us for enrollment forms at
SOL & SALSA Salsa King Carlos Rubio brought his world class dance style to ten Speak Our Language students who learned how to do a basic mambo step, side to side salsa steps, partner dancing and even how to do turns! Carlos "El Hiperactivo" is an award winning dance competitor and is the most popular Latin dance instructor in Central Ohio. Gracias Carlos for the very fun lección and the great workout! For information on Carlos's dance lessons, please click here.
Welcome to Our Newest Staff Member!
Speak Our Language is proud to welcome Profesor Dave Brauer (Profe David) to our company. Profe David teaches ESL at The Ohio State University in addition to having taught Spanish at the middle and high school levels in the Cleveland area. Profe David is a licensed teacher and has a passion for traveling to South American countries. He plans to pursue his Ph.D. within the year and will be working primarily with our beginner level students and our tutoring clients. ¡Bienvenido Profe David!
Felicitaciones to Sedalia Elementary School teachers who just finished their SECOND complete year of español! Principal Copas and three of her staff at Sedalia Elementary School just wrapped up their second consecutive year of study with Speak Our Language. The Groveport-Madison elementary school staff is now ready to move into Intermediate 2b in the fall and is speaking “muchísimo español.” We want to say how much we enjoy teaching Señoritas Friel and Deckard, Señora Richardson and Directora Copas. Sedalia has really set the bar for other schools that have a Hispanic student population by the teachers truly putting themselves in their ESL students’ shoes! Two of the staff members will be venturing south of the border with us for the second year in a row, where they will really put their español to the test. ¡Olé!
NEW - THREE PROGRAMS JUST FOR YOU!
#1: Spanish Immersion Weekend returns! Friday, October 21 – Sunday, October 23, 2011
Columbus, OH – place TBA
View our Study Abroad/Immersion page for details on our FANTÁSTICO Immersion Weekend
#2: ¡GUATEMALA 2012! Friday, March 30 – Sunday, April 8, 2012 Registration Deadline: November 30, 2011 First Deposit of $1000 will be due on November 30, 2011.
Final payment due January 31, 2012.
Travel to Guatemala with Speak Our Language for a cultural, spiritual and linguistic adventure during Semana Santa – Holy Week. You will explore the cities of Guatemala City, Antigua and Panajachel to observe the Semana Santa preparations and processions in a modern city. You then will venture across one of the world’s most beautiful lakes, Lake Atitlán, to local indigenous villages for a contrasting view of the Easter week holiday.
There is SO much more to tell you about this 9 day journey, so why not join us on the following dates for an informational session to learn more?
Click here for our brochure or email us for the conference call phone number and access code for the informational sessions below at:
Information Sessions are on the following dates:
Thursday, July 14, 2011, 5:30 PM – 6:30PM Phone dial-in, must email for the phone number and access code
Thursday, September 15, 2011, 6PM – 8PM Rancho Alegre Restaurant, 1075 Dublin Road, Grandview Heights, OH 43215
Monday, October 3, 2011, 8PM – 9PM Phone dial-in, must email for the phone number and access code
#3: ¡Vengan con nosotros a México 2012!
¡Vengan con nosotros – Join us in Mexico!
Speak Our Language will be heading south of the border again to Cuernavaca, Mexico in June 2012. First Deposit of $1000 will be due on March 17th for Mexico Trip.
Final payment due May 12th.
• 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.
Yes, there were sugar skulls, skeltons, tombs and alters involved at Rancho Alegre Mexican Restaurant in Grandview on Sunday October 17th where we celebrated a little known Hispanic holiday called Dia de los Muertos- or Day of the Dead. Over 25 people in the Columbus community joined us to find out about this very sacred holiday with Christian and Aztec roots, that draws visitors to Mexico from around the world every October and November.
Speak Our Language partnered with Day of the Dead and travel expert Vivian Harvey and Rancho Alegre restaurant to bring a unique holiday celebration to our Columbus community. Vivian gave us a virtual tour of the celebration with pictures, vivid description and intriguing stories. Our waiter Angel also spoke in Spanish about the holiday and told us about the celebration from his point of view when he lived in Mexico. We were so proud of our estudiantes who translated for our non-Spanish speaking guests. Attendees played Day of the Dead bingo and we also held a drawing for some groovy prizes. At the alter were samples of Bread of the Dead (Pan de Muerto), plenty of tamales for all, and of course cerveza and mezcal.
We wish to thank Vivian and Angel of Rancho Alegre for their tremendous hospitality and insight into this fiesta and look forward to more events of this type.
Spanish & Portuguese Training Project a Success! Speak Our Language partnered with Professor Derek Petrey of Sinclair College to provide training for our client ITG (Interpersonal Technology Group) via webinar in July and August this year. This was a unique venue for Speak Our Language since it was our first official foray into language training via web, and it involved training in Portuguese – a new language for Speak Our Language. Dr. Petrey is trained in both Portuguese and Spanish and conducted the career development webinars in both languages to an audience located throughout Central and South America, including Brazil. Thank you to our resident Spanish translator Mónica Yampier who assisted in the Spanish translation of English materials for ITG.
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!
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
| P.O. Box 247 | Worthington, OH 43085 | 614-245-8482 | © Copyright Speak Our Language 2009