How Can Design Thinking Transform Language Learning for Young Students?

In this episode of Start with Questions, host Ann Marsh Rutledge interviews Lily Catano, a teacher at The Mount Vernon School, about her transformative use of design thinking in language education. Lily shares how she integrates "Pequeños Aprendices con Grandes Ideas," the Spanish version of the "Little Learners with Big Ideas" field guide, to enhance her Spanish classes for young learners. This guide was inspired by the Compass Field Guide and adapted using age-appropriate language and images for our littlest learners. Through culturally rich expeditions, such as trips to Hispanic markets and virtual tours of Colombian wildlife, Lily Catano encourages her students to apply language skills in real-world contexts. She emphasizes that design thinking fosters empathy, creativity, and a love for learning, preparing students to become thoughtful, engaged global citizens.