How Living Waters Spanish Works: Bible-Based Immersion That Gets Results

The Only Christian Homeschool Spanish Curriculum That Combines Scripture, Proven Language Acquisition Methods, and Real Mission Experience
Most Spanish programs teach vocabulary lists and grammar rules. Students memorize conjugations, take tests, and forget everything by summer.

Living Waters Spanish is completely different.

We use the same method God designed for babies to learn their first language: comprehensible immersion. Your child will hear, read, speak, and write in Spanish from day one—but in a way that makes sense every step of the way. And unlike secular programs, every assignment is rooted in Scripture.
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The result? Students who can actually communicate in Spanish, share the Gospel, and are equipped for real ministry—not just students who can pass a test.
Our Proven 3-Part Method: How Your Child Acquires Fluent Spanish
1. Live Online Classes: 90 Minutes Weekly of Comprehensible Immersion

What Happens in Class:
Every week, your student joins a live online class where 90% of the time is spent in Spanish—but it's Spanish they can understand from the very first day.

We use the TPRS method (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), a research-backed approach where students acquire language naturally through comprehensible stories, interactive questions, and biblical content.

What Makes Our Classes Different:
  • Christ-centered from start to finish: Every class includes worship in Spanish, Scripture memorization, prayer time, and discussion about what God is doing in students' lives
  • Comprehensible input: Teachers use gestures, visuals, repetition, and scaffolding so students understand everything—no confusion, no frustration
  • Student-driven stories: We co-create stories with students using the vocabulary they're learning, making class fun, personalized, and memorable
  • Interactive participation: Students answer questions, contribute ideas, act out stories, and speak Spanish from day one
  • Small class sizes: Personal attention ensures every student is understood and progressing

​The Science Behind It:
Research shows that students acquire language fastest through massive amounts of comprehensible input—hearing and reading language they understand in context. TPRS classes can help students reach intermediate proficiency in 60-100 hours, compared to 400-600 hours with traditional methods.
Find Your Level in 3 Simple Steps
2. Four Days of Engaging, Bible-Based Homework (40 Minutes Per Day)

What Homework Looks Like:
Your student completes approximately 40 minutes of homework, 4 days per week. This isn't busywork—it's carefully designed to reinforce what they learned in class through multiple modes: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Types of Homework Assignments:
  • Listening to comprehensible Spanish audio (60+ hours per year of authentic input)
  • Reading Bible stories, Scripture passages, and Christian content in Spanish (400+ pages per year)
  • Writing responses to what they've read and heard
  • Vocabulary practice through Education Perfect and interactive tools
  • Speaking practice through recorded assignments
  • Scripture memorization in Spanish

Why Bible-Based Content Matters:
We use Scripture for many assignments because:
  • Students go deeper into God's Word while learning Spanish
  • Biblical content is meaningful, not random vocabulary lists
  • Your child learns to share the Gospel message in Spanish
  • Faith and language acquisition happen simultaneously

Parents love this because: Homework is self-paced, doesn't require parental fluency in Spanish, and builds both spiritual and linguistic growth.
3. Optional Mexico Mission Trips: Where It All Comes Together

Real Ministry, Real Spanish, Real Transformation:
Each March and June, students have the opportunity to join our optional Mexico mission trips. This is where classroom learning becomes Kingdom impact.

What Students Do in Mexico:
  • Serve orphans and vulnerable children with the language they've been learning
  • Share the Gospel with Spanish speakers
  • Worship alongside Mexican believers in Spanish
  • Practice conversational Spanish in real-life contexts
  • See why learning Spanish matters for God's Kingdom

Parent Testimonials:
"The Mexico trip changed my daughter's life. She came home on fire for God and fluent in ways I never expected."

"Seeing my son share Jesus in Spanish with children in Mexico—that moment made every homework session worth it."
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This is why Living Waters Spanish exists: to raise up a generation that can take the Gospel to 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide.
Real Conversational Fluency

Not just vocabulary lists. Your child will think in Spanish, understand native speakers, and communicate naturally—just like they learned English as a toddler.
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By year 3-4, students reach intermediate-level proficiency, able to hold conversations, read Spanish literature, and engage in complex discussions.
Scripture Memorization in Spanish

Every level includes memorizing Bible verses and passages in Spanish. Students build a biblical foundation they can share with Spanish speakers anywhere in the world.
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Advanced students study Spanish theology, read the Bible in Spanish, and discuss deep spiritual truths in another language.
1,000+ Vocabulary Words Per Year

Through comprehensible input and biblical content, students naturally acquire over 1,000 vocabulary words annually—far more than traditional textbook approaches.

​These aren't random words—they're the most frequently used words in real Spanish conversations.
ACTFL Proficiency Benchmarks

  • Spanish 1: Novice-Mid
  • Spanish 2: Novice-High
  • Spanish 3-4: Intermediate
  • Advanced: Preparation for college credit and ministry contexts

We follow ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, ensuring your student gains recognized, measurable language skills.
✝️ Why Parents Choose Living Waters Over Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Traditional Curriculum

Duolingo & Rosetta Stone: Fun apps, but no live instruction, no community, no biblical content, and students rarely reach conversational fluency.

Traditional Textbooks: Grammar-heavy, boring, and students forget most of it. No immersion, no real communication practice.

Other Online Classes: May offer live instruction, but use secular content and don't integrate faith with language learning.

Living Waters Spanish: The only program that combines Christ-centered curriculum, proven TPRS immersion, live classes with Christian teachers, Bible-based content, and real mission trip opportunities. Your child gains fluency AND grows spiritually.
A Week in the Life of a Living Waters Spanish Student

WEEKLY SCHEDULE BOX:
Monday (40 minutes):
  • Listen to comprehensible Spanish audio (Bible story or Christian content)
  • Answer comprehension questions
  • Practice vocabulary through interactive tools

Tuesday (40 minutes):
  • Read Spanish text (Bible passage, story from class, or Christian article)
  • Write response in Spanish
  • Review and practice Scripture memory verse

Wednesday (40 minutes):
  • Complete writing assignment based on class story
  • Vocabulary practice and review
  • Record speaking practice (share about your week, retell a story, etc.)

Thursday (40 minutes):
  • Listen to audio and read along
  • Quiz or assessment on weekly content
  • Continue Scripture memorization

Friday - Class Day (90 minutes):
  • Join live online class via Zoom
  • Worship in Spanish
  • Share prayer requests and discuss what God is doing
  • Interactive storytelling and comprehensible input
  • Scripture memory recitation
  • Participation, questions, and co-creating stories with classmates

Total Time Commitment: Approximately 4.5 hours per week (3 hours homework + 1.5 hours live class)
Technical Requirements: Simple Setup, Powerful Results

TECH REQUIREMENTS
​You don't need to be tech-savvy or fluent in Spanish. Here's what you need:

​Required:
  • Computer with camera and microphone
  • Reliable internet connection
  • Zoom account (free) for live classes
  • Headphones recommended for better audio quality

Skills Developed:
Beyond Spanish, your student will gain:
  • Online communication skills through live virtual classes
  • Time management by staying on track with weekly assignments
  • Critical thinking as they engage with Scripture and content in a new language
  • Global classroom experience connecting with Christian homeschoolers nationwide

Check your computer compatibility here: http://www.webex.com/test-meeting.html
Meet Your Teachers: Experienced, Christ-Centered Educators Who Live What They Teach

All Living Waters Spanish teachers share one thing in common: a deep commitment to Christ, proven language teaching expertise, and a heart for missions. Your child won't just learn from teachers who know Spanish—they'll learn from teachers who use Spanish to serve God's Kingdom every single day.

Brad & Marcy Riegg - Founders & Lead Teachers
Brad and Marcy met while studying at the University of Madrid, Spain. They homeschooled their five children and founded Living Waters Spanish to equip Christian families with real Spanish fluency for Kingdom purposes.

Teaching Experience:
  • Brad: Over 30 years teaching Spanish, including 20+ years to homeschoolers and 12 years at Portland Christian High School
  • Marcy: Has assisted and substituted in Spanish instruction for over 30 years
  • Brad: State-licensed K-12 teacher with specialty in Spanish (Oregon & California)
  • Brad: Former President of a student exchange company in the UK (10 years)
  • Brad: Former Director of Admissions for AYUSA International (3 years)

Education:
  • B.A. degrees from University of California at Berkeley and UCSB
  • Master's degrees in Theology from Bristol University, England

Mission Heart: The Rieggs have led multiple mission trips to Mexico with Youth for Christ and have traveled to about 50 countries. They also serve as pro-life advocates, living out their faith in every area of life.
Andrew Moses - Teaching from the Mission Field
Andrew Moses is a dynamic Spanish teacher who has been drawing students out to play with the language for over a decade. He has taught with Living Waters Spanish for three years and brings real-world mission experience into every class.

Teaching Experience:
  • Completed the prestigious Cambridge University ICELT program in language teaching
  • 10+ years of Spanish language instruction
  • Former youth pastor, English teacher, and English program coordinator at Centro NOE in Mexico

Living the Mission: Andrew and his wife, Josselyn, live in Ecuador, where he pastors a Spanish-speaking church. They recently welcomed their daughter, Jessy. Before Ecuador, Andrew lived and worked in Mexico for six years, fully immersed in ministry and language education.

Your child learns Spanish from someone who uses it to pastor, disciple, and share the Gospel every single day.
Andrés Classen - Teaching from Mexico with a Heart for Children
Andrés was born in Mexico and brings authentic native fluency and cultural insight to Living Waters Spanish. He and his Mexican wife, Mich, are presently co-principals of the Foundation for His Ministries School—the children's home and school that Living Waters Spanish visits each June in Baja California, Mexico.

​Ministry & Teaching:
  • Years of teaching experience in both English and Spanish
  • Daily work with vulnerable children at the Foundation for His Ministries orphanage and school
  • Deeply committed to serving the Lord by serving families and children in need

When your child learns from Andrés, they're learning from someone who lives out Matthew 25:40 every single day: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

"Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children." - Lamentations 2:19
🌍 The Living Waters Difference: Faith, Fluency, and Forever Impact

When your student learns Spanish with Living Waters, they're not just gaining a skill—they're gaining a tool for the Great Commission.

​Imagine your child:
  • Sharing the Gospel with a Spanish-speaking neighbor
  • Serving on mission trips in Latin America
  • Reading Scripture in the language of 500 million people
  • Pursuing ministry, medical missions, or international work—equipped with real language skills

That's the Living Waters vision. And it starts with saying yes to a curriculum that puts Jesus first.
15+ Years
​Proven Christian Homeschool Spanish Excellence
60-100 Hours
​To Intermediate Proficiency (vs 400-600 Traditional Methods)
400+ Pages
​Of Biblical & Christian Reading Per Year
500 Million
​Spanish Speakers Your Child Can Reach for Christ
Ready to Enroll Your Child in Bible-Based Spanish Immersion?

Your student is just one decision away from fluency, spiritual growth, and a tool to impact eternity.
Still have questions? Call us at 503-715-7227 or email us. We're here to help you find the perfect fit for your homeschooler.

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