The Miraflores thematic culture units have been developed to create a diverse and challenging curriculum that reflects the national standards. Schools with a project-driven curriculum as well as an interdisciplinary approach to language learning use them as basic texts. Schools with a more traditional curriculum use our thematic units to supplement and enrich the cultural component of the language class. The Miraflores thematic units allow students to progress in their language skills and simultaneously work on the target Culture.

     Since studying another language means learning about another culture, Comparisons with the students' world and the target world are made in every unit. To that end the units include many classroom activities that further discussion and thoughtful cultural comparisons. In addition, the standards of Communication and Connections provide ample opportunity to discover the world. In the Miraflores thematic culture units critical thinking skills are integrated with the study of another language.

     Our thematic culture units have a wealth of information about the target culture. The subject matter is interdisciplinary and the variety of subjects has been selected to spark the interest of adolescents. For example, there are texts on tourism, science, history, ecology, sports and music and more. Many units integrate skills, giving math and science problems to elucidate facts about the text.

     The level of difficulty is specific. Thus, the workbooks and copy masters with the number 1 are for the first year the student is studying the target language. The units for Level 1 are the least complex in terms of language and although developed for grades 7 to 9, can also be used for younger students at the upper-elementary, depending on their language proficiency. The units with the number 2 are meant for the second year of language study, number 3 for the third year and number 4 for the fourth year. Level 4 has more complex sentences, a more sophisticated vocabulary and grammatical structures that include subjunctives and conditionals.

     In addition, the texts serve two further purposes: reading, and vocabulary development. Reading is an essential skill for all of our students, and one we have neglected at the elementary language levels.

     The 1996 publication of Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century encompasses the same philosophy, i.e. that foreign languages are a way of becoming an educated citizen.