Hi! I’m Patricia.

I teach Spanish and Māori at a secondary school in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Earlier I worked in English-language schools in the same city. I hold three degrees in education: Primary Education, Early Childhood Education and Teaching English as a Second Language. In 2021 I completed a master’s in Applied Linguistics focused on Spanish.

From the moment I began teaching Spanish in New Zealand, I felt the need to do it in a more creative, enjoyable, and meaningful way. Thanks to my dear colleague and mentor Margarita, I discovered the comprehensible input approach, especially the TPRS methodology, which is now a cornerstone of my teaching practice. I was amazed by the positive results in my students, and in 2019, Margarita and I organized the first two-day TPRS workshop in New Zealand with Blaine Ray. That experience transformed my teaching.

Beyond the classroom, I have always felt drawn to creativity, although for years I believed my dyslexia would be a barrier to writing. With Margarita’s support and inspiration, the idea for Arroz con cosas emerged—a project that started as a playful pun and grew into a book beloved by students and teachers alike. The enthusiastic response from readers motivated us to develop a year-long teaching guide filled with cultural themes. Today we continue to create new projects that combine teaching, creativity, and our deep passion for the Spanish language.

And I’m Margarita!

I am Margarita, a Venezuelan author and teacher of French and Spanish living in Australia. In my classes I use comprehension-based techniques, especially Story-Listening, to keep language learning clear and engaging for everyone. I hold two bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Linguistics, a PGCE from St Mary’s University in London, and two master’s degrees in Spanish Language and Romance Languages.

I transitioned to acquisition-driven instruction in 2013. Since 2019 I have adapted the European Easy-to-Read standard to world-language literature and published ten titles that beginners and readers with difficulties can truly enjoy. Second-language reading is my focus, and nothing is more rewarding than seeing a developing reader finish a book with confidence.

I met Patricia in 2018 and was immediately won over by her smile and kindness. Our shared passion for comprehension-based teaching soon grew into friendship and a writing partnership. I welcomed her into my classroom; she welcomed me into her culture, and together we began the journey that became Arroz con cosas. Co-writing during the pandemic showed us how much stronger ideas become when shaped side by side, an experience that changed me forever. Every new project blends our cultures, multiplies our creativity, and reminds us that language is, above all, a bridge between people