"Aula abierta is comprised of brief, modular lessons that are organized around a communicative goal, in which students have the opportunity to show what they can do using Spanish effectively. Each lesson carefully scaffolds student progress through a series of pedagogical tasks that prepare students to accomplish the final goal. Grammar, vocabulary, and pragmatic knowledge are treated more as linguistic resources than as topics of instruction. Throughout each lesson, we have taken a comparative, global approach to Hispanic culture, highlighting authentic materials from around the world, as well as Latino communities within the United States. The learning experience is highly visual, providing students with a compelling introduction to the Spanish language and culture"--