Lori Spak has been teaching Spanish classes at Oasis since 2023.  She brings a vibrant and immersive approach to language learning that resonates deeply with her students. Lori holds a degree in Spanish and spent many years working in international education before becoming a teacher. After raising her children, she returned to the classroom, this time with a passion for helping others discover the joy of communication in a new language.

“I’m in the school of thought that says let’s just get people up and talking, even if it’s not perfect grammar,” Lori says. In her classes, Spanish is spoken from the beginning, accompanied by expressive hand gestures and body language to build understanding without relying on English. “It’s very contextual, and very alive.”

Lori has taught in Montgomery County Public Schools and now finds particular fulfillment teaching older adults. “I love how self-motivated they are,” she says. “They’re curious, mature, and willing to make mistakes, which is so important in language learning. Everyone in class has had the experience of speaking with someone whose English isn’t perfect, but they still completely understand them. That’s the goal: good enough to be understood, not perfect.”

Lori encourages her students not to let the pursuit of perfection hold them back. “They know more than they think they do. And when they connect new vocabulary to their own life experience, those lightbulb moments are just wonderful.”

One such moment sticks with her: a student arrived to class feeling unwell but hoped movement might help. “By the end, she was laughing and engaged. She said, ‘It worked, it worked!’ She told me my class felt like medicine. That was a first.”

Lori believes in the healing power of human connection, of learning something new with others. “There’s no question that staying involved and being with others brings joy,” she says. “That’s what Oasis makes possible. I’m lucky to be part of it.”

Interested in learning Spanish with Lori?