About Us

Progressive Language Overview

Progressive Language has one goal - the success of language learners.  Our fun and dynamic language programs do this by engaging learners through music, games, activities, video, contests, plays and crafts. Children will have so much fun using our "leveled immersion" programs, they won't know they are learning a new language. 

Progressive Language offers two unique language programs for children and families: Spanish Champs Preschool and Kindergarten Spanish and Blue Wolf & Friends ESL. These programs tap into the natural language ability that children have and can be used in preschools, grade schools, and at home. 

Our mission at Progressive Language since the year 2000 is to increase fluency by bringing language learning to life. Why? - Because language learning is often frustrating for both instructor and learner. We studied the major obstacles in this learning process to understand what leads to success. 

Utilizing this knowledge, we developed programs that significantly strengthen the learning experience. How? - By combining the finest in linguistics research, experiential learning techniques, and technology in multimedia language immersion programs. We put a face to language learning, stimulating acquisition and increasing fluency. Worldwide, the demand for foreign language skills has never been higher and the need for institutions to provide those skills has never been greater. Spanish Champs programs provide the essential exposure needed to build a solid foundation in Spanish.  The result is institutions that flourish and learners that succeed. Progressive Language's immersion programs are changing the face of language learning - forever.

Dr. Heather McCullum - Bayliss, Computational Linguistics Advisor
Dr. McCullum holds a PhD with concentrations in Applied Linguistics and Spanish Linguistics from Georgetown University, U.S.A. She is a Senior Computational Linguist for Lockheed Martin Management and Data Systems.

Professor Bill King, Linguistics Advisor
Bill was an associate Professor at Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Business where he teaches business communication. He has over 30 years experience in studying the science of communication and continues to actively publish in the field.

Spanish Champs Curriculum Designers

Sarah Farrell received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Music from Harvard University, and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of New Mexico.  She is a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Reading and Language Arts.  She is currently a Music Teacher and Bilingual/ESL Coordinator in Rio Rancho Public Schools, New Mexico.  She is endorsed in Bilingual, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Gifted, Performing Arts, Reading, and Library and Media Science.  She has been teaching 16 years, and has taught preschool through fifth grade. As a musician, preschool teacher and bilingual educator, Sarah was uniquely qualified to design the Spanish Champs Curriculum, including writing a number of the songs.  

Tim Keller received BS and MS degrees from Arizona State University and is the President of Progressive Language. Mr Keller holds a US Patent (8272873 B1) for the language learning methodology utilized by Progressive Language in all the learning programs they develop, including Spanish Champs. The patented learning methodology was developed in consultation with top linguists from Georgetown University and Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management. Mr. Keller is a professional engineer and an avid language learner having lived and studied Spanish in Mexico and traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  He is currently learning French and Chinese.  Over his lifetime of language learning he utilized traditional classroom learning, on-site immersion programs in Mexico and Costa Rica, online courses, and many different language learning programs for both adults and children, including: Barron’s, Berlitz, Living Language, Rosetta Stone, Fluenz, Muzzy and many others. Mr. Keller has 4 children that are learning either Spanish or French.

The History of Spanish Champs

Progressive Language was founded in the year 2000 by Tim Keller to develop innovative programs that would increase the fluency of language learners, especially children trying to learn English. The first program developed by Progressive Language was a children’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program called Blue Wolf & Friends.  Mr. Keller began developing the Spanish Champs program after enrolling his daughter in a two-way immersion kindergarten where Spanish was spoken 90% of the time. In this immersion program, the English speaking children and their parents were struggling with the transition to Spanish.  The first Spanish Champs programs in 2004 were week-long summer camps (beginning, intermediate and advanced levels) designed to prepare English speaking children for Spanish immersion programs. The summer camps blossomed into year-round family Spanish programs where children and their parents learned Spanish together through games, stories, songs, videos, plays and skits. The family Spanish program was then modified and taught in preschool and kindergarten settings. The current Spanish Champs programs build on the experience of the summer camps, family programs and classroom programs.