Música Miércoles: How to Use Music in Spanish Class and Make Wednesday Your Students' Favorite Day

Before the bell even rings on Wednesdays, Tim Fisher's Spanish students start asking questions. "Do we get the computers out? Are we doing Whac-A-Word?"

Tim has taught Spanish for 22 years and currently teaches Spanish II and III at New Braunfels Christian Academy in Texas. He's a Fulbright Teacher Exchange recipient and has been named Teacher of the Year multiple times. For years, he has run a weekly routine called Música Miércoles, or Music Wednesdays.

Here's how it works, why it works, and how you can bring music and other authentic content into your own world language classroom.

Why Use Music in Spanish Class?

Your students already listen to music every day. When you bring songs into class, you give them something familiar in a brand-new language.

"The kids listen to music all the time," Tim says. "They're getting something they're used to listening to, just in a different language."

Music also creates moments of discovery. When students read the lyrics on screen, some lines make them laugh and others make them think. Tim loves watching them realize, "Oh, that's what that means?"

What Is Música Miércoles?

Música Miércoles is simple. One day a week, class centers on a song, and students listen, read the lyrics, and play with the language.

When there's time and the video is classroom appropriate, Tim watches the music video with his students. Then he asks what's going on and why the artist chose that setting for the song. A three-minute video turns into a real conversation about culture and meaning.

How to Start Music Wednesdays in Your Classroom

Pick one day a week. A set day gives students something to look forward to.

Choose a song that fits your unit or your students' interests. Relevance keeps them listening.

Put the lyrics on screen. Students connect what they hear to what it means.

Turn listening into a game. Active tasks pull in every student.

Talk about the video. Ask what's happening and why the artist made those choices.

Want to try Música Miércoles this week? Find your first song on Roxxem →

The Problem with Paper Worksheets

Tim used to pair songs with paper worksheets. He liked the materials, but he noticed some students simply chose not to fill them in.

So he went looking for something more engaging. When he found Roxxem, his first thought was, "This might be just the beginning of something I'm looking for."

Going with Roxxem changed his routine. There's nothing to print, it’s so much more engaging, and class moves faster.

Turn Spanish Songs into Games Students Beg to Play

Whac-A-Word is the class favorite. Students race to catch vocabulary as the song plays, using powers like freezing their classmates.

"Sometimes they get so busy playing that they forget it's part of the competition," Tim says. "I'd rather they be so engaged in the song that they forget there was a purpose behind it."

This year, Tim added Quiz Ninja, where students climb a tower by answering questions. His students watch the tower and ask each other, "How are you getting up there so fast?" Having different activities also helps, since some students are stronger with vocabulary and others shine at building sentences.

Try it with your next song. Start with Roxxem for free and turn any lesson into a game your students will ask for by name.

Go Beyond Songs with Authentic Content

Roxxem turns culturally relevant content into standards-aligned lessons, including videos, music, podcasts, social media, TV, and film. Tim now uses much more than music videos in his class.

With the editor, he imports his own videos so students practice the exact vocabulary from his unit. With the lesson creator, he builds a 30-minute or even hour-long lesson in 5 or 10 minutes. The objectives are already there when an administrator walks in.

His students have noticed. When Tim uses Roxxem on a day that isn't Wednesday, they ask, "We're doing Roxxem today? Really?" Then they cheer.

Build your first lesson in minutes →

Pair Authentic Content with Your Curriculum

Tim teaches with Voces Digital, and Roxxem fits right alongside it. The first unit in Voces Level 3 is about art, so he found highly artistic videos in Roxxem for students to discuss.

He also pulled one of his own Voces videos into a Roxxem lesson. The lesson taught the story for him, which gave him a break while students still got the content. It let them see the same material from a fresh angle.

Roxxem is now available on Teacher's Discovery, right next to Voces Digital. That makes it easy to bring authentic content into the curriculum you already use.

Tips for Your First Week

Tim's advice is to jump in and play around. It takes some time to learn, but you just have to keep going.

When he ran his first Roxxem lesson, he told his students he'd never done it before and they would see what happened together. "I don't think the Roxxem lessons ever go flat," he says. "There's always something gained."

His second tip is to go Pro. With Pro, you can use the editor to add your own songs and videos, so you can teach exactly what your students need.

Ready to add your own songs? Go Pro and teach exactly what your students need →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use music in Spanish class?
Start with one song a week tied to your unit or your students' interests. Show the lyrics, add a game or activity, and finish with a short discussion about the song or video.

How often should I use songs in Spanish class?
A weekly routine like Música Miércoles is an easy place to start. It builds excitement without taking over your plans.

What are good Spanish class activities for songs?
Lyric reading, vocabulary games, and music video discussions all work well. Roxxem turns songs into games like Whack-A-Word and Quiz Ninja.

Can I add my own songs and videos to Roxxem?
Yes. Roxxem Pro includes an editor for importing your own songs and videos.

Does Roxxem work with Voces Digital?
Yes. Teachers like Tim pair them in the same unit, and both are available on Teacher's Discovery.

Make Every Day Feel Like Música Miércoles

Roxxem already serves over 2 million students across more than 4,000 US districts. Bring the songs, videos, and media your students love into your Spanish class today.

Try Roxxem free →