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Dear Friends,
Lately, it feels like everyone I know has pulled me aside to ask, “How do you think AI is going to impact Señor Wooly?”
And it's not a mystery why they're asking. People are releasing “live-action” films that never needed a crew or camera. All those immaculately-crafted illustrations in our graphic novels? An algorithm could have cranked those out while we sipped our morning coffee!
Heck, within a year or two I'll be able to type, “Make me a two-minute Spanish pop song in the style of Bad Bunny about bargaining at the market. Use novice low language!"
But the second we do that, I think we lose the entire reason we started Wooly in the first place.
Everything from Señor Wooly comes from real people:
- Every illustration you see was drawn by Juan Carlos.
- Camilo designs every page of the website.
- Every song is written by Nate and me, recorded in the studio with actual musicians, sometimes with singers halfway across the world.
- Our animations are made by real artists, one painstaking frame at a time.
- All of our code was written by Ray, Haven, and Jeffrey.
- Every live-action video is directed and edited by me, filmed with a crew that works 12 hour days to get every shot just right.
- Our lesson plans are meticulously crafted by actual teachers, led by Kaitlin and piloted in real classrooms with real students.
- If you send us an email, it’s Margaret or Jennifer answering you, not a chatbot.
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Speaking of which, when you see our upcoming music video “Tarde” (to be released in Wooly Week 2025), you’ll see it’s packed with real students from Chicago.
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Some of these performers are native speakers with flawless Spanish. Others are non-native speakers with imperfect accents. That mix of perfection and imperfection is, frankly, the whole point.
We put everything we’ve got on the table, but we’re not afraid to show our true selves even if it sometimes means being a little rough around the edges. That’s the heart of what we do because it's what we ask our students to do. To be vulnerable. To be imperfect. To have the courage to communicate outside our bubble.
Look, if you want something fast and cheap, there are plenty of places to get AI-generated content. But if you believe, like we do, that the whole point of language learning is about real connection, about people sharing themselves and their stories, making mistakes, and having real experiences together, then you understand why we do things this way.
What we do isn't always perfect, and it isn't always fast, but it's real. I don't pretend to know where tech is going to take us, but I think real will always matter.
It might be the only thing that matters.
P.S. This was newsletter was written by me, Jim Wooldridge. Yes, even after all these years, I still write the newsletters myself.
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Wooly Week 2025 is coming!
From Sept 22 to Oct 31, Wooly Week is back. This year, it’s all about making real connections in your classroom with fresh music videos, creative challenges, and the return of Pista Picante.
Even though Wooly Week is a lot of teachers favorite event of the year, we also know that it has occasionally been overwhelming. For that reason, we’ve rebuilt the entire event from the ground up. Now it’s simpler to run, easier to follow, and even more focused on meaningful, real-world experiences.
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Whether you’re brand new or a longtime fan, you’ll see big changes that help your students engage in authentic ways.
And because Wooly Week now kicks off at the start of the school year, it’s the perfect chance to try something new, and show your students what real language learning can look like.
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Mark it on your calendar: Sep 22 to Oct 31.
We’ll be sharing more details about the event as we get closer.
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Meet Cris Montero, the star of a new video from Wooly Week 2025!
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Have you seen the new Baño and Lucha lesson plans?
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We’ve completely overhauled the Baño and Lucha lesson plans with fresh activities, improved language and a clearer structure.
A perfect way to start the school year!
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Everything is included with your Wooly license
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Wooly Week 2025? Included.
The updated Baño and Lucha plans? Included.
There is no extra content locked behind a paywall. Just one affordable license for everything we offer.
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Need a quote?
Need to set up a purchase order?
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Whether you want a single graphic novel or subscriptions for your entire department, we are happy to help you get a quote and set up a purchase order.
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