Clothes, How to, Vocabulary
19 May 2010
Where do all those catalogs come from? Fortunately, you can put them to use when you speak Spanish with your child. Activities with pictures are a good way to practice Spanish vocabulary, and catalogs and magazines have lots of pictures that can be used to teach children the Spanish words …
Clothes, How to, Vocabulary
18 May 2010
Endless laundry? Words for clothes are some of a child’s earliest vocabulary. Getting dressed and undressed, folding clothes, putting clothes away – all of these activities tie language to movement and context. You can teach your child Spanish words for clothing by incorporating Spanish into these routines.
It is best to …
Me gustan las flores. ¿Te gustan?
“I like it!” “I don’t like that!” Children express what they like and don’t like many times every day. It is an important part of establishing their identity. You can teach them to communicate these ideas in Spanish.
Gustar is the verb that is used in …
How to, Verbs, Vocabulary
28 April 2010
Quiero una manzana. ¿Quieres?
The Spanish verb querer, to want, can be used in many daily interactions with your child.
In Spanish, verbs change to match the subject of the sentence, and it is important to model these changes for your child. Children learn Spanish verb forms if they are exposed …
How to, Verbs, Vocabulary
24 April 2010
In Spanish, verbs change to match the subject of the sentence. Children learn Spanish verb forms if they are exposed to them, that is, if they have the chance to hear the different Spanish variations of the verb. One of the simplest ways to expose a child to verbs forms …
Drawing, or coloring, with your child can be a wonderful language-learning activity. The key is to talk about what you are doing. The picture clarifies and reinforces the meaning of what you are saying. Also, the process offers the opportunity to repeat vocabulary and structures many times.
1. Draw or color …
How to, Verbs, Vocabulary
12 April 2010
Me gusta (I like it.) ¡me gusta mucho! (I like it a lot!) and no me gusta (I don’t like it.) are phrases that are easy to use in many situations. I introduce these phrases during the first few classes, and then for focused practice, I do this simple activity.
I …
How to
7 April 2010
Teaching a second language, as a parent or in a classroom setting, is hard work. Providing comprehensible input – language supported by a context to make it meaningful – takes a lot of energy. However, repetition can make your life easier. Children need repeated exposure to language to learn. At …