Family, Vocabulary 25 February 2010

Family is the center of a child’s world, so these are words she will need.  They are essential for talking about the day and will also be used  in stories, songs and games. In fact, she may already know some of these words.
la mamá – mother
el papá – father
la hermana …

 Body parts, Numbers, Songs 24 February 2010

This song is sung to the tune of  “Ten Little Fingers.”   Wave your two hands as you sing dos manitas, wiggle your ten fingers as you sing diez deditos, and count with your fingers as you sing from one to ten.  If you’re not sure of the pronunciation or the …

 Animals, Videos 22 February 2010

This a wonderful video of a child making the animal sounds.  ¿Cómo hace …? (What does…say?) is the question that her mother is asking.  The answers speak for themselves!

 Animals, Online activities 22 February 2010

This game gives the English and Spanish word for each animal.  Simply chose an animal and say the word in Spanish, then click on it to see if you are right.  Repeat the word after you hear it to practice your pronunciation. The game takes a little while to load, …

 Animals, Books 22 February 2010

Picture books in Spanish will often have vocabulary that your child does not know.  Even simple books, about familiar topics, will have words and verb forms that are new.  That is great!   That is how children learn languages.  The illustrations, context of the story, and words she does know will …

 Animals, Vocabulary 21 February 2010

I usually introduce a few common farm animals after talking about pets.
el caballo – horse
la vaca – cow
el cerdo – pig
la oveja – sheep
el pato – duck
After you have introduced the words, use them as you play with your child. Repetition over time is important for real learning.  Point out …

 Animals, Vocabulary 21 February 2010

It is important to introduce words that are relevant to your child’s life and related to your child’s interests. Many children have pets, or love animals, so I introduce some common animals during the first weeks of class.  Talking about animals is also a great way to re-enter the body …

 Pronunciation 20 February 2010

Pronunciation matters! Be sure that your child hears as much native-speaker Spanish as possible by using videos, music and audio books. If you are learning with your child, do your best to master the sounds of Spanish.  Here are a few things you should  keep in mind:
1. The vowels in …