This weekend you may have celebrated Children’s Book Day. If you work with Spanish language learners, you may also want to recognize World Book Day, or El Día Internacional del Libro later in the month. This is a wonderful way to celebrate part of Spanish history and culture. UNESCO designated April 23 as a day to recognize the importance of books and authors and to encourage everyone to read. The date is symbolic because Cervantes, [...]
Reading to your child in Spanish is one of the best ways to expose her to the Spanish language. Many libraries have picture books in Spanish and you can also buy them in bookstores and online. These are a few factors to consider as you choose picture books in Spanish to read with your child. Most important The best book in Spanish to read to your child is the one that interests her, that she [...]
Me gustan los colores is a picture book with wonderful photos supported by a clear Spanish text. Each page has four photos of objects of one color, red for example. The objects are labeled in Spanish – manzana roja, naríz roja, pájaro rojo, rosa roja. The text that follows the pictures says El color rojo me gusta a mí (I like the color red.) and then asks ¿Te gusta el rojo a ti? (Do you [...]
“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 Spanish to express the idea of liking something. Gustar uses a different grammatical structure than many verbs, but children quickly understand and use this common Spanish verb. For more [...]
This game is designed to teach opposites to native Spanish speakers, but it is also a great online game for learning Spanish. It uses common Spanish nouns and adjectives and has plenty of visual support to make the questions clear, help kids find the right answer, and reinforce vocabulary. There is a street scene, and the game makes a statement about the picture and asks a question with an opposite. For example: Hay un pájaro [...]
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 is to use the yo (I ) and tú (you) forms of common verbs in situations where it is obvious what you are saying. A [...]
The game “rock, paper, scissors” is played all over the Spanish-speaking world. In most countries it is pierda – rock, papel – paper, o tijera -or scissors. (In Peru it is called janquenpón, from the Japanese yan-ken-pon, and in Chile it is called cachipún.) Teach your child to play this simple game in Spanish. The actions reinforce the meaning of the Spanish words. In addition, rhythm aids pronunciation. It is a great way to use [...]
Drawing, or coloring, with your child can be a wonderful Spanish language activity. The key is to talk about what you are doing in Spanish. The picture clarifies and reinforces the meaning of what you are saying. Also, the process offers the opportunity to repeat Spanish vocabulary and structures many times. 1. Draw or color a picture with objects that your child know the name of in Spanish or that are words that she is [...]
Me gusta (I like it.). ¡Me gusta mucho! (I like it a lot!). No me gusta (I don’t like it.). These are common Spanish phrases that are easy to use in many situations with kids. I introduce these phrases during the first few classes, and then for focused practice, I do this simple activity. I put a variety of food items in a bag: an apple, mustard, an onion, a carrot, chocolate, a hard-boiled egg, [...]
There are several versions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Spanish. Children love this familiar song, and both versions use basic vocabulary and structures. Choose the version that most appeals to you and sing with your child! If you are learning Spanish with your child, you can search Estrellita donde estás on You Tube and listen to many versions. That is good way to hear the correct pronunciation. Here are the words and a literal [...]
Spring is here and it is time for parks and playgrounds. Add this Spanish playground vocabulary to your time outside. Remember to use the words as often as you can. Repetition is good! On rainy days you can use the same Spanish words as you draw or play with toys inside. park – el parque playground – el patio (de recreo) swings – los columpios monkey bars – el pasamanos jungle gym/general playground equipment – [...]
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 busy times, you don’t have to be creative. Fall back on language activities like these: – Re-read favorite Spanish or bilingual books. – Play memory [...]