In the previous blog post I reviewed how to do shared reading in preschool and elementary Spanish classes. Now let’s look at some of the different kinds of books that are effective for shared reading. In each Sonrisas lesson, there are several choices of books for Story Time. The books have been chosen on the basis of […]
What is shared reading? At Sonrisas Spanish School, when we read stories during our preschool and elementary Spanish classes, we use a form of storytelling that is commonly called “shared reading” in the educational world. In her book Invitations, Regie Routman defines shared reading as “any rewarding reading situation in which a learner—or group of […]
This is an excerpt from our recent newsletter. I wanted to post this on our blog as well. Did you know that ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) recommends that teachers stay in the target language a minimum of 90% of the time in foreign language classrooms? To learn more about this, you […]
The National Standards for Foreign Language Learning represent an important guide for the preschool and elementary Spanish teacher. These standards were first published in 1996 in the document, “Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century.” The standards were developed out of a collaboration among the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and […]
In our previous blog post we explained the theory of multiple intelligences and listed what the individual intelligences are. Now we are going to examine how you can use the theory of multiple intelligences to help you teach, assess, and communicate with parents in the preschool and elementary Spanish classroom. While some children may have different strengths than others, […]
For the greater part of the twentieth century, most psychologists and educators believed that a student’s intelligence could be measured in a standard test known as the Intelligence Quotient, or IQ test. This test consists of taking individuals out of their natural learning environment, asking them to do isolated tasks that they have never done […]
At Sonrisas Spanish School, we have been saying for years that the best way to teach Spanish is to have a talented teacher using an effective and fun curriculum. We call that the fundamentals of foreign language learning. So it is with much distress that we have been hearing many stories of foreign language teachers […]
A third methodology that has informed the Sonrisas curriculum has perhaps made the strongest impact on us as teachers and on our students who are acquiring language. Unlike TPR or NA, the Waldorf foreign language approach is not an ESL technique. It is a carefully designed approach to foreign language instruction and acquisition. Rudolf Steiner […]
The Natural Approach (NA), the second ESL methodology we adopted and modified for our Sonrisas Spanish School curricula, was developed by a pair of applied linguists, Dr. Stephen Krashen and Spanish teacher Tracy Terrell. NA is based on the premise that the study of foreign language can be taught and learned in two distinct ways: […]
Illustrating the Importance and Benefits of Learning a Second Language at an Early Age. The following is an excerpt from the introduction to the Sonrisas Spanish School curriculum. It illustrates the importance and benefits of learning a second language at an early age. Development of the Cortex In November of 1965, the respected Canadian neurologist […]
