Chelsea Torres is SpanglishBaby’s Book Editor and a regular contributor. She is not a native Spanish speaker, but is raising her Latino son to be bilingual. A graduate of Rollins College, Chelsea lives in Orlando with her blended family.
Javier Doll Sings in Spanish {Giveaway}
When Javier arrived at my door, I was curious to see what my son would do. I pulled this adorable little doll out of the box and Isaiah smirked. He seemed curious,but confused, until I squeezed Javier’s hand and he started singing a familiar song: “Había una vez un barquito chiquitito….” That was all it took for my boy to become a fan of dolls. Javier, the latest in the line of plush dolls from Baby Abuelita Productions, sings fiveRead More ...
Paso a Paso, I Hesitate
I am not sure how to explain my son’s latest language development phase, except to say that he now knows he speaks two languages. He has always responded to two and spoken two, but only in the past few weeks has he started naming Spanish and English as separate entities. I am fascinated by his sudden realization, because this is yet another example of something kids pick up yet are never explicitly taught – a reminder that we are bornRead More ...
Ethnic Identification and the State of Being Entre
As the rapid influx of Spanish speakers transforms the American populace, I stand between two cultures, two languages, two peoples, simultaneously grateful for and bitter about the prejudice that grows with the numbers. I think it is important that everyone experience being a member of the minority. Speaking Spanish has provided me this opportunity: under the guise of my gringa appearance, I carry around a sensitivity for and understanding of Latino culture that others don’t expect me to have. IRead More ...
Adventures at School Bilingual DVD {Giveaway}
Just in time for back-to-school, Scholastic has come out with the latest set of DVDs in its Storybook Treasures collection. Adventures at School includes a total of 14 stories, three of which are narrated in Spanish. Like the Max and Ruby stories, these are short and varied in illustration and topic, with some catchy tunes. Aimed at 3-to-9-year-olds, they feature a range of animals and kids that make for funny characters and relatable storylines. All the stories feature accurate, read-alongRead More ...
Note to Self: ¡No Busques Perfección!
Yes, I speak Spanish every day. Yes, I use it in a business and personal context. Yes, I feel muy cómoda switching to Spanish unexpectedly. So, why do I feel like my Spanish skills have stagnated? When I find myself explaining how to get past “the learning plateau” to a tutoring client, I am always reminded of my own relationship to the Spanish language. My job is to help others overcome that period during a course, test preparation, or languageRead More ...
Palabras: Excess and Absence
I have always been somewhat anal about language – grammar and the like. I think if someone had told me when I was a kid (before I became bilingual) that the nouns I used were interchangeable with others that I had never heard before, I would’ve been…well, perturbed. This is why I am completely floored by my son’s ability to latch onto 2, 3, 4, or more nouns for every thing in his world. Isaiah doesn’t just move fluidly betweenRead More ...
