How The Library Can Help You Raise A Bilingual Child
A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of attending the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference, held every two years in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The conference is organized by Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo, an expert on the portrayal of Latino cultures in children’s books and media (and recently consulted by Sesame Street as they focus on their Latino storylines!). Dr. Naidoo had organized an event at his local library as part of the conference to celebrate El día de losRead More ...
How Reading Skills Transfer Across Languages
Many Spanish-speaking parents hesitate to teach their children to read in their home language because they worry that this will make it more difficult for their children to learn to read in English. Nothing could be farther from the truth! In fact, the more children know about reading in their first language, the easier it will be for them to learn to read in English. Thinking first about pre-readers, we know from years of research that there are certain foundationalRead More ...
Words As a Way to Understand Other Traditions and Cultures
A few days ago I was invited to Hart Elementary in Austin to read to Pre-K and K classes. As always, it was a great experience and the kids took an active part in the reading. This time, I chose Un globo café chocolate and I gave each kid a “bolita de estambre”, a pompon, to engage them. I wanted them to imagine that they also had a balloon, like Pedro, Margarita and the other kids in the story, andRead More ...
No Dual Language Immersion School for My Son…Yet
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Daisy Galvis, a Colombian-American actress living in North Hollywood, CA with her husband and two bilingual children. I’m still reeling. My son was not chosen to attend the Immersion Spanish Program in Glendale. I toured Franklin Elementary school, which has an Immersion Language Program, back in 2010 and 2011 . The sight of kids speaking German, Italian, and Spanish just melted my heart on the spot. I knew this was where my son, Jones, wouldRead More ...
A Traditional Dessert For Lent: Capirotada {Recipe}
Editor´s note: The following Capirotada recipe is a guest post from Sandra Perez-Ramirez, author of the blog MamáNoticias.com. Ten years have elapsed since I came to the United States and I am amazed at how I can still saber in my palate the traditions of the food of my native Mexico, and especially, my grandmother’s delicious recipes which I prepare in her honor during Lent. This year has been very special, because for the first time in several years myRead More ...
Sharing a Story on Rare Disease Day
Note from Ana: I was recently made aware through a friend that February 29 is Rare Disease Day. This friend has a child with Pulmonary Hypertension, considered a rare disease and one for which there are no therapies available for children yet. I invited her to share with us her family´s story with this rare disease. Our son, Lucas Miles Van Wormer, was only four years old when he was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension in November 2006. PH isRead More ...
