In a dual-language program (whether 50/50 or 90/10), one of the goals is for children to learn to proficiently read and write in both languages. Coming from an English-only classroom, every year I had some students who had difficulty with fluency and speed (how many words per minute they could read). I knew that if they were spending too much time trying to decode words, there was going to be little or no comprehension. Why? Your brain cannot spend a long time trying to figure out a word and at the same time keeping the elements of a story in check or facts if reading non-fiction. Once children became more fluent readers, teaching comprehension strategies became a lot easier.

Fast forward to this current school year.

As I have been assessing my fourth graders to try to find their independent reading levels in Spanish, I found myself dealing with a whole different issue: fluency and speed were GREAT (their decoding skills were extraordinary) yet I knew that some of them had no idea what they were reading about. They may have been able to answer simple questions such as what, when, or where, but no deep thinking. What does this mean? That I have to keep assessing until I find a book that is just right – one that offers the perfect combination of both fluency and comprehension.

Additionally, I am making the following things a top priority as well (especially for students who need it the most):

1. Concentrate even more on vocabulary acquisition. As a native speaker I feel that at times I use words that my students have no idea what I am referring to; now add to this the fact that people from different Latin American countries can call ‘a thing’ ten different ways (popcorn, straws, and sofas just to name a few)

As a parent, are you spending time with your child in order to help him/her develop more sophisticated vocabulary? Reading or talking?

2. Provide more opportunities for students to discuss what he or she knows about the characters based on title and book cover, as well as opening paragraphs and texts read aloud (specifically in Spanish)

As a parent, are you diving right into books when reading with your child or are you taking the time to activate their prior knowledge (asking them about what they already know?)

3. Model and support how to distinguish between more important and less important ideas and details

As a parent, read a book and model your own thinking out loud, so your child knows exactly what is going on in your head

4. Model and teach how to be empathetic toward characters

As a parent, put yourself in the ‘shoes’ of the characters and share with your child what you would do if you were experiencing the same

The key is to have a discussion, a conversation about what they are reading. One cannot just take into account how fast they are, but rather how much they understand. This is particularly important in Spanish as words are really easy to read (vowels sound the same regardless!).

If you are a parent raising bilingual children, think about the importance of reading. Knowing how to speak another language is not enough. In order to access great literature, one must understand what we are reading. I often tell parents to leave the writing piece to the side for a bit. Do not have your child write a summary…they will dread reading. Instead be genuinely interested in what they are reading. You can always access short summaries and reviews of texts that way you are not completely clueless about a story (unless you read it at the same time). Another GREAT tool is using picture books. They are short, yet do not let the pictures or length fool you. Nowadays, picture books are most sophisticated than ever and it can lead to amazing conversations.

Happy reading and more importantly…happy discussions.

Abrazos,

Kelly

Photo thanks to Will Ockenden

Learning to read can be difficult, and sometimes as parents, we are unsure of exactly how to support our kids’ developing reading skills. That’s why having fun apps to assist us can make us feel more confident and even give us brand-new ideas for learning activities. Lee paso a paso and Lee paso a paso 2 are two great resources to have on your iPhone or iPad for those moments when reading practice with your child becomes a chore.

The first app focuses on matching syllables to pictures to form an entire word and counting syllables. For each letter, children practice beginning sounds as the app continuously asks which of three pictures begins with the given sound. This activity really makes the app multi-step and thus appropriately challenging for a child who already knows basic letter sounds but is in the process of learning to piece them together.

The second app is a bit harder. You must form an entire word by choosing the correct sequence of syllables. It’s like a memory game, confirming your choices with matching pictures. As you increase in level, you have more sounds to choose from.

Using these two apps to complement each other will ready your child for more advanced Spanish reading and perhaps relieve some pressure on days when reading seems too daunting a task.

Find Lee paso a paso and Lee paso a paso 2 in iTunes

Available for iPhone and iPad

Recommended for ages 4-7

Price: $2.99 each

The LéaLA Spanish book fair is returning on May 17th through 19th to the Los Angeles Convention Center for the third year in a row! We have been attending since the first year it came to LA and are more and more excited every year it comes back. It’s been great to see the success of this book fair and how much it grows each year. It truly shows that we, Angelenos and Latinos, love to read en Español and literacy matters a great deal to us.

This free, three day cultural event  will feature 100 publishers showcased in 200 booths which means plenty of opportunities to stock up on libros en español ! Whats great about LéaLA is that there are plenty of book presentations, workshops, and theatrical events for kids to keep them excited about learning and practicing Spanish. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with other Spanish-speaking families and have plenty of fun en español.

You can head out next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to this FREE cultural event and the Los Angeles Convention Center. For a printable version of the 2013 program click here.

In the meantime we’d like to share a few of the many highlights we are looking forward to this year at LéaLa:

• En español se oye más bonito – a workshop for parents and children all about reading en español and how fun it is!
• La calaca tilica y flaca – a Day of the Dead themed workshop where kids get to create a special craft to take home.
• Los muralistas- a workshop for kids where they learn about famous Latino muralists and kids get to create their own works of art.
• José-Luis Orozco – For our musical and dancing needs José-Luis Orozco will be present all three days.
• The many book presentations throughout the weekend including: La Casita, Trencitas, and La vuelta al mundo en cinco cuentos among many more!

We strongly encourage you to attend this wonderful event! I’ll be there with my family for the third year in a row for sure! You can also follow LéaLA on Twitter and Facebook.

Since I’m in the midst of teaching my preschooler to read Spanish, I was happy to come across a new app from AbiTalk called Spanish Sentence Builder. It goes beyond basic vocabulary and helps young learners piece together grammatically correct sentences in Spanish. This app bridges the gap between more toddler-centered apps and those that are for more advanced or older children.

Spanish Sentence Builder offers two levels, plus the option to self-create lessons. Kids have to drag the mixed-up words into a coherent sentence based on the picture. In each level, the sentences get progressively longer and more complex. From the basic subject + verb, they move to subject+verb+adverb, subject+verb+noun, etc. The app even emphasizes punctuation, because no sentence is marked complete until you drag the period or question mark to the end.

I especially appreciate the fact that the app automatically moves forward once a sentence is completed and doesn’t include confusing instructions. In other words, my son can easily do the whole thing on his own and won’t accidentally click an external link while he’s playing.

This app has both a free version (with one section of sentences available per level) and a paid version, so you can try it out and see if your child likes it as much as mine!

Find Spanish Sentence Builder in iTunes

Available for iPad

Recommended for ages 4-7

Price: FREE (introductory lessons); $3.99 for full version

Check out more from AbiTalk on Facebook and Twitter.

In my father’s grand tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving in April — or whenever else he felt like it — he and I didn’t celebrate my birthday in May. We did celebrate it with cake or maybe a family gathering. But I always got my big gift, the one I looked forward to all year, in July.

Back in the eighties there was only one place to find books in English in Costa Rica — where I grew up. It was called simply The Bookshop, and it was small, unassuming, and staffed by friendly English speakers. And every year, in July, they had a huge sale. My father would take my brother and me there for our “birthdays” and we would emerge, after what seemed like hours, with piles of books. Money was never an object, and I understand now how important it was to my father for us to have access to books in our minority language. It was the place that introduced me to Enid Blyton, Madeleine L’Engle, James Herriott, and countless other authors I remember fondly from my childhood.

I realize now that I had total control over what my boys read when they were smaller — and I always, always read to them in Spanish. Books I found in Costa Rica, Eric Carle and Dr. Seuss translated into Spanish, and my favorite, lots and lots of children’s poetry, some of which I remember my own mother reading to me when I was little. For quite a while, in fact, they were literally a captive audience — their cribs were crammed in a room so tiny that I could sit between them and read to them that way.

Once they were able to read on their own, though, that all changed. They simply did not want me to read to them out loud anymore, period. They were giddy with their ability to pick out books and read them themselves, without my help. For the most part, I’ve been letting them, and I spend their reading time with them while reading myself.

The books they choose, however, are almost invariably in English. While they read, they chitchat about what they’re reading and we talk about the books in Spanish. But I’ve recently realized two things when it comes to reading around here. One, even though we have shelves full of books, my boys can be pretty predictable and they read the same ones over and over. Two, they’re outgrowing their collection of books in Spanish and I haven’t done anything about it. 

So this spring, I’m taking action. I’m going to try to be merciless and get rid of the picture books they no longer want to read. I’ll also be more selective when it comes to book shopping — I won’t buy books just because they happen to be in Spanish, as I’ve done in the past. And, most importantly, my boys need to be involved, and it needs to be fun and exciting for them, as it was for me.

We’ve started to do some online shopping together, and although it’s not quite as fun as browsing in the bookstore, it’s working out really well. I can also target their narrow interests. For Primo, it’s snakes, sharks and math; for Secondo, it’s airplanes and trains. After a quick Google search the other day, Primo and I found a beautiful hardcover book, Serpientes y Reptiles. We ordered it together, and counted down the days until it would arrive together. Secondo and I just tracked down a book called Aviones Comerciales, which he is beyond excited about.

My sleepy toddler who listened raptly to the poems of Gabriela Mistral and Carmen Lyra has been replaced by a gangly first grader, who shoves his book in my face so that I can fully appreciate just how scary the picture of the black mamba is. But he’s reading, and he’s reading in Spanish, so I’ll take it.

{Photo by sean dreilinger}

My son Isaiah LOVES books, much like Roxana’s daughter. However, he is a bit younger (just turned 5) and is still learning the fundamentals of reading in English. Since starting at a Montessori preschool last fall, he has made leaps and bounds in his reading abilities and has a good handle on the basics. In addition to his English homework and the reading exposure he gets at school, I read to him in Spanish and English every day. I’m a little stumped, though, about helping him cross the barrier into a full-blown Spanish reader as he has done in English.

We have a bit of a reversed situation from many of you, or at least those of you who use the mL@H method. As I’ve previously explained, my son gets most of his Spanish exposure at his father’s house, and has therefore decided that, at least conversationally, English is his language of choice at my house. So we speak mostly English except with extended family, listen to almost exclusively Spanish music and radio, and read in both languages. I don’t have quite the advantage that some may have in terms of using Spanish vocabulary on a daily basis with Isaiah and then finding it in our books. If he’s not getting the Spanish reading reinforcement at school, how can I indicate to him that reading in Spanish is just as important/interesting and is not going to be a chore?

Other than the encouragement factor, my big roadblocks are the logistics. Montessori schools don’t use phonics as some of us may have learned them. They use a multi-sensory approach, and that’s how Isaiah has grown to understand how letters make sounds, sounds make words, and so on. I can’t exactly replicate his Montessori practice in Spanish at home, so will teaching him the traditional phonics-only way serve to confuse him? I’m unsure of whether I should wait until he has completely mastered English reading before I confuse his sounds with another alphabet.

I have experimented a bit with simple Spanish board books to see if he adjusts his vowel sounds, etc. when he knows the book is not in English. I’ve found that he first tries with the English sounds, though (such as “eh” for E instead of “ay”). That’s when I start to wonder if I’m doing more harm than good…i.e. replacing the sounds he needs to know for school with the Spanish phonetics or just risking making reading a frustrating endeavor.

I’d love to have some feedback about your experiences with preschoolers or kindergarteners and learning reading in two languages. Although I know it can happen simultaneously, would there be a benefit in waiting until Isaiah is at a higher level of English reading before I have him dive into reading to me in Spanish?

{Photo by alex ragone}

After listening to a podcast of The Parent’s Journal with Bobbie Conner and her guest Tracey Wood (July 16, 2012), a children’s reading specialist, I realized I needed to stop dragging my pies and begin to investigate how to implicitly teach Sofía to read.  Yes, she’s only three-years-old, but really the reading process begins at birth (if not before) by constantly reading, rhyming, singing, reading, reading, and reading to our bebés.

There are also many studies that indicated that children, who learn to read and have strong literacy skills in their first language, will have success as they learn to read in their second language.  So as I began fostering my toddler, oops—preschooler (as of last week), in the amazing world of reading, it would be in español of course.

Even though I’m an educator, I don’t pretend to know how to teach Sofía to read or even begin with developing pre-reading skills, but with the help of my knack for research, I was able to compile and create some activities to do my part at home.  Here are the resources I have to share!

Abecedario Flashcards

I made Abecedario Cards en español for Sofía and me to read during breakfast.  This is especially helpful to me before my morning café has kicked in! You are welcome to print, laminate and cut the flashcards for your personal use!

Interactive Abecedario Slide Show Game

Expanding on the flash card idea, I created a simple Interactive Slideshow Game of the Spanish Abecedario so that Sofía could at least actively participate while answering questions about letter sounds and the abecedario.   This allows her to press buttons on the computadora, making letters and pictures appear.  The Slideshow Game is monolingual español and does not include inglés.  Again, you are welcome to download it for your personal fun!

(Read more about how to use the Interactive Abecedario Slideshow Game.)

Bilingual Abecedario Letter and Sound Recognition Mat Game  

My Etsy store, Dos Manos Fun, sells a Bilingual Abecedario Letter and Sound Recognition Mat Game that I created.  Since the store is on vacation for a while, you can access the mat’s direcciones here.  Feel free to print out and laminate the game mats for your personal use.  Note that you will also need a complete set of abecedario letters (wooden, foam, or plastic, etc…) in order to play the game.

Español Alphabet Pocket Chart

There was one resource that I didn’t make myself because I really didn’t have the time or energy to do it!  So I invested $29.00 and purchased an Español Alphabet Pocket Chart made by Learning Resources.  We love it!  The quality is excelente and the possibilities for varied activities are superb!  If you are interested in purchasing your own Español Alphabet Pocket Chart, you can visit SpanglishBaby’s™ La Tiendita through Amazon.

(Read more on the Español Alphabet Pocket Chart.)

Resources from La Tiendita

For those of you with children just starting school, there are also three other useful tools available made by Learning Resources.  The syllable and blends pocket charts and the syllable big book seem promising for teaching beginning readers in español and are available through our SpanglishBaby™ La Tiendita!

(Read more on resources available in La Tiendita.)

YouTube Video Clips

A simple search on YouTube can also be beneficial in one’s plight to promoting reading in our niños.  One of my favoritos is El Jardín de Clarlilú: AEIOU from Disney junior.

Sight Words en Español

Tracey Wood recommended teaching our children sight words.  Although she was talking about in inglés, the same concept can of course be applied in Spanish also.  Scholastic makes a variety of resources such as a workbook to teach sight words en español and mini-books with sight words.  I downloaded them for the whopping price of 99¢ each!  Just another reason that Scholastic Rocks!

(Read more about Sight Words en Español.)

Although I’m not a Reading Specialist, I do feel comfortable engaging in research-based activities at home that will assist Sofía in developing good reading skills-and I hope my list will continue to grow as I explore más!   If you have any questions or have ideas of your own to add about how you strengthen reading with yourSpanglish Baby at home, please share them with all of us!

¡Feliz Reading!

Finding Spanish language picture books was a huge challenge when my chiquitos were chiquitos. The books I could find were often bad translations, and they were carísimos! I bought books in Mexico, but it was impossible to bring back enough. So, I translated stories as I read and searched endlessly for more.

This frustrating situation led me to explore picture books without words and I quickly came to appreciate the power of reading wordless picture books in Spanish. Even if you have access to children’s books in Spanish, wordless books provide a rich, interactive language experience. A 2011 Utah State University study found that these books promote more discussion than books with words and noted that “more complex language and interactions were present.” In other words, picture books without words are an excellent way to speak Spanish with your niños.

Parents sometimes think of wordless picture books as being for very young children, but these books tell complicated, fascinating stories. If you have read wordless picture books, you know how the illustrations tell the whole story, rather than just supporting the text. Children follow what is happening by identifying characters, emotions, actions and consequences.

Reading a wordless picture book in Spanish, you can use language your child understands and she can help contar el cuento. It is important to take time to talk about the pictures, follow up on what your child says, make connections and ask questions. Reading this way is fun, and your chiquitos will get lots and lots of Spanish.

Suggestions for reading wordless picture books with Spanish learners

- If your child is beginning to learn Spanish, talk about the pictures using simple sentences. You do not have to explain the whole story in detail. She will understand what is happening from the pictures.

- Children learn from patterns and repetition. Repeat sentence structures and words throughout the story.

- Include dialog. Imagine what the characters might say.

 - Start by telling the story simply and add more detail when your child is familiar with the book.

- Expand on words your child knows by using synonyms.

- Encourage your child to help tell the story. Beginning learners can contribute a key word. With children who speak more Spanish, you can alternate pages. Many kids want to read the whole story once they are familiar with the book.

There are many beautiful picture books without words. Here is a printable list of some of my favorites, and your librarian will be happy to help you find others.

Wordless picture books can provide a rich Spanish language experience. However, wordless books by Latino authors/illustrators are hard to find, so the cultural dimension is usually missing. Fortunately, authentic Spanish language picture books are becoming more available, offering our niños both language and culture. Picture books without words are a wonderful way to supplement authentic literature and spend time speaking Spanish with your child.

Special thanks to Spanish Playground for providing this article. Visit their site for more activities to teach Spanish to kids.

When my eldest daughter and son began to read in kindergarten a couple of years ago — in English— I was ecstatic. I love books, and had been reading to them in both Spanish and English since they were little. And then, it hit me. When would they begin to read in Spanish?

Being able to read in Spanish is not just an advantage during travel in Latin America or Spain. It’s so much more! Reading (and writing) in Spanish means our kids can send emails to their cousins, or write Christmas cards to their abuelitos — actively maintaining relationships (and their language skills) when school life is full of English. Being biliterate gives our children the opportunity to fully participate in Latin culture, by mastering the nuances of the language and appreciating children’s literature in its original form (not through translations!). Reading is an extremely efficient way to expand vocabulary and familiarity with spelling and the written language. Furthermore, as our children read more in Spanish, they will be exposed to styles and varieties of the language that they might not hear otherwise, and books offer them access to words and syntax that are different from what they might hear at home.

During graduate school, I had read numerous times that children who can read in one language can normally transfer their reading (decoding) skills to the second language without much difficulty — as long as the languages use the same alphabet, of course. While some parents begin to practice flashcards of Spanish words with their toddlers, a slightly easier route is to wait until the child can read in the majority language (or in our case, English) before reading in their weaker language (in our case, Spanish).

The summer after kindergarten I was confident that my kids had mastered the basics of reading: they knew we read left to right, they understood that the letters represented sounds, sound chunks put together would form words, words had meanings…. I armed myself with numerous “beginning to read” books that I had bought in Mexico, and we began our journey towards biliteracy.

We began to read even more in Spanish. As I read, I let my children follow the text with their fingers. We requested books in Spanish from the library that covered topics my kids were interested in: animals, princesses, soccer.  As I read, I point out phonetic differences “No pronuncies la ‘h’ en español.” “See how an e at the end of the word is not silent in Spanish?”

The more a child reads (in any language), the more likely she is to reach a reasonable level of writing and spelling. We played word games in Spanish, like hangman, Scrabble, and Scattergories. I call out words while I’m cooking, and they spell them with magnetic letters or practice writing with dry erase markers on our placemats. Using Discovery’s Puzzlemaker, I make up Spanish crossword puzzles or wordfinds. Now that they are becoming more proficient in reading Spanish, they can read the easier books to my younger children.

Once your child begins to read in Spanish — don’t stop reading to them! It may take a while before their reading fluency is at a level to pay more attention to the story than just the language. Find stories written by Spanish-speaking authors, such as acclaimed children’s author Jaime Alfonso Sandoval, from Mexico. Choose stories to read aloud that challenge their language and might be too difficult for them to read themselves. Although originally written in English, this summer we are tackling Harry Potter in Spanish. My kids are so excited and motivated to get to the next chapter, they are the ones reminding me to read books before bed.

This summer, immerse your family in children’s literature in Spanish, and witness your children emerging as biliterate readers and writers.

{Images courtesy of Becky Morales}