When it comes to helping my dual language immersion students make sense of a topic in Spanish (besides using teaching resources purchased by the school), the Internet is my first ‘go to’ place. While there are thousands of resources out there, one is often left wondering which ones are worth spending money on (if purchase is required) and which ones one could access for free and use without compromising quality.

I have come to narrow down a few sites/apps/resources, and while some require a paid subscription, many have certain units or topics for free so you can try them, assess quality, and decide whether it is something you really want. Without any particular order, here is a list of a few resources I find very useful:

•  BrainPOP Español: I fell in love with the English version when I started teaching, so when I found out there was a Spanish version I did not think twice and tried it. The great thing about this site is that there are few units you can try for free (without a paid subscription). For example: ‘The Scientific Method,’ ‘Recycling,’ Sources of Energy,’ and ‘Ecosystems’ just to name a few. As a matter of fact, I am using the scientific method this week while introducing science to my class. Remember, here you can find math, social studies, and even art & music resources. Clicking here will take directly the Spanish version of BrainPOP.

• Club Leo by Scholastic: Finding well-written Spanish books can be a hassle, yet Club Leo by Scholastic offers new Spanish and bilingual books as well as other American, Latin American, and Spanish publishers. Sign up for an online account (parent account) so you can start browsing the catalog right away. And it gets even better because Scholastic has its own version of ‘electronic books’ which can be downloaded in seconds – no more waiting for the mail to arrive.

• Cricket Magazines: I saw the review from Betty Galvan some time back about Ladybug en Español. I was ecstatic (seriously!) because I have been a long time consumer of Cricket Magazines and they are outstanding. Their magazines are filled with great educational content and non-fictional material (HUGE nowadays with the majority of states adopting the Common Core Standards and the emphasis placed on informational reading). If this company was putting a magazine in Spanish, I knew it had to be great… Remember, reading can take many shapes and forms from books, to magazines – it all counts.

• Learn Spanish – MindSnacks: A video-game type of app with all the benefits of a full educational experience. I was introduced to this app by one of my parents not long ago. She could not stop telling me how amazing this app was. I explored the free version and was quite surprised. It is not a curriculum, but a great way to reemphasize what many students are learning in the primary grades (basic vocabulary). I understand though that reviewing Spanish applications could be an entire different post. I cannot wait to try the full version of this app once my project requesting iPads for my class under donorschoose.org/lfcsa gets funded. I am so close!

So, while I run around making copies, meeting new parents, and memorizing students’ names, I thought you might want to find out some programs/resources I use from time to time. Try them, experiment with them, and let me know what you think.

Much love,

Kelly

Ps. THANK YOU for all your emails. I have been busy chatting with people from all over the world. I am glad to be of help.

Photos by Tim and Selena Middleton

I am impressed with the range of animals included, given that many animal-centered apps are limited to the most popular ones. I even learned a couple new words from watching my son play (like la nutria and la morsa) and refreshed my memory on some I always forget (el alce!).

The Animals in Spanish app includes four activities, all equally enticing. There is coloring and “scratching off” the animal for the youngest users, matching figures and forming the names of the animals for older toddlers/preschoolers.

With adorable graphics and music, simple and accurate Spanish narration, and straightforward directions, this app has all the ingredients necessary for the bilingual family stamp of approval.

Find Animals in Spanish iTunes

Available for iPhone and iPad

Recommended for toddlers and preschoolers

Price $2.99

From the creators of ¡A la granja! and some of our other favorite apps, When I Grow Up/De mayor seré is a great resource in addition to being a fun app. It introduces children to all the career choices they will have as adults, and makes all of them seem equally fun with its cute graphics.

Sanoen, a Barcelona-based digital publisher, gives us six languages and five modes to choose from. Your youngest children can watch the automated version of the careers without having to touch the screen. Older kids can go from simply touching the words to basic spelling, advanced spelling, and reading complete sentences.

Whether you have boys or girls, little scientists or mini teachers, they will love finding out what’s involved in each life path, and you will love how this app teaches them to spell what they want to become!

Find When I Grow Up/De mayor seré in iTunes

Available for iPad

Recommended for ages 0-5

Price: $1.99

Check out Sanoen on Facebook and Twitter for more info about their educational apps.

Need a fresh way to practice bilingual basics with your toddler or preschooler? Kiko can help! In the new Kiko and Kids, Body & Clothes app created by a mom and speech language pathologist, a cute little rana teaches and quizzes players on body parts and clothing items.

Your kids can choose between English and Spanish audio and male and female characters. They will learn the face and body parts and clothing items, then move to the puzzles and my son’s favorite: the memory game.

Kiko and Kids is a great addition to your Games folder because it is much more than a game! Children can use this app to test their own knowledge and speed with vocab, all while feeling like they are playing virtual dress-up and building cartoon faces alongside their new friend, Kiko.

Find Kiko and Kids, Body & Clothes in iTunes

Available for iPad

Recommended for ages 2-5 and kids with special needs

Price: $1.99

Check out more details from creator Just Speechy on their website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Who doesn’t love Pocoyó?…..

That’s right: that would be impossible. The cutest little guy in a blue hat has a new interactive storybook to share with you and your kids. Las Mil Puertas is an adorable app that makes a Pocoyó episode come alive. All of our favorite characters – Elly, Pajarito, and the hilarious Pato – show up in this story about the mysterious doors that always have something different behind them. Pato jumps into one of the doors and disappears, and Pocoyó has to find him.

Change the language to English or Spanish, and then choose to put the book on AutoPlay, have it read to you while you control page turns, or read it yourself. Of course, there is an animated surprise on every page for your niños who like to touch every part of the screen.

This is a great app because the graphics, music, and voices match up with the clean look of the Pocoyó show that we’re used to. I will anxiously anticipate more apps like this in the future, especially if they involve Pocoyó’s cute little speaking voice in Spanish and Pato’s eyes popping out of his head!

Find Pocoyó: Las Mil Puertas in iTunes

Available for iPad and iPhone

Recommended for ages 4 and up

Price: $1.99

Check out more Pocoyó apps and activities on the Zinkia Entertainment website