tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52268278993818978442024-02-21T09:45:35.192-08:00Bilingual FunTeaching Spanish to Children & Bilingual LearningMaestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-80287573456458274922010-12-03T12:12:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:21:35.118-08:00Welcome Baby Javier!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lL0nHUwTh25i2Q5TsyF634whqzaLvnN8Io5kfWxV4TEYplTBFmP5fXGZEQ7m6Um-vA5aDuTpUTphjI7hKD5wmw7bbij5DUUCYSwJgOJiXw_H_K4-FGyjZfBZo5TjHKn_E3k83cTf9ZVT/s1600/Javier.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lL0nHUwTh25i2Q5TsyF634whqzaLvnN8Io5kfWxV4TEYplTBFmP5fXGZEQ7m6Um-vA5aDuTpUTphjI7hKD5wmw7bbij5DUUCYSwJgOJiXw_H_K4-FGyjZfBZo5TjHKn_E3k83cTf9ZVT/s400/Javier.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546552502964404978" /></a><br /><strong>Multicultural Doll Collection Offers the Gift of Tradition and Heritage</strong><br /><br />As a mom raising bilingual children and an educator of many Bilingual Fun students, I am enamored by <a href="http://www.babyabuelita.com">Baby Abuelita Products!</a> My daughter received Baby Andrea a few years ago and it was an immediate favorite. She loved to sing along with the familiar Spanish songs and lullabies. My little students who are learning Spanish have always been thrilled when Baby Andrea makes a classroom appearance. My children were so excited to meet Baby Javier and hear his classis nursery rhymes come to life! I am proud that Baby Abuelita was founded by 2 moms Carol Fenster and Hilda Argilagos Jimenez, who shared a goal to leverage traditions Spanish-language childhood songs to ensure that Hispanic heritage is preserved, passing it along to the next generation. <br /><br />Gifts that touch the cultural and traditional heartstrings of families will score big this holiday season and Baby Abuelita Productions is there to meet consumer needs. In its 5th year, the Miami based company is rolling out Javier, the first toddler boy doll in the series of products that focuses on classic Spanish nursery rhymes and favorite lullabies of Hispanic Heritage.<br /><br />Affordably priced at $24.99, each doll comes in packaging designed to look like a rocking chair and sings a different group of songs, such as “Arroz Con Leche” (Rice Pudding), “Duermete Mi Niña” (Sleep, Baby, Sleep) and “Campanitas” (Little Bells) in a voice reflective of the doll’s character at the press of its hand. This adorable dolls are perfect for teaching Spanish to children and preserving heritage!<br /><br />Be sure to check out the other characters:<br />Abuelita Rosa<br />Abuelito Pancho<br />Baby Andrea<br />Baby Tita<br /><br />If you know a child that is learning Spanish or already bilingual, this is a fantastic gift that they will love to play with and learn from at the same time!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-3734805397945893542010-10-20T10:22:00.001-07:002010-10-20T11:20:20.853-07:00Adventures in Teaching our Kids SpanishThe journey and adventure in raising <STRONG>bilingual children </STRONG>takes many turns as they grow and develop. When my children were babies and toddlers, we spoke Spanish with them all of the time and their bilingual development happened naturally and easily. They responded and interacted in both <STRONG>English and Spanish </STRONG>with ease, as their little lives were immersed with both languages. Today, with my children being elementary age, their <STRONG>bilingual development</STRONG> has changed and focuses more on age appropriate learning skills that they are currently learning in school. My son is learning to count by 2's, 5's, and 10's in his kindergarten class. Likewise we focus on these same math skills in Spanish with him. My daugther is a proficient reader in English and we have been working on her proficiency in Spanish as well. Her bilingual brain allows her to easily hear the sound of Spanish and understand how to pronounce words. We focus on the vowel sound differences when reading in Spanish and she can immediately know when she is pronouncing something incorrectly. As a bilingual educator, I know the importance of being a proficient reader in your first language before introducing the second. We waited until I felt my daughter was secure in her English reading skills before introducing Spanish literacy. We often read bilingual books that are written in English with a smattering of Spanish words thrown in the text. This enables my daughter to differentiate the sounds and pronunciation. It is fun to find new ways to teach Spanish to my children. Here is a brief clip reading the beautifully written and illustrated <STRONG>Fiesta Babies</STRONG> by Carmen Tafolla.<br /><br /><object style="background-image:url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/Y5fh8X9WYAI/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y5fh8X9WYAI?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y5fh8X9WYAI?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="425" height="344" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-37136977389210183322010-09-22T10:09:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:22:36.117-07:00Foreign Language Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEQ5ZsDrf0bRYu7YaXQkNxCgtxU_bLB7QrdRVef34LvOg9-3Lg0IYApPggGIs3poaMS1kdO9NK6gAHetRq5yqoPs2eKa2LHy7J6luMqsk15TZaFHZ0DEF-OUS5nCA_SUz7fu0OPsfdudp/s1600/flf.com"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 114px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEQ5ZsDrf0bRYu7YaXQkNxCgtxU_bLB7QrdRVef34LvOg9-3Lg0IYApPggGIs3poaMS1kdO9NK6gAHetRq5yqoPs2eKa2LHy7J6luMqsk15TZaFHZ0DEF-OUS5nCA_SUz7fu0OPsfdudp/s400/flf.com" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519787729301023298" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="www.foreignlanguagefriends.com"><strong>Foreign Language Friends</strong></a> is a web-based language learning process created just for children. Filled with rich multimedia content, this approach will help your children learn a new language almost effortlessly!<br /><br />This fun, interactive site teaches languages to children through full immersion with a variety of activities, theme based learning, and encourages family participation. As a parent of bilingual children and an educator, I am always very interested in worthwhile, interactive resources that children can use to develop their language skills. Foreign Langauge Friends hits the mark! <br /><br />My own son enjoyed navigating the site and playing the fun games. It was a great reinforcement of vocabulary and communication that he hasn’t used frequently and a perfect way to peak his interest. One of our Bilingual Fun families tried it out as well and had this to say: “I have been looking for something that would get my son interested in learning Spanish and I think I found it with this website. We worked with the website together in the beginning after 8-10 minutes he took over the mouse and was doing it on his own at his own pass. He really was enjoying it and following right along he said a few times on his own "this is really fun", "ok how about we do this every day at 10:00", and the words I have been waiting for "can we sign up for this?”<br /><br />Here is what my kids and I really like about <a href="http://www.foreignlanguagefriends.com"><strong>Foreign Language Friends</strong></a>:<br /><br />• the introduction to all the vocabulary words first before beginning games or exercises <br />• the comparison review ( great reinforcement)<br />• the length of each section, just the right length of time before kids lose interest<br />• great graphics that hold attention<br />• relevant, interesting subject matters<br />• familiar games like matching game, hangman layout, spelling games, etc<br />• easy to navigate website<br />• upbeat, fun music and songs<br />• opportunities to hear the language and practice speaking, repeating<br /><br />Visit www.foreignlanguagefriends.com to learn more about the program and how to sign up! Take advantage of the 7 Day Free Trial to try it out yourself!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-72552741641728571772010-09-19T04:28:00.001-07:002010-09-19T04:40:36.710-07:00Fun with Piñatas!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6efaKIxNTYlm-NOevJcyj7GXStla6P09oubcqcZHrtlMGhzti4n3ArDxLWjNHuAyeiLo7c4Ccoj93onPemPaXHpk9abSFVVIu-NUiY81883eyXT1T7Esjp-9NnJ2WOMCWB9FjjYwlA3Zn/s1600/103_0713.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6efaKIxNTYlm-NOevJcyj7GXStla6P09oubcqcZHrtlMGhzti4n3ArDxLWjNHuAyeiLo7c4Ccoj93onPemPaXHpk9abSFVVIu-NUiY81883eyXT1T7Esjp-9NnJ2WOMCWB9FjjYwlA3Zn/s400/103_0713.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518585937319120402" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Hispanic Heritage Month</strong> is celebrated from September 15- October 15. The culture and language can be taught and celebrated in a variety of ways. One <strong>fun children’s activity</strong> is to make an authentic piñata. As an integrated activity, you can play the <a href="http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hispanic/pinata/game.htm">Pinata Concentration</a> game to <strong>teach children Spanish</strong>. Also be sure to read the beautiful children's book El Piñatero/ The Piñata Maker by George Acona.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDjRmkPM-jeEdQHnfzDC6EIXZNlpx7UReg8mEOeOEtsFhaP_egwd4AAm1jB5XZwTdPXt1r4As0exDutRuwQpCYHBENKgz071KdooHBbFSXztRF6GhXQKV1hHhSTH-CQE25yqBD1x70Fop/s1600/pinatero.1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDjRmkPM-jeEdQHnfzDC6EIXZNlpx7UReg8mEOeOEtsFhaP_egwd4AAm1jB5XZwTdPXt1r4As0exDutRuwQpCYHBENKgz071KdooHBbFSXztRF6GhXQKV1hHhSTH-CQE25yqBD1x70Fop/s400/pinatero.1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518587387319588482" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Piñatas are found at almost every Mexican celebration. Traditionally they were in the shape of a six-pointed star and were filled with fruit, candy, and small toys. Today you can find them in all shapes, including animals, flowers, and popular characters. At fiestas, the piñata are hung in the air and children are blindfolded and take turns swinging at the pinatas. Kids often sing “ dale, dale, dale no pierdas el tino, mira la pinata que hay en el camino. No quiero oro ni quiero plata, lo que yo quiero es romper la piñata.” Eventually, the piñata is hit hard enough and it breaks releasing the candy and toys that it contained. <br />Making an authentic piñata is a fun, interactive lesson you can do either at home or in a school setting. Bilingual Fun incorporates this cultural activity in our summer camps, as it takes a few days for each layer to dry. The kids love participating in the creation of the piñata and of course the culminating fiesta is worth all of the hard work. <br />• 3 cups water <br />• 2 cups flour<br />• 1 balloon <br />• Newspaper cut into long strips<br />• Colored tissue papaer<br />• String <br />1. Blow up a large balloon and tie the end <br />2. Mix the flour and water together until it makes a smooth paste <br />3. Cut the newspaper into long 1 inch thick strips and dip into the flour/water mixture <br />4. Carefully place the strips on the balloon until it is covered, leaving a hole at the top <br />5. Set aside and let the balloon dry <br />6. Place another layer of newspaper dipped in the mixture over the balloon and let dry <br />7. Repeat with one or two more layers, making sure you leave the hole at the top <br />8. When dry, pop the balloon with scissors point and remove the balloon <br />9. Cut small pieces of colored tissue<br />10. Scrunch the papers into little pieces and glue all over the piñata.<br />11. If desired, hang colored crepe paper from the sides and bottom <br />12. Punch 2 small holes in the top near the opening and string a large piece of string through the two holes <br />13. Fill your pinata (through the hole you left at the top) with candy, toys, or any other fun surprises. <br />14. Get ready for your FIESTA!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-2073866776266513022010-08-11T04:53:00.000-07:002010-08-11T05:30:07.855-07:00One Of My Favorite Language Websites!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OaLi1AG7ULiQ-4fSMihGqnGz0z02T7Y130wv8IZUQXxY5SsBkRS9gEfaInjIqT5ETe20KeCau70cD9L8Z_IhG-G1ifDQHsUmz_1MELzwzl7F2syCsXMwYmi6peJZr8mCBENQqdlBq2u9/s1600/mll-banner-crazycolors.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 67px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OaLi1AG7ULiQ-4fSMihGqnGz0z02T7Y130wv8IZUQXxY5SsBkRS9gEfaInjIqT5ETe20KeCau70cD9L8Z_IhG-G1ifDQHsUmz_1MELzwzl7F2syCsXMwYmi6peJZr8mCBENQqdlBq2u9/s400/mll-banner-crazycolors.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504122210028029138" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />If you haven't been a visitor to <a href="http://www.multilingualliving.com"><strong>Multlingual Living</strong></a> yet, race over there now! It is a multitude of resources, tips, expert advice, ideas, and inspiration about raising a multilingual family. The creators of Multilingual Living offer a smart, useful, and inspiring site that just keeps you wanting to learn more. If you are a parent, teacher or bilingual learner yourself, you will most definitely want to sign up for their <a href="www.multilingualliving.com"><strong>newsletter</strong></a>. As a teacher and parent myself, I am always looking for ideas, resources, activities and fresh new strategies to keep my children and students bilingual development growing and stimulated! <br /><br />One of the exciting things that they are doing this summer at Multilingual Living is an impressive <a href="http://www.multilingualliving.com/category/language-challenge-101/">language challenge</a>! Children and parents alike have committed to learning Spanish in 101 days. The activities, methods, ideas, and committment have been impressive and so much fun to follow. Maybe you can grab some ideas from their challenge. <a href="http://www.multilingualliving.com"><strong>Check it out</strong></a>!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-89003900948141442762010-08-11T04:48:00.000-07:002010-08-11T04:50:37.116-07:00We Have A Winner!..... and the winner is..... la ganadora es....<br /><br /><br /><strong>BETH T!!!! </strong> <br /><br />THank you all for your insight and feedback regarding using music to stimulate your child's bilingual development! <br /><br />If you haven't checked out www.whistlefritz.com yet, be sure to visit them. Fantastic products and great music!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-22308400081165277782010-07-28T12:23:00.000-07:002010-07-28T12:30:26.891-07:00Teach Spanish with Music!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacma_-gfxBkMbLDyhYEvcwPIUZ7pfb0nQ8a71jZAjEBSH_u3tlMyKQeExiK8H4a6UC1hKSSHQymydK4DQzuj7mRl_lcE9mwU9xVnoSXLC390l0QtDCQzfhImePh8lavYtMvjBG1OuWpJs/s1600/CD-ChaCha-cover-highres.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacma_-gfxBkMbLDyhYEvcwPIUZ7pfb0nQ8a71jZAjEBSH_u3tlMyKQeExiK8H4a6UC1hKSSHQymydK4DQzuj7mRl_lcE9mwU9xVnoSXLC390l0QtDCQzfhImePh8lavYtMvjBG1OuWpJs/s320/CD-ChaCha-cover-highres.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499041192726546354" /></a><br />I strongly believe music is an extremely important element in the language acquisition of young children. As a mom and educator, I teach Spanish to children through movement, hands on activities, interactive games, and of course music! I love to add new music to my repertoire of songs and CDs that are teachable, easy to sing, and that will engage young children.<br /><br />I was thrilled when our friends at <a href="http://www.whistlefritz.com">Whistlefritz</a> announced the release of their second CD, Cha, Cha, Cha! We are big fans of their first CD and the award winning singer Jorge Anaya. This newest release is definitely a colorful collection of songs that helps children learn Spanish. Not only does it have songs rich with everyday vocabulary, but it is a lively mix of Latin rhythms, including bachata, merengue, cumbia, reggae, and more!<br /><br />Some of our favorites are Cha Cha Cha to Los Números and the samba to Los Vocales. In my many years of teaching, I have found some very great songs that teach basic Spanish ( number 1- 10, colors, etc), but it is sometimes difficult to find more advanced structures such as counting through the hundreds, communicating about travel, clothing, or other vocabulary themes. <a href="http://www.whistlefritz.com">Whistlefritz </a>hits the mark here with a great mix of easy to sing along songs that really are a super tool for teaching Spanish to kids!<br /><br />My own kids and I have been having dance party in the living room as we have been listening to Cha, Cha, Cha! If you like to move, groove, and reinforce Spanish with your kids, I think you will certainly enjoy this new CD.<br /><br />We would love to extend you the chance to win the great product! <br /><br />One lucky winner will receive Whistlfritz’s CD Cha, Cha, Cha! <br /><br /><strong>To enter and a chance to win:<br />1. Please leave a comment telling us what <strong>your favorite Spanish song</strong> is with your children.<br /><br />2. For an additional entry, please “ LIKE” us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Bilingual-Fun-Company-LLC/22345634031?ref=ts">Facebook</a>. Gracias!</strong><br /><br />Contest will end August 10, 2010.Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-57356160371276457972010-07-13T17:13:00.000-07:002010-07-13T17:15:57.802-07:00Fun, Easy Spanish SongHere is another easy song that kids can sing to practice Spanish numbers. This is a traditional song which is sung to the tune of Ten Little Indians. Children easily learn and practice Spanish with this fun song. <br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ghzmrqx09-w&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ghzmrqx09-w&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-33658980658736395932010-07-12T13:58:00.000-07:002010-07-12T14:01:04.706-07:00Let's Count in SpanishHere is an easy, fun song for learning the Spanish numbers. It is a great practice for counting 1-20, than a bit more challenging for counting 20-1. Sing it faster each time for fluency practice!<br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bSzbTOPJvIk&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bSzbTOPJvIk&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-53125657391538101772010-06-08T07:35:00.000-07:002010-06-08T07:44:41.831-07:00Imagination and Language Learning<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiT6ZGEBkTOFjrat-9Aeke-0o0rYHlbqeH-8WHmVh-BL7pMIr73ucyzEQ3gIVcEl_rL3TypJ57CrK5YdGUT8Vd3vu_VbDx7pIqXdjGV53pMFz-_Q3t32qpn-NAJBq8QvBETfliJ78V0kXG/s1600/June+2010+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiT6ZGEBkTOFjrat-9Aeke-0o0rYHlbqeH-8WHmVh-BL7pMIr73ucyzEQ3gIVcEl_rL3TypJ57CrK5YdGUT8Vd3vu_VbDx7pIqXdjGV53pMFz-_Q3t32qpn-NAJBq8QvBETfliJ78V0kXG/s320/June+2010+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480413274766857922" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Teaching Spanish to children </strong>is something I am passionate about and this summer, I am looking forward to fun, interactive ways to keep the language alive. Through our <a href="http://www.bilingualfun.com/Spanish-classes-Michigan.html">Bilingual Fun Summer camps </a>and with my own young children, we will be using lots of imagination and interactive games to keep their language development fresh.<br /><br />Summertime is a great time to spark the interest of your bilingual child by trying new activities, getting outside, having some hands on fun, and taking field trips to realistic settings. Fun, easy activities that focus on teaching children Spanish allow kids to hear and to produce the language in a natural environment.<br /><br />My children love to use their imagination, so I am going to tap into that this summer with these fun Spanish speaking activities. As I tell my students and children, not only is it important to speak multiple languages, it is<strong> FUN</strong> to be bilingual! <br /><br /><strong>Animal Rescuers:</strong><br />With the momentum that <a href="http://www.nickjr.com">Diego</a> has created, you and your children can become animal rescuers too! Make a list of 10 animals that you are going to look for outside, at the park, in your backyard, or anywhere at all. Have children illustrate the list so they have a visual. Be sure to pack your backpack with necessary items: flashlight, notebook, pencil, water bottle, rope, band aids. Paint the picture with the children that you are going to use your imagination and find the animals that need help. The adventure begins! Reinforce your animal words and phrases, so that the kids can repeat and produce the language too. When you find the pretend animal, ask kids what kind of help do you think they need?.... stuck in a tree, has a cut on it’s paw, needs water, is stuck in a dark cave, etc, etc. For example, my son is trying to rescue el jaguar that is stuck in the tree pictured above. Check off the animals as you find them. Keep reminding kids to use their imagination. Kids will love the anticipation of looking for the next animal and creating the scenario. This is easily adapted to any language, but here are some key phrases for teaching Spanish to kids with this activity:<br /><strong>La mochila- backpack<br />El aqua- water<br />La linterna- flashlight<br />El papel- paper<br />El lápiz- pencil<br />Los animales- animals<br />¿Dónde está?…..- where is? ….<br />Busca- look for<br />Aqui está- here it is<br />Vámonos!- let’s go<br />Ayuda- help</strong><br /><br /><strong>Bug Hunt:</strong><br /><br />This is another great outdoor activity that incorporates lots of vocabulary and stimulates the language production. I am a big fan of the <a href="http://www.thedollartree.com">The Dollar Tree</a>, especially for easy activities like this. Get a large bag of plastic bugs and some brown paper bags. Have children decorate bags any way they chose (a perfect opportunity for color, object reinforcement!). Scatter bugs around your backyard or park. Then let the kids search for and gather as many as they can. When you get together at the end of the hunt to share your bugs, this is the chance to be very imaginative. Tell kids to count and sort bugs by color, shape or size. Then ask kids to be silly and name their bugs and give them ages. This allows the children to practice communicative activities with question/answer and descriptive phrases. Here are some easy words/phrases to reinforce:<br /><strong>Busca- look for<br />Los insectos- insects<br />¿Dónde está …?- where is…?<br />¿Cuántos tienes?- how many do you have?<br />Yo tengo….- I have…<br />¿Cómo se llama el insecto- what is the bug’s name<br />¿Cuántos años tiene el insecto?- how old is the bug<br />¿De qué colores son los insectos?- what colors are the bugs?<br />¿Cúal es tu favorito? – which is your favorite?</strong><br /><br /><strong>I am going on a picnic:</strong><br />There are many variations of this game and you can plug in whatever vocabulary theme you want to practice and imagine. Place plastic or real food items on a table or in the center of a circle. Be creative and set out a picnic blanket, or sit outside under a tree or at a picnic table to make the activity authentic. Introduce and practice the vocabulary that you will be talking about. Start the game by saying: I am going on a picnic and I am going to bring an apple, or I am going to the beach and I am going to bring a towel, etc etc. The child has to chose the item from the center of the circle and hold it. When it is their turn, each child has to repeat all of the items chosen and then add another for themselves. Ex: I am going on a picnic and I am bringing an apple, a sandwich, lemonade, and a cookie. Etc etc. You don’t need a large group for this game, you can even play it with 2 people! This is a fun way to work on fluency and comprehension, as children have to repetitively produces the phrases each turn. <a href="http://www.lingolex.com">Spanish food vocabulary here.</a><br />Reinforcement words and phrases:<br /><strong>Yo voy al picnic- I am going to the picnic<br />Yo traigo- I am bringing<br />La manzana- apple<br />La naranja- orange<br />El sandwich- sandwich<br />El agua- water<br />La limonada- lemonade<br />Las galletas- cookies<br />Las servilletas- napkins<br />Las uvas- grapes<br />El queso- cheese<br />La sandia- watermelon</strong>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-4007164024982671082010-05-05T08:08:00.000-07:002010-05-05T08:20:16.921-07:00CINCO DE MAYO CRAFTS FOR KIDS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ivds40sNCNFjO-oOEZqYe56Imq-XsNBe5hONKPXa_nNgJAqXPLIYO4zXdxgcJpF8YmSeSXUVyvPYTFQPDGTx6impSJ9oyS5x73tG6F4j36SdJvs5Sz9SUhZWNXtgXd_kLsOxGq42qMxZ/s1600/5mayo.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 73px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ivds40sNCNFjO-oOEZqYe56Imq-XsNBe5hONKPXa_nNgJAqXPLIYO4zXdxgcJpF8YmSeSXUVyvPYTFQPDGTx6impSJ9oyS5x73tG6F4j36SdJvs5Sz9SUhZWNXtgXd_kLsOxGq42qMxZ/s320/5mayo.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467806041464105842" /></a><br />It's cinco de mayo and the American marketing is encouraging everyone to have a margarita today and celebrate. :) <br /><br />I have many students and parents asking what exactly is cinco de mayo? No, it is not Mexican's Independance ( Sept 16), rather it is the victory of the <br /><a href="http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm">Battle of Puebla</a>. Nonetheless, any chance we can celebrate this wonderful culture and give our kids another chance to learn Spanish, I think is a great reason to celebrate! <br /><br />If you are like me with little ones at home, there will be no margaritas here, however some fun cinco de mayo crafts can always be a festive activity and can add bilingual fun to your day! <br /><br />Here are some fun easy crafts to enjoy with your children or students. <br /><a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/mini-sombrero.html"><br />Mini Sombrero</a> <br /><br /><a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/gods-eyes.html">God's Eye</a><br /><br /><a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/pony-bead-chili-peppers.html">Beaded Chili Peppers</a><br /><br /><a href="http://crafts.kaboose.com/tacos-tostadas.html">Tacos y Tostadas</a>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-19340836410731048332010-04-18T05:19:00.000-07:002010-04-18T05:24:58.829-07:00Being BilingualThis is such a beautiful poem about the gift of being bilingual. It is on the wall in my daughter's room.<br /><br /><strong>Yo x 2</strong><br /><br />por Jane Medina<br /><br />Leo por dos<br />Escribo por dos<br />Pienso y sueño<br />y lloro por dos<br /><br />Yo río por dos<br />Yo grito por dos <br />Canto, pregunto,<br />Intento por dos<br /><br />Hago mucho más<br />que hacen todo ellos<br />Porque yo hablo por dos,<br />Lo doble que aquellos<br /><br /><strong>Me x 2</strong><br /><br />I read times two<br />I write times two<br />I think, I dream<br />I cry times two.<br /><br />I laugh times two<br />I shout times two<br />I sing, I ask,<br />I try times two<br /><br />I do twice as much <br />As most people do,<br />'Cause most speak one,<br />But I speak two!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-51962309270400463232010-03-08T18:03:00.000-08:002010-03-08T18:08:45.471-08:00Unique Mom Invented Products featuring Bilingual Fun <embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' salign='l' flashvars='&titleAvailable=true&playerAvailable=true&searchAvailable=false&shareFlag=N&singleURL=http://wxmi.vidcms.trb.com/alfresco/service/edge/content/ddd47b8c-358c-48dd-b270-cd9f9b5422df&propName=wxmi.com&hostURL=http://www.fox17online.com&swfPath=http://wxmi.vid.trb.com/player/&omAccount=tribglobal&omnitureServer=wxmi.com' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' menu='true' name='PaperVideoTest' bgcolor='#ffffff' devicefont='false' wmode='transparent' scale='showall' loop='true' play='true' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' quality='high' src='http://wxmi.vid.trb.com/player/PaperVideoTest.swf' align='middle' height='450' width='300'></embed><br /><br />I had a great time on FOX News showcasing some fabulous Mom invented products! Bilingual Fun was honored to be featured!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-12258848272894516692010-02-10T18:12:00.000-08:002010-02-10T18:23:54.551-08:00How To Make Language Learning Come Alive<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQrftp0d7oMUP7w0KtJ_lvBnUXjSVhfWChJV5umvnakrj86SPtMJAoJvGLXVbnz8lkRZhT70O8DUOzMgwq27HLco5HpWbrSmnrQF6dikKJWvx7yTE2G1fyN03jQrgENRs0Wh9v-Tg2ffr/s1600-h/games.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQrftp0d7oMUP7w0KtJ_lvBnUXjSVhfWChJV5umvnakrj86SPtMJAoJvGLXVbnz8lkRZhT70O8DUOzMgwq27HLco5HpWbrSmnrQF6dikKJWvx7yTE2G1fyN03jQrgENRs0Wh9v-Tg2ffr/s320/games.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436805686265467122" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />I love <strong>teaching Spanish to children</strong> and making the language come alive is an important part of their development. Through my experiences as an educator and a mom, I have found one of the most successful keys to language teaching and learning is to keep things relevant to the child’s life. <br /><br />Play based immersion allows the parent to weave the language into everyday activities and tasks, thus enabling the child to make easy connections. For example, when my children were very little, we sang all of the time, did finger plays, and played with their baby toys in the target language. Now that they are ages 5 and 7, their interests have changed. My husband and I focus on keeping their language development alive with activities that are interesting and relevant to them. We play lots of board games, guessing games, Pictionary, and charades in Spanish. My daughter loves her American Girl dolls and accessories; therefore we often have fashion shows and make believe parties with her dolls where she has to describe them, their outfits, where they are going, etc. My son is a Superhero fanatic. We use lots of action words when we play with his ‘guys’. We have so many of them and their outfits are so colorful, that we easily practice color and number reinforcement with them. All the while we are playing, my children are hearing the language, as we ask questions, make up stories, etc. Their comprehension and fluency is enhanced through these simple activities that are fun and important to them. <br /><br />Here are some fun, easy ideas that you can do at home to help your child <strong>learn Spanish:</strong><br /> <br />*Write their English spelling words in Spanish and put them in sentences.<br /><br />• Watch movies in Spanish.<br /><br />• Listen to Spanish language music while in the car.<br /><br />• Play online games together that allow the children to hear and read Spanish.<br /><br />• Play I Spy while waiting at a restaurant, doctor’s office, etc. <br /><br />• Read together in Spanish. Ask comprehension questions after the story.<br /><br />• Play Caliente/Frio by hiding an item and have kids give you commands to find it.<br /><br />• Look at family photos and talk about descriptions of relatives, what their names are, where they live.<br /><br />• Read recipes or directions on the back of products.<br /><br />• Cook a recipe and prepare a dish in Spanish. Have children help you find items in kitchen while giving commands in Spanish.<br /><br />• Participate in imaginary play with your children. This is a great opportunity for vocabulary rich conversation practice. Play House, Doctor, Police, etc. <br /><br />The ideas are endless, but as long as you keep things fun, simple, and relevant to your child's life, the language learning will come alive!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-6627607621370556842010-02-02T03:45:00.000-08:002010-02-02T04:01:37.330-08:00February is Discover Languages Month!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0cgDVSjs7Z5lPlDrIRL8CSpX5iGTbuLyLE8xCmHziV2MI6EgaDLGzTg3NBjp-NImZEiC-fdWWq18pn-UMjGZKiLuypLZrAWfZZzUBvl4lnVihohPYnnm_ZHLOiRW9Elb-ixq2-cawcVz/s1600-h/globe7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 82px; height: 77px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0cgDVSjs7Z5lPlDrIRL8CSpX5iGTbuLyLE8xCmHziV2MI6EgaDLGzTg3NBjp-NImZEiC-fdWWq18pn-UMjGZKiLuypLZrAWfZZzUBvl4lnVihohPYnnm_ZHLOiRW9Elb-ixq2-cawcVz/s320/globe7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433614729500658338" /></a><br />The American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages has a fantastic campaign going on this month... Discover Languages! Visit the ACFL <a href="http://www.discoverlanguages.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4216">site </a>for more information about the campaign and about learning languages.<br /><br />There are SO many reasons to learn a language! Here are a few of our reasons we think it is important. Please feel free to tell us your reasons too!<br /><br />1. To enhance your cognitive skills.<br />2. To enrich your life and learn about other cultures.<br />3. To give yourself a leading edge in the academic world.<br />4. To give yourself a leading edge in the professional world.<br />5. To improve your problem solving skills and mental flexibility.<br />6. To make travelling easier.<br />7. To communicate with neighbors and members of your community.<br />8. To have fun and to open your world to new ways of communication.<br /><br />Why do you think it is important to learn other languages?Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-54523473536689792952010-01-31T04:40:00.000-08:002010-01-31T04:57:24.629-08:00Bilingual Fun's Spanish for Children Program<OBJECT id=BLOG_video-bb9c3a803e597188 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="bb9c3a803e597188"></OBJECT>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-52320434632409848552010-01-25T03:41:00.000-08:002010-01-25T03:47:39.217-08:00Bilingual Reader's Carnival!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIoHXjs1n5D-vixH0WoY-nSBZ8UUkneV-vFZSV67vdi15Mc2LL_mtao7PoyF-EdpTqHSUP9LMM9d0p0u0il9yV7iqZg6bcA77nZUfKUBarrOrAEFLvUp03Tys1rjCq3CAjjnajiDERKm4/s1600-h/carnival.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 141px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIoHXjs1n5D-vixH0WoY-nSBZ8UUkneV-vFZSV67vdi15Mc2LL_mtao7PoyF-EdpTqHSUP9LMM9d0p0u0il9yV7iqZg6bcA77nZUfKUBarrOrAEFLvUp03Tys1rjCq3CAjjnajiDERKm4/s320/carnival.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430642041077727682" /></a><br />Check out <a href="http://www.bilingualreaders.com/blog/">Bilingual Reader's Carnival</a> post filled with tips and links to articles focusing on raising bilingual children!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-77198518371130284652010-01-17T17:16:00.000-08:002010-01-17T17:20:27.938-08:00Easy Spanish Learning Activities for You and Your Kids!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4K5NRr0xsdLWYhbrkE5T8Rpi-D8NyblraF3NHhONnMr7PJJHICy0LJpIMsLEZQOc5ZwHK0Khk0QpUFDvEoO9UhB6e1uoC0ZLrYZsufbGRCnMorpWADBNaHKtXku0X7ronZ5XRC-igLOZ/s1600-h/bilingual+fun+logo2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4K5NRr0xsdLWYhbrkE5T8Rpi-D8NyblraF3NHhONnMr7PJJHICy0LJpIMsLEZQOc5ZwHK0Khk0QpUFDvEoO9UhB6e1uoC0ZLrYZsufbGRCnMorpWADBNaHKtXku0X7ronZ5XRC-igLOZ/s320/bilingual+fun+logo2.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427883446057553650" /></a><br /><strong>5 Tips for Teaching your Child Spanish at Home</strong><br /> <br /><br />We all know that young children need to learn in a realistic, fun, and interactive environment. Many parents from our Bilingual Fun™ language program ask me how they may continue their language development at home. Here are 5 basic tips on how to teach your child Spanish at home:<br /><br /><br /><strong>Teaching Spanish Through Movement</strong> <br /><br />Active learning is a key factor of language learning success. Children love to interact and choosing activities that have physical movement often helps children retain the language. You can create fun, easy Spanish lessons for kids through dancing and movement. I suggest doing the ever popular ‘freeze dance’. You can change the rules as you go along. Play music and when it stops, kids have to ‘freeze’. Give various commands as to what they have to do…. Count 1-20, count backwards, salta- jump, marcha- march, aplaude- clap, etc. Another way to incorporate movement is to make up hand and arm motions for opposites. Make large gestures for arriba/abajo, largo/corto, etc. Keep the children moving and you will see how quickly they pick up the new Spanish words.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Teaching Your Child Through Music</strong><br /><br />Teaching kids Spanish through music is very important. Fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension are reinforced by singing. You can pick thematic songs that correspond with words you are learning. There is lots of great children’s Spanish music to choose from. We recommend <br />Ms. Lily’s Spanish Sing Alongs which are full of bilingual songs covering tons of different vocabulary. Also, using familiar tunes to teach new phrases is a fun, easy way to teach Spanish. I have many original songs that I have made up and are favorites of my children. We use the tune of Frere Jacques, Skip to My Lou, Farmer in the Dell, and many more to create easy to sing along songs in Spanish. We incorporate colors, numbers, animals, family, etc. Children are able to quickly learn the songs because they have prior knowledge of the tune.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Make Their Learning Realistic </strong> <br /><br />Whenever I can give children something tangible to hold during a song or activity really makes their learning realistic. For example, we sing a song called " La Fruta- Fruit". Every child has a plastic piece of fruit in their hands, and as the vocabulary is named in the song, they hold it up. Choose toys and objects that are favorites of your children. Incorporate them in your easy Spanish lessons. If they love cars, sort them by color and number. Or when playing with dolls or stuffed animals, give them all names and ask ‘ cómo se llama?”. If you have blocks, make towers and count in Spanish. Each time your child is playing, try to make their Spanish lesson relevant and realistic to their lives.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Teaching Through Reading</strong><br /><br />Reading and listening to books on tape are fantastic ways to enhance comprehension skills. If you are comfortable reading aloud in Spanish, take time each night to do story time in Spanish. You children will pick up new words and phrases. Be sure to reinforce by asking questions at the end to ensure their comprehension. A great resource for quality Spanish books for children is the Latin Baby Book Club. They send monthly suggestions and reviews of fabulous multicultural Latin inspired Spanish and bilingual books. If you are not comfortable reading aloud, but still want your children to be exposed to literature in Spanish, seek out some books on tape at your local library. Most libraries will have a nice selection and this is a favorite activity with my own children. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Keeping Learning Fun</strong> <br /><br />When teaching young children anything, whether it is language or math skills, keeping things fun is important to help foster their interest. Play based learning is a great way to making learning Spanish easy for kids. Singing, dancing, movement, reading, etc should all be done in fun, natural environment. Incorporate outside play in your Spanish lessons for kids. Practice kicking the soccer ball and counting the goals in Spanish. Jump rope and count in Spanish. Play hopscotch in Spanish. Draw with chalk on the driveway and reinforce colors and common vocabulary by playing Pictionary. Blow bubbles and reinforce ‘arriba/abajo’. Play versions of “ Mother May I” and incorporate the numbers and ‘rapido/lento’. These are easy ways to incorporate fun as you are teaching kids Spanish. <br /><br /><br />Even with limited language skills, there are many ways that families can continue their child's development and exposure to the language. We recommend to use materials that incorporate music, movement, and fun activities, such as the Spanish for Children DVD series. Children are able to remain engaged and sing, chant, and repeat along with the children in the DVDs. Active learning while keeping things relevant to their lives, is a key factor of language learning success!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-50839259516914632762009-12-16T04:01:00.000-08:002009-12-16T04:08:39.461-08:00Teach Your Children Spanish Through Reading Together<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4aMmkNSlz1gaIoeuUOMQHvOu5wFwU5d2WCI2NCWSsyA_RsczOJqqHedU1AjMK-v4yjccLz9wVl7gVAaB0GghrLb5mPqQQ1NFAWUT95Z2xSjs_iB8yk-9PFQh-KuYK_ctaxR3B1qesWEn/s1600-h/blogpic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4aMmkNSlz1gaIoeuUOMQHvOu5wFwU5d2WCI2NCWSsyA_RsczOJqqHedU1AjMK-v4yjccLz9wVl7gVAaB0GghrLb5mPqQQ1NFAWUT95Z2xSjs_iB8yk-9PFQh-KuYK_ctaxR3B1qesWEn/s320/blogpic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415804629638986050" /></a><br /><br />Literacy is an important aspect of your child’s development! By adding bilingual<br />titles to your home library is an excellent way to enrich your child’s development<br />with Spanish. Teaching your children Spanish through reading is a fun, easy way<br />to keep the language learning alive. Here are a few tips and resources for<br />teaching Spanish through reading together:<br /><br />1.If your own Spanish is limited, choose titles that have small amounts of<br />text, so that you are able to read and reinforce the story without trying to<br />read too much. Board books by Rebecca Emberly are a great choice.<br />2. Whether you are a native speaker or learning alongside your child, audio<br />books offer a great option for reading together. Check out <a href="http://www.loritobooks.com">Lorito Books</a><br />and their great list of bilingual audio books. You and your children will love<br />listening to the stories aloud!<br />3. Barron Books have a great collection of bilingual titles, including cute<br />pictures, and easy to follow along story lines. Kids are able to easily make<br />connections with the text and illustrations.<br />4. If you haven’t bookmarked <a href="http://www.latinbabybookclub.com">Latin Baby Book Club</a>, now is your chance! They<br />have a wonderful list of Spanish and bilingual titles that they review and<br />recommend. I have found so many fabulous books to add to my collection<br />from this helpful site.<br />5. If you like to do computer activities with your children, visit <a href="http://www.codyscuentos.com">Cody’s Cuentos</a><br />and enjoy the online audio stories together. You and your children will be<br />able to follow along with text and practice comprehension and fluency.<br />6. Take a trip to your local library together and visit the juvenile international section. You will probably be surprised to find lots of bilingual titles. Our library also has a great collection of audio books, big colorful picture dictionaries, and picture books in various languages. Check out some of that interest your child and enjoy reading together!<br /><br />Buena Suerte!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-33405284137849159602009-12-14T17:33:00.000-08:002009-12-14T17:35:18.565-08:00And The Winner Is....Beth Ineson!<br /><br />Felicitaciones! <br /><br />Thanks so much for your comments and input. I hope that you will visit <a href="http://www.loritobooks.com">Lorito Books</a> and consider them for your bilingual library, they are fantastic!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-33421358158812426212009-12-06T18:16:00.000-08:002009-12-06T18:33:49.907-08:00Teach Kids Spanish with Audio Books! Giveaway!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLah8R5mrVFpifM1z6TrYKBWiYT7Q2A4bU-3fm8D_ZwVuwt1XTaIGKFNwmCH8wbhp2_2sH9rfoRgN2d58s6APxRt7_lTMcxFRJbaRGTfS75SRvt18BB9nPRMLiYn7ieZHGF7n9obGB5K0s/s1600-h/desierto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLah8R5mrVFpifM1z6TrYKBWiYT7Q2A4bU-3fm8D_ZwVuwt1XTaIGKFNwmCH8wbhp2_2sH9rfoRgN2d58s6APxRt7_lTMcxFRJbaRGTfS75SRvt18BB9nPRMLiYn7ieZHGF7n9obGB5K0s/s320/desierto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412314536454935618" /></a><br /> I am huge fan of any kind of literacy learning that will enrich my children's bilingual development. Lorito Books is one of our absolute favorites! Their audio books are beautifully written, illustrated, and narrated. The audio portion really keeps children engaged and interested. It is a fantastic tool for comprehension and fluency reinforcement. Audio books are a powerful tool for teaching Spanish to children!<br /><br /><br />Lorito Books offer high quality, word-for-word audiobook readalongs for young readers and second language learners. They are dedicated to building literacy and second language skills with the use of audiobooks as learning tools. The culturally relevant titles and bright, appealing illustrations engage children and bring the stories to life!<br /><br />Check out their new releases <a href="http://www.loritobooks.com">here!</a><br /><br /><strong>Giveaway!</strong> You have the chance to win this fabulous audio book El Desierto es Mi Madre. Simply visit <a href="http://"><a href="http://www.loritobooks.com">Lorito Books </a></a>, return here and make a comment indicating which title interests you most, or what you have learned about their company. One lucky winner will be chosen Dec. 13. This is a perfect holiday gift. <br /><br />Comment now for your chance to win this gorgeous book by Pat Mora.Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-1805878740605093962009-12-03T12:19:00.000-08:002009-12-03T12:38:58.613-08:00Teach Children Spanish with Holiday Words<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk38TGV-nI9poMGPlaaLdVDX6UXo1xuahXl_gGPsOVGzHkCUTgV4x2U6De51y1s8l2QjiPF51iYgxEYUMpkHWrCtNv_G2qjeCFKcqxo1CMYPqhyphenhyphen0-Vami1O-d1hE0lK3tzqzevKxUXmKx/s1600-h/nochebuean.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 164px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtk38TGV-nI9poMGPlaaLdVDX6UXo1xuahXl_gGPsOVGzHkCUTgV4x2U6De51y1s8l2QjiPF51iYgxEYUMpkHWrCtNv_G2qjeCFKcqxo1CMYPqhyphenhyphen0-Vami1O-d1hE0lK3tzqzevKxUXmKx/s320/nochebuean.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411112009198331202" /></a><br /> As parents and educators trying to incorporate bilingual learning in our children's lives, it is always fun to find fresh ideas for keeping the learning alive. It is fun to take time from the busy holidays to teach kids Spanish using thematic words and phrases. My kids and I made a list of a few Spanish holiday vocabulary words and how we could actively use them. Feel free to share any ideas you may have that might fit with this vocabulary list. Gracias!<br /><br /><strong>diciembre-</strong> each day talk about la fecha. Count days on the calendar and say the date ( hoy es el 3 de diciembre).<br /><br /><strong>la tarjeta de Navidad</strong>- make a creative Christmas card and send it to a loved one or teacher.<br /><br /><strong>el abrazo</strong>- hug your familia each day!<br /><br /><strong>la lista-</strong> make a list of things that need to get done, or all the ways you were good this year. Keep lista on the fridge to stay focused.<br /><br /><strong>las luces de Navidad-</strong> talk a walk through your neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. Name the colors in Spanish.<br /><br /><strong>los villancicos</strong>- Sing or listen to your favorite Christmas carols.<br /><br /><strong>los adornos</strong>- help decorate the tree and house with Christmas decorations. Make creative ornaments for the tree.<br /><br /><strong>las galletas</strong>- make some Christmas cookies for a neighbor and say "Feliz Navidad".<br /><br /><strong>el regalo-</strong> decorate butcher paper and wrap gifts together.<br /><br /><strong>La flor de nochebuena-</strong> play I Spy everytime you go to the mall or public places and see how many poinsettas you can count each time.<br /><br />For more info about Mexican Christmas traditions and lesson ideas, <a href="http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/christmas/posadas.htm">click here.</a>Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-74342979979800290042009-12-02T03:43:00.000-08:002009-12-02T03:52:28.991-08:00Learn Spanish Live!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMLeYQxm-PpmGMnBCC69OPs3rquYXHPJ_y42E46GKyhNZNGa77y-RKdazJeO8rDlnPvSfl4vXLkRUh-ls2jH47twS1xupav6_A18h3O0dZQ-ebgxQ_UePptdxQ72MjfvznMgHi0uj7g6m/s1600-h/guatemala.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMLeYQxm-PpmGMnBCC69OPs3rquYXHPJ_y42E46GKyhNZNGa77y-RKdazJeO8rDlnPvSfl4vXLkRUh-ls2jH47twS1xupav6_A18h3O0dZQ-ebgxQ_UePptdxQ72MjfvznMgHi0uj7g6m/s320/guatemala.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410605022647870658" /></a><br />Typically I am focusing on early language development, but I wanted to share a great resource for adults. This is a super option for parents trying to <strong>teach children </strong><strong>Spanish</strong> at home. If you are proficient and just need a conversational buddy, or if you are learning alongside your child, <a href="http://www.speakshop.com">SpeakShop</a> is a fun, educational option! Speakshop is an online tutoring service that connects you to live Spanish speaking tutors in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Simply hook up via webcam and you will have access to live, conversational, native speaking Spanish professionals. This is a fantastic resource that allows you to <strong>learn Spanish</strong> live through audio and video. If you are looking for reinforcement for your own Spanish profeciency so that you can effectively continue to enhance your child's bilingual development, check out SpeakShop.com. You can try it out with a FREE TRIAL now.Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-16869962343673007152009-11-08T13:26:00.001-08:002009-11-09T03:55:52.624-08:00Teach your Children Spanish with El Baile del Sombrero!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIv076XDAFNotC7X5eOV4qIJtMyM9ued6DjGhsIqxlpcaLlWYjnlWAOmyrXHBd4qhSCyWcewMRqeDNRGe31nHty3oOLJ4OTtS2MYSkwO1yIbpsjQekutAJfD5cs0iykII-zhR5IEG-CDmH/s1600-h/baile_cover_home.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIv076XDAFNotC7X5eOV4qIJtMyM9ued6DjGhsIqxlpcaLlWYjnlWAOmyrXHBd4qhSCyWcewMRqeDNRGe31nHty3oOLJ4OTtS2MYSkwO1yIbpsjQekutAJfD5cs0iykII-zhR5IEG-CDmH/s320/baile_cover_home.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401849407536102434" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Looking for another great tool to teach your child Spanish? Check out <br /><a href="http://www.abbasubi.com">El Baile del Sombrero</a>! Created by dynamnic husband/wife duo Charles and Fati Mister, they have created a fun, upbeat CD for children. As parents themselves raising their own children in a bilingual household, they know well the advantages of using interactive music as a beneficial teaching tool. El Baile del Sombrero is filled with fun lyrics, easy to sing along songs, great rhythms, and useful vocabulary. We popped it in our car and my two kids immediately starting bopping around in their seats. We listen to only Spanish language music while in the car and this CD has been a fantastic addition to our collection. You can learn more about Charles and Fati <a href="http://www.abbasubi.com">here </a>, and maybe even catch one of their popular live concerts!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5226827899381897844.post-8038711086542235102009-10-25T17:31:00.001-07:002009-10-25T17:47:20.047-07:00Teach Kids Spanish this Halloween!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijBe3elVEqZhIoKNoQVlzIqceGaDTTWkMekrSLD0ehmA4Gqu9haxA0MHIQMsES2homzOSaL8bvhoOX3ogs8BhZq4bT-IUKvUNBY1xSqdyfry6VFQfermkmB-cLjtGadMaCt6OE1UZ05P_L/s1600-h/.halloween.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijBe3elVEqZhIoKNoQVlzIqceGaDTTWkMekrSLD0ehmA4Gqu9haxA0MHIQMsES2homzOSaL8bvhoOX3ogs8BhZq4bT-IUKvUNBY1xSqdyfry6VFQfermkmB-cLjtGadMaCt6OE1UZ05P_L/s320/.halloween.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396703840140429650" /></a><br /><br />Halloween is just around the corner and you have probably done many crafts, maybe some costume parties, and snuck into the chocolates, but have you had some bilingual Halloween fun?<br /><br />I like to teach thematic vocabulary using actions and sounds ( in a somewhat TPR manner). By making the learning interactive, the language comes alive for kids. <br /><br />This Halloween, <strong>teach your children Spanish </strong>by reinforcing vocabulary with visuals that you see everyday ( decorations at home, in stores, on tv, in books, etc). Here are some fun, easy suggestions for teaching kids Spanish.<br /><br />Halloween vocabulary:<br /><br /><strong><br />el fantasma/ ghost- make a spooky ghost noise<br /><br />la bruja/ witch- cackle like a witch<br /><br />la calabaza/pumpkin- hold your arms in a circle as if you are holding a big pumpkin.<br /><br />el dulce/candy- rub your tummy and say 'yum'<br /><br />el gato negro/ black cat- say meow!<br /><br />el murcielago/bat- flap your arms like you are flying<br /><br />La araña/ spider- do the 'itsy bitsy spider' movement w/ your fingers.</strong><br /><br />Teach these actions to your kids. Reinforce daily and when you see the items. First start by saying the word in Spanish and kids do the actions. After a few days of reinforcement, switch roles. You do action and kids say the word. Remember production is a developmental stage that comes later and you need to be patient with your children's absorbtion of the vocabulary. These are fun activities because you can be creative, silly, and interactive!<br /><br />Encourage your kids to teach others their new Halloween words!Maestra Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02242227485410841913noreply@blogger.com2