Teacher Spotlight

We've shared with our teachers the importance of allowing students the opportunity to use their native language to better understand new concepts. Here are some quotes we shared with them:

Why Native Language Support Works

“Learning most effectively occurs in the language that the learner knows best. The skills and understanding acquired in the first language are accessible to a learner in the second language.”
When Should They Use Each Language?

“If your focus is higher order thinking skills or prior knowledge connections, EL students should probably work together in their native languages. If you want EL students to practice using some of their new English language structures and vocabulary, you should pair them with native English speakers.”
TAKEN FROM:

Brooks, Kathryn, & Karathanos, Katya. (2009). Building on the cultural and linguistic capital of English learner (EL) students. Multicultural Education, 46-50.


One 3rd grade teacher (Sara Hawblitzel) really took it to heart.

 Her students were learning about classifying creatures according to whatever different features they could come up with. Then they would be learning about specific classifications within the animal kingdom. Here's the list that some of our shared students came up with:

Needless to say, I was so proud, as were the students to be allowed to use their strength (Spanish) to understand something new! Thanks, Mrs. Hawblitzel!

L4

In the world of ESL, we talk about L1 and L2, first language and second language, but for our newest Husky, we're using the term L4. (Preface: His dad is a consultant for the orthopedic industry; very smart guy!) Born in India, he learned to speak Hindi, but because he left during first grade, he can't read much in that language. Next came Switzerland, where (if I'm understanding correctly) he learned to speak/read German in school and Swiss-German on the streets. Now he's here as a third grader in the USA catching up on his English (although he's studied it in every country he's lived in). L4, my friends, will soon become L5 for him as their next planned move is this summer for Brazil.

4th Grade Bilingual Book

My Super funny best vacation ever!

"Oowww! My face! Why does this happen to me?"

Teacher's Note: Ismael's teacher, Susy Ramsey, read this book (Niagra Falls or Does It?) to her class. Imelda "dug" a little in his memory to think of things he's done (such as go to New York). He combined his personal experience with his inspiration from this book! 

 I dedicat this to Henrey Winkler,
the person who inspierd me to write this book.

Niagra Falls or does it? By: Henry Winkler

My dad, his friend, and I went to New York City to see Niagra Falls.

Somebody slipped and fell off the boat.

"I don't feel good." "Aaaaah!" "I'm scared!"
Lifeguard. "Man over board!"

We went to the Statue of Liberty.

"I'm afraid!" "Come back here!" Me.

Somebody got scared and fell off!

"Save me!" Map.

 I had to sleep at a house but a cat was on top 

of the house, a man went up to rescue it.

He missed and he fell off the house. 

We called the ambulance and they came. "Sorrrrrrry!"

I had the best vacation ever!

"Oowww!" A guy I saw all the time.

About the Author

Ismael Garcia was born in Chicago, Illinos
and likes to play video games.

3rd Grade Bilingual Book

My Baby Sister By: Diana Limon

Sweetly dedicated to our former student teacher, Miss Rudolph!

Dedicated to Miss Rudpho. We miss you. With Love Diana Limon. 

Love you for ever! I will aways remeber you. :(

It was a Tuesday morning. My dad went to wake us up he said, 

"Girls wake up your mom is haveing her baby." So we woke up and saed "What?"

So we got up and dress up and then we went to my mom's room. 

we were happy and very excited!

Then we said "But we have to go to school!" 

He said "you guys are not going to school." We said "OK."

Then my mom and dad left we staed all by ourselvs. 

We were soso happy I couldn't wait until she came back.

Then it was 3:00. My Grandma came. We told her my mom was going
to have her baby. Then her phone ring. My dad told her. She was Glad.

Then the next day they came back. I was the frist one to carry her! 

We gave her a present. We were so HAPPY! The End.

This Diana Laura Limon This is my moms day she gave to brith!

Spanglish

We're writing bilingual books with our 3rd and 4th graders. We've talked about several different ways to write bilingually and even gave a couple examples of mixed language books, where some sentences contain Spanish and English--Spanglish!

One 3rd grader loved the idea so much that he wrote this poem on his own in our afterschool club (our topic is Culture and Cooking, so his poem is about food, namely, chocolate). It's attached. I asked him to read it out loud for me. Just so you know, he says chocolate the Spanish way for this poem, not the English way. Enjoy! :)

Cognates Cupboard

Cognates rock! The kids are allowed to think of any words that look the same in both Spanish and English. We wish to value their language and help them see that because they know Spanish, they already know some English! Super fun!