Learning Spanish

What is it like to learn Spanish at Tyler?  

Program structure 

• PK3 and PK4: Full Immersion-1 teacher, 90% of instruction in Spanish 10% of instruction in English (specials)

• Kindergarten- 2nd Grade: Dual Language- 2 Teachers, 50% of instruction in Spanish 50% of instruction in English 

• 3rd – 5th Grade: Dual Language, Departmentalized- 3 Teachers, 50% of instruction in Spanish (Spanish Literacy and Science) 50% of instruction in English (English Literacy and Math)  

 Program Curriculum materials  

• SLA (Spanish Language Arts) & ELA (English Language Arts): DCPS Paired Literacy Curriculum based on Common Core Standards (Social Studies content embedded), Foundations, Heggerty in English and Spanish, Fonética y Gramática 

• Math: Eureka in English 

• Science: StemScopes in Spanish & English 

• Digital Support Tools: English (I-ready, Newsela, Zearn, Prodigy, Brain POP) and Spanish (Raz Kids, Brain POP Español and Imagine Español Lectura) 

Program Assessments 

• PK3 and PK4: Gold which includes Learning Habits, Social Emotional Learning, Language & Literacy, Mathematical Thinking, Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies, Creative Arts, Physical Development, Health and Safety. 

• Kindergarten- 2nd Grade: English (iReady, Dibels, RCTs) and Spanish (mClass Lectura, Porfolio) 

• 3rd – 5th Grade: English (iReady, ANet, RCTs, PARCC) and Spanish (STAR, Porfolio, PARCC) 

How can families support learning another language at home?  

• Embrace the language learning experience  

• Applaud your child’s effort and highlight the importance and life opportunities of being bilingual. 

• Talk to your child about what they are learning in class. 

• Ask your child to teach you some words in Spanish. 

• Learn about the culture of the countries that speak Spanish. 

• Understand that learning a second language is a “journey” and developing proficiency in all the language domains takes time. If you choose that this is the educational option you want for your child, commit to staying in the program long term. 

• Increasing exposure to the second language 

• Have your kid watch their favorite shows and cartoons in Spanish.  

• Play based learning activities and games focused on vocabulary in Spanish. 

• Have your child listen to songs and Audiobooks in Spanish. 

• Expose your child to books in Spanish. The DC Public Libraries have great Spanish books! 

• Intentionally visit areas where they are native Spanish speakers or find new Spanish speaker friends in the community! 

• Provide supports and reinforcement 

• Develop study skills habits: assign a time in their daily schedule and a space for your child to do their homework. 

• Communicate with teachers and show interest in the progress of your kid in the two languages. 

• Use the materials provided by teachers and digital resources to support your child’s learning experience. 

Tyler Elementary Spanish resources in the online student portal (Clever)  

• Reading A-Z 

The Spanish section of Reading A-Z provides a collection of high frequency word books, bingo cards, and word lists in Spanish.  

• Imagine Español 

This is a personalized learning solution that accelerates grade-level reading and language proficiency in Spanish for students in grades PreK–2. 

• BrainPOP Español 

This is an animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology  

Recommended Online Resources 

• http://www.colorincolorado.org/ This free bilingual website is a wonderful resource for educators, ELL students, and their families. The information on this site is provided in English and Spanish. Webcasts, teacher materials, as well as research-based articles, focus on a variety of ELL topics. 

•  https://onlinefreespanish.com/  This website is full of free resources for your kid. Based on your child’s familiarity with Spanish, you can adjust the difficulty level from beginner to intermediate or advanced. The site includes 19 lessons that are precursors to several activities and fun games. 

• https: //www.abcya.com/  On this page, you will find many carnival-like games: Spanish Word Bingos, Spanish Word Toss and more. We recommend these games for first grade and up. 

• https://pbskids.org/noah/ PBS kids is well known for its learning programs, and this is no exception! The “Oh Noah!” videos are sure to build your child’s Spanish vocabulary. Learners will discover the Spanish language through activities, games, and videos along with the relatable star character, Noah, who lives with his grandmother in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood. 

• https://rockalingua.com/  This is a multi-faceted learning site run by teachers, musicians, animators, and computer programmers. Through songs, games, worksheets, videos, and a picture dictionary, your child will build his or her foundation in the Spanish language. The free songs and games are clearly labeled, and other learning opportunities on the site are available for purchase. 

• http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/spanish_for_children   Spanish for Kids provides activities, multimedia clips, online dictionaries, a directory of Spanish-language schools, travel logs, and a forum for Spanish-language learners. 

• http://arlington.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=13  Celebrate the joy of reading with Cuentos y Más, a dynamic show offered by the Arlington Public Library in Arlington, VA and winner of the Outstanding Children’s Program award by the Virginia Public Library Directors Association. The program features the talented and engaging bilingual storyteller Mariela Aguilar, who tells stories in English and Spanish and then visits places in the community such as the library. 

• http://archive.sesameworkshop.org/talkreadwrite/ Familiar Sesame Street characters help young children learn the basics of literacy to prepare them for success as they enter school. The site is available in English or Spanish. 

http://www.codyscuentos.com/ Cody’s Cuentos produces free podcasts of classic fairy tales translated into Spanish and read by a professional storyteller. The site mascot is a friendly cartoon dog named Cody. Users have the option of subscribing to receive new podcasts when they are available. 

• http://www.literacycenter.net/ This website provides free pre-reading materials for students at an early childhood level focusing on letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. The materials are available in Spanish, French, German, and English. Activity pages can be made into books and serve as great learning tools not only for native speakers but anyone learning the basics of a new language. 

• http://www.eduplace.com/ Education Place is a website which provides textbook support resources for grades K-8 in multiple subject areas. In the category of Classroom Resources for Teachers, multiple resources can be viewed and printed for use in the classroom. Graphic organizers and web links are also provided in English and Spanish. 

• http://www.storyplace.org/storyplace.asp/ The StoryPlace Pre-school Library is full of great activities for you to explore. Each one provides a theme, a story, an online activity, a paper-based activity, suggested readings, and a parent activity. 

Online Dictionaries 

• https://www.worldlingo.com/en/resources/spanish_dictionaries.html A Spanish English Online Dictionary for kids to support them with translations between English and Spanish. 

• http://www.wordreference.com This free on-line dictionary serves as a good reference when searching for word translations in multiple languages. Viewer can simply type a word and do a search in the chosen language. Word Reference is also accessible through iPhone. 

Parent Resources 

• http://www.dlenm.org/ This New Mexico based website provides an abundance of resources, information, and support for educators, families, and the community to promote dual language and bilingual education.  

• http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/hispanic/#twhp/  This website can foster appreciation of Hispanic cultures in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month or throughout the year. The National Register provides cultural and political experiences of Hispanic Americans using travel itineraries, properties listed on the National Register, and lesson plans. 

• http://www.famlit.org/pdf/cultivating-readers.pdf   The National Center for Family Literacy puts the family at the forefront of educational reform in national literacy. They have produced a free downloadable bilingual magazine in English and Spanish for parents called “Cultivating Readers,” which gives tips on promoting reading to children from birth until age 8. 

Camps and Afterschool activities in Spanish in DC 

• www.eotrlingokids.com  

• https://eastoftheriverdcnews.com/2020/05/07/sign-up-for-virtual-spanish-classes-for-kids/   

Please, note that our school does not have any direct relation with these organizations.