Kids Can Learn Spanish

Spanish for Kids, Spanish for Children, Teach				one of three groups:
Kids Spanish
				1. those who know NO Spanish;
Kids Can Learn Spanish! Spanish for Children
				2. those who know enough to read, even
I just got a call from my two year old				poorly;
granddaughter. She wanted to sing "Los
Pollitos" to me. You can find this children's				3. and those who can model correct
classic in most of the collections of songs				pronunciation for their children. All these
that we are recommending.				parents should make sure their children HEAR
				a lot of good Spanish but obviously those
It is perfect for hand gestures. These				parents who know no Spanish will be more
gestures are ideal for language learning				dependent on recordings for their children to
because they imprint the sense of the words				listen to. Try to find some good audio
as the child recites.				resources. Besides the tapes and CDs you
				might buy or take out of the library don't
The text is: (translation follows)				forget the radio and TV. All parents should
				expose their children to ask much passive
Los pollitos dicen pÃo, pÃo,				listening of Spanish that they can. In most
pÃocuando tienen hambre,y cuando tienen				places there are Spanish language radio
frÃo.				stations. TV programs from the Univision
				network are very widespread.
(the kids make gesture of shivering)
				All of the above boils down to three tactics
La gallina busca el maÃz y el trigo;				that are valid for all kinds of parents and
				all kinds of kids of all ages and level of
Le da su comida,				Spanish.........

Y le presta abrigo				1. Passive Listening: Everyone should keep
				the Spanish radio on as much as possible.
(the kids make the gesture of Mom hugging her				Keep the radio or TV on while the childis
kids.)				doing other things. It has to be the sea of
				sound that they swim in while they are
PÃo, pÃo, pÃo				beginning their study of Spanish. The child
				doesn't have to concentrate on it; they will
(the kids should ham it up, making a little				not be listening to try to understand. After
chick face!)				a while they won't even hear the radio but it
				will be affecting them. Little by little they
Translation:				will begin to anticipate the rhythm of the
				language, even before they understand they
The little chicks say peep, peep, peepwhen				words. They will also begin to recognize
they are hungryand when they are cold.				certain words.

The chicken looks for corn and wheat;she				2. Pattern Response Drills: Those parents who
feeds them,and she keeps them warmn				know some Spanish can try to run through all
				the permutations of the new expressions that
There are many reasons for wanting your				the child learns. For example, suppose your
children to learn Spanish. We want to help				child just learned to say. "Pedro tiene
you find resources that will help you with				cuatro aÃ±os" rather than translating from
Spanish for Kids.				the English incorrectly, "Pedro es cuatro".
				Now to make this new element of the language
Some parents are interested in preparing				stick, you should go on substituting
their children for life in today's world				different ages and the names of different
where it is important to know more than one				people. The child will soon be able to say
language. This is even more important in our				comfortably, "MarÃa tiene cuatro aÃ±os."
hemisphere where it becomes increasingly				"Juan tiene ocho aÃ±os." "Yo tengo tres
valuable to know Spanish.				aÃ±os." "Â¿CuÃ¡ntos aÃ±os tienes
				tÃº?" There are many examples of these
Other people think of the intellectual				drills in most language courses but the
stimulation that learning a language				parent can generate them herself.
provides. They think that they can give their
children a an additional intellectual				3. Encouragement: Don't correct their Spanish
challenge in a painless way. Researcher in				when they speak. Don't interrupt the flow of
London, England have determined that learning				their conversation. Don't make their speaking
a second language boosts brain power which				Spanish to be another homework assignment. It
remains throughout life.				should be something special, even something
				"secret" in your family. Kids like the
Learning a language can be a source of pride				mystery and intrigue of having something
and self esteem for the child who is				special of their own. Their speaking Spanish
fortunate enough to be exposed to learning				should be a joyful, non-threatening
outside of the classroom.				experience. If they make mistakes in their
				grammar, correct their errors by using the
There are some parents who are concerned that				same expression correctly a few minutes
their children grow up respecting the				after. Don't come right back at them with the
different heritages that surround them.				correct form or they will begin to feel
Concerned that the nativist tradition of				conscious of their expression and choke off
United States history is always present, many				their freedom of expression.also...........
parents, not of a Spanish Speaking
background, choose to prepare their children				The Alphabet: If your child is coming up on
to accept and embrace the Hispanic culture				kindergarten age,you have a wonderful
they live alongside of.				opportunity to teach him or her how to read
				in Spanish BEFORE they learn the alphabet in
Their reason to encourage their children to				English! Why? I will be brief, hoping that
speak Spanish is based in part on the history				you will catch the direction of my thought
of a previous group of Latin immigrants to				(and my practice, with both my children and
the United States, the Italians.				my grandson!)

"Some social critics were aware of the				Spanish is completely regular. They can learn
consequences of sudden assimilation. Mary				the vowels in one sitting.This is how Spanish
McDowell, a social worker, wrote en 1904:				Speaking kids learn: from "abecedarios", the
				same as English Speaking children used to
'The contempt for the experiences and				learn from primers. If your child learns to
languages of their parents which foreign				read (even if only simple words) Spanish
children sometimes exhibit... is doubtless				first, in effect you are giving them agreat
due in part to the overestimation which the				head start.
school places upon speaking English. This
cutting into his family loyalty takes away				You can start the child reading the simple
one of the most conspicuous and valuable				words like Mami, comida, mesa, Papi,
traits of the Italian child.' She attributed				muÃ±eca, carro, etc. Basically you are
the lawlessness of some of the immigrant				giving them phonics without having to buy any
children to their disrespect for their				expensive program.
parents and therefore for all authority."
				You can do them no harm because, they will
(La Storia: Five Centuries of the Italian				have a basis of the sounds that DO hold up
American Experience, Mangione and Morreale,				for English; they will have achieved the
p. 222)				satisfaction and boost to their confidence by
				your enthusisastic affirmation of the
Reflection on this same national history, and				achievement when they read "Mami y Papi" and
often more importantly personal experience,				other simple phrases.
moves many Hispanic parents to keep their
language alive in their children. They want				As they progress in English they will still
to preserve their heritage for their children				have to deal with the irregularities of this
by giving them its most evocative and				language. However, they will have learned the
powerful manifestation, the language of their				consonants by applying them to completely
forebears.				foolproof regular vowels.

Whatever your reason for wanting your				I said I would be brief. I am very convinced
children to learn Spanish, this site will				of the value of this method. I have no
provide resources to help you. You will find				scientific proof, just intuition and my own
suggestions and experiences of others who				experience. To work, you have to teach the
share your interest; you will find songs and				child to read the alphabet in Spanish BEFORE
stories in Spanish that will enthuse your				they begin to learn in English. If they are
children with their learning task. A list of				already learning in English, it will confuse
links to related sites will lead you to other				them. But if you get there FIRST, you will do
resources. And you will find that the books				them a great favor! to see a bunch of
you need for yourself and your children have				alphabet resources for you to choose from.
been located and placed at your disposition.
				Toys and Games: Of lesser importance but
Â¡Buena Suerte y adelante con su cometido!				still a possible beakthrough for certain
				children could be the use of toys and games
Do the Parents Know Spanish?				(board games and others) as a way to sneak in
				some fun and variety into the learning
Although most of us agree that it is a good				process. See if Spanish Educational Toys
thing for our kids to speak Spanish, most				would be useful for your child.
kids in the US whose parents were born in
Latin American countries do not speak Spanish				Computer Programs for kids If you or your
well.				child is computer savvy or if you want to
				combine math or science with Spanish you may
Even if both parents speak Spanish at home,				want to check out the Educational Software
quite often the kids answer their parents in				for Children in Spanish: Reader Rabbit,
English. Look around at your Latin friends				Disney, Jump Start and many more...
and relatives and you will see that most give
up on teaching their kids to speak				Some First Recitations

Spanish. Chicano and Puerto Rican families				A long time, universal, traditional favorite
seem to have a little better luck than				is "PinpÃ³n"
Latinos from other countries with keeping
Spanish alive in their barrios but even their				PinpÃ³n es un muÃ±eco,muy guapo y de
younger generation is losing fluency in				cartÃ³n
Spanish.
				(the kids smile for "muy guapo",and act stiff
However, parents who want their children to				for "de cartÃ³n")se lava la carita
speak Spanish can go against the current and
set the stage for their children to grow up				(the kids make the gesture of washing their
speaking Spanish. It is not easy. Most				face)con agua y con jabÃ³n.
families fail in their resolve but it CAN be
done. Take a look at our bilingual study. How				PinpÃ³n dame la mano,
to Get Your Children to Speak Your Language
Â¿CÃ³mo Lograr que Sus Hijos Hablen Su				(the kids reach out their hand)que quiero ser
Idioma? You can find it in This report will				tu amigo
give some hints on how to improve your
chances.				(the kids make the gesture of shaking hands)

But it is most important for you to get your				Â¡PinpÃ³n, PinpÃ³n, PinpÃ³n!
kids reading Spanish BEFORE they learn to
read in English.				Translation:

Don't be afraid that it will hurt their				PinpÃ³n is a doll,a handsome cardboard
English. Unless they are living in a closed				doll.
Spanish Speaking Barrio,their English will be
perfect. They will absorb it on the				He washes his facewith soap and water.
playground and in the school. Your job is to
keep the Spanish up!				PinpÃ³n give me your hand,

Take a look at the fuller argument presented				I want to be your friend.
below for the importance of your kids
learning to read FIRST in Spanish.				PinpÃ³n, PinpÃ³n, PinpÃ³n!

Finally, another idea for native speakers of				Another favorite of our kids was "La Mar
Spanish: You may want to review (or study it				Estaba Serena"
for the first time) your Spanish. I found one
reference for you. Sorry it is expensive;				Kids like this one because it is easy to
that's because it is used as a textbook. But				follow. The repetition helps them learn the
that will make it easy to use and will surely				relation between noun and adjective as well
be complete. Take a look at Nuevos Mundos,				as the vowels in Spanish.
Spanish for Native Speakers 2nd Edition,
Workbook : Curso de espanol para estudiantes				The same verse is repeated by using all of
bilingues"				the vowels in turn. It begins by the parent
				singing, "La mar estaba serena; serena estaba
Whether or not the parents know Spanish will				la mar". (The sea was calm; calm was the
determine their strategy for exposing their				sea.) Then either the parent or one of
children to the language. Obviously, parents				several children taking turns shouts out,
who do not know the language well will not				"Â¡con A!", meaning, "Let's sing it with
have native pronunciation.				all "a" sounds"! And you sing, "La mar astaba
				sarana; sarana astaba la mar."
If their children learn to read Spanish, they
may not have the proper pronunciation. This				"Â¡con e"! "Le mer estebe serene; serene
is a tough issue. Some might say that				estebe le mer".
pronunciation is not important for children.
However, why not try to expose them to the				"Â¡con i"! "Li mir istibi sirini; sirini
correct values of the Spanish sounds. Parents				istibi li mir".
should work on their own pronunciation to
model as correctly as possible for their				"Â¡con o"! "Lo mor ostobo sorono; sorono
kids.				ostobo lo mor".

Nevertheless, the value of the parents'				"Â¡con u"! "Lu mur ustubu surunu; surunu
involvement in reading and singing in Spanish				estubu lu mur.
with their children more than outweighs the
disadvantage of the child hearing their poor				You'll find the kids really like this one.
pronunciation. Much of the damage can be
remedied by having the child listen to as				English (sic!) As A Second Language
much Spanish spoken by native speakers as
possible.				It might be interesting to do some "reverse
				engineering" and look at the world of those
So, in general terms parents can fall into				Spanish Speakers who want to learn English.

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Kids Can Learn Spanish