Working with flashcards

Flashcards don't have to be boring!
In my house, my four children (ages 6 and under... and number five is on the way!) thoroughly enjoy playing SPEED with Spanish flashcards. We lay out three cards they are familiar with (check out flipfloplearning.com for flashcard games to help) and then I say one word in Spanish. The child that grabs the right one the fastest gets to keep it - but they have to say it correctly to be ablet to keep it!

My children are fairly fluent, so they say it in Spanish "Tengo el ______." or something similar.

We also play memory - the original game, and only use the card they know how to say in Spanish. Each time they turn over a card, they say the word in Spanish, whether it's a match or not. There are tons of Memory games out there, and you can even practice actions that way - the Winnie the Pooh one has Owl carrying Piglet (llegar) and another one with Pooh running (correr) and another one with Piglet hiding (esconder).

Flip n Flop Learning is coming out with flashcards that go flawlessly with the Flip Flop Spanish Workbooks, and will have even more game ideas included in each set.

Language Immersion vs. Language Lessons

Around the linguisitics community, the main theme of learning these days is "immersion immersion immersion." I agree.... to an extent. The theory that I have seen proven in my own travels and Spanish classes is called "x + 1."

The gist of this theory is that wherever your student is, (x) is your jumping off point - meaning, if your child knows NO Spanish at all, then the amount he should be introduced to is the first level. If he knows some, bump it up, but just a notch.

So, a student knowing colors, numbers, and some manners, has a good chance of absorbing some communication about meal time and getting dressed. A child that has not ever heard the language will most likely tune it out, rather than gaining any language knowledge at all.

Now, in context, of course, the student will try to communicate and understand. But with contrived immersion such as DVD's, CD's and any other immersion material, it is better to get a basic foundation before trying to push paragraphs of information on a child, less he simply shut down.

So, in my opinion, as a mother, a language learner, and a teacher, a combination of the two methods - first an actual lesson of words and sounds, then immersion, is the best strategy. I'll continue this discussion in a few days with more details and anecdotes.
Sra. Gose

Learning Language through the ages!

In Summer Spanish classes today, we talked about past times in Spanish. The students all created books and index cards of pictures of the things the like to do. Everything from mirar la tele (watch TV) to dar un paseo (take a walk) was offered up in the form of line drawings.

I had the older students draw two matching pictures on their index cards. They repeated the phrases in Spanish as they drew. We then played Memory with the cards. And the students could only keep their match if they knew the phrase in Spanish. Finally, we created a booklet of me gusta y no me gusta (I like and I don't like) and read each page to the class aloud, agreeing or not on each topic (all in Spanish)

For the second class, the 4 to 8 year olds, we used the index cards from the older class and glued them in and colored them as we spoke about the things we like and didn't like. We didn't get time to play memory with the cards, but this class thoroughly enjoyed their books, and I asked who liked and didn't like different topics - jugar juegos (playing games), leer libros (reading books), tomar una siesta (taking naps) - and they had to open their books to the page as they said me gusta or no me gusta.

I wish I had worked in the memory game, as that would have been one more time to say the phrases and touch the pictures without having to read. We also acted out the list, as we always do, and I sent home a word search as the activity for the week. One boy was very interested in how to say "drawing" - (dibujar) and the class got quite excited about adding that word to our list as well.

Both classes were a lot of fun! Only two weeks of summer Spanish left, and then regular classes begin Sept 5! Where dies the time go! I still have to finish up Flip Flop Spanish for ages 6-9 - if there were only more hours in the day!
Sra. Gose

Algo para comer

This week in Summer Spanish we learned how to talk about our favorite snacks. The Spanish Vocabulary is fairly straight forward - palomitas = popcorn, tostitos = chips, galletas = cookies, un sandwich = sandwich.

We made a poster using real food, ate some as we spoke in Spanish and glued down our chart of what we wanted to eat.

The question we used was "Que' comes?" - what are you eating?
And the students all answered "Como...." (I'm eating) and would point to the correct item and say it in Spanish. It was a blast for everyone, and quite filling as well!

Flip Flop French

I've happily chosen my publisher for the next workbook - Flip Flop French! As soon as the proof is in my hands, I'll be sending them Flip Flop Spanish for ages 6-9 Levels 1 & then 2 quickly after.

My friend Yvonne worked so hard on the Flip Flop French workbook, I'll be pleased to let her know the good news. Hopefully, within the month, it will be available for purchase.

I'll be posting some funny stories from Summer Spanish classes this coming week.
It's good to be back!

Summer Lessons - Use art!

This summer, many parents asked if my classes would be "academic or fun" - I declare they can be both! As we learn the words in class, we draw pictures - (they younger class colors pictures I provide,) and within 10 minutes, the new vocabulary is in the mind of each new student.

Through asking questions "Que' viste?" - what did you see? and answers yo vi... - I saw - the students are immediately making their own original sentences and enjoying the lack of structure as they are describing a picture of the new words.

By the end of class (one hour) each new Spanish learner has drawn (or colored) pictures of new words, made a landscape with the new words, and held a Spanish conversation for several minutes.

I look forward to the coming weeks, as we get new students each week, and unlock the power of curiosity to help motivate the language learner in each student.

New Baby and Level 2!

Goodness! Since my last post, we've had baby #4 (December 6 2007) - he was THREE weeks late! and Level 2 for Flip Flop Spanish is available.

I'll be posting more regularly now that Level 2 has finally been realized... Classes are ending in the next six weeks, and my students have just begun working on their Spring Recital Skits. I'm sure there will be plenty of anecdotes to add during that time.

Just this afternoon, my own three year old asked me "Es la hora de desayuno?" Is it time for breakfast? He was asking this because I broke into Spanish in the middle of the afternoon. Usually, I speak solely Spanish to the children from the time they wake up to 10 am. So, I suppose he couldn't figure out why Spanish was happening again in the afternoon! Try and find a specific time (even if it's only for ten minutes) each day to practice Spanish with your child. Check out the website for Flip Flop Spanish for more teaching ideas. Hasta pronto!

Spring Spanish Classes 2007

Well, we've begun a new semester with over 60 students in five classes, plus some tutoring students. It's been a wonderful two weeks already!

With four children of our own (the newest is only two months old!) I wonder how the Lord orchestrates everything to get it done on time, and well!

To answer a few of the most recent questions - I'll give a quick opinion on teaching Spanish as a second language:

The earlier you start the better. - If you simply talk as you do things, and the say the words of items in both languages - (a red cup - do you want the red cup, or the green? taza roja or verde?) as you set the table for snacks - or clean the room, or anything, your child will begin picking up some words, whether he speaks them or not, he's hearing them. At the same time, he's simply realizing that English is not the only language, which is a concept that is hard to get later.

You can follow up with flashcards - (there are some good ones on the www.flipflopspanish.com website) and just do three or five a week (not a day, a WEEK) and look at the games on the website too - just adjus tthem to your child's interest.

Finally, I don't believe that total immersion is the best way for all learners. Many of the students I've been teaching have shown that they need a solid foundation before being immersed - otherwise they become increasingly frustrated, and simply turn off their brains rather than picking up more phrases. So.... When you introduce a new DVD, a movie, a CD, anything - go over the vocabulary your child will hear in it first. Get out your dictionary and find five words or so. Then the student has a chance to hear something familiar!

I do this with Disney DVD's in my classroom - the students use their critical listening skills in class, and are then able to do so in real life with a bit more confidence.

Buena suerte! I look forward to blogging every other week this year - sorry I was away for so long!
Sra. Gose