An area of ongoing debate among bilingual scholars and practitioners is the extent to which instructional languages should be separated in dual language bilingual education (DLBE). This article contributes to and extends this effort by proposing critical translanguaging space as a conceptual lens to guide the design of translanguaging pedagogies…

This ethnographic study explores the literacies of bilingual families living in the Rio Grande Valley on the U.S.-Mexico border. Murillo argues that immigrant families living on the border play an important role in their children's literacy development, but that their voices are seldom heard in schools due to powerful and persistent deficit views…

Describes a program for 8 to 11 year old gifted children involving one-half day of Spanish and one-half day of science twice a week. Discusses in detail lesson plans, instructional materials, and activities designed to provide the children with an experience of the Spanish culture and way of life. (MES)

Reviews the rationale and research that supports the development of literacy in children's first language. Discusses challenges educators face in using literature to support literacy development for Spanish speakers; discusses resources for teaching using children's literature in Spanish; and offers guidelines for teachers and librarians in…

The purpose of this project was to design a bilingual/bicultural kindergarten course of study based on the concepts of the Richards Education Through Music Method. This method is rooted in the Hungarian composer-educator Zoltan Kodaly's educational philosophy and was developed in the U.S. by Mary Helen Richards. This is a method of teaching all…

This document, comprising volume 5, issues 1-3 of Learning Languages: The Journal of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL), includes the following articles: "Poverty, Race, and Foreign Language Immersion: Predictors of Math and English Language Arts Performance" (Stephen J. Caldas, Nicole Boudreaux); "Meet a…

Investigates the Spanish-English code switching of 60 elementary Mexican-American students in a story retelling activity. Suggests there is a positive relationship between code-switched story retelling, oral language usage, and enhanced narrative skills. Suggests that teachers explore the use of code switching in a story retelling activity as a…

This guide deals with the subject in two parts: (1) background materials, and (2) classroom activities for teaching English to Spanish speakers. The first part discusses the general characteristics of the Spanish-speaking population in the United States, with particular attention to the diversity among them, some group profiles, and dialects and…

Describes a Spanish-as-a-foreign language email project carried out with kindergartners through third graders from six elementary schools. The project involves a traveling Teddy bear named Tito. (Author/VWL)

This booklet was developed to help elementary school students to understand the contributions of the Hispano to our American way of life: 1) to learn something about the history of the Hispanic people --the Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Spanish, Mexican-American, and Spanish-American; and, 2) to develop an understanding of the political and…

This is a manual used by volunteers who teach Spanish in elementary schools in Orange County (Florida). The introductory pages of the book explain the reasons for teaching Spanish in the elementary schools of Florida, and provide suggestions on how to begin the program, where to find materials, and how to use the guidebook. There are also a list…

Characteristics and types of role-play for the language classroom are discussed. Sample activities for grades K-3 and for grades 4-6 are offered. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/LB)

These two magazines, written entirely in Spanish, are designed for classroom use in the elementary grades. Number 10, focuses on ecology, discussing such topics as the greenhouse effect, endangered species, protecting the natural environment, tree planting, earthworms, natural waste, books on environmental subjects, saving the earth, and…

An elementary school Spanish-as-a-foreign-language immersion program in Social Science is described. Explanations for the teacher are offered, and activities are described in detail. Exercises and evaluations are also offered. Different aspects of the Japanese way of living are used to practice the Spanish language. Some of the aspects presented…

Although using children's literature as the core of an elementary school foreign language program can be time consuming and tedious, with sufficient preparation, it can become a meaningful and memorable experience for both teachers and students. Story activities used by a first-grade Spanish teacher are described. (MDM)