To support the acquisition of Spanish literacy, it is crucial that learners are exposed to vocabulary, sentence structures, and colloquial language through numerous inputs. As the Spanish Language teacher Kindergarten through Eighth grade at SELS, my goal is to provide this input through numerous channels: art, games, writing, listening, and, of course, reading. Picture books provide an avenue for students to engage their imaginations while also becoming familiar with the various concepts being studied in class; language learners can momentarily jump into a world where the primary language used for storytelling is their target language. By providing access to an extensive library of picture books entirely in Spanish, students can engage with their target language in a way that feels naturally fun. Additionally, students have the opportunity to learn about other places, cultures, and perspectives. Thus, not only exercising their verbal and auditory skills, but also their cultural competency and sensitivity.
By providing an abundance of books in Spanish, particularly at the beginner to novice levels, students have the opportunity to dramatically increase their language input which supports a higher level of literacy from an earlier age. The illustrations combined with simple text provide age appropriate scaffolding for Spanish literacy through comprehensible input. This allows students to become familiarized with basic language topics such as descriptions of the world around them, friendships, and family, even if they don’t understand every word; it encourages them to use context clues to extract meaning. Using picture books in class also provides the opportunity to engage in conversations, questions, and learning check-ins with students in Spanish in a way that feels natural and life-like. In conclusion, having a Spanish library is a crucial factor in supporting Spanish language acquisition for students of many ages and abilities through comprehensible input and relatable, age-appropriate context.
The anticipated outcomes of creating and curating a Spanish library in the Spanish Language Arts classroom is that students will form foundational language skills that support their journey to literacy throughout their elementary school education. By reinforcing basic language structures and grade-specific learning targets through the use of picture books, students will adopt the language in a more natural, life-like form rather than memorizing, regurgitating, and forgetting target information. The success of this program will be measured by students ability to meet grade and age level expectations through verbal and written learning checks. Expectations include, but are not limited to, use of basic grammar structures, descriptor words of color and size, expressing likes and dislikes, basic vocabulary for animals and family, and expressing basic needs. Additionally, students are expected to develop cultural awareness of countries and peoples that speak Spanish. Students will be evaluated on their ability to verbally answer during group discussions and write their responses to prompts during independent work (in Spanish). Success will also be measured through student’s ability to engage in discussions, share authentic ideas and opinions, and compare cultures and perspectives of others.
To implement our Spanish School Library, I will read selected books to students as a group during their class time as part of a daily lesson plan. This allows for group discussions, learning check-ins, and opportunities for spoken language. When wanting to dive deeper into a certain text after a group read, students will be asked to produce written answers, art pieces, or critically think within a small group setting regarding a specific topic of focus of the book. This provides a a deeper understanding of the book and its vocabulary, grammatical structures, and story line over numerous class periods. Additionally, I would like to implement a selection of books that students may check out and take home to read with family. This will help students to view Spanish not as something only applicable to a class setting, but something that can be used in their personal lives and with loved ones. This also encourages a parent/student relationship in which the parent or guardian of the child can learn alongside and from their student. This fosters a sense of pride in the student in demonstrating their abilities to their loved one and promotes circular learning.
As the Spanish Language teacher for Kindergarten through Eighth grade, the books purchased with this grant money will be used across every grade level. All learners, regardless of age, who are working towards A1 - A2 (beginner to elementary) proficiency benefit from short texts that provide an abundance of visually supported context. As a teacher, I am able to choose grade and age appropriate texts for students to peak their interest as well as ask questions, create projects, and prompt speaking based on their language abilities. For example, students in kindergarten and first grade may be asked comprehension questions regarding colors, numbers, and sizes of objects in the book as well as if they do or do not like something that occurred in the book. Students in second to fifth grade may be asked the same questions, but expected to respond in a more complex way (subject + verb + descriptor) while continuing to emphasize and build upon skills already mastered. Older students may be expected to carry on simple conversations about something in the book, working on their ability to use the language that they have in order to express their opinions, thoughts, and ideas.
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This is the only funding source I am currently looking into as a large initial order is necessary to establish my Spanish Language and culture classroom library.
When reviewing the budget, please refer to the attached PDF file. This file provides all requested figures and totals from two different book retailers.
I have priced books from Bookshop.org as well as Word After Word in Truckee. While Word After Word is not able to order all of the books requested, I would really love to support a local business by purchasing the bulk of my order from them. I would like to complete the rest of my order from Bookshop.org. This option is actually more economical than purchasing all from Bookshop.org.
Price comparisons are also included in the attached PDF.