Spanish Children’s Books
There are many Spanish children’s books on the market today. Not only are there many English children’s books written in Spanish, but there are many Spanish authors who have written Spanish children’s books as well. Spanish children’s books can and should be used in English speaking homes and classrooms. Because we are evolving into a “melting pot” society, and because the Spanish language is so commonly used in the United States, it is important for English speaking students to be exposed to and learn the Spanish language as often as they can.
Speaking English In The Home
Children love books. They love to be read to, look at pictures, and learn all that they can from books. There are so many children’s classics that teach important principles and fundamentals of life. Parents should also take the opportunity to read Spanish children books to their English speaking children, as well. In recent studies, children who are exposed to other languages besides their primary language tend to have a higher IQ and excel in the school setting than those children who have only been exposed to their primary language. The library is an excellent resource for parents looking for Spanish children’s books. The library has a variety of picture books, fiction books, and non-fiction books for children which are all written in the Spanish language.
Speaking English In The Classroom
Teachers, especially elementary school teachers, should also expose their students to Spanish speaking literature as often as they can, especially because studies indicate that in a classroom of thirty, at least one of those students will be of Spanish descent. Teachers can incorporate Spanish children’s book in a number of ways into their lesson plans and curriculum. This includes:
1- Using Spanish children’s books as part of guided reading, which is small group reading instruction with different groups of children. This would allow teachers to teach two concepts at once on a more individual level, thus being able to teach the concepts more efficiently.
2- Using Spanish children’s books as part of whole-group reading time. This allows for more classroom discussion about the book being read. Children could bounce ideas and concepts off of each other as they learn from the Spanish children’s book.
3- Using Spanish children’s books as part of the books that children read quietly to themselves. Even if students can’t read the Spanish words right away, they can still look at the pictures and illustrations and learn about the Spanish culture through the pictures.
Spanish children’s books can enlighten English speaking children about the Spanish speaking culture and open their minds to deeper levels of thinking and learning.
