¡Bienvenidos a la clase de español!
Estimadas familias,
¡Hola! Bienvenidos (welcome) to the world of Spanish language learning! My name is Alena Keene (students will know me as Señorita Keene), and I am very happy and honored to start my second year as the K-5 Spanish teacher at Saint Patrick´s School! During two 30-minute classes per week your child will be not only learning Spanish language but also exploring a variety of topics related to the diverse Hispanic cultures.
The demand to learn a foreign language is growing day by day. As students develop, having the ability to understand and speak another language will open many doors for them. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world (behind Chinese), so the probability that your child will need to communicate with a Spanish-speaker in his/her future is high. Even if your child chooses to study a foreign language other than Spanish in the future, there is evidence that previous knowledge of a foreign language helps the process of acquiring other languages as well as helping a learner better understand the way their native language works.
Learning a language is not just a matter of listening, memorizing and translating during class. Students need daily exposure to Spanish and practice in order to attain fluency. I recommend studying and reviewing Spanish vocabulary with your child at least a few times a week. Students can make flashcards that you can use to quiz them or play memory/concentration games. I also recommend that you help your child find access to books, videos, music, and games in Spanish. Many of these items can be found in the public libraries or on the internet. There will be links to useful websites on the St. Pat´s School Spanish webpage. If you would like recommendations of specific titles, materials, or resources please contact me.
It is wonderful that your child is learning Spanish at a young age! There is much evidence showing that those who start learning a second language as a child acquire fluent use of the language faster and easier. Starting at a young age is also believed to lead to better pronunciation of the second language. Your child will explore language and culture through a variety of activities and materials such as: storybooks, videos, songs/music, poetry, art, games, writing, listening, and role plays/puppet theater. I will evaluate students on their participation which will include: behavior/respect, cooperation, effort, contribution, following directions, and preparedness/organization. Students will also be evaluated on vocabulary quizzes/tests (written or oral depending on level/age), poetry recitation, role-plays, homework, in-class activities, and projects.
Again I cannot express how much I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year! If you have any questions please feel free to email me at akeene@stpatselkhorn.org
Saludos,
Alena Keene
¡Hola! Bienvenidos (welcome) to the world of Spanish language learning! My name is Alena Keene (students will know me as Señorita Keene), and I am very happy and honored to start my second year as the K-5 Spanish teacher at Saint Patrick´s School! During two 30-minute classes per week your child will be not only learning Spanish language but also exploring a variety of topics related to the diverse Hispanic cultures.
The demand to learn a foreign language is growing day by day. As students develop, having the ability to understand and speak another language will open many doors for them. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world (behind Chinese), so the probability that your child will need to communicate with a Spanish-speaker in his/her future is high. Even if your child chooses to study a foreign language other than Spanish in the future, there is evidence that previous knowledge of a foreign language helps the process of acquiring other languages as well as helping a learner better understand the way their native language works.
Learning a language is not just a matter of listening, memorizing and translating during class. Students need daily exposure to Spanish and practice in order to attain fluency. I recommend studying and reviewing Spanish vocabulary with your child at least a few times a week. Students can make flashcards that you can use to quiz them or play memory/concentration games. I also recommend that you help your child find access to books, videos, music, and games in Spanish. Many of these items can be found in the public libraries or on the internet. There will be links to useful websites on the St. Pat´s School Spanish webpage. If you would like recommendations of specific titles, materials, or resources please contact me.
It is wonderful that your child is learning Spanish at a young age! There is much evidence showing that those who start learning a second language as a child acquire fluent use of the language faster and easier. Starting at a young age is also believed to lead to better pronunciation of the second language. Your child will explore language and culture through a variety of activities and materials such as: storybooks, videos, songs/music, poetry, art, games, writing, listening, and role plays/puppet theater. I will evaluate students on their participation which will include: behavior/respect, cooperation, effort, contribution, following directions, and preparedness/organization. Students will also be evaluated on vocabulary quizzes/tests (written or oral depending on level/age), poetry recitation, role-plays, homework, in-class activities, and projects.
Again I cannot express how much I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year! If you have any questions please feel free to email me at akeene@stpatselkhorn.org
Saludos,
Alena Keene
