The school year is coming to a close, which means final report cards are coming out soon! This also means that you will probably be getting a lot of questions from parents who want their children to improve their Spanish.
Below is a FAQ resource page for Spanish enrichment that I link to my final report card comments to help parents and students continue to practice Spanish over the summer. Feel free to use it, too!
Q: We speak Spanish at home, but my child never wants to. How can I motivate them? What kind of enrichment can they do at home?
A: This is VERY common! My first piece of advice: Do not force them! You can continue to speak to them in Spanish and let them answer you in English. If they can answer, that shows comprehension. Practicing speaking Spanish has to come from a place of desire or necessity.
So… how can you encourage them?
1. Family Dinner Challenge
Set a timer for 5 minutes and challenge the family to speak in Spanish the whole time. Slowly increase the time until you challenge them to an entire meal. Remind them that a word or phrase here or there in English or “Spanglish” is acceptable. You just want everyone to try their best for the majority of the meal.
2. Family Movie Night
Watch a movie together that you’ve already seen. Change the language and subtitles to Spanish so they can read and listen. You can also go on YouTube to find their favorite childhood cartoons in Spanish and watch with closed captions or slow down the speed of the video to 0.75.
3. Magazine Subscriptions
Mary Glasgow has monthly kids’ magazines in Spanish for beginners. You can see samples and decide which level may be best for your child.
4. Graphic Novels
Señor Wooly writes leveled graphic novels for students in Spanish. Look at the samples to decide which level is best for your child.
Q: Spanish is hard for my child. How can they practice Spanish outside the classroom?
A: Here are some activities for during the school year:
- Spend 10 minutes a night reviewing vocabulary Quizlets from previous and current units. The best tools in Quizlet are Match, Gravity, or Learn because they are active learning tools. Flashcards are OK, but more passive.
- Ask your child to read you the story we are working on in Spanish and then explain it in English. You may not know if they are right, but just the act of them reading outside of class is positive. They will see the sentence structures and vocabulary words again.
And here are some activities for anytime ( but especially over the summer):
- Duolingo: This is a free app on their phone or computer. It’s a game, so it doesn’t feel like work!
- Movies: Watch a movie together that you’ve already seen. Change the language and subtitles to Spanish so they read and listen.
- YouTube: Go on YouTube and find their favorite childhood cartoons in Spanish. Watch with closed captioning.
- Graphic Novels: Señor Wooly writes leveled graphic novels for students in Spanish. If your child is struggling, purchase the Novice-Mid level.
The Takeaway
Summer is a time for teachers, parents, and students to relax and decompress. Giving parents some resources for Spanish enrichment will put them at ease while also giving students fun and motivating ways to continue learning Spanish over the summer.
Do you have other resources for Spanish enrichment over the summer? Leave your suggestions in the comments!
