Calico Spanish

Welcome back to Day Four of Spanish Language Learning Week on MommyMaestra!

If you are looking for a full-immersion program then let me introduce you to Calico Spanish.

Opening the box that contained Calico’s Teach at Home curriculum was a very pleasant surprise! I was immediately struck by how thorough it is. It is designed to teach children in Kindergarten through 5^th grade.

The curriculum includes:

• Teacher’s Manual – A comprehensive guide containing a welcome section that explains about the program; an introductory lesson to help the teacher prepare and become comfortable; and then 15 lessons. Calico offers two sample schedules for varying length of class time. In a 30 minute class, the lesson can be taught over a period of up to 10 days. For 60 minutes, parents might prefer a 5-day schedule. But of course, I can modify it all to work for my family’s schedule.

Each lesson contains songs, calendar time, a specific number, letter, and color, games, "zoo" time/animal introduction, activities and a final closing. Not all of these are taught in one day, but rather spread out over the one- or two-week period. I really like how flexible the lessons are; I can choose to use the scripts provided, or simply teach it on my own focusing on the subject. The lesson scripts are provided in Spanish and English, though they encourage you to use only Spanish.

• Student Activity Book – This books mostly contains the words to the songs the children are learning – which provides them with a wonderful opportunity to learn how to read in Spanish. But there are also a few worksheets and coloring pages, including a blank calendar that they can fill in each month. The book is spiral bound, which I really like because since I have two kids, I can easily make copies of each page without wrestling with the binding.

• Spanish Songs for Kids CD – Very fun and easy for kids to learn. You can listen to a sample here and watch the accompanying video.

• A set of Calico Spanish Flash Cards – A custom set of 149 flash cards showing the alphabet, numbers, colors, etc. We love the illustrations! My kids are very visual and if the illustrations are not appealing, then they get bored. That’s one thing I don’t have to worry about with this curriculum.

• Verbos Flash Cards – 93 action verbs depicted with Spanish words, plus a suggested activity card. These can be displayed on your class board, or used in the lesson.

• First Thousand Words in Spanish – A Usborne fully-illustrated dictionary that immediately captivates children. (Don’t all Usborne books?) My kids love looking through this book and calling out the words.

• ¡Corre, perro, corre! By P.D. Eastman – A super funny book about dogs engaged in all sorts of activities.

• Homeschool Poster Set – This set of posters can be posted on the wall or board in your classroom. It includes lables (months, headers), mini-posters (emotions, colors, numbers by tens), and posters (the alphabet, the parts of the body).

What has impressed me the most about this curriculum is that so much thought and effort has gone into creating each piece. And I SO appreciate that Calico provides me with everything I need, including the classroom posters and bulletin board labels.

As an added bonus, I discovered Calico’s YouTube channel. I’m not sure if these videos are incorporated into the lesson plans (I haven’t run across one yet), but they would certainly go very well with the curriculum.

The curriculum costs $299.97, and you can purchase it here. I think it is worth every penny. This is the most expensive curriculum I had the chance to review, but I want to remind you that you get a high-quality product that includes all the tools you need to teach the lessons effectively. They are so sure you’ll love their product that they offer a 30-day money back guarantee.

Calico is currently working on an online version that will be $49 for the first month and then $9/month thereafter. And parents will receive physical copies of select materials with their initial purchase.

Again, if you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you.
　
Con mucho cariño…

All Bilingual Press Spanish Curriculum

Welcome back to Day Three of Spanish Language Learning Week on MommyMaestra!

Today’s Spanish curriculum comes from All Bilingual Press (ABP).

This company was founded by a family of language teachers. Born in Argentina, Rita Wirkala also lived in Brazil before moving to the United States. She has raised three trilingual daughters – also teachers – who have collaborated with her to create the All Bilingual Press Spanish curriculum.

ABP offers three different curricula:

Español para los chiquitos is geared for children ages 4 to 7. This is a predominantly audio-visual course. (More about this in a minute.)

Español para chicos y grandes has two versions:

• Level 1 is an interactive Spanish course for children and parents. It focuses on audio comprehension and interaction.

• Level 2 is for elementary and middle schools. It was designed to follow Level 1 and incorporates more culture information.

A while back I contacted ABP and asked about reviewing one of their programs. We settled on Español para los chiquitos since many of the parents who have asked me about Spanish programs are ones with really small children.

This course is probably the most economical one I have looked at. For somewhere in between $50 to $70, you can purchase the books and CDs. (It varies because you can purchase the books separately and leave one out, if you prefer.)

As I mentioned, this curriculum is primarily audio-visual in nature and comes with a textbook, 2 CDs, an activity book, a parent-teacher guide, and an optional (audio)book of poems.

The guide provides minimal instruction. Because the activities are pretty short and self- explanatory, or described on the CD, the guide mostly offers suggestions for presenting the vocabulary or ideas for games and other activities.

There are 12 units covering the basics (days of the week, family members, body parts, numbers, etc.). The textbook comes with 2 CDs that are to be used together with the activities in the textbook. The activity book is mostly made up of flashcards that kids can cut out and color, as well as some bingo sheets.

Overall, I found it to be a nice as an introductory curriculum for preschoolers and kindergartners, or as a supplemental curriculum for elementary students.

Con mucho cariño…

Sonrisas Spanish Curriculum

Welcome back to Spanish Language Learning Week on MommyMaestra!

Today’s resource is a complete curriculum that is suitable for families, homeschoolers, and certified teachers.

Sonrisas Spanish School is a complete preschool and elementary Spanish curriculum. Created by Blue and Brooks Lindner, two Spanish teachers with 30 collective years of experience, Sonrisas is a comprehensive, research-based, standards-based, and carefully crafted program. It is influenced by three particular methodologies: the Total Physical Response (TPR), the Natural Approach (NA), and the Waldorf foreign language approach. Both the TPR and NA methods are based on ESL techniques. The Waldorf approach places strong emphasis on learning the culture associated with the language, making the learning process very personal and authentic.

As a Latina mom, I SO appreciate the way culture is a large portion of the Sonrisas curriculum. In my mind, it is almost impossible to teach a language without teaching the culture and traditions that go with it. I don’t want my children to just learn a language, I want them to appreciate their heritage and the people behind the words.

I think this curriculum is a fabulous resource for families (and teachers). The Level I Curriculum is a two-year program that includes one Teacher’s Guide and two CDs; one with Spanish songs, poems and chants for children to accompany the lessons, and the other with cultural songs. Arranged and sung by Brooks & Blue, I was happy to discover many songs from my own childhood. But the greatest surprise was to hear Las Posadas! (Okay, I was sold on this program right there.)

The Teacher’s Guide is divided into two parts. Part One is an introduction to the curriculum where you’ll learn:

• Strategies on how to use and teach the curriculum effectively,
• An explanation of the methodologies behind it (same ones I mentioned above),
• Understanding and using both the standards for foreign language learning and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences,
• And lastly, a fascinating article on the Neurology of the Bilingual Brain.

Part Two is made up of the actual lesson plans. There are 35 in all. And in the back are song lists, reproducibles, assessment rubrics, an art supply list, the history behind El Grito (the event that sparked the fight for Mexico’s Independence), a simple play to celebrate Las Posadas (Yay!), and a short history of the Battle of Puebla.

The lessons are designed to be taught over two days (you can stretch it out for a whole week depending on how much time you wish to devote to the lessons), and each one comes with:

• An Overview(for the teacher) this is where I learn what the objective of the lesson is and what my kids (students) should learn.
• Circle Time During this portion my kids do activities, sing songs, dance, or play games to learn key vocabulary. The CDs are used heavily during this time.
• Story Time I really love that the program has a heavy literature component to it. Each lesson comes with a list of book suggestions that reinforce the concepts being learned. *Parents/Teachers have the option of purchasing a Storybook Set to accompany the curriculum.
• Art Time Ah! Now this is so much fun for the kids. Each lesson includes a related art project. This might be my kids’ favorite part!

Lastly, for school teachers, each lesson includes a Home Report, which is simply a printable that teachers can send home to the parents keeping them up to date with what their child is learning in class and how they can support the lessons at home.

The curriculum really focuses on interactive learning and "that language learners benefit more from encountering vocabulary in rich, engaging contexts rather than from trying to learn them from repetitive exercises such as worksheets or flashcards." They shy away from memorization, but focus instead on the internalization of the words and their meaning.

This curriculum retails for $189.00. For more information or to preview a lesson, check out the Sonrisas website and Facebook page.

So if you are looking for a literature-rich and interactive Spanish curriculum that is low on frills and heavy on substance, then perhaps Sonrisas is the answer for your family.

If you have any questions about the program, leave a comment below or contact me and I’ll get you an answer.

Con mucho cariño…

Disclosure: I contacted Sonrisas Spanish School and asked for a sample of their program. They sent me the Level I Curriculum free of charge for this review. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Online Learning with PetraLingua

To start off our week of Spanish language learning resources for (non)homeschooling parents, I’m pleased to introduce you to MommyMaestra’s newest sponsor, PetraLingua.com.

PetraLingua is an online language course for kids ages three to 12. The courses cover the curriculum of the first two to three years of foreign language learning at schools, and are an great choice for homeschoolers, as well as for classroom use. The program works on Windows, MAC, iPad, iPhone, as well as on Android tablets and phones.

But what I also love about the site is that it is a multilingual teaching platform. PetraLingua currently offers courses on Spanish, as well as English, Chinese, Russian, German, and French. So if your children are learning more than one language, they could study all of them! (AND if your child is learning English, you could choose that option and change the operating language to Spanish or another language. A great option for ESL students!)

The lessons use videos, songs, and interactive exercises to teach key concepts like greetings, numbers, colors, parts of the body, seasons, and many others. Here’s what I like about the program:

• After logging in, your child has the option of starting where she left off the last time she was online, or starting at the beginning of the course.

• The lesson page lists all the lessons on the left so that your kid can go back and review something if he has forgotten it.

• On the right side of the page is a list of all the key words or phrases that your child will learn in that lesson. I especially like that there is an icon or image to accompany the word for younger children who cannot read very well, yet. AND they can also click on that word/phrase and hear an audio clip of how to pronounce it. You do have the option of hiding the words if you prefer to do so, simply by clicking on the image above them.

• The parts of the lesson occur right in the center of the page. There are usually at least 10 (sometimes more) activities involved in each lesson: It begins with a short video that introduces all the key words and phrases, then it involves a lot of repetition by asking the child to watch additional videos and repeat the phrases after the beep. These are followed by exercises in which your child listens to an audio clip and selects the correct image to accompany it from a multiple-choice selection. There are also exercises with true or false questions, matching, and one where the children click on the right answer based on the image and/or audio clip.

• My kids enjoy the colorful images and the characters…especially the little dog barking at the beginning of each video!

My Kindergartner loves his online time with PetraLingua. But he is a little too young to read all of the interactive exercises, so I need to sit with him for those and help him work through those particular exercises. He's okay on his own with the videos. My 2^nd grader can easily navigate the system on her own. She finds it equally engaging.

NOTE: All of the audio is done with a Castillian accent. Some families prefer this, while others don’t. I don’t mind this seeing as how my father is from Spain, so if my kids pronounce their c’s and z’s with a "th" sound, I’m good. Otherwise, I would just explain to my child the differences in pronunciation found in the Spanish-speaking world and repeat the word the way I want it learned at the time it is said. It is worth noting that there are very few words that this changes – "estaciones" and "haciendo" are the only two I noticed.

If you'd like to see a sample of a lesson, just visit their site and click on the free lesson preview for the language of your choice.

PetraLingua can work as a stand alone curriculum, or as a supplement to help reinforce concepts your child is learning at school or at home with another curriculum. It provides a fun opportunity to learn with technology in a safe manner. There were no ads with the lessons that I could see.

Subscriptions to the site are available in blocks of three, six, or 12 months, and are certainly reasonably priced:

• 3 months = $17.99 (5.99 per month)
• 6 months = $29.99 (4.99 per month)
• 12 months = $47.99 (3.99 per month)

But PetraLingua has generously offered all MommyMaestra readers a special discount! Now through May 31^st, all MM readers will receive 25% off a subscription. Simply type in the discount code: PL_MM25.

If you have any questions about the program, leave a comment below or contact me and I’ll get you an answer.

Con mucho cariño…

Disclosure: PetraLingua is a new MommyMaestra sponsor. They provided me free access to their site for this review. All opinions expressed above, however, are my own.

Tintin and the Reluctant Reader

The following article is written by our regular contributor, Marta Darby, a homeschooling mami of 10 years for our "In Your Words" Literacy Series as we celebrate Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros this month on MommyMaestra.

My son, Jonathan, was a reluctant reader. He had some struggles with spatial relationships when he was very young, and is still very much a kinesthetic learner. We addressed his difficulty with the crossover of brain information by getting a trampoline. (Read about that here.)

He loved being read to, but he didn’t like to pick up books on his own and just read for pleasure. My older son, Adam had had that same problem. I wondered if it was a gender thing? Or maybe it was just my own boys?

When Adam was young, I was introduced to a series of comic-type books by the Belgian author, Hergé. They were written in the 1930’s and the hero was called Tintin, a young Belgian reporter who is aided in his adventures by his faithful dog, Snowy.

I was advised by none other than Jim Trelease, the author of the Read Aloud Handbook, to get some of the Tintin books and put them in a basket in the *ahem* bathroom. Really? That’s the sage reading advice from the reading expert?

This was back in the stone age. Before the internet and cement. When research was actually done in libraries. I decided I had nothing to lose.

So I headed out to the bookstore to special order some Tintin books. Did I mention they were from the 1930’s? I filled a basket full of these and set it in the *ahem* smallest room in the house.

What happened next, was glorious. I would start finding the Tintin books in other places. By Adam’s bed. On the coffee table. Next to the couch. Someone was picking up the books and moving them around the house. Which meant someone was reading them.

Then someone started asking for more. And sharing what he had read. And asking for more. The stories were well-researched, engaging and had a variety of plot lines in various genres. Swashbuckling adventures, science fiction, mysteries, fantasy, political thrillers. The illustrations were clean and easy to follow. Tintin had it all.

Ten years later, when Jonathan was “reluctant” to read, I remembered how The Adventures of Tintin had helped his big brother and again, I brought out the *ahem* bathroom basket and the Tintin books.

And the magic happened again. This time, Jonathan wanted all of us to read them so we could discuss them at the dinner table. That’s when we all started getting attached to Tintin.

Eventually, Jonathan went on to read other, different kinds of literature. He was not as reluctant to pick up other kinds of books and was able to follow other plot lines.

But I still credit Hergé and the Adventures of Tintin for introducing both of my boys to real honest-to-goodness storytelling. And giving them a love and passion for reading and learning.

----------------------------------------

Marta Darby is an avid blogger, business owner, Cuban cook, graphic designer, scrapbooker, photographer and homemaker. She was born in Havana and left Cuba with her family when she was 5 years old. She likes to tell anecdotes and stories about her family (all 40 of them!), her passions (dulce de leche and red lipstick), and especially being Cuban. She is happily married to her fabulous gringo husband, Eric, and lives with him and their four children in a tiny house with a white picket fence.

Hagamos Caminos Review & Giveaway

The following is a product review by homeschooling mami, Carla Molina, for our "In Your Words" Literacy Series as we celebrate Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros this month on MommyMaestra.


The only fear I have about homeschooling my daughters is that I won't be able to teach them to read in Spanish. I was never taught to read in Spanish. Actually, I wasn't taught any school subjects in Spanish, but the concepts of math and geography and science and all the other subjects translate easily when you're doing hands-on learning. Reading, however, leaves me completely dumbfounded. I searched far and wide for a curriculum to get my girls (and me) off on the right foot. It was a relief to discover Alma Flor Ada's Hagamos Caminos, a creative reading literacy program.

When it comes to reading, I want my daughter to learn to read independently but also, if not more importantly, love to read. Hagamos Caminos is a literature based program which focuses on nurturing a true affection for reading. The books contain a variety of genres including legends, oral folklore, poetry, riddles and rhymes, even plays from all over the Hispanic world. There are stories based on reality, which my daughter easily identifies with, and tales based on fantasy which engage her imagination. Everyone in our house has fallen in love with the literature in this series. We not only work on the educational exercises, but you'll often find one of the books next to our bed for a quick story before getting tucked in for the night.

I adore the illustrations. They are fun and whimsical and really make the content pop. When we go through the texts just looking at the pictures, deducing what we think is taking place, I appreciate how someone thought to make it beautiful. The same way I love to hold a gorgeous book in my hands, so do my daughters. If my daughter doesn't like the artwork, then a book has a slim chance of making it past page one. So, five points on a five-point scale for visual appeal!

The program comes with eight books, four of which are reading texts and four accompanying workbooks. There are 4 stages to the series: Partimos (pre-K - 1st), Andamos (K - 2nd), Corremos (1st - 3rd) and Volamos (2nd - 5th). Despite the wide span of grade level content, we were able to work with each of the books. We started with Partimos and I was surprised, having had zero experience with a formal reading program, how engaged and excited my daughter was. She enjoyed the variety of activities and I appreciated how much was covered. Not only did she make connections to the stories but she also got to practice math concepts, fine motor skills, pattern identification, and early writing skills. 

All of the books are equally rich in educational content covering a range of skills. We're almost done with Partimos and are making our way through Andamos. With these two books, my daughter has felt easily empowered to work independently and ask for assistance when needed, which is sparingly. It was beautiful to watch her feel so proud of herself as she went through the exercises. The last two books of the series are geared towards older children (1st - 5th grade) so we work on them together. I've thought about putting these away for later but she loves them so much I can't really get them away from her.


The only negative I found with the program is the included DVD. It's a bit dated and not the very best quality. You do, however, get a clear sense of Ada's passion for educating children and her enthusiasm for the program. She shares the principles behind the program which gave me a better perspective on her approach. There are also a few songs which my daughter enjoyed. The video is helpful in getting background on the program but, honestly, I would have felt fine just diving right into the materials.


If you can't tell, I'm really impressed with this program. My daughter is confidently putting the pieces together to learn to read and is genuinely excited for "school" time as we've come to call it. She even applies the methodology for analyzing and thinking about a story to books we read for fun. Hagamos Caminos has made me feel confident in teaching my children to read.


My family has long been a fan of Alma Flor Ada's work and this just solidifies a place in our hearts for her. She is really committed to educating children with respect and love. I highly recommend the Hagamos Caminos program. This set is available for purchase through Del Sol Books. I've already got other books from Del Sol Books, the publishers of Hagamos Caminos, on my daughter's wish list!

THE GIVEAWAY

We have THREE SETS of Hagamos Caminos to giveaway!

To enter to win, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Monday, April 30th (Happy Día!). The winners will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Follow the MommyMaestra FB page.

2) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win one of 3 sets of the Spanish reading program, Hagamos Caminos, from @LatinMami in honor of #Día #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This giveaway is offered in collaboration with the authors. MommyMaestra has not been compensated in any way for offering this giveaway, and it results from our contacting them and asking for a contribution.

---------------------------------------

Carla Molina is a weaver of words and creative collaborator. A Jersey girl at heart with lots of love for Boston, she spends most of her time raising two bilingual little ladies and brainstorming more ways to write her heart out. She blogs about being a woman and a creative creature at All of Me Now. And plays cheerleader to the local businesses serving families in her current home state at Petit Rhody.

Imagine a Better World, Imagina un mundo mejor

There's little else that makes me happier than finding a fabulous new resource for my children...and yours. I must profusely thank a MommyMaestra reader for contacting me and sharing this particular one with me.

Brickhouse Education is a (new?) publishing company whose goal is to "provide you with high-quality books while covering all benchmarks/standards and helping you save." Their books are designed to teach several subjects at once, to help teachers cover more with less. And if you visit their website, you'll see that they are working towards providing a free downloadable lesson plan with each book. And all teachers and librarians receive 30% off list prices.But the best part? EVERY TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.

Okay, so you might say this is slightly exciting but... how good are the translations?

I'll admit that I haven't read all their books. But from what I can tell many of the books are written by Yanitzia Canetti, of whom I just think the world. She is a superb author and translator who, like all true translators, is remarkably good at conveying the meaning and emotion behind the story. She's not a chop-chop-choppy, word-for-word translator.

(UPDATE: I just discovered that Canetti is actually the President of Cambridge BrickHouse. That only impresses me even more.)

My introduction to the Brickhouse Education titles, was through Imagina un mundo mejor. This beautiful book is perfect for Earth Day and National Poetry month and Día de los niños, Día de los libros all together.

This book is filled with inspirational poetry and whimsical illustrations that open our eyes to the beauty of our surrounding world...

The book was written to teach Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies. It touches on key concepts like rhyming words, animal habitats and behaviors, responsibility and generosity, life cycles, and descriptive language and imagery. It is also designed to build self-esteem, help children identify problems and solutions, and express emotions.

I can't tell you how much I love the poems in this book. I can't even pick out only one to share with you, they are that good. So here is just one, that I love...

 El árbol del abuelo

Abuelo sembró un árbol

que tiene ramas frondosas.

En él viven gusanitos

y hormiguitas laboriosas.

Vive un búho, tres gorriones,

y un montón de mariposas,

las abejas de un panal

y cuatro ardillas graciosas.

En invierno hiberna un oso.

En primavera, ¡qué flores!

En verano, nos da frutos,

Y en otoño, ¡qué colores!

Cuánta, cuánta, cuánta vida

tiene el árbol del abuelo.

¡Cuánta cuánta maravilla

nace de la tierra al cielo!

Some of the poems are longer than others. But they are all beautifully written and would be perfect for memorization.

And for those of you who prefer your books in English - the English version of this title, Imagine a Better World, is equally delightful! But you don't have to take my word for it. Just visit their website where you can preview each of the books they offer.

I cannot say enough about this company. Just looking through their catalog, I am drooling at all the excellent series and individual titles that cover such a great number of subjects!

Homeschooling mamis! THIS is a gold mine for you!

Parents, this is a must-have book for your family home library.

Bilingual education teachers: You cannot go wrong, I think, with this company.

So what are you waiting for? Go and check out their website at BrickhouseEducation.com.

Con mucho cariño...


Disclosure: I contacted Brickhouse Education to ask for a copy of this book, which they kindly agreed to send me for review. All the blubbering and glowing opinions found above are purely my own.

10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know

Top: Alma Flor Ada, Federico García Lorca, Pat Mora, José Martí, Gabriela Mistral
Bottom: Jorge Luján, Pablo Neruda, Isabel F. Campoy, Francisco X. Alarcón

Did you know that April is also National Poetry Month? Since we're celebrating literacy and children this month here on MM, I thought it would be nice to share with you a short list of Latino poets your children should know. Do you see your favorite poet listed here? If not, please add them in the comments section so we can all benefit.


Pablo Neruda
Pen name of the famous Chilean poet and diplomat, Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, who always wrote in green ink because to him it symbolized hope. His life is a beautiful story in itself, and is best introduced to children via the children's biography written by Monica Brown, Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People.


Gabriela Mistral
Another Chilean poet, Gabriela Mistral is also a pen name. Her real name was Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga! In addition to being a poet, Mistral was also an educator, diplomat, and feminist. She was the first Latin American writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Deeply committed to education, she traveled all over the world in an effort to improve schools. Inspired by her travels, Mistral published more than 30 collections of poetry during her lifetime. Children will enjoy her story, My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/la vida de Gabriela Mistral, also written by Monica Brown.


José Martí
The Cuban poet and political activist was a national hero. Dedicated to liberty and democracy, he fought for Cuba's independence, and even published his own newspaper, Patria. Perhaps one of his most famous poems for children is Los zapaticos de Rosa.


Federico García Lorca
The Spanish poet who achieved fame as the member of the Generation of '27, an influential group of 10 authors who expressed themselves through avant-garde forms of art and poetry. There are a number of Spanish books for children written by Lorca, but few have been translated into English. The Cricket Sings by Federico Garcia Lorca, Maria Horvath and Will Kirkland is one. But if your family is comfortable with Spanish, your children may enjoy Federico Garcia Lorca (Cuando Los Grandes Eran Pequenos/ When the Grown-Ups Were Children) by Georgina Lazaro.


Jorge Argueta
A Salvadoran poet and writer whose first collection of bilingual poems for children, A Movie in My Pillow, won the America's Book Award. Argueta's cultural ties are reflected in his books for children, and he has recently launched a series of cooking poems based on traditional Latin American dishes.


Alma Flor Ada & Isabel F. Campoy
Incredible writers individually, Ada and Campoy have frequently collaborated to create some of the finest bilingual poetry and other materials for children. One of their greatest contributions is Música Amiga, a 10 volume set that uses the power of music and poetry to build literacy.


Jorge Luján
An Argentine writer who has created numerous poems for children. In 1995, he received the Poetry for Children Prize from the Asociación de Literatura Infantil y Juvenil Argentina. Perhaps one of his most popular books is Con el sol en los ojos / With the Sun in My Eyes, a collection of short poems in English and Spanish.  


Pat Mora
A Mexican American poet, writer, and children's literacy advocate, Mora's most significant achievement may be the establishment of Día de los niños, Día de los libros, a holiday celebrated by schools, libraries, and families across this country on April 30th. A prolific writer, Mora's most popular book at this time of year is Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day; Celebremos El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros.


Francisco X. Alarcón
A poet and educator, Alarcón is a three-time winner of the Pura Belpré Author Award Honor for his bilingual Magical Cycle of the Seasons series of poetry for children. A Mexican American author, Alarcón writes poems that reflect the lives of Latino children in the United States. Take a look at his book, Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos: Y Otros Poemas de Primavera.

Bella's Mystery Deck: Mini-Mysteries with Latino Flavor

I'm excited to share with you a review of this fantastic product. If you haven't heard of Bella's Mystery Deck before, then let me introduce you...

Last Christmas, while trying to find educational games that my daughter would enjoy, I was looking for materials with a strong female character to inspire her and hold her attention. At some point I had already seen this deck advertised and had bookmarked it for future examination. But I hadn't really read what it was about.

Imagine my delight to discover that this set of mini-mystery cards features 13-year-old, Isabella Tia Marie Martinez...otherwise known as "Bella." Together with her faithful black Labrador retriever, Noche, she unravels mysteries around her town. This deck has 50 cards, each one with a short story. Embedded within the stories are clues, that your child must uncover to solve each mystery. And if you get stuck? No problem. The answer is written in mirror image on the back of each card. A mirror card is included to help you read the answer.

We love this product so much! Spanish words and culture are scattered throughout the stories, which have a Latino theme and reflect the lifestyle of Hispanics in the United States. For instance, there are two cards that tell the background of Bella and Noche. On Bella's card, we learned that she lives in South Tucson with her family. Our bilingual heroine is a chicana - her dad was born in Minnesota where his family harvested sugar beets, and her mother was born in Nogales, Mexico. And Bella has a younger brother, Antonio, and sister, Alejandra. Her dad now works for a landscape contractor, and her mother is an artist who makes masks. My favorite line? "You could say that we're a normal family and I'm an ordinary girl - except that I solve mysteries."

So far, we have been going through the initial deck, but we're happy to know that there is a Bella's Mystery Deck 2 with a whole new set of stories. These cards are perfect for children ages 8 to 12. My daughter, who is just shy of 8 finds the mysteries a wee bit too hard, but she loves them anyway. I usually help guide her to the solution with specific questions.

Teachers could use these decks as a reward at the end of class/week. Parents can use these cards to help their children practice their reading and critical thinking skills.

You can find both new and used decks available for purchase in La Librería.

Con mucho cariño...

Disclosure: I purchased this set online for my daughter. I was not contacted in any way by the company, Mindware, to review this product. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Aventura en la selva tropical

Whenever I travel, one of the first places I like to hit up are the bookstores. You NEVER know what treasures you'll find. Today was a jackpot day.

Waiting for me on the shelf was a small pile of Aventura en la selva tropical, an educational activity book completely in Spanish. Young readers pretend to join an international team of scientists to explore and protect our planet's tropical forests. Along the way they face many challenges and mysteries, which they must solve in order to decifer the secret code to open the box. Inside they will find a game board, playing chips, 4 tropical animal miniature figures, 24 animal stickers and a travel journal filled with field notes.

I cannot find it available online anywhere here in the States, but you can look at this site for more pictures and additional information.

If you’d like to purchase this activity book, it is available for $20.00 (includes shipping) on a first-come, first-served basis. I only have a few of them. Contact me here.  SOLD OUT!

Lorito Books {Giveaway}

Not long after my kids received their copy of The Polar Express with its read-along CD, I discovered Lorito Books. At the time, it was a new company that had just launched its collection of audiobooks. I'm happy to say that they have done well despite the sluggish economy, and have, in fact, really grown over the past year.

The company's president, Pam Fochtman, saw a need in the community for these materials. The company is committed to developing second language literacy and promoting the beauty of Latino culture. And they believe that audiobooks are a valuable tool to accomplish these goals.

Their high quality, word-for-word audiobook read-alongs for young readers and second language learners are carefully chosen for their culturally relevant content and values. Their products include Growing Up With Tamales/Los tamales de Ana, The Desert is my Mother/El desierto es mi madre, Icy Watermelon/ Sandía fría and other popular titles in Latino children’s literature.

I've had the pleasure of reviewing several of their books with CDs through the Latin Baby Book Club, and I especially appreciate how Pam has chosen native speakers - who just happen to be outstanding storytellers - to record the books. You can learn more about the narrators on the Lorito Books website.

Pam has generously offered two of her new releases as giveaways for MommyMaestra.

The sun shines through the windows of Martha’s Panadería onto the shelves of freshly baked treats. The bakery holds tray after tray of hot Mexican sweet bread—conchas, orejas, cuernitos, empanadas, and cochinitos—all ready for hungry customers...

The Runaway Piggy/El cochinito fugitivo is a bilingual takeoff on the gingerbread man story. It's full of the sounds and people that make up a traditional Latino neighborhood. There is a cochinito cookie recipe included in the back of the book and even comes with piggy cookie cutters! You can listen to some audio samples here, or learn more about the story here.

Older readers will enjoy The Case of the Pen Gone Missing/El caso de la pluma perdida. The character is a Latino "Encyclopedia Brown" who gets tongue-tied when the most popular girl in school asks him to solve a mystery.  It's very sweet. You can read a review of this book on the Latin Baby Book Club. Brian Amador of Sol y Canto is the narrator. This book is available as either a stand alone audiobook or a book + CD set. You can hear an audio sample here.

THE GIVEAWAY

Two MommyMaestra readers will receive a copy of one of the books with CD.

To enter to win, simply leave a comment below letting me know which book you'd like to win.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Monday, January 23rd. The winners will be chosen using Random.org and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! 

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Visit Lorito Books' website, then come back and leave a comment telling me which audiobook you'd like to hear most.

2) Follow MommyMaestra on Facebook

3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win bilingual audiobooks from Lorito Books and @LatinMami http://bit.ly/xRqrmL #bilingual #audiobooks #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

The Value of Audiobooks



© Helder Almeida - Fotolia.com

 Since I have dedicated this week to audio books, I want to take a moment to explain why and to sing their praises. Growing up, the only experience I had with them was a small set of cassettes that someone gave me when I was about three or four years old. It was a set of two or three cassettes and the accompanying children's books, the only one of which I can remember was Sinbad ("Don't worry about me men, I'll be all right!"). So I never REALLY enjoyed the beauty of listening to a book on tape. Back then, it was sort of frowned upon. Like you were cheating; too lazy to read the book, so you decide to listen to it instead.

So I never really thought much about them. But a little over a year ago, my mother sent my kids a copy of The Polar Express...and it came with a CD. One evening, too tired to read to my kids, I popped the CD in and laid down on the bed with my kids. Moments later the sound of Liam Neeson's voice swept me and my children away and off to the North Pole. That was their favorite book for weeks. Maybe even months.

The thought that maybe I was missing the boat and depriving my kids slowly crept into my brain and began to take hold. I began to notice little snippets of conversations by other homeschoolers and articles would catch my eye. And then, through my work with the Latin Baby Book Club, I was contacted by a publisher who was selling bilingual books with an accompanying CD (more about them later). I received samples and listened to the tapes.

And I was SOLD.

This past Christmas, I purchased several books from Barefoot Books during their Winter Sale. Both of them came with a CD. My children LOVED them. And I learned a valuable lesson: Audio books are a valuable tool to increase literacy in children. In fact, I would go so far as to say that ALL children should have access to audio books.

The act of listening to a story has such powerful impact on a child's literacy skills. I could see in my own children how it refines their listening skills and helps to build reading comprehension. If you have a child who is struggling to understand what he is reading, using audio books in conjunction with their reading practice could actually improve their ability to remember what the story is about, and help them internalize the meaning.

My husband asked me, "How do you know he's not just memorizing it?" I don't. Yes, he might be. And that's okay, because when I go back and ask him to read it again, pointing to the words as he reads, he remembers the story, which in turn helps him to remember word sounds and decode what is written on the page. His eyes are seeing the word, and his brain is remember the sounds and the meaning. Next time he runs across that word, it will be easier to read. Makes sense, no?

I think audio books also help children learn the rhythm of a well-written story. By listening, they learn about inflection and intonation. It trains their ear, so that they will begin to look ahead as they read so that they can read aloud in a similar manner.

They are also a wonderful way to introduce young children to literature that is too difficult for them to read, for example, the Classics. I think if we wait until children are old enough to read some of the classics, then our kids will be bored. They have to learn to appreciate well-written literature while they are young, before their minds get used to the easy "candy" on the bookshelf. The garbage that doesn't really inspire the imagination, or incite thoughtful consideration, but rather just evokes a good laugh and is written purely for entertainment's sake. I'm not saying there's not a time and a place for a mindless story, but I think we ought to train our children's minds to savor the challenge and sophistication of well-written literature from the start. And a well-told audio book of good children's literature can capture and entertain a child's mind as easily as the next book.

If you'd like to read more about the benefits of using audiobooks with children, take a look at the following articles:


• Benefits of Audiobooks for All Readers on Reading Rockets


• The Literacy Benefits of Listening: Use audio books to bring life and depth to your child’s reading experience on Scholastic


• 8 Teaching Benefits of Audio Books on Ezine @rticles  (A great article!)


Con mucho cariño...

Bilingual Books on Tape {GIVEAWAY}

This week is dedicated to audio books and the valuable place they have in our children's education. I mentioned last week that I'm committed to incorporating more audio books in our studies, and I'll be sharing resources for them over the next few days.

But I want to kick off this week with a giveaway. I have two sets of four CDs featuring the stories of author Alma Flor Ada. This set includes four books in Spanish, and one in both English and Spanish.

The first CD is collection of 29 songs for each letter in the alphabet and one original alphabet song. All of them are in Spanish and are from the book, Abecedario de los animales, written by Alma Flor Ada and Suni Paz.

The second CD is a series of stories read by the authors, F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada. It is their own versions of the 12 traditional tales that they wrote for their book, Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelas. Some of the stories included are Blancaflor, Juan Bobo, Martina Martínez y el Ratoncito Pérez, El caballito de siete colores, and many others.

The third CD is actually in both English and Spanish. Once again read by the author. The Gold Coin or La moneda de oro is a beautiful book about generosity and transformation. You can read the moving and inspirational story behind this tale on Del Sol Books' website.

And our last CD is actually another collection of 27 songs based on the book, Gathering the Sun: An ABc in Spanish and English, written by Ada and Paz. These songs originate from simple poems written about the lives of Latin Americans; one for each letter of the Spanish alphabet. You can read a review here on the Latin Baby Book Club site.

I am so happy to be able to giveaway one of these CD sets to two readers. And I am especially grateful to Alma Flor Ada, for generously offering these as giveaways.


THE GIVEAWAY

I have two sets of each CD to giveaway and will choose two winners.

To enter to win, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, January 22nd. The winners will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! 

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Leave a comment telling me which CD you are looking forward to the most!

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a set of bilingual audio books for children from @LatinMami http://bit.ly/AeG1er #Spanish #reading #giveaway

3.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!


UPDATE: A NOTE FROM ALMA FLOR ADA -

Dear Mommy Maestra readers:

I'm delighted to know that you will be able to share with your children some of the CDs that Isabel Campoy, Suni Paz and myself have created with great love. It would be nice to hear their reaction to the stories and songs. You can contact us at: http://www.almaflorada.com/, http://www.isabelcampoy.com/, http://www.sunipaz.com/. Do not miss visiting Isabel's new website! And let us know if you want a free subscription to the monthly enewsletter Smiles and Butterflies, with ideas on sharing books with children. All best wishes. ~Alma Flor Ada

Disclosure: This giveaway is offered in collaboration with the authors. I have not been compensated in any way for offering this giveaway, and it results from my contacting them and asking for a contribution to our Music in Education series.

Children's Literacy Lab: In English...y español

The Children's Literacy Lab is a website created by the GSR Foundation (Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez), a private and independent non-profit institution focused on the promotion of reading. The GSR Foundation was established by the Spanish publisher, Germán Sánchez Ruipérez, who wanted to focus on the reader instead of the books. The foundation is dedicated to first readers, and has implemented innovative community programs through libraries.

Based out of Spain, this fabulous site is published in English and Spanish. It shares the latest news related to literacy, how-to tips for parents and educators, as well as how technology is influencing today's readers. The site also provides online training in Spanish on subjects like how to enhance your teaching with online educational resources.

My favorite part is the free digital school library in Spanish, and I know many of you will enjoy this, too. If you are a bilingual-ed teacher, this site is a fabulous resource. Parents, you will enjoy reading the articles and tips.

Con mucho cariño...

Los Reyes on the Internet

Here are just a few of the new resources I have discovered on Los Reyes Magos. For a complete list, be sure to check out the main resource page for Día de los Reyes.

Pasitos de Colores has an adorable short story about Los Reyes. Just click on the picture and it will take you to their site. Once you are there, you can scroll down and click on the first picture. This will pull up a slide show to make reading the book easier for you and your children.

ParaBebes has the cutest site where kids can choose their favorite Magi and then send him an email with their wishlist. (I asked for a new car. Ahem.) And he immediately responds with a short video! All in Spanish. Love it.


Mi Sala Amarilla has a great collection of printable letters to los Reyes (it's also where I found the link to ParaBebes). You can download and print your favorite design!

Dibujos.org has this adorable banderita you can print and have your students color/decorate. Then just string them together and you've got your own Día de los Reyes banner!

Con mucho cariño...