Writings, Wanderings

Being a Spanish teacher, I am always looking for online resources to support my students especially these past two months when all instruction has been done virtually. Here are three sites that have been helpful for language practice. They are all free (or have large portions that are free) and the first two address multiple languages. Plus, they aren't just written vocabulary or grammar practice; there are also opportunities for reading and listening practice too. I've used these sources for both myself and my students. Hope you enjoy! Duolingo : available through a web browser or as an app, this free website has dozens of languages to practice from the most popular Spanish to less-studied Dutch, Hebrew, and Swahili and even the fictional Klingon. Each lesson is short, most little segments taking me less than five minutes. Lessons focus on specific topics although will pull from previous vocabulary (also sometimes unexpected like when the word "duck" popped up ...

  Alma and How She Got Her Name  by Juana Martinez-Neal was my favorite children's book read for the month of January. As my blog entry for it says, this story was so much more than I expected, and I highly recommend checking it out. I really appreciated the honest, strong message in When I Was Eight by Christy Jordan-Fenton. This book is a very respectful introduction to what some indigenous children in Canada faced, a story that was paralleled in some places in the United States as well. Little Pea  by Amy Rosenthal was a four-star read for me. It was just so cute! How many parents (aunts, uncles, babysitters) can relate to a young kid not wanting to eat their vegetables? Well, this tale turns that idea upside-down: Little Pea desperately wants to get to eat his dessert of vegetables but first he has to face eating sweets for dinner. I also love the clean, minimalist drawings of the book. After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat...

I love words. I'm guessing that confession isn't too much of a surprise since I am a writer :) Today ESPN is televising the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee and with it also being my first day of summer break, I'm splitting my attention between chores and the competition. These kids have amazing skills. It is fascinating to watch them break the words down with clues related to definitions, origins, and alternate pronunciations. My own spelling bee experiences never went more complicated than maybe asking for the word to be used in a sentence or else repeated. I did manage to earn runner-up in the county spelling bee as an eighth-grader--I spelled triphibious right but missed metropolitan. The fat dictionary I won for that achievement still sits on the desk in my spare bedroom. Those moments up on stage were Here is a list of words that caught my attention for various reasons. Which ones do you want to use in conversation this week? abrazo: I teach th...

I read four children's books this month and really enjoyed three of them. The Museum had an enjoyable rhyming pattern to it but the gem was how it introduced young readers to several art masterpieces. Children who love to paint would enjoy this book and there are multiple options for incorporating this book into a cross-curricular classroom setting. Mango, Abuela, and Me combined my love of Spanish with a genuine look at the question of how to handle the concerns of aging parents (or in this case, an aging grandmother). The story also infused parts of Hispanic culture. I would love a copy of this book for my Spanish classroom and will look for other offerings by the author. Just Add Glitter is simply a fun book. Any young child who loves bright, sparkly things will adore the illustrations. I even found myself gently touching the pages to feel the glitter! Clothesline Clues to Sports People Play was my least favorite book. It had a neat premise--look at what clothing ...