Folder Checks and a new resource

¡Hola a todos!

I just wanted to remind los alumnos (the students) that next week, we will be having folder/binder checks in both the 5th and 6th grade class, and the 7th and 8th grade class. I do these checks because, instead of using just one book, we are using a variety of materials and keeping them organized to make a book for ourselves and show our progress. This means that it is very important that students keep every handout they are given in class, and keep them in the order written in their Folder Organizer (first page of their folder) so that they can find information when they need it.

In the folder check, I'll be looking for the following things:
- Does the student have his/her Folder Organizer up to date? (Both classes should have up to #7 filled in).
- Does the student have all of the worksheets/handouts listed in the Folder Organizer?
- Are the worksheets in the right order?
- Has the student been filling in their Caja de Herramientas (Toolbox) with vocabulary and phrases that we've learned in class?
- For 7th and 8th grade: has the student been doing the daily warmup exercises?
Padres (parents), you may want to check with your child to make sure he or she has these things done.

In the 7th and 8th grade class (because we have the Smart board in their classroom), I introduced a BBC on-line, interactive video for language learning on Thursday. The name of the series is Mi Vida Loca. As you might be able to tell from the name, it's a drama. From what I've seen, it's a great, entertaining way to practice Spanish and learn about Spanish culture. Feel free to check it out!

Canciones en español: Spanish songs

One of the ways I like to practice pronunciation and learn new vocabulary is through listening to songs in Spanish. Of course, this is also a lot more fun than simply reading through a list of words over and over! Though we haven't gotten into too much vocabulary yet in our classes, I thought I'd post a link to a fun song that students can go check out.

The song is called "Con Poder" by Salvador, and has pretty simple, repetitive lyrics, with several words that 6th, 7th, and 8th graders should recognize from last year. Salvador is a well-known Christian band that sings music in both English and Spanish.

As a bonus, I'll give five extra credit points to the first seven students who listen to the song and either 1) post a comment with the words that they recognized from the song with the English translations of those words, or 2) post a comment with the link to either the Spanish lyrics to "Con Poder" or the lyrics translated into English. Make sure to put your Spanish name (first name only, por favor!) with your comment so that I can give you credit.

¡Feliz viernes! (Notice that 'viernes' is not capitalized... Remember that Spanish capitalization rules are different from those in English. ;)

Mi Historia: My Language-Learning Story

As many of the students know, I am a teacher and a student: I'm taking classes full-time in order to get my Master's in Teaching. For one of my classes this semester, I was asked to write a "Foreign Language Autobiography," talking about my experiences learning other languages, my teachers, and all kinds of juicy stuff. Since students frequently ask me about how I learned Spanish, I thought I'd post what I wrote here (with extra bonus material) for those who are two pages-long curious.

¡Que tengan un buen fin de semana! (Have a good weekend!)

Eligiendo Nombres Españoles (Choosing Spanish Names)

As part of learning more about Spanish culture, I give students the opportunity to choose a Spanish name to use during the class. Of course, if students are more comfortable with their English names, they may use them. Students will be deciding their names on Monday, so I thought I'd include a few links here for those who are still undecided:

Common Spanish names with their English equivalents A good, concise list with popular names. There are only a few here that I haven't heard before.

Much more comprehensive list with names' origins There are definitely more creative names on this long list. I'd recommend looking at the other list first, then taking a peek here if you don't see anything you like.

Also, if you do choose a name on-line, it would be helpful to write it down so you don't forget what it is before class! That way, I can also help with pronunciation in case you're not sure how to say it.

¡Hasta lunes! (Until Monday!)

¡Bienvenidos! (Welcome!)

¡Bienvenidos al blog de la clase de espanol en St Paul! I hope you all have had a fun, relaxing summer, and I'm excited to have your students in Spanish class this year.

To help both los estudiantes (the students) y sus padres (and their parents), I've started this blog to keep you updated about things we are learning, on-line resources to practice skills, and upcoming quizzes, tests, or other important due dates. I hope it will be useful for you, and invite you to follow the blog by e-mail (by entering your e-mail address in the "Follow Blog by Email" box to the right) and post comments with any questions you might have.

Looking forward to a great year!